I know I'll never lose affection for people and things that went before, I know I'll often stop and think about them (John Lennon) - You may say I'm a dreamer (Chapter 1, part 1)

Get Back (Chapter 1, part 1)

As Thai Airways TG 992 glided into its final flight path, Jacky Purdy in 49H nudged me to look out the window. My bookmark went into the middle of Bill Bryson's A Short History Of Nearly Everything and I peered nervously past her - she always takes the window seat.

Below me the 11th of June 2003 dusk was a perfect end to a sunny summer day. The farmers' carefully manicured fields in Kent and Essex were gleaming as we sped past. 

Instinctively, as the plane's flight path took us over Westminster and London Bridge I knew that I was finally where I belonged. Home.

Edinburgh July 2003 - Ron and
Alison Annan with Wozza

While the plane headed towards Heathrow my mind was thinking how one moment at Cambridge High School had completely altered the course of my life. The implications of which are still being felt today, thirteen years later.

The Assistant Principal, Marty Blackburn, and I were in the hall fine tuning arrangements for our 2002 end of year prize giving ceremony. I was now into my third year as Deputy Principal and, although we were chalk, cheese and cheeseboard, we worked well as a team - me, Marty and the Principal Alison Annan.

Alison came into the hall and wanted a word. Seems she was going on a sabbatical for Term 2, 2003 and I'd be Acting Principal while she was away. Wahoo, I thought - what a great challenge!

I refocused as she continued - at the end of her sabbatical in July 2003 she was going to a Worlds' Principals' Conference in Edinburgh. She offered me a deal: I could either take the higher duties allowance for the term OR the school would pay for me and Jacky to also attend the conference.

I distinctly remember thinking in that moment of blind panic, "OH SHIT!"

That means flying. Oh shit. I'll have to tell Jacky. Oh Shit. She'll want to go. Oh shit shit shit.

Somehow, through the daze, I made my way back to my office and called Jacky. 

While a teenager, I'd had a bad flight back from a family holiday to Sydney in 1973 and it had put me off flying big time. I remember looking at the plane before boarding and wondering how on Earth it stayed in the air. During the bumpy flight back to Auckland the turbulence knocked me out of my seat. Since then, a fear of flying had crept over me and apart from some hair raising flights within New Zealand (I especially hate flying into Wellington) I had not flown internationally for thirty years.

Jacky answered the Alpha Street phone. 

Fantastic, she said - we're going to Scotland, she said. But... I said. I'm terrified of flying, I said. Warren, it's Scotland, she said - we've got to go - you have to get over this, she said. But...I said.

Then she said the five words that changed everything: What. If. You. Love. It?

July 2003 - heatwave in London and looks like (shock horror probe) we'd been 

to the Arsenal shop in Finsbury Park!

What are the odds?

Love and peace - WNP

How's it back in London town...? (Laura Marling)

We are back in London after our clockwise northern excursion (London > Chester > Ramsbottom > Rishworth > Keswick > Edinburgh > York > London). Since my last posting we have visited Edinburgh and York.

Two highlights: 1 - lunch in Biggar on the way to Edinburgh was amazing. I love Biggar. I could live there and eat their cottage pies and yo-yos (called custard creams in Biggar) for the rest of my days. It is a terrific stop off before the hurley burley of Edinburgh, and never disappoints.

2 Castle Howard, just out of York, was also amazing but for different reasons (no cottage pie and yo-yos but a passable scone with raspberry jam and clotted cream) which were mainly about the walled garden and the grand rooms and artwork in the castle/house. It was used as a set for different editions of Brideshead Revisited (Irene please note as you watch your box set). Jacky had a dilemma - either a pricey teddy bear or some blue Wedgewood style stuff. She went with the blue Wedgewood style stuff.

Note the fact that Edinburgh is missing from the list. Overall all it is dirty and crowded and a sad reminder that the UK is in a period of austerity. Even Jacky who adores Edinburgh was shocked. London in comparison is clean, open and vibrant (still).

For me the sadness was increased by the closing down of major CD outlets like FOPP and Avalanche, with only an HMV holding the fort (the FOPP in Rose street has been taken over by HMV and is a pale shadow of its former glory). Even the Hard Rock Cafe was a let down this time - way too loud (at times I couldn't even make out the song it was so loud and muffled) and way too many people squeezed in. A shame!

Tomorrow we are off to Paris. My ipad won't do a global whanau email so check in over the next few days for progress and highlights.

Love and peace - Wozza