Move on now

Essex & London, UK

Just another Monday morning rolled around, and for this one I took a car ride into central London with Tim. I checked out his office/showroom and started taking pictures with my newest toy. I've never had a camera that makes that satisfying shutter release sound up till now and I have to admit, it sounded and felt great.

Onward I headed off to Oxford St, scampering in and out of the cold Febuary weather. A few T shirts here, a CD or two there... I was enjoying my London shopping expience. I continued to experiment with shutter speeds and apertures as I made my was pas Horseguards Parade and then past Nelsons Column. I eventually made it to the South Bank where I met Flee for lunch at the Slug n Lettuce.

I explored a little more after my bangers n mash; found a photographical exhibition and chatted to UK mates on local call charges rather than overseas.

The Sun dropped and the cold got more uncomfortable than I was comfortable with, so I headed for some final clothes shopping in an impossibly hot high street chain store before grabbing some nice Thai dinner and heading off home via the tube and overland C2C services.

***

Mum had timed her birthday well for my visit home, or maybe that should be the other way around. Either way, Sian had taken the day off of work and together, the 3 of us went for a cafe lunch in Leigh, a town located a little North East of home. Grove offered some tasty sandwiches before we browsed the little shops in the local precinct for mothers day cards and gifts. I delved off once again to take some pictures on this particularly cold and blustery day by the Thames Estuary.

That evening, it was Fonfara tradition to have a birthday meal followed by cake and gifts. In the background, some music eminating from dad's hi-fi as we pulled open some party crackers. Curry's all round, Megan aside who's little mouth hasn't quite adapted to the spices of India just yet.

Happy Birthday mum X

On Track

England - ...to the ReUniFon

I've already overtaken those leaving business class, and I'm almost skipping as I charge down Heathrows almost endless passages toward baggage reclaim. I see a vending machine selling yellow "Orange" Fanta. The nip in the air (even indoors) is typically English and I hear good music emanating from a radio station somewhere on route. Bag 1 is awaiting me, bag 2 arrives not too soon after. My brother Tim is there to collect me; unfresh from a day at the grind and traffic.

Hugs.HeathrowCarPark.M25ClockWise.A127.A13.Corringham.Home.Hugs

On the car ride home, my brother Tim asked me to give dad a call to let him know to start cooking dinner… he was planning to prepare a curry. I usually hate to cause a fuss and don't like to be an issue when someone else is cooking, but after 20 days of at least 2 curries per day, the first thing I didn't want, was rice with heavily seasoned/spiced meat & sauce. I'd been pining for some fish n chips for some time and so when the alternative was suggested, I could relax easy on the way back home.

After dropping Megan off to school, I was back on GMT. I headed over to Grays to meet up with the remaining workmates I used to earn a buck with nearly 6 years ago. Theobald Arms the venue, a pretty old pub that still smells of the smells that stuck to the carpet previous to the no smoking bans. Beer mats across the walls, and no VB, Carlton or Tooheys; one of the guys asked me if it was weird to be back; to which, I could only reply that it was not. For all the time that I had passed on the opposite side of the globe can't displace that feeling of localness, of home, even if that spark of nostalgia is the smell of 15 year old stale lager and cigarette smoke.

As the guys took it in turn arriving , it was like it was 2003 once more, if only for an hour or two.

After the pub, I visited another old mate Stuart at his place in Purfleet before heading home for some dinner and then going out for my first drink session. In it's 4th or 5th incarnation since it was built, the Sky Bar was a good bit of fun over in Festival Leisure Park… the night became morning and pretty soon I was staring down the barrel of a double barrel gun… with the prospect of being hungover for my re-union party the following day.

My brother Tim picked me up in the morning and together we took a train into Liverpool St, London. After a quick tube ride, we walked up cobbled streets from Embankment toward Covent Garden. After a terrible coffee, a moment of amazement overcame me, London is such an amazing city, still in many respects, the best I've seen in the world.

We located the Longacre in Covent Garden, and at around 1pm, I saw my last daylight of this Saturday. My cousin Mark and his wee son Joe were already waiting with beers and cokes respectively as an unexpected surprise. Jimbo and Flee arrived next; two people I've only ever met on the other sides of the world. By something like 5 o clock, our side of the pub was rocking and I was doing anything but sitting, making pleasent conversation.

My best mate Clive since around 5years old, mates from my job in Thurrock and newer friends made through travel intermingled with my brother and later my sister; the most extraodinary combination of people in one room at any one time for me personally. I kinda wish I hadn't already put a skinful of beer down me, so I could take in the moment a little more; but I am and was most appreciative for everyone making it along. The miracle of Facebook, for keeping me in such strong contact with people around the globe.

My gift to the evening was to bring out little drink habit direct from Sydney; the masterful mixture of a shot of Jagermeister dropped inside a tumbler of Red Bull... smashed back in seconds to reveal an awesome taste plus after effect... I think they went down pretty well ;)

As whatever time it was came around, Sian and Tim did the honourary sibling thing and dragged me away to catch the last train home... I'd forgotten about that pesky thing, though I'm sure it did me a favour in the long run. I recall chatting to some random Aussie from somewhere in NSW on the train ride home, almost like meeting a mate from home whilst being away... except I was home... and now very confused.