Readjusting in the Mother Land

I'm back!

We arrived back at Heathrow in the early hours of Sunday 17th December, and ever since it's been a constant whirlwind of present buying, family engagements, drunken "catching up" in pubs and gluttonous over-eating, but finally I've found a bit of time to update my blog. The travel photos are almost fully updated too. It's funny; even though I've barely been back two weeks the trip already seems years ago... and my life in Japan has already become just a dim and distant memory - I have to look at photos to remind myself I was even there at all...

Still, that's to be expected really: life's all about change and this is just the beginning of the next big stage: FINDING A PROPER JOB.

(Shoulders sag, eyes glaze over, soul shudders)

Actually, it's not as bad as it sounds: I'm quite looking forward to getting back on the career ladder, climbing the ziggurat of professional journalism to become a media star... although on the other hand I just know that most of that will involve making tea for the sub-editors of local papers, whilst pretending to be interested in local residents' protests against the closing of the local butchers. I remember when I did work experience for the Watford Observer: The most exciting thing that happened in the entire week was a report of a fire in a block of flats near the town centre. I shadowed a reporter as he raced down to the scene, only for us to discover it was actually someone having a barbecue in their rooftop garden.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the World of Local Journalism.

Anyway, here's a quick photo summary of what I've been up to since I got back:

This year saw a bumper haul of presents under the Packwood family Christmas tree...

Well, fireplace.

The Deal or No Deal board game was an unexpected hit wit the family. Everyone agreed it was a million times better than watching the deathly dull TV show, partly because Noel Edmonds wasn't on hand to offer mock sympathy and cajoling quips.

After Christmas I headed down to Seaford (near Brighton) for my old housemate Simon's wedding reception. It was a bit of a reunion for the Lytton Road Boys - is the first time we've all been in the same room since I left our shared house in Leytonstone to move to Japan over 2 and a half years ago. Ah, it's good to be back...

From left to right: Simon, Ian, Me and Jason

The lovely couple, Simon and Jane. I particularly liked the matching green tie/dress combo, very snazzy.

The day after the reception we went for a very wet and windy walk along Brighton seafront. Despite the unclement weather, Flick and I fell in love with the place all over again, and we're already making plans to move there in the near future...

L to r: Flick, Ian, Jason, Jade and Steph E

Tea guzzlers: What better way to end a sodden walk along Brighton sea front than with several dozen cups of tea in a local pub?

New Year Shenanigans: We spent New Year at a house party in Greenwich. Here we are "warming-up" at a pub before the main event, as a bottle of smuggled-in mystery dark alcohol is passed around. L to r: Chris, Steph, Flick


Happy New Year!!!!!!!

Here's to a prosperous, job-filled, 2007...