London Town from Ealing Broadway
When I began seriously planning my big O.E, I had the idea that I would find a job and stay between four and six months; the extra money funding the extended adventure. That plan was pretty vague – where would I stay, what city would this be in, how long would I work for, how would I keep travelling while being still enough to keep a job – these questions were all now jostling in my head trying to be figured out. London, as the enormous energy hub that it is, seemed to be a good place to start, and my cousins Sam and Alan stay in a shared flat in Ealing where there is a landing they were happy to let me occupy for a bit.
I found my way by train and underground to their doorstep, and was greeted by an unfamiliar face. This was Tom, the Polish guy who is studying and occupies the room on the ground floor of the house, next to the kitchen and dining room. Turns out I didn’t make it clear I was coming, but luckily Sam was there and it was all okay. They were just getting ready to go out and asked if I’d like to come along. Sam was going to play at an open mic night in a pub somewhere. It was pretty cool, I met another flatmate, Camillo, and his girlfriend and a Polish girl. I definitely would buy a CD from Sam, actually I might ask about that.
During my first week in London I stayed on that floorspace, explored a little, got my CV sorted, applied for a tax number and applied for jobs. I was still half hearted about finding a job. I hadn’t exactly realized how alone I would feel. I guess at that time I found it very difficult to be in a place I didn’t know with very little in the way of support. It was great though, being able to stay with Sam and Alan. They work very hard and are out rather a lot, but just knowing they were there was very comforting. Towards the end of that week I went out with Alan. The plan was to go to this Nineties Night at some club, but I never got that far. We had bought a bottle of bourbon on the way to Alan’s friend Charli’s. Charli is a fashion student, and I found her far more my kind of person than the girls I had been acquainted with so far. I love her shoes too! Anyway, after too many very strong drinks I was unable to make it to the club. I did have a pretty good time though, since getting to the club had taken so long, what with the fashion students all getting ready, that we’d already listened to many of the biggest hits from our younger years. Apparently I didn’t miss much anyway.
In the morning, or early afternoon more like, Alan and I headed over to the Portobello Markets in search of a £10 watch for him. It was a cool atmosphere, heaps of junk stalls, indoor markets with sparkling trinkets and jewellery, fruit and vegetables, clothes and a shop which sold cowboy stuff. Yeah I was tempted alright. Haha it made me laugh to think of the expressions on the faces of my greeters at the airport if I turned up wearing full on bright purple cowboy boots, or one of those tasseled jackets. Pity I couldn’t afford to see. That night I went out with my godparents for dinner. I had thought it might be a little awkward, I mean, I love my godparents dearly, but usually it’s mum and dad who do the talking. I don’t know them that well. I worried for nothing though, it was almost like talking with mum and dad, I really enjoyed seeing them again and didn’t have problems in making conversation.
