High Alert and more Australians in Southend

It's interesting the effect that a few people can have. Since the attacks in London last week there has been a noticeable change in all of us.

The first time I noticed it was as Cam and I travelled into London on Saturday to meet Martin. As ouir train pulled into London Liverpool street (one of the bomb sites), the dude in the seat across from us got up (leaving behind two huge backpacks) and started to walk out of the carriage.

I looked at Cam - he looked at me - and not wanting to be a hypersensitive maniac I just calmly asked if Cam thought we should move - Cam looked at me as though it was the smartest thing I'd ever said - "hell yes - let's go"

So we got up and hot footed it into the next carriage (away from the guy) only to realise a few minutes later that he'd only been going to the loo. Never mind the fact that they've been ramming it down our throats not to cause any security alerts by leaving any bags unattended etc etc.

I guess there is just a general sense of uneasiness amongst all of the commuters - there are more sideways glances than normal, and everyone seems to be on high alert - even the slightest noise causes everyone to whip around in wonder and terror.

So, funny anecdote number two took place at work on Monday. There I was, minding my own business, filling the salads when one of the guys at work came up to me and said:

"Lauren, see that shopping bag over there, that a customer just left behind"

"yeah?"

"Go over and see if it's a bomb please"

"Right" I thought "...so chivalry must truly be dead."

Well either that or I'm somehow considered a less valuable subway employee as I only have 4 weeks of experience, (and can't speak 4 of the most widely used languages in India).

So I just looked at Tapan, half terrified and half considering wether or not thinking that chivalry was dead means that I'm not quite the feminist that I'd previously thought. And then proceeded to walk over to the bag and give it a prod -

"Is it a bomb?" Tapan asked timidly from behind the safety of the counter.

"Well Tapan - I'm actually not a bomb squad specialist so I can't be too sure - but it's not ticking and there aren't any wires"

So I picked up the plastic carrier bag and put it behind the counter - and I did notice that Tapan didn't walk anywhere near that part of the store untill the customer who left it behind returned to claim it.

Well, as Poppa would say "there you are", welcome to life post 7/7 (as the UK media have aptly named it.)

Life otherwise is much the same as it was before. Once Cam's family had all returned to the Southern Hemisphere and we all thought we could settle back into a bit of normalcy here in Royston Avenue yet another Australian decided to descend upon us.

After delaying his visit by a few days due to the dramas in London Martin finally got the Eurostar over to Waterloo where Cam and I met him, and brought him back to Poppa's to stay a few days. His visit consisted mostly of a day trip to an aeroplane museum in Cambridge with Camo, a "pub crawl" of Southend, and visit to the sales at Harrods (which I somehow think was more for my benefit than that of the boys).

Once we'd waved goodbye to Martin and started the journey back to Southend I suddenly realised that I've now been calling 15 Royston Avenue home for over eight weeks, and that surely must mean ... that it's almost time for Sarah and Chitti to arrive!

It also meant that it was almost time for Børre to return to Australia for his last semester of vis com, (and what should have been my final semester of vis com!), so this morning we went down to the library and booked ourselves a flight over to Norway so that we can catch up with Børre before he leaves! It's something we've been meaning to do for weeks but with all the ending of Cam's contiki, funeral, visitors from Australia and blowing up of 1/2 of London we've become a little side tracked.

So I am pleased to announce there is now a new plan on the horizon, (what are those famous song lyrics "Life is what happens while you're making other plans")

1. Visit Borre in Norway for 5 days next week
2. Work for 3 more weeks in Southend - possibly in a job that doesn't involve subway sandwiches
3. Catch up with Chitti n Sarah
4. Fly to Malta and visit the rellies for a week
5. Fly to Spain and experience the Tomatina festival
6. Fly to Athens and do a Greek cruise to farewell the European summer
7. Return to the UK and house sit for Poppa while he visits Australia for a month
8. Move to London (finnally) and find work so that we can hibernate for the winter (GULP!)
9. Make various trips to amazing European destinations (Salzburg advent markets etc)
10. Bid farewell to the UK and do our African safari
11. Fly home.

Phew. I'm tired just thinking about it all.
It's only been 13 weeks and already it feels like a lifetime since we were at home.

Love to you all, and keep the emails coming - it's good to hear about life back home

Lauren
xoxo