A new begining...

...a lot happened in this week. Had a fair amount of downs down downs, and then it started going up...

We've been home hunting, and in London (while doing a job) that's always fun. Add to this the fact that I cycle to work lately ( cause I want to, and you know what.. really glad I am doing so, I rest a heck of a lot better at night due to some 9km cycling from work to home), and you get a fairly interesting mix of trying to balance "viewings" with normal daily stuff.

Anyhoo.. me and Grieks went to see this one place of someone that found our profile (set up by Grieks on uk.easyroommate.co.uk.. I think), and has a flat in a 7th story apartment. We walked in after getting off from the DLR (just about 2 minutes walk from there to the flat),and it was a very very beautiful flat.

At the time we were looking at the main suite room in the flat ( with en-suite bathroom) and this was a bit above the max that I had put aside in budget to be looking at rent though. So we sat there, looked at the view and really started liking the whole place (comes with gym and saunna for the apartment as well, lanny.. stag flat comes to mind). Eventually we got up and walked out, thinking we'd love to, but just couldn't :(

Got to the DLR station and the owner of the flat phones us up to ask what we think, told her she has a beautiful flat, excellently furnished and in a prime location, but unfortunatly above our price range. Ellie ( the owner ) said she was very sorry to hear that as she thinks we would really make it a nice home for us ( good sales technique this lady has). Told her that I'd talk to Grieks about it and will email her back the following morning. Not much was discussed, we had both decided, above our budget, and so that was what I emailed to Ellie on the following morning (Tuesday).

Tuesday was spent looking through websites offering places to house and flatshare in the general area of Canary Wharf (we've gotten spoilt by living here and it's fairly central to everything), finding some that sounded inside of range, only to phone up and find out that they were not, due to them not including the bills and utilities in the weekly rent and thus adding another 50 - 60 pounds per person per month on the tab.. in some cases taking the rent for a couple up to £750 per month, and that's without food still.

So we found a few places, marked them for viewing and phoned up some people to find out if we could have a look see around.

Next in the viewing line was a place just across from the park from us. South African investors that own the property and basically rent out. Nothing new. Big place, nice room, 3rd floor, in Canary Wharf... rent including everything ( except food ofcourse, but with broadband and all utils), £175 per week.. so about 720 per month.. and have it been in house with only say 3 other people in it.. would have gone for it.. this one, we would have been numbers 8 and 9. Very kewl house, nice idea, but no thanx. We were 7 in here just before the others went home for holiday.. not keen on that kind of stuff.

Next place, later that evening in Stratford : Now this one was interesting. The ad was that there was en-suite bathroom, gym with pool and the likes ( in the ad), big double room and broadband and utils included.. all for 600 per month.. sounded like a deal, we would hav been a few minutes away from Fanus (SA buddy who's here in London as well), so had a lot of appeal.. before we went to have a look see.

Had all the problems of finding the place ( called the guy something like 6 times to find out the address, finally got it off him about 5 minutes before we left home to find it). Got there, rang the bell and waited... and so this pommie walks up, opens the gate. Friendly bloke, added a good check next to his name, walked up to the flat, walked in and the first room we saw was the tiny little washer room (with a dude in trying to do his washing), fair, they didn't expect viewings that day so they didn't know anyone would be there, looked kind of ok when we walked in.. but was starting to wonder about it all. Walked up one floor to view the actual room. Walk in and yes, it's a huge room.. has got cupboards and the like, double bed, no linens (not really an issue but something that the guy just skimmed over), and then the cracks started showing. I looked up, there was no lamp shade ( not that this normally phases me), more strikingly though, there was no bulb in the light socket either.. uhmm.. wonder where the door to the en-suite is.. uhmm.. well, it's the door that leads to the top floor where the shared bathroom ( without shower curtain) is. When walking down the stairs ( behind the dude ), one of the rentee's walked up and basically killed any chances of us taking it ( was there still any left ? ). "The washing machine still doesn't work" was her words to the landlord in that tone of voice that makes you know that it's been raised as an issue in the past, and nothing was done about it. Kinda killed it completely for us.

So we were close to Fanus, phoned him up to ask if he would mind us dropping in and saying hi, he said nope come have some coffee, and so on the walk down to his house I decided.. Ellie had offered us one of the other 2 rooms in the house and subsidising the utilities if we were to rent at £650 per month. At that moment ( Wednesday evening around 7 ) my day/week had been one big lump of stress and worry about things back in SA (long story), not knowing if my contract with ITV will be extended ( it has been, since Thursday the paperwork is being organised between the consulting firm and the recruitment agency [after Rob (my manager) has requested if I would enjoy a further 3 months with them... I hesitated for a full 3 nano seconds before saying yes :) ], and having to find a place to live on a fairly interesting budget planning. At that moment in time I had just had enough.. been up and down the whole week and one thing was certain, it is a great flat and a great place to put down roots and start living instead of just surviving. So I called up Ellie and said that if it was still available we would take the offer she had made. She said marvelous [t] :)

There's going to be a few things that will have to be done when we finally move in tomorrow, but will hopefully be online again in about a week or so. Getting paid on Tuesday so then the deposit and rent goes from my account to landlady.

All in all, hopefully the true experience of UK living will start next week ( tomorrow really). In another shout out, Grieks has started a 2 month contract on Friday doing reception in Moorgate, very proud of her, and very thankful that she's giving me the oppurunity to live and work here in the UK for a while. Hopefully soon we'll find something for her in her chosen field. To give her the same equal oppurtunity.

Hope my mom had a great day today, was/is her birthday. Gave her a call to find out how she was doing and if she was enjoying her day that side of the world. All seems to be well in Cape Town.

Well, until we get online in new place.. have a good one all :)
Greets
Z