Run over by BUS

11.06.01

Alvin’s update

Things are changing all the time for me so I’ll try to keep you all up to date.

To explain a major change, I’ll refer to is as my zone of awareness (ZOA).

Coming from a rural country area I have tended to scan an area of about 100 yard looking for action or trouble.

Over here, I have found that this ZOA is far too big for the city as there is too much happening. I have there for had to reduced my ZOA to about 10 meters. Only things happen within this zone do I react, I’ll give you an example.

Kath and I went to Lewisham to see her travel agent regarding her European tour next month. I waited outside the little shop near a food stall. The place was busty as hell, people everywhere.

A thump bang and squeal made me flick my head around. I spotted a youth extracting himself from under a Double Decker Bus. Panic was in his eyes as he sprang to his feet right next to me. He began rubbing his head, I assumed that is what had come in contact with the front of the bus. Inside the bus was pandemonium. Old people who where standing in the isle had tumbled against an old guy who was last onto the bus. Old George ( 83) as I later found out was at the bottom of the pile. He was in a great deal of distress. I moved forward to offer assistance to the young bloke. He had turned white with fright and was full of adrenaline. Blood was starting to flow from his fingers and he continued to rub his head. Still dazed, no broken bones. He wanted to bugger off. Some others persuaded him to have a seat inside a nearby drug store.

The old bloke George, had hurt his hip or arse end when he fell. I assisted the old fella off the bus and found him a chair. He couldn’t sit so I gave him reassurance. The Bill arrived from nowhere. It was interesting watching the cops come to terms with what had just occurred. One of the 2 cops went in and seen the young bloke, while the other questioned old George and the driver. It was about this time a second incident erupted. A young teenage girl started yelling and ran past the crowd that had gathered, she was towing a police women who had hold by the back of her clothes. She was bought to ground in about 10 yards and continued to struggle with the cops. I gathered she had been caught for shop lifting and was escorted away in the panda car.

Given that the bus driver needed to be interviewed, his bus had to be unload its passengers and the big red remained where it was, in the middle of the road. This caused a major traffic jam. Cars were backed up for ages, a real bloody snarl.

Back to George, he was starting to get real sore now and just wanted to go and have some food for lunch and get home. Not so, the cops wanted a full statement signed by him. They had also called an ambulance service. Well of course they also wanted to know what happened and started to question old George again. He had had a guts full of all this and welcomed by advocacy. He finally turned the ambulance away and moved off slowly to a fish and chip shop for some dinner

Kath came out of the travel agency, oblivious to all this, she said “What’s going on up there?” I replied a young bloke got hit by a bus. She responded matter of factly “yeh that happed all the time here” I think I’ll have to reduce my ZOA to 1 meter.

I have underestimated the hassle of a work permit in the UK.

Especially the time it takes from when you apply. This has made me rethink my plans as I can’t stay on holiday indefinitely. (No money no Funny). To shorten this up I have accepted a position at the same hospital as Kath Harrison.

Bev will be employed here also and I am assured that we can get the same days off together and have flexibility in shifts. Bev will be joining me here on the 8^th July. Our plan now is to get a flat close to the Hospital and stay here until March next year.

Rachel my first born will be over in November and there is work available for her at the hospital as well. The criteria for getting flats here is very stringent and aliens have to pay up to six months in advance (no credit history). At London rates that soon mounts up. I have furnished the unit in mind and the asking rental is £665.00 per calendar month. (that is about NZ $550.00 per week).

My love handles have disappeared from my hips and guts due to the change in diet and all the walking I’m doing. I was 14 stone when I arrived and now down to 12 stone. (hope its not AIDS). My ribs are sticking out and I feel much better for it.

Its surprising how much exercise you get on the underground up and down stairs. I’ll find a gym near here for the winter and get a range of social contacts by joining the local Millwall Soccer Club, Hooligan division, (I think Kath is already the president of this division).

Had an email from other Kiwis departing for the UK and will be meeting up with a psych nurse from Nelson MH Service at Waterloo Station. This rendezvous point to meet up with John and Sue Annan for the day. Kath and I plan to encourage them onto a boat cruise down the Thames and back.
Yesterday I spent the day at the Imperial War Museum. Shit I was blown away by the Holocaust display. It unsettled me all night. I am starting to learn basic German, as my ancestors came from Poland. I’ll need something to say when I get there ah.

Well I’m excited that Bev will soon be with me

I wonder what will happen next

All the best

Alvin

Bournemouth

01.06.01

Alvin’s update

It’s a bit disconcerting when you get off a tube and the bells are ringing.

I was heading to get a train to Bournemouth on the South Coast. An announcement came over the airways within the Underground system saying “Due to a security alert would you please leave the station immediately”

This was repeated over and over as I traveled up out of the bowels of the Underground. I buggered of out of the building in the flow of traffic and waited outside for probably five minutes. For a starter not many people went back on but as new people arrived who had not heard the announcement the stream of people entering the building grew. The announcement continued and most people seemed oblivious to the emergency announcement.

Well I thought bugger this, so I followed on in to the main platform, all seemed ok, the announcements stopped and life returned to normal.

Kath told me that sometimes people take their lives by jumping under the trains etc. I never did find out what was wrong. All a bit perplexing to me.

They say the IRA may do something prior to the elections so my antenna was working overtime.

My purpose of going to the South Coast was to follow up on a job that I had applied for via the internet. Frontline Community Mental Health Service development stuff. Nurse Consultant Level.

I had a initial meeting arranged with the Service Manager and wanted to check out the area to see if Dorset would meet Bev and my needs as a base for the next wee while.

Close to Europe, London, Wales and Ireland.

There is a ferry that takes two hours across to France from near here also.

My brother is law Dave Irving, had said the weather is like Bluff in the winter, constant sea breezes and rain. My expectations were low. The express train takes only two and a quarter hours to get there, the ride was smooth as silk and I was rocked to sleep within half an hour and woke up just outside Christchurch, a eastern town in Dorset which joins Bournemouth.

Dorset population about half million. A lot of young people in rehabilitation with Mental illness. I sussed the options and recruitment process are in the pipeline.

I wont bore you all with a description of Dorset and in particular Bournemouth, except to say it is very much like Christchurch New Zealand.

Castles, beaches, gardens basically a resort for Poms. The gardens are ready to erupt into flowers. There is a swag of them scattered around the city.
Real Estate prices are high compared to London with a vast array of accommodation places. Mega beds available.

I rode the buses to get orientated and found the natives to be friendly. They love helping a Kiwi to find his way about, especially the old ladies on the buses. Seemed to be a lot of them on reflection.

Kath has the next two days off now, having worked three days 8 am until 8 pm each day. She may be working again tomorrow, if so I’ll be digging out John Annan for a yap.

Bought a Mobile Phone and new pair of undies so I’m a real yuppie now

I wonder what will happen next

alvin

Greenwich

29.05.01

Alvin’s update

Greenwich is not far from Kath’s base camp. Several months ago there was a program on TV 2 about the race to fine a method of recording longitude especially at sea. An old clock maker and his son developed several apparatus that where shown in the documentary, this was all in the time museum. The main reason for Greenwich is that when recordings were taken of the stars, there needs to be a calculation done to take into account the earth rotation. In the early day this had to be done manually, and somewhere had to be 00.00.00 which was designated Greenwich. I set my watch to the exact time according to the digital printout which took about five minutes to achieve only to find it was one hour out due to daylight saving.

Kath’s daughter who is a Police Constable here in London, she arranges her days off to coincide with her Mums. They are adventurous soles and travel to many and varied places both here in the UK and the Continent. The city of Bath was in there sights this day. Colleen is a professional driver, having driven VIP’s and other snobs about the city, prior to her Police training.

I took advantage of her driving skills to learn the ropes and rules for driving in the UK.

Early starts to avoid the traffic is the best plan of attack. Taking the M4 across towards Wales from London for an hour and 30, see you at Bristol and Bath.

Not far and the country side is in a picture of spring growth. Most of the paddocks are in Wheat or Oats with isolated paddocks of Rape seed. The Foot and Mouth epidemic has cleared the stock and a paddock of cows is a rare sight.

I have only seen one big flock of sheep in the whole trip. Its late spring at present and the Rhododendrons are almost finished. The rose buds especially the Hybrid trees, my favorite Loving Memory and the Old English Roses are about two weeks from exploding into full bloom.

What a sight as we cane into Bath. There are rows and rows of White Stone houses all joined together up over the hills and in the town it self. The lush trees and green areas make the white stone stand out even more dramatically. It was so good to look at after the concrete jungle of London. We brought a ticket on an Open Deck Bus and did the complete trip of the town and surrounding countryside twice as well as hopping on and off at places of interest all day.

My haggling skills were of use as well as I managed to get Colleen and myself student passes. The driver wouldn’t wear it when I suggested Kath would qualify as an Old Age Pensioner though, so she had to pay the full price of £.

The tour through the old Roman Baths was just amazing. We must of spent 2 hours in there taking it all in. on my inbound flight from the States, I flew over Ireland and could see the city of Cardiff, Bristol and was gob smacked when I looked down on the city that I found out later to be Bath.

For those of you who have been there it is a memorable place to visit.

We took the back roads home through beautiful countryside and found a White Horse, one of many in the Somerset countryside. (Not as good as the West Coast ah)

The Lions Rugby Team are in the process of preparing to travel overseas and as part of their build up arranged for a conglomerate team, called the Barbarians to play at Twickenham. This is the centre of English rugby.

Six Kiwis where playing, Robin Brook, Ian Jones, Jonah Lomu, pat Lamb, Craig Dowd and Joellie Valderi. It was a spectacular game with the Kiwis providing five of the tries to give the Baa Baas a win. It was great to let out a roar when the crowd around us where all Poms ( surprise surprise), when Lomu and co made great plays.

Monday the 28^th May is Bank Holiday over here.

Today is the finals of the London Rugby sevens. Kath is an avid rugby fan with all the regalia including a big top hat. It takes about 30 minutes out to Twickenham utilizing the Tube twice and then a rugby express train from Waterloo Station.

I’m getting used to the process and often correct Kath as to where to under ground.

The London Underground is easy to find your way around.

This is my first time watching Rugby Sevens. A short game with a lot of action going on around the grounds to keep the crowd entertained. As you all know the Kiwis came out on top. They had the biggest crowd support, I think of the 20000 crowd that half would have been Kiwi supporters.

I’m off down the South Coast to suss a Job prospect for the next few days

I wonder what will happen next..

CU

Dick Turpin

USA to UK

25.05.01

Alvin’s update

Thanks for the update Mohammad, I’m please the deal is nearly completed; I’ll forward you my recent update.

Sunday the 20^th May was my departure date from Miami Florida. Adie and Bill drove me the two hours through the everglades to Miami. A straight drive from one side of the Peninsular to the other. Miami Beach is the place to be in southern Florida.

I had prepared for England and put on a singlet, long trousers and a thick shirt in anticipation of a long flight and cold arrival in London. Miami Beach was not a place to linger in those clothes. The temp was around 38 degrees c.

I reflected on my stay with my American family and really enjoyed meeting them all again. Paul was a great chauffer which saved me from having to learn to drive on the right and he was a great traveling companion. He done things with me that he would not usually have done and also extended my range of interests. Thanks to Bill for his help and advice. I enjoyed the pistol shooting at the indoor pistol range. It was great to renew your acquaintance. I loved spending time with my big sister Adie. She and I reminisced about old times and I found here so much like my other sisters, I appreciated that.

Niki and her children were a lot of fun. I am empress with the early education process that her children are engaged in. The two year old know the alphabet and I think they are well advanced of the expectations of children in New Zealand. Niki wanted me to say she had a wonderful personality and was the sweetest little thing. This has been achieved. Thanks for the time we had getting to know one another. I loved helping Angie with her swimming. A brave adventurous little girl.

Two and a half hours seen me in Washington then a further seven hours to Heathrow. I tried to sleep but to no avail. Probably two hours in total. Flying against the clock stuffed me. I was tired but wanting to explore. The time difference is five hours. Kath Harrison, a work mate and friend from Seaview has been in the UK for 18 months, met me at Heathrow. It was great to see her again and I have been staying with her until I get my ducks in order.

Kath is a Matron of a Elderly Mentally Infirm Nursing Center in New Cross, London. It is a new unit 5 years old and Kath has it ticking like a clock. I am impressed with the dedication and empathy with which she does her job. This area of SE London is near Greenwich and has a high North African, Nigerian, Kenyan, Zimbabwe, Indian and very few whites to make up the population. Kath is an ethnic minority here. On her staff there are only 10 white staff the balance of 120 staff are dark skinned (Black). In the local area security of the residents and shops is very high. Doors are double locked, shop windows have security screen externally. Kath pointed out that there are drug related murders in this neighbourhood. Five killings in six months all within ten minutes of here.

Eye contact between people is only brief and that is to see where the oncoming person is intending to walk. Yesterday while I was out walking to the Tube, I watched a bloke who had is alter his external mirrors on his van to get through a narrow spot. Being a friendly Kiwi I thought I may be able to assist and slowed down my pace to observe. When he alighted from the van he roared at me” have a good look you ignorant bastard” actually it was stronger language than that!!!. I moved on smiling. It does not take much to trigger road rage here.

I needed a hair cut and looked out for a Barber on Old Kent Road, and was waiting my turn listening to Reggae Music the like of which was very new to me. When it was my turn for a trim, I realized the Barber couldn’t speak English, but I could indicate that I wanted a number one on the sides and a number two on the top.

He hoed into the job and when I looked at the floor there was only a small amount of grey hair from me amoungst a huge pile of redundant Afro hair and dreads. I paraded my new hairdo to Kath who was pleased that I hadn’t asked for a shave as that would be to close to the Jugular!!

John Annan is working north of here, I will catch up with he and Sue next week. Kath was keen to orientate me to the City and we set off in the Tube.

We popped up in the city wandering about looking at whatever took our fancy. Kath lured me into Soho the Red Light District. The alleys became narrower and the doorman bigger and blacker so we made a retreat to Buckingham Palace. I think I seen Liz pulling here bedroom curtains. Couldn’t be sure as I was looking through a fence about 100 yards away and the Guard on duty was looking at me.

I have followed up on my UKCC Nursing Rego and that will be all done by next week. My HSBC Bank Account is now active. All that remains is to get my work permit.

I had a brew with Nikola Rooney, my neighbour’s daughter from Kaniere, at Waterloo Station. She is nannying over here and had some of my mail etc.

Kath is off for five days and she is a great hostess and calls her flat the South East London Marae for Itinerant ex Seaview Staff. Today we rode on the London Eye, A big Ferris Wheel, to assist me orientate. I have a fear of heights after my bloody Roller Coaster ride. I think my sweaty palms came back as we reached the top of the ride. I think my mind was expecting a sudden plunge into the Thames. It was well worth the £9.00 and being early we ere able to walk straight on without a queue.

Windsor Castle is an hour out of London by train. Liz had invited Kath and I for a cucumber sandwich and a cuppa. The castle is massive and set on a site of about fifteen acres. It is really over the top with the grandeur. I could get into the history and the way the building is put together. That was fascinating to a country bumpkin. An open topped Double Decker bus tour of the environs was excellent. It incorporated Liz’s farm and nearby Elton College. By the way it would cost NZ $5000.00 to send your son to Eton each year he was there (I’m pleased I didn’t have boys).

Well enough of this tapping. I’m still a bit Jet lagged even after 3 days so I’ll get to sleep.

I wonder what will happen next.

Bye for now

Alvin