Myself and a few work colleagues took a short trip to the mainland recently. It was a work related gig, but we still found time to squeeze in a teeny tiny little bit of sight seeing and some much needed catch up time with family and friends. This trip also provided the perfect opportunity to buy supplies, stuff we can't buy here on Norfolk (and things we'd otherwise go without or order online!).
Despite having the company of a work mate most of the time, I was presented with several moments where I had to fend for myself in the big city. My sister (who's a real fair dinkim inner city chick) takes navigating crowds, buildings and traffic in her stride. For me however, hollering down taxis and jumping on buses is pretty foreign! To say I was a bit nervous is an understatement. A taxi driver even tried to swindle me out of fifty dollars, but don't fret...this alert small town girl wasn't born yesterday!
It had been well over a year since I last flew off the rock. When you leap from life on a small island into a city with over 4 million people you're bound to notice a few differences. It's quite a shock and takes a bit of adjusting! For a start, city people drive really FAST (as in more than 50 k's an hour), we saw no cows wandering across the road anywhere and city drivers don't wave cheerily to each other as they pass (although I did see other types of non friendly hand-gestures).
I certainly enjoyed my time away; it's affirming to know I really can live without shopping malls and fast food outlets. Now don't judge me too harshly, but I did eat McDonald's and Hungry Jacks whilst waiting around airport terminals. A personal research task if you will, just to be sure the quality hadn't altered in over a year. I'm happy to report their meals still taste like cardboard! But back to my original sentiment, I did genuinely enjoy immersing myself in the hustle, bustle and atmosphere of civilization. I certainly couldn't live with it on a daily basis, but it's nice to check in with how the other half live from time to time.
Seriously though, apart from attending the all important work conference etc, dinning at a trendy inner city restaurant with my long lost girl cousins was special and memorable. And the time spent hanging out (brief as it was) with my sister and my spirited energetic nephews something to treasure. All round, it was a hectic, intense couple of days - but great fun! And best of all....I got to devour several delicious apples (something we live without here on Norfolk...
lament). Amongst the variety of things that got squashed into my suitcase, I managed to bring back to Norfolk five, yes FIVE 800 gram buckets of Macro organic peanut butter!!!! Yay!!!!!!! It's the simple things.
 |
| O sushi train - how I miss thee (Oh and I miss you too Lou) |
 |
| Lovely green, SO much green - it was great to be back on the rock! |
