Bank Holiday Weekend (August '08)

The UK Tour 2008 and life back "home" in Manila...

Long time / no write.....what a marathon August has been.

We left for the UK via HK at the end of July. Hong Kong was fun we met up with Pete and Tomoko, and for the very first time met the lovely Mica. We stayed at their place on Lantau. It was 8 years since Gianna and I had last been to HK and probably 5 years since I had seen Pete. As with all good friendships it seemed like yesterday we were getting drunk in the Swan in Peckham ....reassuring that nothing really changes, I admit we're probably both more sensible these days although hopefully not too much. Pete and Tomoko have a lovely house, Pete and Mica are in the pool in the photo above. The modern house with views of the sea from the upper terrace is walking distance from the beach where we wandered for a great lunch..... HK was so clean and organised compared to Manila but accomodation is soooooo expensive its makes London seem cheap. Now I realise why we have friends that live in Manila and commute weekly to HK.

I took the girls to HK Disney on the day of our midnight flight. Much smaller than Florida or LA without the very big rides (They did have space mountain) which makes it perfect for smaller kids as u can easily get around everything in a day. However I suspect older ones would find it a little bit boring if they have been to the States....Most the the entertainers seemed to be Filipino apparently they recruited many entertainers from The Pines when they opened, including most of the members of the Manila Ballet company which has never recovered. Gianna had her photo taken with a huge number of disney charatcters and got their "autographs" I wondered whether they had to practice a specific signature for their character .............but not for too long.

The flight home was great, in fact BA was wonderful both ways - Great food - lovely wine and good films - watched Cold Mountain on the way there , never seen it b4 - thought it was great. Mum met us at the airport which was a lovely surprise and much needed as trying to get two kids and 4 suitcases across London was more challenging than I anticipated. I'm still wondering what was the role of the guard on the platform at barons court? - clearly not safety, as she waved her smart baton to tell the train to shut the doors whilst i had 2 bags and one kid on train, and 2 bags and one kid off train???????????

It was great to see Catia, Michael and the girls - we arrived into London on a gloriously hot day- if only London was like that 52 weeks a year! Although jet lagged it was so exciting to see Chris and Lawrence that night - you forget how much you miss people until u see them again, Friday meant a catchup with school friends for Gianna (see Eve above) and work friends for me. We met in the NFT on the Southbank - some of my favourite nights out in London in recent years were on the Southbank. It was just like the old days lots of wine and gossip. Having worked in the area for over 10 years theres quite a few nights to recall. Gianna was so happy to see her friends - Thanks Diana for getting everyone together - I realise I miss my circle of Mums more than I realise - Yummy Mummys rock!

Saturday was special as had a lunch with Erica, Derval and Helen before heading back to Michael's to meet Chas, Ruth and Haggis and of course the bro and Catia. The usual high jinks prevailed although our 7 am flight to Edinburgh the next day and serious jet lag sent me to bed before the more resilient members of the family.

We spent 4 days in Edinburgh with Molly and Mario and caught up with Maddalena and the girls . There was also the opportunity to catch up with Marc's cousins, aunties and uncles and the newest edition to the the family baby Archie who is extremely cute. Spent quality time with Maddalena and the kids as well as Molly and Mario. Plus of course the requisite trip to M&S for some underwear sale bargains. Filipinos do not have bums or boobs therefore no underwear fits me here. In fact that was one of the things that I noticed when I got to the UK - Big boobs and lots of cleavage everywhere and as for the bums .... for once mine felt almost average! However I do like being "Tall" here - back in UK I was munchkin Mulville again!

From Scotland we got the train down to Liverpool to see Mum friends and family on the Wirral. Mum had organised a barbie and lots of people came over to say hi . It was a lovely evening although my biggest regret was not seeing more of Bernie on the trip and missing seeing Jayne. We ahve to plan girls trip somewhere someday soonish. It was only an overnight stopover and we left for the Big Chill festival in Hereford the next day. The time was just too short.

Big Chill was fun and the weather was mostly warm (well that's what I was told)-Seemed a wee bit chilly to me on the Friday and as exhaustion was already kicking in I took to my sleeping bag for the afternoon.

Overall the BC worked a treat in that I got lots of time with all the friends that went including JoButters and Co, Jo/Brad and kids from Oz and Anna and family from Wales and of course a top time with my sis/bro and family. Jacqui excelled herself at dressing up (as did Bryony) a different outfit everyday I think the purple wig should became a regular feature.

Talking of wigs Michael and Maya got into appropriate attire for the Buzzcocks - he sporting a green spikey wig pogoing about- Ever fallen in love took me straight back to my first ever concert at Liverpool Empire in 1978. It was slightly disconcerting that Pete Shelly now looked like someones (grand)dad with a paunch, trackie bottoms and a shapeless shirt....The kids said the band shouted too much...echos of my mothers complaints, as I played love bites at top volume in my bedroom (on the record player with 50p on top to stop it jumping) ....personally I've always thought them quite tuneful!

The highlight was however Lennard Cohen - best night! Anna and I watched him together - . Norman Jay was cool as ever and of course the sun came out on Sunday afternoon for him! Mum who had looked after Angelica with her ever faithful assistance, Wendy, had managed a daily trip out without loosing her, or getting too stressed, which seemed nothing short of a miracle. Who knows maybe she'll be able to do the Chill next time! (Angelica not mother!) Whilst Gianna was sensible enough to go from 2 years old, Angelica is just so anarchic (at least with me) she could cause a major emergency all by herself- A lack of fear of anything or anyone!

The final leg of the Tour took in Cardiff where it seemed colder inside that outside and rained a lot. None of that mattered as there was lots of time with my sis and her kids and our course Mum. Managed to squeeze in an Indian and fish and chips, two must dos of the visit! Mum took the kids to Cardiff castle which was a huge success, even with Angelica who only wanted to see the "princess" inside. Saying goodbye was hard, although we'll be seeing mum again here this side of Xmas.

We arrived back in London for a final farewell dinner in Camberwell for old times sake - Phil was reassuringly the same - although I'd heard rumours he was more boring these days! We started at the Hermits for Old times sake - although only a few familiar faces and over four quid for a glass of wine ensured it was a short visit!...and then moved onto the Greek where Michael and Catia had had their wedding reception many years ago. Familar faces, familar venue and reassuringly familar behavior - fantastic!

The last day came too quickly and just in case we had forgotten what a "real"English barbecue was like it poured with rain for our farewell event at Chas and Ruth with the gang. (cheers guys love u lots and lots) We sat under a tarpaulin in the garden with coats on - not to be beaten! After an emotional goodbye and promises of visitors soon (better keep to it !)we set off for the long haul home.....

It was interesting to see just how Pinoy Angelica has become - All her references are now Filipino - In Scotland she pointed at the mountains shouting "Volcano". A walk in the woods - called a Jungle, she refused to drink water out the tap or put paper down the loo, kept asking for rice, refusing to eat potatoes or go to sleep b4 it was dark as it was too early! A problem in Scotland when it didn't get dark until 10.30 at night...She has spent a third of her life here now and it shows.

So how did we feel about going home? very mixed. I loved the how orderly it all was - Yes London seemed like a village compared to Manila! I liked the fact that people just say it the way it is and I understood their meaning, and people understood me! I hated the weather apart from the sunshine of course and it was worryingly expensive - We would need work (well paid work) to survive back there. The food was great and of course most of all just being with family and friends was the most satisfying in a lovely comfortable sort of way . At the same time everyone seemed so busy with their jobs/looking after kids and they don't exactly get together every weekend either. Life is much easier here than in the UK it seemed much less stressful! well at least for us.

It may sound selfish, but I hate the idea of going back to juggling the work/childcare/housework with a very limited social life worrying about money.....We may have to worry about money here but its a lot less we have to find to have a better quality of life. If I could live here and get home twice a year it would be perfect or live in UK with a stupendous salary so I could have the same standard of life I have here - In reality how much would that be? In excess of 100K I'd say. Oh and to get off to a hot beach once a month better add in another 10K.

And the kids? Gianna, who didn't want to go to the UK just before we left because she was missing too much fun at school, is now desperate to get back there and be with her friends in London -meanwhile Angelica just wanted to get back "home" to the Pines towards the end and Marc? - Well he refuses to contemplate a life back in the UK at all. I was happy to be back in Manila for a rest, and to see everyone here! Although the next 2 weeks were equally challenging with a week long conference to prepare and attend as soon as got back. At least it was a comfortable 28 degrees again....

All of this is of course academic because ultimately we can only live where we can earn an income ....the perfect scenario of course is unlikely to present itself, some compromises will need to be made - watch this space!