Elsien's Traveblogue

I'm sorry I haven't been written for so long, but, as tends to be the case, life rather took over for a bit.
I am in England where I arrived at the end of June, after a great few months studying Chinese at Yunnan University in Kunming. My original plan had been to go back to UK, sell my house in Harlow, buy something newer and less in need of repairs and then return to Kunming for another term of Chinese studies. No such luck. Circumstances and family rather stopped me from doing what I'd wanted.
My kids, friends and parents all told me they'd like to see more of me and would I please not keep disappearing for a year at a time, so I followed my oldest son's brilliant idea of buying a 'bolthole', a place where I can store my few belongings (I'm very minimalist) and where I can return to any time I want to between trips, without having to kick out tenants.
So, that's what I've done. My three bedroom house fetched a good price, I had some savings and so I could buy another flat to rent out as well as my 'bolthole' where I am now: on the tenth floor of a tower block in Harlow, just North-East of London. My views are fabulous, especially at sunset - the flat faces West. It's a doll's house of a flat and I quite enjoy playing Wendy houses in it ... but the sale, purchase and move all took longer than I'd thought, so I would have been too late to start the semester in Kunming, would have missed too much.
So, I am staying here for a bit. It's expensive living in England and even with two rental flats to my name and no mortage on the 'bolthole', I cannot manage to live here without work, so it's been useful to have two days' a week work at the college where I used to teach before I left for China. I'm teaching Psychology A-Levels, indeed! and some English, as well as mentoring a huge Tutorial group of 17 - 18 year-olds. It's not exactly what I wanted, but it brings in the extra money I need to be able to live in England.
Nicer news is that I have developed a romance with an old friend in Belgium, so I spend quite a few of my long weekends either going over there to see him, or he comes over here to visit. Plenty of time left to see my own two kids and some of my friends and family in England and Holland, but lots of bother with British Telecom, so I haven't been able to do much e-mailing or even telephoning. Problem still not sorted, but this afternoon I seem to have received freak WiFi connection, so as long as this holds, I'll be able to reply to emails (otherwise it's a rush job at work or in an Internet cfe). I haven't given up hope of travelling again, but it'll have to wait for a bit for now.
I intend to re-start this blog again, so keep reading!

I'm sorry I haven't been written for so long, but, as tends to be the case, life rather took over for a bit.
I am in England where I arrived at the end of June, after a great few months studying Chinese at Yunnan University in Kunming. My original plan had been to go back to UK, sell my house in Harlow, buy something newer and less in need of repairs and then return to Kunming for another term of Chinese studies. No such luck. Circumstances and family rather stopped me from doing what I'd wanted.
My kids, friends and parents all told me they'd like to see more of me and would I please not keep disappearing for a year at a time, so I followed my oldest son's brilliant idea of buying a 'bolthole', a place where I can store my few belongings (I'm very minimalist) and where I can return to any time I want to between trips, without having to kick out tenants.
So, that's what I've done. My three bedroom house fetched a good price, I had some savings and so I could buy another flat to rent out as well as my 'bolthole' where I am now: on the tenth floor of a tower block in Harlow, just North-East of London. My views are fabulous, especially at sunset - the flat faces West. It's a doll's house of a flat and I quite enjoy playing Wendy houses in it ... but the sale, purchase and move all took longer than I'd thought, so I would have been too late to start the semester in Kunming, would have missed too much.
So, I am staying here for a bit. It's expensive living in England and even with two rental flats to my name and no mortage on the 'bolthole', I cannot manage to live here without work, so it's been useful to have two days' a week work at the college where I used to teach before I left for China. I'm teaching Psychology A-Levels, indeed! and some English, as well as mentoring a huge Tutorial group of 17 - 18 year-olds. It's not exactly what I wanted, but it brings in the extra money I need to be able to live in England.
Nicer news is that I have developed a romance with an old friend in Belgium, so I spend quite a few of my long weekends either going over there to see him, or he comes over here to visit. Plenty of time left to see my own two kids and some of my friends and family in England and Holland, but lots of bother with British Telecom, so I haven't been able to do much e-mailing or even telephoning. Problem still not sorted, but this afternoon I seem to have received freak WiFi connection, so as long as this holds, I'll be able to reply to emails (otherwise it's a rush job at work or in an Internet cfe). I haven't given up hope of travelling again, but it'll have to wait for a bit for now.
I intend to re-start this blog again, so keep reading!