Printemps!

For once, the London branch of Mother Nature Inc has delivered... just in time for the official start of spring. We've had gloriously warm, sunny days all week. Birds and flowers abound. I have to say, I think I prefer this version of spring to the Canadian slow thaw.

And because the weather already has me on the bragging cart, I must also announce (with a big lag from Facebook, as usual) my next exciting holiday destination: Israel. Some Canadian friends are living in Jerusalem for a few months and invited me to stay with them. I've always heard good things and I couldn't resist the lure of a city with so much history, so there you have it. It won't be until the end of May/start of June, but I'm already counting down the days. The only question is: when am I going to start actually exploring Europe?!

Don't snow days imply... snow?

As we all know from my pre-Christmas adventure dragging luggage through 5 miles of slush, London is thoroughly incapable of dealing with snow.

I learned this the hard way (again) yesterday when I arrived at my school, after an hour-long ride (which normally takes 20 minutes) on an unheated bus, only to find an empty carpark and a sign indicating the school was closed. Needless to say, I wasn't too pleased. I am now on the school's text messaging system, though, so I should at least be notified next time. And I was able to learn in advance that today would be another snow day.

The thing is... there isn't even that much snow. In Central London, where I live, there isn't really any at all. There is a tad more out where my school is, but not so much that I couldn't get there.

I totally understand that London hasn't made an investment in the infrastructure required to handle inclement weather because it doesn't make economic sense. The kind of weather we're experiencing now is atypical. I get that. But I'm hearing all these stories about people's cars getting stuck in the snow because they don't have snow tires. Since when do cars (with or without snow tires) get stuck in an inch of snow?

The rail service baffles me even more. If you're lucky enough that your train is running at all, you will be serenaded throughout your journey by the sound of a beached whale. You may even get stuck at a station for ten minutes, as I did, because the doors have frozen open.

I feel as though I'm living in an alternate universe... one where an inch of snow equals a foot. Maybe that's true. After all, it does feel impossibly cold here. It's currently 0 degrees celcius but it might as well be -20.

Ah well, at least I get to enjoy an extended holiday. My pocketbook really doesn't like it, but the rest of me does. I'm off to Oxford tomorrow, followed by a lazy Sunday. By Monday, I should feel fully refreshed and prepared to finally (hopefully) begin the school term. If it isn't another snow day.

PS - Today is my four monthaversary of being in London. I'd be lying if I said I still loved it here, but I do love being in Europe and I think a big part of my affection will be back come spring.

Forget London Bridge... the whole of Greater London is falling down!

I thought I was being clever by opting to stay at Nathan's the night before taking off to Barcelona. In retrospect, we really should have crashed at my place (in Central London rather than Zone 3). Apparently, London totally freaks out at the slightest hint of snow. In the course of our journey, the trains stopped running, traffic halted to 0.5 mph, and buses pulled over to the side of the road. All for absolutely no reason that we could see... the roads weren't at all covered in ice or snow. In the end, we trudged 5 miles on foot (with luggage in tow). In a weird way, it was actually kind of fun. But I hope I never have to do that ever again.

Enjoy this annotated map of our crazy adventure, courtesy of ze boy:


View Crazy Night of Travel in a larger map

PS - Nathan's version of the story involves a little bit of actual snow on the roads. I will swear all the way to my grave that this never happened. There was a bit of slush on the sidewalk, but only water on the roads.

Downs and Ups

I have been on one heck of a roller coaster this week.... and not the fun kind you queue up for while chowing down your candy floss. Several big things in my life were threatening to go very, very wrong. I was really trying hard to accept it, and to remember that everything happens for a reason, but I was still deeply depressed about it. Now (hopefully... knock on wood) they seem to be going right again.

Long days at school, too. The kids know that Christmas is coming and they're unwilling to wait. We're supposed to get 20 cm of snow tonight (gah... I came here to get away from snow!), and that may well mean our Christmas break will begin early, after all. Despite being totally wiped, I'm not happy about that at all. I really can't afford not to get paid and I still need to say a proper adieu to everyone.

On the bright side, the British Airways strike has been blocked so we're still on for Barcelona. Now I just have to pray that we don't get snowed in. I had a dream that we would, and I've been eerily psychic about some things lately.

On another bright side, I finally had coffee with Amie yesterday, after many weeks of saying we should. It was great to have a chance to vent with another Canadian TA who's going through a lot of the same stuff I am. And, of course, to hang out with her--she's super fun and awesome. I can't wait for Saturday's potluck at her place!

I apologize for the messy rant; my mind is messy this week, so this is what you get. I'm off to enjoy some spaghetti and mulled wine, and to write my Christmas cards... on the off chance I actually get to deliver them tomorrow.

Confessions of a summerholic

I have a deep, dark secret to confess.

I hate winter (no, that's not the secret... everyone who's ever been within a 20 mile radius of me knows that). I hate winter and I hate snow. I have declared, on many occasions and with vehement passion, that I hope to never see snow again. It's not pretty and it's not fun; it's cold and boring and a pain in the arse. That's truly how I feel about it.

But... do you remember the way you felt the first year after you finished school, around the start of the year and then again around exam time? How it felt completely weird to not be going through that? And then you'd start hallucinating that it was actually fun to study for exams and that you missed it?

That's kind of what it's like right now for me and snow.

London in the rain

I *heart* my new French press. It's nigh impossible to find regular coffee in this town... it's all instant or espresso.

I also *heart* my new rice cooker and 2-in-1 electric wok & stove. More and more, I'm turning my tiny little dorm room into a self-sufficient entity. I turned my bed around and now I have room for a table (which I desperately need... anyone know where I can get a cheap little folding table?).

Finally, I *heart* the London rain. I don't know why. It just makes me feel really, really happy.