I have arrived. It has been snowing and there is icicles hanging off peoples' houses! I am sitting at Uncle Jims and Aunty Jens and have just been for a walk along the road with James and the dog Meg. There is about 2cm of ice on the roads and about 5cm of snow around it. It is really pretty and I wish I had brought my camera up here. I will no doubt be back, so I will remember for next time. I went for a walk along the street today and got some Christmas cards, a pasty and a peach melbur. I am slowly ticking off the list of things that I must eat while here. So, Cherie, I can safely say that I have had a chicken pasty. Mum, peach melbur. No snowball yet. Have also had some Minstrals, Caramel wafer biscuits and a few other chocolates.
Travelling into New Castle was a bit of an experience. Spent some time flying in circles, waiting to land in Heathrow, and then a lot of us had connecting flights so they pushed us through to the 'Fast track' lane which was at a stand still. Finally got through the security and then there was no gate number for the connecting flight up yet. So I waited. Ended up buying more chocolate. Five minutes before the plane was supposed to take off (in theory) they put up the gate so all the passengers trekked along and got on the plane. At that point they said that we were going to be about 45 minutes late because they had to de-ice the wings. It was a strange thing to think of coming from NZ but I sort of shrugged it off, chucked my jacket over me like a blanket and had a nap. I woke up three hours later and we were still sitting on the runway. The only reason our flight hadn't been cancelled was because we were already waiting just off the runway. Finally four hours after the original flight time, we left.
Uncle Jim and Aunty Jen picked me up from the airport at around 930ish. My first look into Consett was at night, with deep snows and christmas lights in the windows of peoples houses. It was very beautiful.
Grandad's house is cold but it is just like living in Dunedin all over again, only with a sense of cleaness. I can see my breath in the air, but years of training has allowed me to dress and dive into blankets in record times. The bath/shower has been a hillarious exercise. I have decided that for the time being that I will only wash my hair every other day, otherwise it is too hard. It certainly takes some manouvering and I am really glad for flexibility.
I saw my first robin today. Seen pictures on Christmas cards but now I have seen one in the snow hopping about.
It is almost dark and it is only 4pm. It is strange and my urge to have a nap is still strong.
I am also finding it really hard to wind down as I have been on the move for ten days, up before the sun (which isn't that hard, if I am honest - the sun doesn't rise till about 8-830am). Now, I can't sit still for more than 30 min before I need to go for a walk. Strange, because at home I would have just assumed the seated position and that would have been that.
Missing you all, and it doesn't feel like Christmas. It is only two days away but I am struggling to get in the mood. It is cold and so my brain tells me that I still have 6 months to go.
Lots of Love. Thinking of you all. xxx
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