My world this week

A very hectic week of unpacking things, finding a place for everything and setting up the house.

Things I learnt -

• The importance of storage space. Our previous house was half the size .. but its a challenge fitting things in here. Have already exhausted all the shelves, cupboards and corners and still have a pile of things to sort out.

• Pictures rails are very useful! Since the contract specifies that we cannot put any nails on the wall, I was sad that I might have to live with bare walls. But have now discovered picture rails and am going overboard with things to hang. No thanks to the hardware store guy who refused to help me figure out the hooks and what strings to buy etc.

• I should save up to watch musicals and concerts. We went for a musical (The Producers) last week and I totally enjoyed it. It was a little slapstick in parts, but the singing and dancing and sheer talent was amazing. Now want to go for a ballet.
  

• It is not a good idea to visit Ikea late evening. As customary with setting up a new place (especially rented ones), we made a trip to Ikea.We reached at 9, and after, what I consider a very restrained shopping trip for Ikea, we left at 11:30. A very nice bus driver (because he helped us figure out the route) dropped us to a tube station on the line to our place and we just about made it in time for the last train. I have no idea what we would have done otherwise, since there were no cabs in sight and we had no clue what bus to take if we didn't get the tube!

• Patience. A hundred phone calls and mess ups later, we have finally got broadband connection at home!

• The importance of being well dressed. The population of London is over 7,000,000 which makes it a very small probability of randomly meeting someone you know. Yet, in the past week I have literally bumped into, old friends and acquaintances on the road.
  

• My new phone is as wonderful as I thought it to be. It also takes nice pictures. Ofcourse, nothing like a proper camera, but its good enough and lets me capture the 'Kodak moments'. Here are some general pictures taken on the phone

1. Borough Market on a sunny saturday morning
2. The carousel along the south bank of the Thames
3. View from my window when I look up from the computer
4. The Serpentine