Before we arrived, our plan was rock solid. We had enough living money for two weeks but we would not, of course, need this amount as Victoria would be working almost immediately and I would naturally follow. It has not quite worked out that way and, as I write, it has not really worked out at all. Despite some administrative hiccups and repetitions, Victoria has managed to work her way into 'supply' teaching quite confidently. The recruitment agencies can be rather brutal, stretching the truth in order to make their sales quota, but the work has been frequent enough for our basic lifestyle to be sustainable. From her reports the work is often difficult and demoralising but is mostly tolerable. The discontinuity and insecurity of the process, however, makes the longing for her own classroom come ... read more

When we first left, I had every intention of writing regularly. Last time we had travelled, I had been a consistent writer - something that I know others had enjoyed and I was glad I had recorded the memories upon our return. Five weeks after we have left, however, I am finding it considerably more difficult to reflect upon our journey. Something indefinable seems to have changed, as if I am a swimmer who is afraid to look back lest he discovers how far he has come. Before we left, I was full of anxiety at the prospect of such a move. This tension was not only from the prospect of living on the other half of the world, far from family, friends and my comfort zone, but of a transition from one stage of my ... read more

May 14 -17; London When I imagine city life, London fits the ideal type. New York is more renowned for its intensity, but for me London is where it is at (in the Western world anyway). The city is just alive with people of all denominations, all going about their business in an individual manner which is invisibly coordinated by city structures and unconsciously shared values. All intellectual pursuit aside, the city is simply alive. You cannot but get caught up by the intensity and the individuality of it all; it is a peculiar element of the human condition that one often feels the most individual in the biggest crowds. That said, like New York we have found that Londoners have often been very willing to help out when we have needed it e.g. Carrying suitcases ... read more

Day 19: Amsterdam Amsterdam is a weird place, which automatically makes it a wonderful one. Although I don’t think that I am perfectly suited to the lifestyle. For a start, Amsterdam is a naturally beautiful city. Like many of the European cities that we have visited, it is based upon a river and takes full advantage of this resource. One of the highlights of the city was the highly developed house boats on the river and associated canals. I really fancy living on a house boat. Amsterdam also has a very pretty park. This is, of course, not what Amsterdam is famous for. Neither are the houses, but I found them interesting, so I am going to tell you about them anyway. Most of Amsterdam, as is the rest of the Netherlands (note: not Holland, Holland ... read more

Day 12: Venice I wonder how long the novelty of having canals instead of roads, boats instead of cars, would last? As a one-off experience it is a wonderful novelty, tinged somewhat by the unpleasant spell of the canals, which are polluted with typical road rubbish. The romance of the city on water is palpable, but in terms of convenience I think it would probably be a nightmare. As tourists though, Venice was a througouly enjoyable city, both for the shear novelty of the cities layout (essentially a series of islands, loosely attached by bridges but ultimately connected by canals acting as roads) and the architectural beauty of the city. Our day began with a walking tour of St.Marks square, the central square of Venice. The guide was a local - apparently a requirement of touring ... read more