I'm telling myself that no matter what, I *will* like this flat today! I have to - I check out of the hotel tomorrow morning and need to have somewhere to go (though I could hostel it for a couple of nights I guess - but I don't want to lug all my crap around). So...off exploring in a new part of town (well, new to me).
Turns out that the flat is in Pimlico, not Victoria (but as I think I might've already established, I'm sure he just meant the train station). Actually, the flat is closely (according to one online map I consulted) surrounded by Westminster and Belgravia. Turns out, also, it's only around the corner from the Pimlico tube station. Nice. Building looked a bit tired compared to its neighbours (i.e., needed a new lick of paint) - but otherwise, s'ok...from the front.
Wandered around St James' Park. I think Lizzie must've been entertaining again. There were all sorts of police cordons & roads blocked off and such - and millions of tourists. That's what I was going to say. When I was out last night, I was trying to get my bearings standing out front of a tube station and I could've counted the number of English speakers on the fingers of a man who'd had all his limbs removed. Are there no English people in London? Bloody hell - I thought the centre of Sydney was bad. It has nothing on this place! Where was I? That's right. Lizzie's place. Honestly. I'm sure she's doing this just so I can't pop in for a cuppa. Instead, I sat down on a bench in the park and did a wee bit of reading (until my fingers got too cold to turn the pages properly), and socialised with the pelicans (God they're strange creatures) and squirrels (who weren't happy 'cos I wouldn't feed them).
3pm came and I went to the flat - first one there as they'd promised (they called me a few minutes before they turned up to let me know they were nearly there). I thought the flat was on the 3rd floor. Nope, turns out it's on the 114th floor (slight exaggeration). It's about 6 floors up - right at the very top. No lift. All I could think about was "I might have to carry my shit up *this*!". Finally got to the top - only 3 flats there and went in. Okay, it wasn't the flashest of places, but it had a full kitchen (well, a bench along a wall with cupboards above & below, fridge & a cooker (can't recall if there was an oven). No bed, just one of those pull out futon couch things (good job I can sleep anywhere). Table was just a piece of wood hinged to the wall to fold down. Smallish wardrobe. Small bathroom (but still a wee bit bigger than the hotel one). I said yes to it. It's about twice the size of any of the ones I saw yesterday and it's at the top of the building (this is good as it means I won't have people stomping on my head like I've had for the last 5 years). Paid a £220 "securing fee" or something like that - just means if I don't turn up tomorrow with the deposit & first month's rent, I've lost £220. As soon as that's paid, the agents can't show the flat to anyone - YAY! (although there were about 6 people who were shown it straight after me...they were there waiting and had climbed all the stairs so it was only fair I guess).
Apparently the two neighbours are fairly quiet, but nice, blokes. One's an actor and one's an Aussie (I laughed internally at that - we find out what one does, and where the other one's from).
So there we have it. Tomorrow I have to go and take out £1300 to pay up front for the deposit & first month's rent (£740pcm). All I need to do now is find a job within the next month so that I can pay the next lot of rent ;) Even though I move in on the 26th, my lease will begin on the 27th (since the landlord has to tidy a couple of things tomorrow...and I don't get to move in until 2.30pm). As I said to the agent, this works out well given I leave on the 27th of October. If I come back, the lease will be on a month-by-month agreement. I have to arrange the phone/Internet, so after tonight I may be out of email contact for a couple of days (depending how slow BT are to jack things up).
Tonight's job is to repack everything (I bet you're all so bloody envious - NOT). I shall away to do that now. Pics of the flat (which is most likely about the same size, maybe smaller, than the bedroom I had for 5 years) will follow eventually.
PS: I move in around 3pm tomorrow - and have that interview at 4pm - might try to reschedule the interview by half an hour - that way I don't need to wear a suit all day (when trying to move).
Turns out that the flat is in Pimlico, not Victoria (but as I think I might've already established, I'm sure he just meant the train station). Actually, the flat is closely (according to one online map I consulted) surrounded by Westminster and Belgravia. Turns out, also, it's only around the corner from the Pimlico tube station. Nice. Building looked a bit tired compared to its neighbours (i.e., needed a new lick of paint) - but otherwise, s'ok...from the front.
Wandered around St James' Park. I think Lizzie must've been entertaining again. There were all sorts of police cordons & roads blocked off and such - and millions of tourists. That's what I was going to say. When I was out last night, I was trying to get my bearings standing out front of a tube station and I could've counted the number of English speakers on the fingers of a man who'd had all his limbs removed. Are there no English people in London? Bloody hell - I thought the centre of Sydney was bad. It has nothing on this place! Where was I? That's right. Lizzie's place. Honestly. I'm sure she's doing this just so I can't pop in for a cuppa. Instead, I sat down on a bench in the park and did a wee bit of reading (until my fingers got too cold to turn the pages properly), and socialised with the pelicans (God they're strange creatures) and squirrels (who weren't happy 'cos I wouldn't feed them).
3pm came and I went to the flat - first one there as they'd promised (they called me a few minutes before they turned up to let me know they were nearly there). I thought the flat was on the 3rd floor. Nope, turns out it's on the 114th floor (slight exaggeration). It's about 6 floors up - right at the very top. No lift. All I could think about was "I might have to carry my shit up *this*!". Finally got to the top - only 3 flats there and went in. Okay, it wasn't the flashest of places, but it had a full kitchen (well, a bench along a wall with cupboards above & below, fridge & a cooker (can't recall if there was an oven). No bed, just one of those pull out futon couch things (good job I can sleep anywhere). Table was just a piece of wood hinged to the wall to fold down. Smallish wardrobe. Small bathroom (but still a wee bit bigger than the hotel one). I said yes to it. It's about twice the size of any of the ones I saw yesterday and it's at the top of the building (this is good as it means I won't have people stomping on my head like I've had for the last 5 years). Paid a £220 "securing fee" or something like that - just means if I don't turn up tomorrow with the deposit & first month's rent, I've lost £220. As soon as that's paid, the agents can't show the flat to anyone - YAY! (although there were about 6 people who were shown it straight after me...they were there waiting and had climbed all the stairs so it was only fair I guess).
Apparently the two neighbours are fairly quiet, but nice, blokes. One's an actor and one's an Aussie (I laughed internally at that - we find out what one does, and where the other one's from).
So there we have it. Tomorrow I have to go and take out £1300 to pay up front for the deposit & first month's rent (£740pcm). All I need to do now is find a job within the next month so that I can pay the next lot of rent ;) Even though I move in on the 26th, my lease will begin on the 27th (since the landlord has to tidy a couple of things tomorrow...and I don't get to move in until 2.30pm). As I said to the agent, this works out well given I leave on the 27th of October. If I come back, the lease will be on a month-by-month agreement. I have to arrange the phone/Internet, so after tonight I may be out of email contact for a couple of days (depending how slow BT are to jack things up).
Tonight's job is to repack everything (I bet you're all so bloody envious - NOT). I shall away to do that now. Pics of the flat (which is most likely about the same size, maybe smaller, than the bedroom I had for 5 years) will follow eventually.
Seeyabye
PS: I move in around 3pm tomorrow - and have that interview at 4pm - might try to reschedule the interview by half an hour - that way I don't need to wear a suit all day (when trying to move).
1 comment:
What a fantastic idea!! Brilliant. I am very impressed. Sounds like things are all falling into place for you which is great. The job will happen next, and in no time at all! Cheers, Nick
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