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The other men in coats

Before I came here, people went out of their way to emphasise the extent of the English pub and boozy culture. Interestingly, the words - "you will absolutely love it" tended to follow immediately after. To date they were absolutely correct on both fronts.

However there is a flipside. I don't know if it is just Camden or not, but London can't (or makes no attempt to) hide its reckage. There are so many people men that are so clearly shot to ribbons that it is actually really quite depressing and sad. They are everywhere, roaming the streets, Tenants in hand, completely invisible and irrelevant to the busy passers by.

It does make you think where that line is and what could push you over it. A job loss, a relationship break up, a death of someone close - I don't know - buy there for the grace of God go I.

I also hope I don't become desensitised to this sort of thing through over exposure, that would be sad as well.

Google - a stalkers delight

After successfully leaving all of Brother Whitney's contact details in my Outlook profile at work and not being able to contact him here - I decided to treat him like a potential girlfriend and 'googled' him. Success!! Courtesy of Find a Kiwi I tracked down his email address.

Email dispatched yesterday, phone call received this morning, just had a beer with him at lunchtime today. It was excellent to catch up with him and cop some good old fashioned kiwi ribbing. Might kick around a rugby ball with 20 or so of his mates at Hyde Park tomorrow. That's what you do when you're a Kiwi in London.

P.S. For thise of you that found the opening paragraph of this post mildly disturbing - you may want to 'google' yourself to see what everyone else can see about you.

Now this is getting silly

Wednesday - meeting with thehotgroup.com - handing out that business card would be good.

Thursday - meeting with biggsolutions.com - first chat up line writes itself really. "Have you got a big problem? Because..."

And now - Friday - phone interview with monster.com - it would be a crass introduction - but I don't get the feeling that matters over here.

But for all the fun and games - what's the bet I end up working for weefellas.com?!?!

The Interview - Part 2

I had the phone interview with Mr Bigg of biggsolutions this morning. I was thinking it was to discuss a possible role at his organisation - but it turns out the he is, well, a pimps pimp. Or to use the terminology they use over here, a recruiter-to-recruiter recruiter. You get the idea.

The idea is he is kind of exclusive and sends out candidates details to other recruiters, they then take me to the client and so on. To me it seems the approach to recruitment over here is very much in sync with Subway's approach to making a sandwhich (and no I don't want f*&king onion, lettuce or tomato. Steak and cheese, just like it says on the wall).

Anyway - sounded like a good man and said he would do some 'research' and get back to me. Thanks to Mum's sterling work jettisoning off my car to a young unsuspecting - I can do the unemployed thing for a wee while longer yet (thanks Mum!!).

Hhmmm

My first meeting yesterday was with a company called thehotgroup.com plc. I was looking forward to that business card.

I have just lined up another one for tomorrow with biggsolutions.

Anyone else seeing a theme developing?!?!?

The Interview - Part 1

I had the job interview this morning. All went well - but I think I was being a touch unrealistic to expect instant gratification and a sack of pounds on the way out the door.

It turns out that it was by luck that they got my CV and wanted to talk to me - if things goes well - they will flick the incumbent for me - nice (nothing like being the bad guy straight off the bat). The interview went well enough, had a hour with the MD talking broadbrush and then an hour talking geek with the new IT Director (whom I had worked with breifly in Oz - bonus!).

Second half went particularly well - I was happy enough with what I offered and didn't feel nervous at all. Being on tour just sets you at ease somehow.

The bugger is that it could be up to 2 weeks before I hear anything. So I will look at other options in the meantime (so long as I am not too busy happily arranging all of my eggs into the one little basket....).

Men in coats

Not dodgy men in long grey coats either. No, I am talking a never ending array of men in brightly coloured coats - some happy to help you, others busting the guts to ticket you - no matter what it is - there is a man in a coat. The ones that get you are the "Community Support Officers", whom supposedly failed the full Police entry test - but still get a uniform that is essentially undifferentiated from the real thing. They are seriously everywhere.

An interesting way to keep unemployment down I suppose? That got me wondering. How can a place so seemingly archaic be so successful? I guess I will find out in good time.

This is why I came here

I was the happy tourist today, courtesy of a whirlwind tour of London in the Saab, ably hosted by Mark and Kathryn, and my god, it blew my mind. The sublimty of London and the grandeur of its heritage was simply out of this world.

A long time fan of classical architecture (the (not the Beehive) Government building in Wellington being amongst my favourites), today I saw more beauty than I thought imaginable. The Tower of London, Big Ben (it was sparkling Suz) and the Houses of Parliament were magnificent - how this square kilometre of perfection survived the blitzkreg eludes me.

I plan to take a week to walk through these places, reading their various histories as I go. Sitting for a day atop a double decker bus and being spoon feed tip bits wouldn't do it justice.

I'll make my solo debut on the tube tomorrow and do a dry run to Hammersmith and back to get my bearings for the interview on Tuesday - shouldn't be a drama - worst case scenario is a long way south of Ireland.

It is hard to describe a day when at one point you are exposed to the depths and richness of your spiritual home, and just half an hour later, you are having a beer in a flat, watching a game of football.

Fortunately; Newcastle United came to the party and restored a sense of normality - losing 2-1 to Man United....

Withnail and me

I love this place! Walking down Oxford St with Kathryn I found that there were to many sights to take in that I was in overloaded, so I left it to my ears...

Not a 'normal' sound to be heard - just the wildest array of acccents, attitudes and outlooks that you can imagine - all proferred with a disconcerting candor that beggared belief. That was until I realised that I was in a place large enough that you were never going to meet the person that overheard you - and if you did - who cared??

London (amongst the chaos) , inherantly, unknowingly, delivers a sense of ease. It is a place where no matter what you do - it will never be no more unusual than what has gone before. There is no stereopical 'Londoner'.

One of the great lines from "Withnail and I" was - "I've got to get out - I feel unusual". To be honest - the you can't feel unusual in London, because here, there is no usual, there is no normal. And it's great.

Here now! And somethings got to change...

Here safe and sound - met at the airport by Kathryn and Mark, so yet to experience a tube, thank god! All good so far and obviously so much more to come, but already something has to change.

More specifically - the change situation has to change. I've just been for a walk through Camden and made a few purchases - a McChicken, (I don't remember mentioning Curry Sauce - bloody POM's would put Curry on popcorn) amongst other things, and already I have a pocket full of shrapnel! That wound me up back home - but there it was actually currency.

A one p coin, or 2.6 cent coin NZ - for kentucky ducks sake - what's the point.

But that is the only irritation thus far. Out tonight - a bit knackered - but one mustn't be soft first night in London town.

Top 5 things experienced at Singapore Airport

1. What has to be the classiest smoking section of any establishment - anywhere in the world.

2.The very obliging bar lady who offered to take one of my beers away to keep it cold, and ended up obligingly taking away one empty before she had finished making said offer.

3. Speedo's being worn as a badge of honour - I didn't hear the guy speak, but sometimes you can just pick the French.

4. The French guys wife! ["Seen" not "experienced" as indicated by post title - Ed]

5. A couple of beers and a fag and bugger me if Shakey Stevens (AKA Ozzy) hasn't turned into Steady Eddie, well, you know what I mean!

From Singapore Airport - post dated

Well I'd like to say that I'm half way - but I'm not. In Singapore after the first leg and not shaping up too badly. Beer and fag in hand at the time of writing - so how bad can it be!?

It was sad saying goodbye to Mum at the aiport, but the level of apprehension kep any 'man emotions' in check. Then there was the flight....

All on board with no dramas, then came the tap on the shoulder - oh shit!But no cause for alarm, they just wanted me to move seats. Going from one of the worst seats in the plane (middle of the aisle) to an equally bad one was of little consequence.

Second tap on the shoulder - now what! There were man thanks, no less than four handshakes from an airline suit (you can keep those pal!) - and then a $50USD voucher for the inconvenience (OK pal, I'll keep that).

The flight was OK, with just one look the neighbours on either flank and I silently agreed that friendly conversation was just that - the preserve of friends. So off we went.

You've all been there and know what the next 9 hours were like. The good news is that I am here and the transfer part looks to be a breeze - albeit a 30 degree breeze on the roof top smokers deck.

So an hour here with Mr Heiniken and Mr Hedges for company - then Ms Imovane and I will hopefully sleep our way to London.

As I say, this was written in Singapore - but in the name of blogging honour - I will post it verbatim, unedited and unembellished from Blighty [which he has - Ed].

I fear for my lower back - other tan that - all is well.

The night before the day that would never come....

Well, for a decision that only took eight years to make - the time has come (in fairness - the decision was probably made long before - it just took a number of years to do anything about it!).

Sat here at Mum's, obsessing, re-packing, checking... "Passport - check, tickets - check, pounds - check, paranoid disposition - roger that". But not feeling too bad. Hell of a build up - but feeling like I have seen all the people I needed to (apologies to any jilted lovers and overlooked others).

Anyways - by way of welcome, this will be where I throw down my thoughts, experiences and musings of the wider world and the different types we share it with. A collection of observations and the odd (I am picking very odd) tale of woe no doubt.

Kathryn is picking me up from the airport (at 6am bless her cottons) and we'll take it from there. Dinner with Kathryn, Mark and Mands tomorrow night should be a cracking start to the whole trip.

Assuming I get there....