Leaving to Remain Indefinitely

Today I took the Life in the UK test to secure all my paperwork for my 'Indefinite Leave to Remain'. This visa will mean after 5.5 years of living in England I will be allowed to stay for ever....and allegable for my UK Passport in a year, or a year after I return from travelling to show my commitment to the country again. Its been something I have always wanted and this is really very exciting.


I really enjoyed the experience of learning about the country I love to call my second home. Like that it was a republic for 11 years in the mid 1600's under Lord Cromwell. That Children under 16 can't work in a chippy, kitchen or use heavy machinery or chemicals (no kids obviously help on farms!). And women <30 only got the right to vote in 1928 with the right to vote to those 30+ only passed in 1918. I am so pleased my real home in NZ was the pioneers of the suffragette movement. Hats off Kate Sheppard!


The test took me a mere 10minutes to complete.


I was lucky to get an appointment to do the test within a week of calling the Essex Road centre and would recommend anyone attempting the test to study both the Blue Home Office Book, one of the many study books and take loads of the tests online. This link should help


I thought the test centre looked like a copy shop so be warned if you are heading along - they are a friendly bunch of multiculural folk there ready and waiting.


I got caught on a couple of questions which I will never know if I got right or wrong....


Who looks after the finances of the Police services in the UK?
A. The Government
B. The Metropolitan Police
C. The Council
D. The Local Police Authority


and


In the UK if you refuse to take a breathalyser if stopped whilst driving you...
A. Be given a warning
B. Will be Arrested
C. Will have your license taken off you
D. Instantly fined


Alas I only needed to get 18/24. With a nervous wobble as I received my results the official smiled and congratulated me for passing. I will never know my true result but honestly I'm not that bothered.


When I returned to work shortly after the test my colleagues asked if I felt more English. My response was that I felt like I had been to another country because I went to an urban neighbourhood during the working day and that was like nothing I have experienced for a very long time!


 Now for the real fun - down to Croydon in Suf London next Thursday morning for the interrogation! Wish me luck. 

Holy Land - Practicalities 1/3

Israel is unlike any country I have ever been to before. It is the centre of religion and Politics - and I'm not exaggerating this point - for the axis of Judaism, Christianity and Muslims (referred to locally as Arabs) it really is the hot spot for humanity since before year 1 AD.  As such I have broken this into a few posts for your leisure Relaxation, Food, Transport & Security; Post 2 People Post 3 Religion & Sights. As a preface to this post it should be said I went during Holy week known by us as Easter Week preceding the Easter Weekend. This meant many of the sites were closed to contain crowds and to ensure the peace was maintained while pilgrims from around the world decended on the Holy Land. I would not recommend this as the best time to visit.

Relaxation

Tel Aviv Beach looking to Old Jaffa

This is not a theme many people I know would relate to the hot bed of Israel but as I arrived in the city of Tel Aviv I was assured that winding down is something I could do easily. I arrived at 5am with a book in hand  and a light bag. The temperature was in the low 20's already and I needed rest. My kindly hostel host opened the door to me as I made myself comfortable on his doorstep. My first day was spent walking through the Camel market which looks like many street markets in the Middle East with dried fruit next to Nana knickers and tourist tat next to the kosher butcher. Attempts to see Bauhaus architecture was rather disappointing with most in a state of disrepair. Onto the beach which spans the length of the city and offers a haven for runners and bathers alike. I was made at home with my 2kg of strawberries (he misunderstood my 1/2kg request!). A sunset stroll from the buzzing beach up to the City of Old Jafffa was a stunning way to draw an end to the first day of my week in Israel and left me relaxed about being in a place where I thought I would feel intimidated by guns, religious fervor and ranting politicians. 

Transport

The following morning was the start of Passover so I made my way to Nazareth in the north with the plan to see the home of Mary and move onto the Sea of Galilee where it is told Jesus performed miracles (and on that day I had one I wanted granted for my friends the Booths back in NZ). On arriving in Nazareth and discovering there is no bus station but a series of stops with no apparent city centre I had to make my way back to "town". Easier said than done as the entire city had started a religious holiday of feasting with their families. Thank God for Atheists. A bus pulled over and deposited me on the other side of said "town" meaning I had to walk the half distance back on myself! 

Transport became the main problem with my journey to the north as passover extended into the Tuesday and deemed me stranded. Thankfully my dorm mate Sven and his friends Willem and Jarek came to my rescue inviting me to join them in their rental car to the coast to Haifa to see the Ba'aia gardens and the British settlement museum and onto ruins of Caesarea as they headed back to Tel Aviv to catch a plane!

And again the following day as I queued to get a bus to Jerusalem where the bus had only a few spare seats left and a delightful grandmother pushed me onto the bus to ensure I got to the holy land. Thank You! 

Saturday transport was limited to Service taxis (Transit vans) only a few sheikels more than a bus and seemingly faster. This was a very good option to get back from Jerusalem as it was close to the Jaffa gate where I was staying so net net the same as the bus but more convenient.

Note to any travellers on travelling in Israel - get a rental car - the roads are great! Buses are cheap but for Holy Week not reliable and very busy. With the exception that there are so many of them you can travel unplanned around the country with little hassle. And service taxis (transit vans) go all day everyday - even on Shabat - Fridays dusk to Saturday dusk where everything is closed!

Food

Falafel. Need I say more? Ok I'll divulge. I ate from the markets with Strawberries, dates and apricots to keep me going. I ate falafel and homous like it was going out of fashion and had three dinners. One in Tel Aviv at Gucca with Igor and Jarek. This included Israeli Sauvingnon Blanc, Ceviche with Monk fish and a local white fleshy fish with delicious salsa verde. Dinner in Nazareth with my notebook to hand and ordering the house specials meant I got impeccable service, more than a bucket of Israeli Merlot and a dessert on the house of bread and suet with a berry ju. And another delicious feast of Fish back in Tel Aviv at Ednas - an entire sea bream (oops!) stuffed with garlic - accompanied with onion bread. Delicious. The service was brilliant - or maybe it was the 4 strapping boys I was with!  Falafel.

Security

As a single female I was very anxious to go to Israel. Never again have I feared for my security since arriving in London in the days post 7/7. I had been assured by those who had been to Israel before that the security was so tight that you could forget about it being an issue. 

Tel Aviv Bus Station on Holy Week

My entry into the country at 5am saw me greeted with a smile from the female immigration officer. Onto a train and subsequent cab had me sitting pretty in the middle of the business district. No signs of any problems for me. My fellow hostel dweller seemingly on the same flight on the other hand got stopped by plain clothed Tourist Police demanding her documentation after leaving the same train. I can't comment on Michelle's experience but to say I was never confronted during my visit. I was however overwhelmed by the number of young girls and boys wielding machine guns with their backpacks - imagine a scene out of a Kathmandu brochure with the addition of stunning make-up, pink trolley bags and Gucci handbags and the standard issue AK47 and you would have the scene of either Tel Aviv or Jerusalem Bus stations. Travelling during a holiday week had many of the buses full and I was lucky to be pushed onto a bus to Jerusalem where I had my bag stored in the aisle whilst young boys played with toy guns and admired the helicopters and micro-lites flying overhead as we dawdling through the holiday traffic.

Inspecting for car bombs at the Western Wall

During my visit despite the guns I felt safe and protected by the many security services. Jerusalem during the holiday period had several thousand police on the streets of the old city. Not unlike a Chelsea game or Student protest here in London. They were polite and offered directions and support and posed for photos while moving railings. 

Going to the West Bank was a very easy experience and only on the return trip did my passport be examined - if as closely as a domestic flight. Those Palestinians on the bus had to get off the bus and were questioned. This took all of about 4 minutes and we were able to proceed. Moral of the story - you can enter the West Bank but leaving it is impossible without the right paperwork. 

This Police Officer stopped to pose with me before flirting with his female colleague

I spoke with one Arab man in Jerusalem who told me they are in a period of peace where someones neighbourly disputes are being publicised worldwide as "trouble with the masses". He confidently told me this is a good time to visit Israel but warned that America and Israel were working to stamp out a facebook group for the 3rd Intifada planned for this month (May 2011). 

This was my experience. If you are travelling to Israel feel free to check out the internet and peoples travel blogs to understand the current status. I am sure that the security measures applied particularly to Jerusalem were annually staffed so others will not experience the same during the other 51 weeks of the year. 

Holy Land - People 2/3

Israel and the Palestinian Territories would be nothing without the people that call it home. 

The first of whom I met was Roy. He was the wonderful host of his 1month old hostel. He is well travelled, speaks several languages and is a delightful dope. Whom I think, has got himself into more than he bargained. Working 24 hour days as host, hotelier, handyman, cook and bottlewasher. Roy is Jewish and made us all feel at home with his laid back attitude and his willingness to share the significance of upcoming events of his religion. Answering questions about his city and his country with politeness (I was so worried about my dress that when I walked out of the hostel I felt like a Mormon amongst the uber cool TA's!). If you are going to Tel Aviv make sure you pop and see him. He would welcome you warmly and always has room - I ended up on the couch at his flat after I called in unexpectedly! Say you know me. 

Maureen inside Christ Church, Jerusalem

Maureen was a retired Nurse now living in Jerusalem devoting her life to Christ Church in the walled city. Maureen was born to an Iraqi Jewish mother and a Church of England father in the English Midlands during the Second World War. She became a nurse and after time in Australia and Qatar moved to Jerusalem to be closer to the Lord her Saviour. I spoke to Maureen about her finding of god as a small child as she pleaded to die and again years later to reassure her her path was to help and obey. 

Maureen introduced me to a Russian pianist who proceeded to preach to me about her playing being a sharing of faith of which I was not convincingly sharing in (how very perceptive of her). She was indeed a very good pianist.

After this intense discussion where I was left with rather a bad taste for being an "unbeliever", Maureen insisted on taking me to the Western Wall which I was very open to. She explained some of the detail of Jerusalem like the holding of the Holy Mount by the Arabs (Muslims)  and there was a clear dislike for the Arab people in the tone of her conversation. I like to listen to people and ask simple questions like "whats that" and "why"and "when". This proved effective; teaching me that the men in different hats at the wall belong to different orthodox sects of Judaism. That many Americans get free trips as a right of Jewish passage to return to Israel - explaining the large numbers of college graduates twanging through the streets with their dangling shirt tails - threads attached to mens shirt tails as reminders to pray. And a women should never touch an Orthodox Jew while on her period. How Maureen knew this of me I haven't a clue but I made my first faux pas with our Western Wall tour guide. Maureens company was greatly appreciated and she later called the hostel to invite me to the Mt of Olives on the Thursday before Easter.  

On Easter Friday I went to the information center at the Jaffa Gate and the lovely girl on the desk explained she was a Jerusalemite. She had been raised in the US after moving there at the start of the 1st Intifada in the lates 1980's only to return recently with her Dad still living in their US home. She explained 60% of her village were returned ex-pats, making for a very odd mix of tourist locals. She was proudly Muslim (not least for being paid extra time for the Jewish holidays along with her Athiest work mates!) but did not wear a burka or a headscarf despite being just a few hundred metres from the Temple Mount. This was the moment I realised I had not seen a single Burka in my adventures through Israel. Ponder that for a moment please. 

On my trip to Bethlehem in my hunt for Christmas decorations I met a lovely old man called Jack. Jack was the owner of a Souvenir shop in Manger Sq opposite the Church of the Nativity. He spoke to me about his interest in the work of infamously secretive Bristol Political graffiti artist Banksy. When I mentioned I wanted to know the price of the Olive Wood nativity scenes he asked if I would like to see his specially designed and commissioned Banksy inspired works. Alas it was brilliant and I was sold on the idea alone of a political nativity to show the tone of my visit. I hope you think its as genius as I do when I have it on display in Gore for Xmas this year! We also spoke about the West Bank residents only international route being via Jordan so the introduction of Easyjet flights could only benefit Palestinians given their lower economic environment. I warned him they don't serve food which Jack thought was just rude!

I can't write a post without mentioning and in part thanking the other crazy characters of my trip - mostly fellow travellers who shared the road with me. Joe the Classical Conducting, Jewish New Yorker and Michelle the Jewish American living in Ireland who over Falafel and Gelato gave me a good low down on the week I was about to experience religious wise and shared stories of her mothers escape from Nazi Germany by posing as a nanny and reciting her rosary (she had attended Catholic High school). Fragrant Igor the Consulate of Slovakia in Israel whom I shared some lovely Israeli Sav and delicious fish with our mutual friend Jarek at Gucca. Marvelous Mathias who was setting off on 6 months in Asia. We spent a day together exploring the streets of Jerusalem and discussing the Holocaust from his perspective as a German and our shared discovery that we like Formal, traditional churches rather than new age mumbojumbo. So many of my experiences in Jerusalem were shared with Matthias so you will see him mentioned often. He really made the Holy city bareable when the chaos and frustration with everything being closed could have really got to me. The Crazy Serbian with no name who shared the bus with me back from Bethlehem and told me how you can make a life trading Cuban cigars and Siberia's very own 16 years as a "walled" country with no way to leave (and his sneaky escape). Flon, Brendan and Paul from NZ and Frenchie Etienne who I had dinner with in Tel Aviv who shared travel stories and nodded off at the table and ate frozen yoghurt above an underground club. 

Priveledged to share my stories and experiences with these few really enriched my experience and made me realise how much I love to travel. Thanks peeps x

Holy Land - Sights & Religion 3/3

With Religion it brings the sights of Israel. Further to my Holy Land Posts this focuses on the Sights and Religions I encountered during Holy Week 2011.

Nazareth 

My first pilgrimage was to the city of Nazareth which is the home of Mary and where Joseph had his carpentry and Mary drunk from the well. So the sights I sought out were Mary's Well at the top end of the old town where it is said that Gabriel came to Mary and spoke to her. Now the sight has graffiti and no water so I guess its lost its drawing power. 

Just meters away is the Eastern Orthodox Church where it is believed that the Annunciation took place. Everyone was huddled around a water fountain from the 3CE with their Evian bottles so it must be the drawcard these days. I fancied a cheeky wine next door as I watched an end of term party crack on in the village discotech which polluted the village square. 

The final destination in Nazareth was the Church of the Annunciation. Built in the 1900's this ultra modern monstrosity is on the grounds of Marys family church and the grounds include the carpentry shop Joseph used to work in. The steps and mosaics of Josephs carpentry was my highlight...I always loved that my Dad had the same profession as Jesus' Dad and seemed to be the one thing that connected us - other than Noahs Ark being our favourite story (after all I am sure Jesus didn't have The Very Hungry Catepillar in his time). 

Due to transport difficulties I missed going to the Sea of Gallilee. Which I was told was like swimming in a very dirty fish tank.

Haifa and the North

Alas it was to the city of Haifa in the northern seaside coast with the help of my Polish driver and Belgian passengers I detoured. Here we took in the Haifa City Museum which offers a really interesting insight into the founding of the city and some background to the English occupation in the late 1800's and through to the end of World War 2 when Israel became an independent state. One of the fascinating lessons learnt was there was actually a war of the Languages. Whereby the local authorities battled over the rightious language of the country in the teaching in schools. It was argued German was best for Sciences (with strong Germanic ties to the British Royals at the time), Hebrew was the native language of the locals. Hebrew won the battle and lives strong throughout the nation to this day. 

From the Museum we went up to beautiful Bahá'i Gardens which allow a spectactular view of the cities port which is the largest port in Israel. The stairs are larger than those leading to Sacré Coeur but on this sunny Tuesday we could only walk half way with Gardeners closing the gates to the great temple. 

Along the northern coast we called into the roman ruins of Caesarea beaten by the Mediterranean Sea. With  development over the years these ruins have been revived for the locals and tourists alike. It was my first real taste of the American influence on the restoration and adoption of the culture and land alike. 

After a farewell to my Belgian buddies and dinner with the Slovakian Consulate and Polish Chauffear in Tel Aviv I moved onto Jerusalem. 

Jerusalem

On arrival to the walled city through the myriad of young soldiers coming home to see their families for Easter, I made my way to the old town from the Central Bus Station. I had seen a hostel that "could not be missed" by the Damascus Gate online and after walking through the gate and onward for about 5 minutes figured I might have just missed it after all! I decided instead to find another highly recommended hostel called "Citadel" near the Jaffa Gate on the opposite side of the city...whats a 30 degree day for if you cant walk for miles in heaving pedestrian streets with a pack on your back on your own! The hostel had room for females only (men had to sleep on the roof!) so I was delighted. 

Christianity in Jerusalem

Once settled in the hostel I made my way to Christ Church a protestant church just around the corner from the hostel (beside the Jaffa Gate). This is a very simple church with a small museum  in the front rooms before you reach the Church itself nestled in the surrounding buildings for protection (despite being opposite the Central Police Station or perhaps because of it!). The simplicity of the church was marred by a service Matthias and I attended on Easter Thursday when we were confronted with a "Modern  Protestant" Service which neither of us related to. Songs were rocked out, people  raised their hands and nodded like the possessed. It was something my Dad would call "happy Clapper" and I was really sad to see this in a city where I thought tradition would be maintained like it was (I can't say today as its been years!) in my family Parish in NZ. When I later spoke to the Australian Parish Leader and mentioned this he understood my experience and how I related it to "Americanised Religion". His delightful parents also said it was more "modern" than their home parish but encouraged their sons long service in this lively city. 

I took a trip up to the Mount of Olives with the congregation of Christ Church. Where we settled in the gardens of the Russian Orthodox Church with its piercing spires and disappointingly small inards (standing room only). Here we were told the story of Judas and Peter where the Minister compared Judas to an evil German SS Guard in Auschwitz called Gunter and Peter was the less unassumingly evil guard called Hanz. Only in Jerusalem would we be cast back to WWII. The Mount of Olives is filled with Olive trees and has some of theoriginal Olive trees from the time of Christ - that would be BC and C and AD. You can't touch the real oldies though. Just look and gaze. 

At the foot of the Mount of Olives is the Church of Mary Magdalene  which housed a rousing Easter Friday service for the Spanish masses (and was something I could understand for a change!) The Church is modern and stunning. Not as much raping and pillaging needed like the Vatican for this church I can assure you. Plenty of Olive leaves from the old trees were given out for mass so they must be pretty darn holy now!

Walking the streets of Jerusalem with my German friend Matthias I wanted to get into the Holy Sepulchre the renowned site of Jesus Christ's crucifixion. Unfortunately the church was closed but I snuck into a side chapel which was so crowded and with the stench of more incense than a hippies house I made a quick departure. On Easter Saturday I understood why - 10,000 pilgrims with urns and prayers needing answers were queued outside the Jaffa Gate with 1,000 tickets already distributed for the day...there was some very disappointed pilgrims.

The Last Super rooms was something I rather enjoyed visiting - it was a small room above King David's tomb (which was rather unremarkably, much like the Holocaust Museum across the street) with high rooves and a simple yet grand fireplace. No images we have seen from Da Vinci or others matches the room but filled with pilgrims it seemed to take on a life of its own. We had people singing hymns, trainee priests reading the bible, Orthodox Priests taking readings from scriptures to the rapture of his congregation and a bird flying through. It was a lovely alive sight which didn't afford us any reflection but sure made us feel like the room was fit for purpose. Jesus asked for a place for his friends to gather nothing to austinentacious but private and ambient. Some things remain the same.

Jewish

With the help of my Christ Church aide Maureen I went to The Wall. Chaos had hit the streets of the city and getting to the  Temple Mount for the night before Easter at dusk was a tall ask. Alas Maureen is grey haired and tricky sneaking through the crowds with me merely pointing after her with an "I'm with her, please can I keep up" smile. We approached the wall from within the city giving us an amazing overview of the happenings. The Wall is an exposed distance of about 150metres. It runs along the outer  South Western wall of the "Temple Mount" known by Muslims as the "Noble Sanctuary" or "Bait-ul-Muqaddas". Maureen arranged for us to go to the latest attraction at the Wall which is a Glass exhibit which taught me more about the 6million Jews killed in the Holocaust than anything else. But it had an AWESOME Holigram display at the end in Hebrew of an old chap telling a wee tale. I was taken by the display and thought it must have cost a fortune...well done to those families of Jewish folk earning the big money and giving back to the church. I appreciated the donation (despite paying an entry fee!)

I feel like a history lesson should interject here: Jerusalem is the city of God and all things central to the religions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Jewish people feel they own the city and have rights to the city as a result of the 1948 war where they were granted rights to the city as Israel - a Jewish State was born. They did not gain the rights to the Temple Mount and this has been a sore point. When the Arabs took over the Temple Mount in the first millennia they built houses and shops right up against the edge of the walled mount to restrict the access and subsequent pilgrimage of Jews and Christians to the inner city. During the 19th and 20th Centuries excavations were made to uncover tunnels leading to the Temple Mount. The exposed wall seen today at the South West corner of the Temple Mount continues to draw crowds and the crazy stairwell leading to the Mount is for non-Muslim visitors. People come to the wall to recite the Bible in Hebrew and pray. Many people leave prayers stuffed in the gaps of the wall.  [this is my intepretation so please do your research I had only Jewish references and subsequently only Christian references to form these views]

From here we joined the Western Wall tunnel tour. A really interesting insight (from a Jewish perspective) into the story of the wall. This includes a model with moving pieces and an young bold American guide with enough projection in his voice to ensure his place in Heaven. We went down to the walls tunnels and walked the length of the entire unexposed Western Wall, seeing the Reservoir which they cannot identify the source of water to and ancient market roads and signs of life. The efforts to excavate has been paid for by the Israeli Government (Reminder they don't have rights to the Mount itself and are the leaders of the Jewish State ). This stretch of the wall was open to Tourists and local Jewish women with passes only. There was one particularly significant site which the women all huddled around with 1st testaments in hand. 

The Exposed Western/Wailing Wall had thousands of pilgrims over the 3 days I was in the city. I chose not to walk directly to the wall as I felt my visit was not appropriate for those who had travelled many miles in religious pilgrimage for it (and I couldn't take pictures anyway). Men and women are divided at the wall and pray with a small screen between them. No mother can bring her son to the wall and have him with her there or vice versa for fathers and daughters. It made me really feel for widows. 

The bigger the hat and the blacker the coat the more Jewish you must be also. I wanted to touch a lot of the fabrics and pat lots of the hats whilst visiting the Jewish Quarter I have to confess! But that would be involve more a faux pas or two.

Islam

Despite  holding the Temple Mount few Muslims were evident during the Holy week as it is common for the mass exodus of non-Jews/Christians from the city during the festival. Access to the Temple Mount was not open to non-Mulims on the days I attempted to enter so I was unable to see what all the fuss was about. I can't blame them for doing this as it would only cause more trouble I would imagine. A positively useful case of crowd control. 

Also  I found very intriguing the lack of Burkas seen in the city of Jerusalem or  perhaps because it was Jerusalem they were not able to wear them for fear for their lives. Alas being so close to a holy sight with face and hair showing was definitely something women could get away with....now how about that Saudi Arabia?

Ultimately I was completely taken with the Wall and the pilgrims. Judaism and more specifically the Orthodox factions is a complete mystery to me and to be honest they were more closed off than any culture I have ever come across. I would not go back to Jerusalem for the friendliness of its Jewish citizens but for the intensity of their belief and the many places yet to experience outside of Holy week! 

Non - Religious sites

Visiting Oskar Schindlers grave was a peaceful experience shared again with my German Friend on our day out. We were surprised with the number of rocks placed on Mr Schindler's grave and I have not uncovered the significance. You can ask the young man at the gate to his grave which is near the bottom of the Cemetery overlooking the valley outside the Zion Gate for directions. 

Israeli Museum - in the hills in greater Jerusalem this modern Musuem takes in vistas of the area and shows items from around the Country and Jordan curioously without acknowledging the great monstrosity of a concrete wall just a few kilometers away dividing the Palestinian Territories. There is some very interesting works to look at both religious and modern art. I loved the photographic work by Adi Nes who took a modern day twist on the Last Supper. UNfrotunately the Dead Sea Scrolls were a mere fax of the originals - making the dustry Amman Museum on New Yeards day in Jordan seem far more significant in my religious pilgrim experience.....funny how a hangover can make you miss the importance at the time.

If for nothing else you should go to Israel for the experience of being at the centre of it all. It has wonderful variety and each city feels like a new country. I really enjoyed it and will return with more questions of the people and the politics this time. It draws on my sensibilities that people of faith can't live in peace together. Defying to me so many parts of the founding passages of our religions. I hope one day people can move beyond ancient scripts to see the good of man is more important. But somehow I don't see that day in my lifetime. 

ANZAC day in London

I arrived home from Israel at 10pm so the thought of Dawn Service at 5am on the other side of London with 2 night buses to get there was not appealing. Alas the service on Whitehall at 8am was definitely on the cards.   I woke at 6:30am as dawn sun streamed into the neighbouring houses (yes I live in a north facing house in the Northern Hemisphere!) . Dashing down to get the tube at 7:00 to meet René at Westminster for 7:30. The recommended time for arrival by the NZ High Commission to ensure you see the action. As I waited on René to join me my friend Jo Brough arrived and we had a brief catch up. René and I secured standing positions opposite the Cenetaph with the Press being forced in front of us for much of the service. We clearly in the spot for the photos.  

Shortly before the service commensed my dear school friend Andrew Barnett came to join us and told us he had achieved a "lying down photo" with the Prime Minster of NZ at the Dawn Service at Hyde Park. So famous was this event he was published in the Shanghai Daily, Daily Life and Yahoo News. This really made Andrews day and he was in such good spirits for 7.45am in shorts on a cool London Spring morning!

Suddenly the procession was upon us and the leading service men and women formed an orderly formation to the right of us with the dignitrys the NZ High Commissioner, Australian High Commissioner and his Right Honarable John Keys presiding. Wreaths were laid and a moment silence observed. A young Australian girl from Perth read a passage from the Bible and a boy from a local London Public School read another. It was touching. Brief. Solemn. Not without tears. A trumpet played the last post and the dignitaries and the service men made the procession back to Westminster for the formal Church Service.

By 8:15 in less military fashion we broke the barriers to admire the wreaths and have our own moments of remembering. I thought of the experience I'd had in Gallipoli, Turkey bewildered by the landscape and the task those young ANZACs had, the donkey and the Medic who had tried to save his men during that combat, my first visit to Europe and the trenches of Belgium, the cemetry's of mass white crosses of Normandy where my Great Uncle had landed and walked all the way to victory in Berlin,  the Israeli participation I had learnt about the previous week, my Great Uncle who drowned on leave, the rations books of my Dad's family and left over whitebait used as compost when Grandma had had enough (blasphemous today!) and my dear old Cousin Ginger Jim who had sailed off to the Navy and imparting his name with my own Dad. 

Remembering and commemorating these fallen soldiers is always personal, Based on your own experience and understanding but one morning every year I think its important to take that time to reflect. Not least to acknowledge the enormity and obsurdity of it to prevent it happening again. 

Lest We Forget. 

Graham Norton presents...

Its not very often you get to see a Live TV screening but to see Graham Norton AGAIN I knew I was being spoilt. My dear school friend Andrew Barnett offered me tickets and with seating to a minimum we rushed to attend. I was able to bring along my workmate Paul Fance and unfortunately due to mistiming Holly P missed out...this meant Andrew's workmate was able to join us. 


Andrew had arranged to offer his services for the Red chair. The story telling chair on the hit show. Andrews story was about his lying down adventures around the world and his recent efforts with His Right Honourable John Keys, which was mentioned in the ANZAC post. 


This meant we secured seats in front of the band....but who were we to see. Unfortunately Andrew missed his chance on the chair beaten by a young man who had a Vicar come to his house to bury his hamster. With incense, local parishioners and a hamster pulled out of the bin to attend!


The line up for the night was no less my favourite Sitcom writer and performer Miranda Hart, new comer to the Stand-up scene here in the UK Jack Whitehall who bought royal cupcakes baked by his Mum and the delightfully Lundun Lovely Adele (curiously she has no last name!) 


It was an amazing show with hilarious anecdotes from Adele and her popping to the shops during high winds, Jack's failed dreams of saying he "Tapped That" about the future Queen of England from his time touching up girls from Marlborough College which Kate Middleton had attended and Miranda being taken to by the later guest Kiwi Nico Evers-Swindel (Cousin of the rowers) the actor who played William in the made for DVD Movie "William and Kate". 

The wedding was one of the key topics of conversation as the event was the following day (despite the show airing the night of the wedding). Adele had declared she was unavailable to perform as she was having a BBQ with her friends that had been booked in for weeks! but she was pleased to see William playing football out her window that morning in South London!


Adele closed the show with two editions of Fire in the Rain and I was in love all over again with her. She has the pipes and the lyrics to get you tangled in a trance. 


She honestly deserves all the acolades and couldn't be more grounded if she tried! I would love to share a pint with her and talk trash for an afternoon. If not to listen to her husky Lundun accent and our shared "whatever, I'm no worse off" to the public school kids!


Now I am going to skip around for a bit more realising I have seen the number 1 selling solo artist of all time during her hey-day and a mere 10 metres away in a tiny theatre with about 200 others! Skip skip skip!

The Royal Wedding

Its 4.45am and I'm awake.

Evan had left the house at 4am and was now outside the Big Ben awaiting the group to join him. 5 minutes later I had a message from Andrew from Embankment with a similar enthusiasm. I can't imagine what either were/will be like on their own wedding day!  René not wanting to leave his alarm clock to be responsible had crashed at the Stepney Sheraton. So up showered and out the door we went to meet them at 6.15am on the north side of The Mall. 

I must confess - had these three boys all had each others numbers they would have had me camping out over night. Alas I kept that enthusiasm to my mild management. The early morning start seems to have proved just as fruitful. Evan and Andrew could be found by some nice American Campers and in front of a television camera, creating a small nook off the thoroughfare and perfect for our baby reveler Desmond and Mum Amanda when they arrived shortly after 8am. This positioned us about half way down The Mall - closer to the turn to the Horse Guard Corner than Buckingham Palace. 

The morning rituals of coffee and phone calls to home were observed. And news from home headed off a Rugby Game (René's Blues vs Andrew, Evan and I's Highlanders making for a bit of fun amongst the crew), a NZ team playing in the final of the Australian basketball league and of course the Royal Wedding. My sister was on task to give updates. While I was on duty to describe the atmosphere for the family including my four and half year old Princess to soak up.

The day whizzed by with the help of the lovely Great British crowd. We had the ladies from the Midlands, the campers from America (who were delightfully quiet), a Public school couple in Ray Bans and navy, Scottish Aunt and her sweet niece and the spiffiest little man in London AKA Desmond Barlow (Amanda had decked him out in his Wedding kit of waistcoat and tie!). Everyone was in such good spirits. 

One of my favourite additions to our local crowd was a Posh pre-OAP and his lovely gardening wife (I don't know if she actually was a gardener but she didn't seem/look horsey and gardeners are posh too!). Mr Posh had a wireless radio and the pair had bought step ladders to perch on for the proceedings. From their position at the back of our 5 deep group Mr Posh would announce the movements of the Royals as heard on some BBC station (you choose as I would think it would be on BBC1,2,3,4,5,Asian and anything else given the enthusiasm of the press and the wedding hungry/royalist fans!). As he announced the Duchess of Cambridge (aka Kate Middleton) leaving the hotel with her father I proudly announced he was my favourite British broadcaster. It seemed to fit the day with his announcements and had us frothing for a glimpse of them. 

Prince William and Prince Harry on the way to the Abbey

 Prince William and Harry, Mini vans, state cars (including NZ1 which all the Brits agreed was a fitting Number Plate but 5PA1N was not) with no guests ,Prince Charles and Camilla, Mrs Middleton and brother James, The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Bridesmaids, Pageboys and then Kate and her very composed Dad.

Anticipation of the dress was brilliant. I went for white and lace and McQueen. And was not disappointed, all be it not quite white! When I saw her come past I was delighted at her choice of simplicity and class. Priceless.  

Kate Middleton and her Dad on the way to the Abbey

We listened eagerly to the proceedings at the Abbey from the load speakers on The Mall. I personally felt I listened more carefully to the words of the service and found them both moving and modern. With some interruption from the Welsh Guard who were preparing themselves to line The Mall, the loud speakers booming out really made us feel like we were part of it. They really planned this event impeccably. The music was stunning, regal, rousing and English. We shared proudly in singing Jerusalem (an old GHS Assembly Classic tune) and God Save the Queen before the return along The Mall of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge together as husband and wife. The horses went at a hell of a speed so I realised that photos just weren't happening from my vantage point. 

The Royal Family

After the happy couple and all the families had whizzed past it was now the mission to get up The Mall to see the infamous balcony kiss. We jostled through crowds and were finally divided about 100m from the gates. Alas we all stood just meters right of the Palace gates. I spent brief moments amongst the chanting crowd of "kiss, kiss, kiss" seeing the family as they appeared and seeing the planes solute over head. For me missing the kiss was nothing on being amongst that huge historic crowd. And sharing it with friends - who I have established are hopeless romantics. 

We went on from the millions of people in town to a delightful garden party in Holland Park hosted by my dear friends Holly and Harvindar. Holly had made cucumber sandwiches and salmon sandwiches. There was Pimms and champagne, and a bbq with plenty of sausages and tomato sauce for all as we poured over photos in the Evening Standard which had miraculously been printed in the time we had been at The Mall to getting to Holland Park (was I in some time warp?!). The sun shone for us. And the entire atmosphere of the day was warm, loving and hopeful.

Sharing the day with Friends

At the end of the day we had a fairytale wedding sealed with a kiss and a day full of happy memories. Definitely something to tell the kids about.

Congratulations William and Catherine. I wish you all the happiness in the world.

Oh and the Blues beat the Highlanders and the Breakers won the Ozzie B'ball League.