Geoff & Chris in the UK    Letters & Photos:  Next

23 February 2003

Hello all,

We have arrived safely in Birmingham, UK - wintry but lovely to be back. 97 emails waiting for us, mostly junk mail…

Good flights, but a heck of a long way to travel in just three days…We are tired after little sleep and so much work before we left. Thanks to Alan (Geoff's brother in law) who helped build the wall for the furniture storage and all of you who offered help to pack, sort, cook or just provide beds, supportive words or the G&T! in the couple of weeks prior to leaving - we appreciate those kindnesses very much.

It was a gigantic task and an emotional one too as we said our goodbyes to children, family, cat and of course our many lovely friends.

New York was a wonderful place to visit, they had just been covered with about 20 inches of snow, the day before we arrived. Nothing untoward happened, weren't mugged, Bush didn't announce anything too dramatic while we were there, the oil refinery explosion wasn't until after we had left…

Walked thru central park, watching children tobogganing, pigeons shivering, buskers singing, sky incredibly clear. Thank heavens for the warm clothes that we took with us. New York was exactly as expected, with the city awake 24 hours a day, more yellow taxis than anything else, s-t-r-e-t-c-h limos arriving at theatre doors, the vibrant video colours of Times Square (though oddly it wasn't square at all), sirens all day and night, large Americans waddling down the footpath, jumping over gutters full of water, scrambling over piles of snow pushed onto the side of the road by snow ploughs.

Americans may be large and New Yorkers brash, but they have style and beautifully plucked eyebrows - Lots of lovely fur coats to be seen jumping puddles and striding with bags of designer clothes.

Our hotel room was just 1 block away from Times Square, with a view down to a street of theatres, where Les Miserables is still showing. Went to see the stage show Chicago - very professional and entertaining, all the better for being in a relatively small, intimate theatre.

Chris overcame her vertigo and conquered the top of the Empire State Building - (I did cling to the middle tho… and could not go to the edge and look down). NY is an amazing city - definitely very different in nature and feel - by comparison to many other cities we have been in.

A most stunning flight out from New York. Left Newark Airport and flew into a clear still night sky, right along the length of Manhattan Island, looking down on the brightly lit site of the world trade centre void, past the empire state building lit in patriotic red white and blue, over central park clothed in white snow, over the Hudson River with ice floating on it. Brrr…

Typical German hospitality on the flights from US to UK, Luthansa wrecked one of our suitcases (clothes pouring out of it onto the baggage conveyer) and a miserable cold bread and meat roll for breakfast. And a loud couple talking through the night, despite Geoff's most diplomatic attempts to quell them - got told to wear earplugs! Didn't like the sight of 24 huge American starlifter military aircraft on the runway when we landed at Frankfurt, signs of impending war in the middle east…

So now we are at Chris's Dad's place in Birmingham, George is relatively well, all hooked up to an oxygen generator 16 hours per day. Chris starts work 9am tomorrow morning, so has bought a new briefcase from M&S to hold all papers etc and Geoff is charged with finding a house or flat, buy a car, and find a job. Chilly, foggy but mostly sunny. Spring will soon be here, with bluebells underfoot in the woods, and wee animals frolicking in the paddocks (like mice, rats and moles???).

Our belongings so far: We have one feather duvet, two mugs, a telephone, four paintings and an old gramophone cabinet to our name here - so a fully furnished flat will be ideal.

Our contact details for the moment are: C/- 42 Northleach Avenue, Druids Heath, B14 5XP, Birmingham, UK Phone 0044 121 459 7009 Mobile - not yet connected Email geoff@olympia.co.nz will continue to work for now New contact details will be provided as soon as possible.

All the best, Keep in touch!!!

Chris and Geoff.

Geoff & Chris in the UK    Letters & Photos:  Next