First Full Day, Saturday, 8 May 2010

Since I didn't get back to sleep until dawn, I didn't wake up until 11:30 am. So much for having an entire day to get everything done before my long class tomorrow. But even though I was anxious to get everything on my list handled, I still pulled out my yoga mat and tried to stretch my poor tired muscles. I ate what little food was in the fridge and made my list: get an Oyster card (all-transit travel card), find the Tube station, find the library with its free WiFi, get groceries, and find a dongle to give my computer internet access in the flat.


It was cold and drizzling when I left, and during the day it spit rain down intermittently. But I was prepared with a raincoat and umbrella. I really wanted to check my email but the library's WiFi was down.

Pimlico Neighborhood

Typical Doorway

Down Herrick Street from the Flat

I continued up the street toward the grocery store and saw a farmer's market. I figured it made more sense to get the veggies and fish from the farmers on the way back rather than carry them through the grocery store. Sainsbury's was a Safeway-like store. Most things are in completely different packaging, so it took me a while to recognize things like yoghurt (in a cup that looks like a large Peet's go-cup with a plastic top) and cream (same as the yoghurt, but smaller). They seem to use a lot more plastic packaging, but they also label the packaging as to how often/easy it is to recycle. Things like cold cuts and sausages seem to be a bit cheaper, but stuff like mustard and spices were more expensive, so I guess it all evened out. Unfortunately I spent every bit of cash I had.

I managed to find my way back home, ate lunch, and hung out for a bit. With the cold wind and rain outside, plus 65 steps to come up and down, it was hard to make myself go back out. But I did want to get money and find a dongle, and especially to find the Pimlico Tube station so I could get to class the next day. I gave up on my plan to do a dry run up to Regents Park, where the classes are held. It was just too much trouble. So I talked myself into going back out.

Large Intersection at Vauxhall Bridge Rd & John Islip St, looking toward Herrrick & Cureton Streets, and the Flat. The red awning on the left is the White Swan Pub.

I discovered that the Pimlico station is in back of the library, only a few blocks from the flat. This is great! It's like living 3 blocks from the BART, if BART went everywhere in town.

Pimlico Underground Sign

I was able to get an Oyster card at the station, which meant the next day I'd be able to wake up, head out the door and go directly to class. That made me feel much better. I headed up Vauxhall Bridge Rd to the dongle store. All the research I'd been doing for months really paid off. I knew exactly what to ask for, and what questions to pose. I was thrilled to hear that the dongle makers had finally caught up with the version of the Mac OS that I'm using, so most of the problems I'd been reading about were fixed. The dudes in the store were super nice, and even looked up a special tech support number in case I needed it. But I didn't. I got home and installed it and everything worked great. Hence my ability to get online and do this blog! I think being way up on the 4th floor really helps with my reception, too.




Problems at the Flat
All of that was great. I felt ready to start my classes. I had food and the internet. I know how to get to the Tube, and I've got the card to ride it. But there were problems at the flat. The heat didn't seem to stay on. There are water-filled radiators, and I checked each of their separate thermostats. Ken had left a note saying not to leave the heat or the hot water pre-heat on. But I had to keep pushing the reset button to make it come on at all. And then it would randomly go off. When I tried to take a bath, the hot water only lasted for a minute or two. I had to heat water up in the electric kettle and add it to the bath. That took forever and I had to bathe in about 2 inches of water. And I certainly couldn't wash my hair, which really needed it.


I wasn't sure if there was a problem or if I just didn't know how the water heater worked. It looks just like the on-demand water heaters in Costa Rica and Puerto Rico, but about 3 times larger. The way those work, you just turn on the hot water, and it heats it for as long as you need it. But this boiler was not working that way. I wrote to Ken to tell him the symptoms, and he said it had been acting up just a tiny bit, and that I could call the gas company if I needed to.