31 August 2007

Thud.


MacMorris and I have landed safely and more or less soundly in the UK, and are now beginning the adjustment of living in another country not-just-for-fun. The best part of the transport was waking up on the descent into the Shannon, Ireland airport, and having a fisheye-lens type view of amazingly green earth, and sky reflecting navy water seeming to say “good morning, and welcome to the rest of your life”. It was nice.

Yesterday was the first time in four years I have been on a double-decker bus. The bus drivers here should be on the same pay scale as doctors and lawyers, because they do an amazing service by navigating the smallest streets at speeds one would inherently think not possible for a very tall, slender bus not to topple over at, but you would be wrong. On the way to Coventry Rail Station we were zipping down a very slender 2 lane street which was plagued with construction and cars parked on both sides of the street, making the available road more or less a tiny bit in the middle. Another bus turns into the street coming from the opposite direction, and for a moment we both just paused and stared at each other. Then both buses proceeded simultaneously and sort of did a side-stepping dance move—and that was that. No problem-o, the driver says. A feat of spatial wonder, I say. We made it to Birmingham without incident and did some shopping at our old haunt, the Bull Ring. It was refreshing to see our familiar city, just as it was since we were last there. CafĂ© Rouge and The Malt House, The Pitcher and Piano, The Floozy in the Jacuzzi, and Nando’s, to name a few. Unfortunately but not unexpectedly, also present were copious amounts of little shit kids that ride the bus and heckle everyone— our bus driver kicked them off- and last but not least (unless were talking in health terms) the smell of curry and car exhaust- take a big whiff- cough- ahhh, home sweet Brum.

2 comments:

Flee said...

Bloody great!

GIS said...

All so continental yet on an island! Hope all continues well