I’m leaving the UK today. It’s going to be a dreadful day. Getting to Heathrow and all the hassle that involves; sitting on a plane for 11 hours; arriving and no doubt being quizzed by US immigration; having to go and pick up apartment keys; then finding the apartment and settling in. A very, very long day. And then I’ll wake up, jet-lagged, in California.
What’s odd is that yesterday, while bouncing around London saying goodbye to people, I finally managed to see London as a city. I’ve spent so much of my life in London that I fell out of love with it. I moved out five years ago and although I have constantly visited the city since then, it has always just been London and not remarkable or exciting in the way that other cities are. Yesterday, while wandering around Earl’s Court and Notting Hill and Soho and Ealing, my affection for the place began to return.
The goodbyes were also nowhere near as hard as I thought they’d be. I’ll be back at Xmas anyway. Although I have to confess feeling some trepidation, although a big chunk of that is the enormous amount of work I have already lined up. Moving has taken up most of a week and I have a massive backlog, particularly email. There is an ICANN meeting that will begin in just a week and that will be a huge amount of work; and then the IGF in Rio shortly after that. It’ll be Xmas in a blink.
So these are my disjointed thoughts this morning, Thursday 18 October 2007.
uk vis
October 19, 2007 at 9:43 amEnjoy California.
Where are you moving to; SD, LA, SF?
Having lived in both London and San Diego I’m intrigued to find out your reaction to life over there.
Please, give my regards to the big P – I always miss the ocean – not much of it in London/Wiltshire!
Sean Fleming
October 22, 2007 at 2:42 pmKieren – hope you’re settling in OK. Sorry I wasn’t able to get into London before you left, hope you got my voicemail.
Looking forward to reading about your new life in LA!
All the best,
Sean
Kieren
October 22, 2007 at 2:52 pmHey Sean,
No worries. We are consistently dreadful at managing to meet up, you know. Must make sure when I’m back at Xmas that we catch a pint.
Didn’t catch voicemail and now can’t get it while in States because I don’t know what my PIN number is. I will have to call them up and get them to change it.
I’ll guff on about life in LA on this blog no doubt. Actually I’m feeling pretty positive about it – there are very pleasant places oddly enough – you just have to know where to find them. I have a lovely stroll by the marina yesterday.
Kieren
Kieren Geaney
October 30, 2007 at 12:27 amI’m surprised Ealing got a mention. What is it you like about the last stop on the central line?
I like it for it’s trees – I always know I’m home when I see the trees