Week 24- England

Friday, 13 November, 2009 12:09PM Thatcham, England

Hey folks! So it’s been a while...A week is a long time for me to not blog, because a lot happens. We had a good time in Boston Spa, the boys went to see fireworks on Thurs night, there was also a bonfire, they really enjoyed it.

On Friday we went to Bradford which is sort of near Leeds. The hosts I stayed with have been working with the choir since the beginning. They were hosts for the first choir! They had also seen Godfrey perform when he was 8. He vaguely remembered them because he is now 25. I’m not sure if I mentioned Godfrey is our male chaperone on tour, and also our sound tech. He was in the choir when he was 8, and has completed his education with the help of the organization and is now giving back. Isn’t that awesome? He’s a really awesome guy, and we are so grateful to have him around.

I will probably stay with these hosts again in January, they invited me to come back and stay with them for a few days.

Our next stop was Coventry, more city-like place. I stayed with a young South African couple, they were really cool. I was meant to sleep on a BIG air bed, but when the boys jumped on it, they begged me to let them, so we switched and I got the room, all was happy :) It’s the biggest air bed I’ve ever seen, it was probably quite comfy. Her husband had a sports car, so the boys went in it, while we went in the other car. She told me her nieces and nephews love riding with him because he plays the music really loud, when we arrived, the boys didn’t want to get out, I think they had a pretty good time.

Deddington was next for a 3 night stay. It’s a very very small place. There’s just one grocery store, and a few shops. I was meant to have my day off here, but I switched because as I mentioned before a friend from home came to visit me. They weren’t in town yet, so I switched to Thursday. Thursday was London Day, where we took the kids to London for the day and did sightseeing, which meant I would miss it all. It was a very very hard decision to make, but I had to do it because they came to visit with me, and I see the kids everyday, and would still get to see London.

One night we were here Hlengiwe was taking a bath and yells to me Auntie I’m too big for the bath! I was really confused since she is the 2nd smallest girl in the choir, and is definitely not too big. I said What do you mean? Trying to think. She repeats it again. Then I realized she was saying there wasn’t enough water, so I told her to put more, the bath water was too small for her. It was cute how she said it though.

It rained everyday we were here, which isn’t nice because your memories of that place will always been of how it looks when it’s raining. The people were really nice, and I had great great hosts.

We then went to Thatcham, a 2 night stay. We had a concert the first night, so we got back late, and then headed out early for our day of London, my friend picked me up and we headed in. We were planning to drop off the rental car and then do some touristy stuff in London, until we got lost, and more lost, and more lost. It wasn’t fun. It was 4 hours later when we finally got there. We tried to not think about how annoyed we were. It was my fault. I got confused with what the directions had said. Anyway, we had a bit of time to see the Buckingham Palace, and then I had to join up with the choir for dinner and The Lion King. That’s right The Lion King! One of the Divas from the Tenors and Divas we performed with in N. Ireland has connections with Disney and got us free backstage passes to meet the cast and crew and perform for them, as well as see the show. How cool is that?

Getting lost is never fun, but when you are with someone you know and haven’t seen for a long time, it’s not so bad. The way I look at it, worse things have happened.

I didn’t have a phone so I was using pay phones to try and get ahold of Angee to join up, but half the pay phones wouldn’t work. There wasn’t an answer so I left a message saying I was trying to find her and I’d keep calling. It was getting later and later so I decided to try and find the theatre and just meet them there. Then we got lost for an hour trying to find the theatre because a guy gave us the wrong directions. I left a message for Angee saying I’d meet her at the theatre because there was no answer and I didn’t know where they were eating. I found the theatre with about 10 minutes to spare.

There wasn’t time to eat because we were trying to find the place. I couldn’t eat because I was so nervous I wouldn’t find them. I have never been so happy to see them all.

Angee’s phone didn’t tell her I called and they were all worried about me. All the kids were very happy to see me as well. Anyway, the show was FABULOUS, and meeting the cast was even cooler! It really turned out to be a great night, and I can’t complain about anything. It’s one of my favourite nights on tour so far. We got back very late, so we all slept on the bus. When we arrived, it was so hard to get the kids to get into the hosts car. They slept in the car, again not wanting to get out, so they slowly got ready for bed, brushed their teeth, heads on the pillows and out. I did the same.

Saturday, 14 November, 2009 2:50PM Southampton, England

I was about to type September...

School has been going well, were quickly checking things off the list that they need to know before returning home. I got a package of glow sticks from the Canadian office for Canada Day, and had forgotten about them. So I have been using them as best listener prizes, they are really liking them.

So because my London Day didn’t really happen I’m hoping either one of my days off I will be close enough to take the train OR if I go to Leeds in January, I have enough time to come down and spend the day. It’s quite far, and I don’t think I have enough time. I didn’t really think about London much when I planned staying here longer, I just thought it would be a hassle, and I was content with Edinburgh, which I still am. I just feel like I’m not going to see London and I will regret it, having been so close. My next day off is in Bristol which is near Bath, Bath is a very popular place and I have heard from many hosts I HAVE to go there. Paul, our bus driver is from Bath and has offered to show us around, so that’ll be nice. I’m looking forward to it. We will see where my next day off.

Today was a day of fun as well, but just a half day, we are staying with people from The Salvation Army and they have a nice Hall they invited us to come and play games, it was really really fun. They pulled out the parachute, fooseball, air hockey, pool tables, colouring, the list goes on. We had a really good time. The kids are napping now, and then we have a concert tonight.

Oh! I have google wave. Most of you won’t know what it is, but it’s sort of hard to explain. It’s a way to communicate online. If you have it you can add me using my email address.

My battery is dying and I didn’t bring my charger. Shame.