Winchester

So we’ve just moved into our new home in Winchester. It is an old row house on three levels and conveniently located in the middle of town. While not absolutely gorgeous, it does have some charm and some decorative features, as well as honey coloured floor boards and a garden, albeit in need of some love, out the back.

I initially thought that it was quite a bit bigger than our apartment in Germany, but by the time the furniture was delivered, the space available seemed to have shrunk. And at this point I don’t quite know where we are going to put all our stuff, especially when another 40 boxes arrive from Australia. Compared with Germany and the US, the key thing we are missing is a basement in which to store miscellaneous junk and bikes. It actually feels as though we have gone through progressive stages of shrinkage during our moves and have now reached a terminus: a small row house with no basement or garage.

Aside from space issues though, the main thing that I am noticing is just how pleasant this move feels. Everyone speaks English and I don’t have to feel like a goose whenever I head out to a store to buy a widget. We have a car which dramatically simplifies buying supplies and transport in general – no more riding ten kilometers to simply replace a portable hard drive. English culture is also very similar to Australian and having a completely separate, well appointed, cottage to which we can escape at the end of the day is just brilliant.

I’m crossing my fingers that this all lasts….