"alone again in the lap of luxury..."
By my calculations I have resided in 17 'homes' during the past 14 years, and without any doubt, if I had to pick one of these as my favourite in terms of the actual dwelling, not neccesarily the location, then my home by the sea in Bournemouth wins every time.
It was deceptive from the outside, but once you stepped inside it resembled a cross between Doctor Who's Tardis and a lighthouse!
The living area itself was five flights up.
On the ground floor was a small utility room, which I made into a gym complete with ski-machine and a punch-bag. Two flights up was a second utility room which contained the washing machine and drying area.
A further two flights up was a small bathroom - the one disappointment with the apartment, and then finally a short climb up one further staircase to the main living space.
The landing step at the top of the stairs was big enough to house a dining table - so that's just what I did!
Once you reached the summit of the apartment, maybe with use of oxygen unless you had previous high altitude experience, was a large fully fitted kitchen, a seperate second bedroom recently kitted out with laminated flooring and sky-light, the large master bedroom, and finally the living room.
The living room was very spacious complete with a small balcony which overlooked the sea. You could constantly hear the crashing of waves onto the nearby shore.
The house itself was located in Alum Chime about a ten minute walk away from Westbourne, where the Nash-Williams main office stood where I now worked, which was a further ten minute walk away from the Bournemouth town centre. Alternatively, from my house you could walk down the hill to a steep slope, which then took you down to the promenade. From there you could walk along the sea front into town in about twenty minutes, which obviously was a much better scenic route.
The home was owned by a sufer, beach-bum who had taken off to the West Indies for six months, so chose to use a letting agency to lease it out whilst he was away, and I was the lucky recipient. Surf boards adorned the walls on the various flights of stairs, which gave the impression that I was a beach-bum too...and I never argued with anyone who made that impression - my extreme sports days were to follow much later in New Zealand!
Unfortunately, the owner was to return after eight months away, giving me an extra couple of months there after my initial six month tenancy agreement, and the remainder of my time in Bournemouth (a further six months) was spent in another apartment which doesn't really merit a mention as it pales into insignificance in comparison to my home by the sea.
Bournemouth itself was a strange place in my opinion. During the summer the place was swamped with tourists, so bad that you just wanted to tell everyone to p**s off & can we have our town back please!
Yet in the winter it was quiet and I enjoyed walking along the beach with Rose and her lovely springer alsation, Harley, despite the windswept conditions.
I also found generally speaking that Bournemouth people were quite aloof and pretensious (that doesn't include you Hannah, if you're reading). There is a lot of wealth there, but those that have got it don't seem to want to invest it back in the town - they prefer to keep it for themselves and flash it around when it suits. You only have to look at the Sandbanks area to understand what I mean, where apparantly unless a property is guaranteed to be valued in excess of £1 million, the local council won't allow planning permision.
Whilst I was living in Bournemouth I started getting back into playing pool, and Marty regularly travelled down from Fleet (he had gotten out of Slough too), and he would crash at my place for the weekend. We would have marathan pool sessions at a local club, playing on Amercian Pool tables and we both got to a really decent standard. In fact Marty registered as a semi-pro 9-ball player and got in the UK Top 50 at one stage, and I grew in confidence with my ability as a player as I could beat him quite regularly too.
We also 'hustled' a bit from time-to-time, and on one memorable occassion some 'numpty' lost all his money to Marty for a solitary frame, and then proceeded to play 'double-or-quits' with me, only to lose again. But he couldn't come up with the goods, so he gave me his girlfriend instead! Needless to say, being the gentleman that I am...I declined!
Also whilst living in Bournemouth, I honed my previous skills as a relaxational masseuer thanks to a girlfriend who I met at work, and was to follow when I finally left Bournemouth.
I've often flirted with persuing a career as a masseuer, but I always have the same problem - for every gorgeous woman I've ever massaged, if I was to do it professionally then I'd have to contemplate the fact that there would a hairy-backed bloke requiring my services...and I just couldn't do that! Lol.
So that was Bournemouth.
When Rose announced that she was going to return to Ireland to pick up a career in nursing, and then the girl that I was seeing informed me that she was moving to Gloucester I had a decision to make...and I made a compromise that I felt very comfortable with.
I had to follow her to the West of England, as I knew I'd always be wondering what would have happened between us if I didn't go. But at the same time, deep down, I really couldn't see things working out for us long-term.
So I decided that rather than put all my eggs into one basket, why didn't I move nearer to where she was going to be, but also to a place where I could be happy if things didn't work out.
That place was...Bath!
Nomadic Steve
Monday, November 29, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.
"It's not about what life brings to you, it's about what you bring to life..."
Following on from where I left off, my Irish friends fully understood the predicament I faced...Slough or Bournemouth - it's a tough choice! Lol.
Having said that it was great to go with their blessing as I knew I'd miss them greatly, but fortunately for me I was going to a wonderful apartment which was easily capable of entertaining large parties, and we also knew another mutual Irish friend who lived in nearby Winton, just on the outskirts of Bournemouth town centre. How I met this mutual friend nicely flows into the next part of my journey as I first met Maryrose whilst also experiencing my first taste of Irish hospitality.
My first visit to Ireland was for Glenn & Ruth's wedding, and we went by sea as they had quite a lot of presents and gifts to bring back to the UK.
It was quite bizarre as I actually travelled with them on the ferry across, as we shared the driving either side of the Irish Sea, I stayed with them up to the wedding, then I went off to did my own 'thing' whilst they honeymooned over there, before we then met up and travelled back together.
I'll re-visit that trip in a minute, but at this point I'd just like to say how lucky I am to be so welcomed all over southern Ireland. Without ever taking any of the hospitality on offer for granted, I feel that I can quite honestly say that I have 'surrogate' families in Limerick & County Laois, and I also know that there will always be a kind soul to offer me a bed for the night and a roof over my head in Cork and in Galway.
As well as feeling at home in Ireland, the celtic spirit seems to be in one blood...quite literally, as I had my first tattoo inked in Dublin, a celtic cross, followed by a personal oriental tat on another later visit to Galway.
All my Irish friends proclaim that I must have some Irish blood in me somewhere too, as they say that I'm too laid back to be an Englishman! I don't know about that - I just know that the Irish people generally don't take themselves too seriously, they know how to have a good time socially speaking, and they really 'enjoy the craic'.
To further emphasis the bond I share with my Irish brothers & sisters, when it came for a venue for my 40th birthday to be chosen, and a destination which could prove quite accessible to most, the obvious choice was Ireland - specifically, a lovely little village called Ring in West Cork...and a good time was had by all I can ensure you of that!
But back to my first visit and Glenn & Ruth's wedding.
Once we arrived Glenn & Ruth split up to spend some time with their respective families before their wedding, and I tagged along with Glenn staying with his family in Limerick.
My first night out was in Limerick and it truely brought home to me just how the Irish enjoy a good time.
It was fast approaching midnight as I stood in a hotel bar with Glenn & his mate Martin, and bearing in mind it was a Sunday night in what is still regarded as a religious, Catholic country I sheepishly went upto the barmaid to enquire, "What time do you stop serving tonight?".
Her reply was simply, "Well, that depends on what time you want to ho home!".
That was good enough for me!
So we proceeded to chew the fat and put the world to rights, before hailing a taxi and venturing to a club down in the docks, arriving at about 3am and leaving at god knows what time!
At this point, I just want to put English pubs and in particular English barstaff to shame - this is a generalisation, as I know plenty of good English barstaff, but thinking especially of the typical Wetherspoon bar person I'm sure you'll catch my drift.
Irish bar staff are trained as professionals, and they are not let loose on the public until they know how to serve and run a bar. I can give you two great examples of this professionalism and quality of service.
Firstly, on another occassion in the same Limerick hotel bar as mentioned above, I was part of a round of a dozen people. I went up to get the second round and I was greeted by the barman with the friendly request, "Same again, all round was it?" And we're not talking 12 pints of guinness either; there were a mixture of drinks in our round, and not only that but they brought them all over to our table when ready. Quality!
The second example was in a very busy bar in Cork on a Friday night. The pub was heaving and there were three bar staff on duty, the oldest I reckon was about 25. Yet not once did anyone have to wait to get served, everyone was always acknowledged as they approached the bar. Now, you don't get that in your local Wetherspoons do you?
The wedding itself was fantastic. Both families hadn't met that many times prior to the actual day but everyone got on like a house on fire. We practically drank the place dry, and the staff let us get our own drinks by about 3am. There was a live band playing, who encouraged others to pop onstage and jam along, and Glenn's mate Martin did just that as he's a mean harmonica player.
Funnily enough, another Irish mate of mine got wed (Fitz) and he organised a band to play live at his wedding. We had seen them performing the previous night playing a heavy rock gig in a pub in Limerick. Now they were playing a toned down set in a castle for a wedding, proving how versatile and talented they were, but the best bit was their roadie taking a break from packing up their gear afterwards, and taking an unplugged guitar and started playing an impromtu set of Bob Marley songs!
It was at Glenn & Ruth's wedding that I first met the aforementioned Maryrose, who although Irish and came from the same village as Ruth, was now living in Bournemouth - which was to be the destination of my next home...ironic or what?
Rose was a grand lass, but could be a bit feisty if you pressed the wrong buttons. And that was how we met, my mate Marty got into a bit of a debate with her and wouldn't back down, so I whisked her off to the dancefloor to relieve the tension...and we've been the best of mates ever since!
After the wedding and Glenn & Ruth went off for their honeymoon, I went off to explore some more of Ireland and took in Galway & Dublin, before journeying south to the lovely Avoca - scene of the hit TV series, Ballykissangel. I walked over the famous littel bridge and had a pint in the equally famous Fitzgeralds bar, whilst they were actually filming an episode of the TV programme. It was a grand day for sure!
So why you may ask, haven't I ever lived properly in Ireland? Well, believe me, I have thought about it many times...and still do sometimes. The problem is that I've never actually had an opportunity to move there with work or any potential job transfer. I did do some consultancy work in Northern Ireland with a payroll company in Belfast, but that was as close as I got.
The current economic climate over there doesn't help either with any job prospects - hell, they are in a worse financial state than Britain and that's quite an achievement in itself!
Because of all my lovely friends & 'family' over there, it has always been a place to visit rather than a place to call 'home'...but I will never discount it completely because you never know what the future may bring...
Nomadic Steve
Following on from where I left off, my Irish friends fully understood the predicament I faced...Slough or Bournemouth - it's a tough choice! Lol.
Having said that it was great to go with their blessing as I knew I'd miss them greatly, but fortunately for me I was going to a wonderful apartment which was easily capable of entertaining large parties, and we also knew another mutual Irish friend who lived in nearby Winton, just on the outskirts of Bournemouth town centre. How I met this mutual friend nicely flows into the next part of my journey as I first met Maryrose whilst also experiencing my first taste of Irish hospitality.
My first visit to Ireland was for Glenn & Ruth's wedding, and we went by sea as they had quite a lot of presents and gifts to bring back to the UK.
It was quite bizarre as I actually travelled with them on the ferry across, as we shared the driving either side of the Irish Sea, I stayed with them up to the wedding, then I went off to did my own 'thing' whilst they honeymooned over there, before we then met up and travelled back together.
I'll re-visit that trip in a minute, but at this point I'd just like to say how lucky I am to be so welcomed all over southern Ireland. Without ever taking any of the hospitality on offer for granted, I feel that I can quite honestly say that I have 'surrogate' families in Limerick & County Laois, and I also know that there will always be a kind soul to offer me a bed for the night and a roof over my head in Cork and in Galway.
As well as feeling at home in Ireland, the celtic spirit seems to be in one blood...quite literally, as I had my first tattoo inked in Dublin, a celtic cross, followed by a personal oriental tat on another later visit to Galway.
All my Irish friends proclaim that I must have some Irish blood in me somewhere too, as they say that I'm too laid back to be an Englishman! I don't know about that - I just know that the Irish people generally don't take themselves too seriously, they know how to have a good time socially speaking, and they really 'enjoy the craic'.
To further emphasis the bond I share with my Irish brothers & sisters, when it came for a venue for my 40th birthday to be chosen, and a destination which could prove quite accessible to most, the obvious choice was Ireland - specifically, a lovely little village called Ring in West Cork...and a good time was had by all I can ensure you of that!
But back to my first visit and Glenn & Ruth's wedding.
Once we arrived Glenn & Ruth split up to spend some time with their respective families before their wedding, and I tagged along with Glenn staying with his family in Limerick.
My first night out was in Limerick and it truely brought home to me just how the Irish enjoy a good time.
It was fast approaching midnight as I stood in a hotel bar with Glenn & his mate Martin, and bearing in mind it was a Sunday night in what is still regarded as a religious, Catholic country I sheepishly went upto the barmaid to enquire, "What time do you stop serving tonight?".
Her reply was simply, "Well, that depends on what time you want to ho home!".
That was good enough for me!
So we proceeded to chew the fat and put the world to rights, before hailing a taxi and venturing to a club down in the docks, arriving at about 3am and leaving at god knows what time!
At this point, I just want to put English pubs and in particular English barstaff to shame - this is a generalisation, as I know plenty of good English barstaff, but thinking especially of the typical Wetherspoon bar person I'm sure you'll catch my drift.
Irish bar staff are trained as professionals, and they are not let loose on the public until they know how to serve and run a bar. I can give you two great examples of this professionalism and quality of service.
Firstly, on another occassion in the same Limerick hotel bar as mentioned above, I was part of a round of a dozen people. I went up to get the second round and I was greeted by the barman with the friendly request, "Same again, all round was it?" And we're not talking 12 pints of guinness either; there were a mixture of drinks in our round, and not only that but they brought them all over to our table when ready. Quality!
The second example was in a very busy bar in Cork on a Friday night. The pub was heaving and there were three bar staff on duty, the oldest I reckon was about 25. Yet not once did anyone have to wait to get served, everyone was always acknowledged as they approached the bar. Now, you don't get that in your local Wetherspoons do you?
The wedding itself was fantastic. Both families hadn't met that many times prior to the actual day but everyone got on like a house on fire. We practically drank the place dry, and the staff let us get our own drinks by about 3am. There was a live band playing, who encouraged others to pop onstage and jam along, and Glenn's mate Martin did just that as he's a mean harmonica player.
Funnily enough, another Irish mate of mine got wed (Fitz) and he organised a band to play live at his wedding. We had seen them performing the previous night playing a heavy rock gig in a pub in Limerick. Now they were playing a toned down set in a castle for a wedding, proving how versatile and talented they were, but the best bit was their roadie taking a break from packing up their gear afterwards, and taking an unplugged guitar and started playing an impromtu set of Bob Marley songs!
It was at Glenn & Ruth's wedding that I first met the aforementioned Maryrose, who although Irish and came from the same village as Ruth, was now living in Bournemouth - which was to be the destination of my next home...ironic or what?
Rose was a grand lass, but could be a bit feisty if you pressed the wrong buttons. And that was how we met, my mate Marty got into a bit of a debate with her and wouldn't back down, so I whisked her off to the dancefloor to relieve the tension...and we've been the best of mates ever since!
After the wedding and Glenn & Ruth went off for their honeymoon, I went off to explore some more of Ireland and took in Galway & Dublin, before journeying south to the lovely Avoca - scene of the hit TV series, Ballykissangel. I walked over the famous littel bridge and had a pint in the equally famous Fitzgeralds bar, whilst they were actually filming an episode of the TV programme. It was a grand day for sure!
So why you may ask, haven't I ever lived properly in Ireland? Well, believe me, I have thought about it many times...and still do sometimes. The problem is that I've never actually had an opportunity to move there with work or any potential job transfer. I did do some consultancy work in Northern Ireland with a payroll company in Belfast, but that was as close as I got.
The current economic climate over there doesn't help either with any job prospects - hell, they are in a worse financial state than Britain and that's quite an achievement in itself!
Because of all my lovely friends & 'family' over there, it has always been a place to visit rather than a place to call 'home'...but I will never discount it completely because you never know what the future may bring...
Nomadic Steve
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Concrete Jungle
"on the outskirts of nowhere, on the ringroad to somewhere..."
After escaping a town which was famous for many a joke, Bognor Regis, I really moved up the world as I arrived in...Slough!
Now this place was indeed a concrete jungle and was a real shock to the system!
Famous for 'The Office' and the local area being part of Ali G's territory (Langley/Staines massive!), Slough was an experience if nothing else. But from what I've learned any experience is good experience, be it a good, bad or an indifferent one, and anyway I really believe that you have to experience the bad to appreciate the good.
Not that Slough was all that bad. It was a great base to live, with a good motorway network (M4/M3/M25) on your doorstep, as well as the rail station and Heathrow Airport nearby, and the funny thing is that you could go a short distance in any direction and be in a better place - Windsor to the south, Maidenhead to the west, Uxbridge to the north, and Ealing Broadway to the east. You could jump on a train and be in Reading or London via Paddington in either direction in about quarter of an hour.
Withe regards to the motorways, I did hear but I don't know how true it is, that the Queen insisted on the M4 being built as this would block out Slough from her view from Windsor castle!
Before I moved into my own place in Slough, I did live with a lovely girl first as a friend, then as a girlfriend in nearby Langley. She was just what I needed after 'Physco', as she was very loving and very generous. She looked like Sarah Jessica Parker from Sex & The City somedays, whilst other days she definitely resembled Uma Thurman, especially the character she played in Pulp Fiction. We remain friends to this day, and we never argued but after a while I could sense I was slightly invading her space, so chose to break off the relationship in order for us to remain friends. It was just too soon for both of us, as she too had just finished a ten year relationship.
So, after leaving my brief Langly residence I moved into a tiny studio flat in a rough area of Slough (Chalvey) but was fortunate that is was right next to the local Police station, and suprisingly I stayed in this place for three years, before moving to one of the few upmarket areas of Slough (Sussex Place) and leasing an expensive flat for only a few months before moving yet again.
But back to Slough in a minute...
As you may recall I was in a hotel in the New Forest wasn't I.
The reason for this is that I took a job with the retailer TK Maxx in Slough, but when I arrived at the branch I found a building site! The shop hadn't been renovated yet, and I was to return to the Southampton branch in the meantime...the only thing was nobody had bothered to tell me, and I had no place to stay as I had left my home behind in Bognor.
The company kindly me put up in a hotel for the duration of my stay, initially in the New Forest, and then in the Dolphin in Southampton.
Living in a hotel may sound pretty luxurious but believe me the novelty soon wears off and the boredom soon sets in. Fortunately, it was the summer and Ocean Village was nearby, so I spent my days off and evenings down there in the various tapas bars, whilst watching the millionaire jet-set attending their yachts docked in the marina!
After a few months I returned to life in Slough and soon got accustomed to the locals.
There is a very heavy Asian community present there, which after living for nearly 30 years in Bognor was quite an adjustment. But adjust is what I did and life was good.
I experienced my first interacial relationship with a sweet Maylasian woman, and built up some great friendships with various people of differing cultures and backgrounds.
The one thing that I didn't like with the Asian community though, was that they weren't encouraged to integrate with the rest of society. The local council insisted on setting them up in their own estates and this tended to create mini colonies which was a shame.
Working in Slough also brought me together with my new Irish family!
Glenn & Ruth Courtney made the trip over from Ireland to forge a career in the UK, and if I felt I was experiencing a culture shock then god knows what they made of it!
Glenn, Marty (another Irish lad), and myself were the only members of management originating from Europe who worked at TK Maxx, so we quite naturally bonded and became the three amigos!
We remain close to this day, even though Glenn & Ruth have since returned 'home' to Ireland, and an open invitation is always there for me to visit, as after all I am now classed as family to them.
After a while with TK Maxx, I got head-hunted by BHS to work for them which was rewarding to start with as it meant training in Bath. I fell in love with the place and vowed to return one day...which I did a few years later as I'll write about in a future blog.
But my heart wasn't in retail anymore, so I took a position with an accounts/payroll company called Nash-Williams and suddenly I was enjoying life to the max. I did take a pay cut, but my quality of life rapidly improved, as I was now working Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 and the world was my oyster at weekends...well Berkshire & Bucks was anyway!
Shortly after moving into the second lovely apartment in Sussex Place, I was given an ultimatum by my new employers - either become redundant or take a transfer to their head office in Bournemouth as they were closing the local office due to my manager's imminent retirement.
Well, a guy like me with no commitments, ties or attachements, who could place his entire belongings and possessions into the back of a Peugeot 106, didn't have much of a choice... Bournemouth here I come and a lovely new home by the sea was awaiting me!
But before that I had to break the news to my Irish friends in Slough that I would be leaving...
Nomadic Steve
After escaping a town which was famous for many a joke, Bognor Regis, I really moved up the world as I arrived in...Slough!
Now this place was indeed a concrete jungle and was a real shock to the system!
Famous for 'The Office' and the local area being part of Ali G's territory (Langley/Staines massive!), Slough was an experience if nothing else. But from what I've learned any experience is good experience, be it a good, bad or an indifferent one, and anyway I really believe that you have to experience the bad to appreciate the good.
Not that Slough was all that bad. It was a great base to live, with a good motorway network (M4/M3/M25) on your doorstep, as well as the rail station and Heathrow Airport nearby, and the funny thing is that you could go a short distance in any direction and be in a better place - Windsor to the south, Maidenhead to the west, Uxbridge to the north, and Ealing Broadway to the east. You could jump on a train and be in Reading or London via Paddington in either direction in about quarter of an hour.
Withe regards to the motorways, I did hear but I don't know how true it is, that the Queen insisted on the M4 being built as this would block out Slough from her view from Windsor castle!
Before I moved into my own place in Slough, I did live with a lovely girl first as a friend, then as a girlfriend in nearby Langley. She was just what I needed after 'Physco', as she was very loving and very generous. She looked like Sarah Jessica Parker from Sex & The City somedays, whilst other days she definitely resembled Uma Thurman, especially the character she played in Pulp Fiction. We remain friends to this day, and we never argued but after a while I could sense I was slightly invading her space, so chose to break off the relationship in order for us to remain friends. It was just too soon for both of us, as she too had just finished a ten year relationship.
So, after leaving my brief Langly residence I moved into a tiny studio flat in a rough area of Slough (Chalvey) but was fortunate that is was right next to the local Police station, and suprisingly I stayed in this place for three years, before moving to one of the few upmarket areas of Slough (Sussex Place) and leasing an expensive flat for only a few months before moving yet again.
But back to Slough in a minute...
As you may recall I was in a hotel in the New Forest wasn't I.
The reason for this is that I took a job with the retailer TK Maxx in Slough, but when I arrived at the branch I found a building site! The shop hadn't been renovated yet, and I was to return to the Southampton branch in the meantime...the only thing was nobody had bothered to tell me, and I had no place to stay as I had left my home behind in Bognor.
The company kindly me put up in a hotel for the duration of my stay, initially in the New Forest, and then in the Dolphin in Southampton.
Living in a hotel may sound pretty luxurious but believe me the novelty soon wears off and the boredom soon sets in. Fortunately, it was the summer and Ocean Village was nearby, so I spent my days off and evenings down there in the various tapas bars, whilst watching the millionaire jet-set attending their yachts docked in the marina!
After a few months I returned to life in Slough and soon got accustomed to the locals.
There is a very heavy Asian community present there, which after living for nearly 30 years in Bognor was quite an adjustment. But adjust is what I did and life was good.
I experienced my first interacial relationship with a sweet Maylasian woman, and built up some great friendships with various people of differing cultures and backgrounds.
The one thing that I didn't like with the Asian community though, was that they weren't encouraged to integrate with the rest of society. The local council insisted on setting them up in their own estates and this tended to create mini colonies which was a shame.
Working in Slough also brought me together with my new Irish family!
Glenn & Ruth Courtney made the trip over from Ireland to forge a career in the UK, and if I felt I was experiencing a culture shock then god knows what they made of it!
Glenn, Marty (another Irish lad), and myself were the only members of management originating from Europe who worked at TK Maxx, so we quite naturally bonded and became the three amigos!
We remain close to this day, even though Glenn & Ruth have since returned 'home' to Ireland, and an open invitation is always there for me to visit, as after all I am now classed as family to them.
After a while with TK Maxx, I got head-hunted by BHS to work for them which was rewarding to start with as it meant training in Bath. I fell in love with the place and vowed to return one day...which I did a few years later as I'll write about in a future blog.
But my heart wasn't in retail anymore, so I took a position with an accounts/payroll company called Nash-Williams and suddenly I was enjoying life to the max. I did take a pay cut, but my quality of life rapidly improved, as I was now working Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 and the world was my oyster at weekends...well Berkshire & Bucks was anyway!
Shortly after moving into the second lovely apartment in Sussex Place, I was given an ultimatum by my new employers - either become redundant or take a transfer to their head office in Bournemouth as they were closing the local office due to my manager's imminent retirement.
Well, a guy like me with no commitments, ties or attachements, who could place his entire belongings and possessions into the back of a Peugeot 106, didn't have much of a choice... Bournemouth here I come and a lovely new home by the sea was awaiting me!
But before that I had to break the news to my Irish friends in Slough that I would be leaving...
Nomadic Steve
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Fear Can Hold You Prisoner, Hope Can Set You Free
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies..."
Lying on a hotel bed in the middle of Dorset's New Forest, I watched for the first time the movie 'The Shawshank Redemption'.
I had just made my break, aged 29, and felt unbelievably isolated and unsure of my future. Watching this film inspired me to remain true to my convictions and beliefs, and offered me much hope and faith with regards to my future journey...wherever that may lead me.
So, how did I end up here?
I was born and bred in Bognor Regis, and apart from brief spells living in neighbouring villages Pagham and Hunston, this was where I would spend the first three decades of my relative uneventful life.
Home was a semi-detached house in the North Bersted area, a house which my parents and kid sister still live in today - in fact I was even born in this house, as my Dad personally delivered me...that explains a lot!
I enjoyed a happy childhood, mainly mixing with lads a few years older than myself due to the level of football that I played, and got through comprehensive school (or community college as it's now called) fairly unscathed. I can't say that I particularly enjoyed school, but I left with a decent bunch of academic qualifications, and I represented the school at football until I got banned for refusing to turn out for the rugby team - I called their bluff and walked away, but still went on to feature for the district and county teams at youth level, courtesy of the Sunday side I played for.
After leaving school at 16 I went straight out to work, spending four years at Boots the Chemist in a variety of roles, and a further eight years managing the music shop Our Price. I eventually resigned from this post as the big corporate machine had taken over, only interested in commercial sales and not a real love of music, so I took a job working at Chichester Golf Club in Hunston.
Once I left home at 19 right up to when I made my great escape, I lived with a girl who I now fondly call my "pshyco ex"...because she was! I know that there are two sides to every story, but believe me this lady was extremely controlling and manipulative as my good friends The Shaws can no doubt testify!
I could tell numerous stories surrounding this period in my life, but I prefer to keep a dignified silence on events, especially that I have now moved on with my life.
But to think I spent ten years with this girl was a terrible waste of my life...especially when you consider that you can serve a prison sentence for muder for less than this! And I seriously reckon I could've got away with muder too, if I pleaded mitigating circumstances! Lol.
After a short spell in a leased bungalow in nearby Pagham, we set up home in a purpose built one bedroomed ground floor flat with a small garden, and I was tied down for the first and only time with a mortgage. We never married, which was probably just as well as things turned out.
I honestly loved this woman,despite all the grief that came with it, and I really worked hard to try to make the relationship work, but alas..."how terrible is wisdom, when it brings no profit to the wise."
She eventually realised that she loved me too...but that was only after I left, by which time it was too late as I was long gone!
What ultimately led me to leave were the constant lies and abuse (mental, verbal & physical), but despite all of this I did live to tell the tale (just!), and I refused to let it make me bitter and twisted about women and about relationships - quite the opposite actually, as it made me really appreciate the good ones when they later came into my life.
The really ironic thing is however, that she always blamed me for holding her back and restricting her prospects...despite the fact that I was supporting her financially by allowing her not to work due to her developing mental condition - as my mate Glenn would say, " she had issues!".
Yet since we split up, I moved around various places and travelled to some extent, whilst she's remained in Bognor...how ironic is that!
So this is why as I approached my 30th birthday I found myself in that hotel in the New Forest, and a new chapter in my life was just about to begin, as was my spiritual journey to find a home.
Why the New Forest?
Read the upcoming The Concrete Jungle to find out.
Nomadic Steve
Lying on a hotel bed in the middle of Dorset's New Forest, I watched for the first time the movie 'The Shawshank Redemption'.
I had just made my break, aged 29, and felt unbelievably isolated and unsure of my future. Watching this film inspired me to remain true to my convictions and beliefs, and offered me much hope and faith with regards to my future journey...wherever that may lead me.
So, how did I end up here?
I was born and bred in Bognor Regis, and apart from brief spells living in neighbouring villages Pagham and Hunston, this was where I would spend the first three decades of my relative uneventful life.
Home was a semi-detached house in the North Bersted area, a house which my parents and kid sister still live in today - in fact I was even born in this house, as my Dad personally delivered me...that explains a lot!
I enjoyed a happy childhood, mainly mixing with lads a few years older than myself due to the level of football that I played, and got through comprehensive school (or community college as it's now called) fairly unscathed. I can't say that I particularly enjoyed school, but I left with a decent bunch of academic qualifications, and I represented the school at football until I got banned for refusing to turn out for the rugby team - I called their bluff and walked away, but still went on to feature for the district and county teams at youth level, courtesy of the Sunday side I played for.
After leaving school at 16 I went straight out to work, spending four years at Boots the Chemist in a variety of roles, and a further eight years managing the music shop Our Price. I eventually resigned from this post as the big corporate machine had taken over, only interested in commercial sales and not a real love of music, so I took a job working at Chichester Golf Club in Hunston.
Once I left home at 19 right up to when I made my great escape, I lived with a girl who I now fondly call my "pshyco ex"...because she was! I know that there are two sides to every story, but believe me this lady was extremely controlling and manipulative as my good friends The Shaws can no doubt testify!
I could tell numerous stories surrounding this period in my life, but I prefer to keep a dignified silence on events, especially that I have now moved on with my life.
But to think I spent ten years with this girl was a terrible waste of my life...especially when you consider that you can serve a prison sentence for muder for less than this! And I seriously reckon I could've got away with muder too, if I pleaded mitigating circumstances! Lol.
After a short spell in a leased bungalow in nearby Pagham, we set up home in a purpose built one bedroomed ground floor flat with a small garden, and I was tied down for the first and only time with a mortgage. We never married, which was probably just as well as things turned out.
I honestly loved this woman,despite all the grief that came with it, and I really worked hard to try to make the relationship work, but alas..."how terrible is wisdom, when it brings no profit to the wise."
She eventually realised that she loved me too...but that was only after I left, by which time it was too late as I was long gone!
What ultimately led me to leave were the constant lies and abuse (mental, verbal & physical), but despite all of this I did live to tell the tale (just!), and I refused to let it make me bitter and twisted about women and about relationships - quite the opposite actually, as it made me really appreciate the good ones when they later came into my life.
The really ironic thing is however, that she always blamed me for holding her back and restricting her prospects...despite the fact that I was supporting her financially by allowing her not to work due to her developing mental condition - as my mate Glenn would say, " she had issues!".
Yet since we split up, I moved around various places and travelled to some extent, whilst she's remained in Bognor...how ironic is that!
So this is why as I approached my 30th birthday I found myself in that hotel in the New Forest, and a new chapter in my life was just about to begin, as was my spiritual journey to find a home.
Why the New Forest?
Read the upcoming The Concrete Jungle to find out.
Nomadic Steve
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Appetiser!
Over the next six weeks I shall be blogging away with my journey so far...
"One fine day, the chaos subsides
Bleeds into awareness, and a lifetime of suprise..."
I'll be describing the various 'homes' that I dwelt in, and the trials & tribulations experienced whilst residing in Bognor Regis, Southampton, Slough & Langley, Ireland (various surrogate families!), Bournemouth, Bath, Bristol, Cheltenham, New Zealand Part 1 (luxury hotels), New Zealand Part 2 (campervan!), Crowthorne, Bognor Regis (the return!), and finally my current location Chichester.
I'll knock out the first blog tomorrow...entitled: Fear Can Hold You Prisoner, Hope Can Set You Free.
Thereafter, I intend to do two blogs per week, and the proposed timetable is as follows:-
w/c 22 Nov - The Concrete Jungle ~ When Irish Eyes Are Smiling!
w/c 29 Nov - Home By The Sea ~ Following My Heart To Bath
w/c 06 Dec - Sadly Broke ~ Montpelier Exchange
w/c 13 Dec - A Dream Realised ~ A Kiwi At Heart
w/c 20 Dec - Time To Bite The Bullet! ~ Back To Where It All Started
w/c 27 Dec - ...And Where To Now?
A New Year then begins...and with it a New Journey!
Watch this space.
Nomadic Steve
"One fine day, the chaos subsides
Bleeds into awareness, and a lifetime of suprise..."
I'll be describing the various 'homes' that I dwelt in, and the trials & tribulations experienced whilst residing in Bognor Regis, Southampton, Slough & Langley, Ireland (various surrogate families!), Bournemouth, Bath, Bristol, Cheltenham, New Zealand Part 1 (luxury hotels), New Zealand Part 2 (campervan!), Crowthorne, Bognor Regis (the return!), and finally my current location Chichester.
I'll knock out the first blog tomorrow...entitled: Fear Can Hold You Prisoner, Hope Can Set You Free.
Thereafter, I intend to do two blogs per week, and the proposed timetable is as follows:-
w/c 22 Nov - The Concrete Jungle ~ When Irish Eyes Are Smiling!
w/c 29 Nov - Home By The Sea ~ Following My Heart To Bath
w/c 06 Dec - Sadly Broke ~ Montpelier Exchange
w/c 13 Dec - A Dream Realised ~ A Kiwi At Heart
w/c 20 Dec - Time To Bite The Bullet! ~ Back To Where It All Started
w/c 27 Dec - ...And Where To Now?
A New Year then begins...and with it a New Journey!
Watch this space.
Nomadic Steve
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
An Introduction
Welcome to my blog...A Spiritual Journey To Find A Home.
For the past 14 years I have been living a rather nomadic lifestyle, displaying the occassional hedonistic tendencies, whilst in the persuit of a place that I could call 'home'.
My travels have taking me all around the southern areas of England, and I have spent quite a lot of time in Southern Ireland and New Zealand. Everywhere that I have 'laid down my hat, has been a home', but unfortunately these dwellings haven't ever lasted longer than a few years at a time.
Over the coming months I shall endeavour to describe my travels in my journey to find a home, and share some of the reasons why certain places just weren't meant to be. Usually, this may have comprised a romantic liason, but as 'gentlemen don't kiss & tell' I shall remain quite discreet over any of these issues. Lol.
A good friend has monickered me as 'The Goodness Guru', but I think that's too kind.
I prefer to go by the name of 'Nomadic Steve', and I hope that by writing this blog I shall provide some wit, humour and wisdom, as well as some self-theraputic process for myself.
Until next time soon...
Take care,
Nomadic Steve
For the past 14 years I have been living a rather nomadic lifestyle, displaying the occassional hedonistic tendencies, whilst in the persuit of a place that I could call 'home'.
My travels have taking me all around the southern areas of England, and I have spent quite a lot of time in Southern Ireland and New Zealand. Everywhere that I have 'laid down my hat, has been a home', but unfortunately these dwellings haven't ever lasted longer than a few years at a time.
Over the coming months I shall endeavour to describe my travels in my journey to find a home, and share some of the reasons why certain places just weren't meant to be. Usually, this may have comprised a romantic liason, but as 'gentlemen don't kiss & tell' I shall remain quite discreet over any of these issues. Lol.
A good friend has monickered me as 'The Goodness Guru', but I think that's too kind.
I prefer to go by the name of 'Nomadic Steve', and I hope that by writing this blog I shall provide some wit, humour and wisdom, as well as some self-theraputic process for myself.
Until next time soon...
Take care,
Nomadic Steve
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