Mega Stores are Alive and Well in England

Day 4
VW went to work today. He also spent time working on housing and school appointments. We visit two schools tomorrow and then are having Tea with a co-worker’s family. (Our first tea! ) The wife works for the school inspection group.

We found a mega shopping area. We were looking for a place to replace the GPS (twice what we paid the first time for the same item. We have decided to wait and look further.) It was similar to a very large strip mall with all the big stores. For example, Curry’s is similar to Best Buy and ASDA is a division of Wal-Mart. So far, I haven’t really experienced my image of walking to the separate local grocer, butcher, baker, etc. A thing of the past? I will see as we settle into a home. It is nice to know the mega shop is available, but I had reverie about local shops.

Going to the Clinic

Day 3

Welcome to the National Healthcare System. For once it wasn’t me! We had to find a walk in clinic for VW. We noticed sometime after flying that he was bleeding in his right eye (he had lasik in April resulting in 20/10 and 20/15 vision.) From walking in to leaving was less then an hour. You see a nurse and not a doctor. It seems he has a broken blood vessel. If he doesn’t have anymore, then he should be fine.

After the clinic visit, we were so close to Nottingham, we went to Ikea and priced furnishings. The prices seem similar to the states.

The biggest BUMMER: The GPS died! We just bought it. We can return it, but our information is in the airlift package. We are going to try and buy a replacement tomorrow. It makes all the difference to have one.

We were all up all night again. VW and the kids slept until 10:30.

Finding Our Way

Day 2
The temporary apartment is adequate. Both kids went to bed around 11pm, were up at 2am for an hour, and then slept until 9, when we woke them to go house hunting. We found two good options and will look a few more days and then decide. The houses so far have been in Groby (Gruby). We would prefer Kirby Muxloe, but the options are very limited.

We ate lunch at a little restaurant with an outdoor playground. The kids barely ate, but enjoyed running around.

We also went grocery shopping. The prices are about 50% to 100% higher. We bought enough to have snacks, breakfast and milk in the apartment.

We walked around Leicester and ate at Subway. Sad, I know, but sometimes quick and easy is necessary.

I had a migraine last night, I was so glad to have my migraine meds. We have had almost no sleep.

It really hit as we were looking around today. We are really here. We are really doing this. Wow.

Arrival in England

We have arrived safely, if a bit ragged. S slept well on the plane, but X managed to stay up until 2 am on the flight. We landed around 12:00 and were in our apartment by 6pm. We grabbed dinner at an Italian place called Ask and went to bed. The food was really good and we were very hungry.

We had no trouble navigating Heathrow. I am sure we were a sight with 10 suitcases, 4 carry on bags, two car seats, a pack and play, stroller and 2 babes! We needed three push carts. VW pushed two and I pushed one and pulled the tray of the stroller. We made it!

We rented a mini van (they are much smaller then in the USA). We were packed in so tight I had two carry ons in my lap. From Airport to temporary apartment took us about 5 hours. I don’t know how we would have survived without the GPS. VW is doing a great job driving. I feel like a wreck in the car.

On the disaster end of things-WE LOST X’S HOCKEY HAT!

More later!

Moving to My Parents

Our current plan is that we will be moving to my parent's home (thanks, mom and dad), on April 14th. We will be there until our final move to Leicester which is expected to happen in the end of May.