Another Country, Another Hairdresser ...

I'm 10kgs lighter, and finally my hair has been dealt with in this new UK life.  I feel like I'm putting my Self back together.  It's been a really long time since I last visited a hairdresser.  Actually, she came to my place.

And it turns out I adore Vikki - my brilliant English hairdresser.  She listens, she sympathises, she cuts only the amount of hair this Kiwi client can bear to have cut (less than I expected actually).  And she understood about colour too ... I mean, she understood my ideas about what I liked.

She's an absolute treasure, and I'm so grateful to Becky for recommending her to me.

One Of Those Surrey Days ... (and a selfie).

Going out in England ... there's always the possibility of meeting some delightful folk, finding delicious food in the supermarket, and picking up something slightly divine in the charity shops... veryvery cheaply.

I have been losing weight, getting strong, and spending huge amounts, like 6 pounds, on new shirts.  I had almost no shirts when I arrived here.  This is me last night, in a colour, in a style, I couldn't imagine wearing ... before yesterday.

I feel like a child, delighting in new things ... new places, new people.

Today, for example, I was in one of the 3 charity shops I frequent, and Pam started talking to me.  I had never met Pam before but she had just found the 2 books that she buys whenever she sees them ... to gift to friends.  She convinced me that I should buy one of them.   And as 1 pound 50 was entirely doable, I did.  We talked a while.  I bought the book.  She bought the other one.  

The charity shops ... I keep meeting lovely women in them, who make me smile, and who chat to this stranger in a strange land.

I discovered Majestic Wine Warehouse and talked with Sian ... who told me I could do a wine course with them, or simply have a free tasting.  I'll go back, I'm so excited.  She recommended the Italian restaurant next door and I wandered in, after grocery shopping for the week.  Yes, they did espresso con panna.

Fego's was as good as she said.  And I filled in time there, waiting for the last bus back to my village, one of just 3 on a Saturday ... reading a book found while out wandering.

It's been a lovely day.  We're wind-storming here in Surrey.  And there was a bit of rain as I walked home but I loved the way the rain released the scent of the woods on either side of the road.

It's like that.  Excuse the selfie but yes ... everything is changing in my world.  I thought I'd share.

Writing from Milan Airport ...

I'm that woman sitting in the midst of those traveling to Berlin, here at the airport in Milan.  There's limited seating, I'm almost sure I shouldn't confess I'm on the flight after theirs. 

I arrived early.  It's my way of dealing with those rumours I've heard of an unreliable Italian train system.  I've never found it to be unreliable over the years but I do arrive 3-4 hours early most times.  When the trip to the airport involves a two-hour train trip and 45 minutes on bus, it's just simpler to arrive early.

Genova was intense. Perhaps I should write, 'as always', but these hard metal seats are barely keeping me awake as I finally allow myself to sink into being here, with nothing more required of me except boarding the plane.

There are so many photographs from my 8 days away, so many stories but I'll keep it simple and leave you with a 'selfie' I took in a beautiful Genovese villa, one that has a fountain from the 15th century and the room you see in the mirror.


Norway ... Just So Much.

I'm not even sure how to tell my stories from these days spent in Norway.

The days have been intense, the company superb, the food a delight, the weather ... all that I needed it to be.  I've met lovely people and smiled often. 

Today, after a session with some exquisite horses, Ren took me on a boatride out into the fiords here.   No words but here I am, doing the 'selfie' thing while out there on the boat.