The last night in this sodding hostel.. I didn't sleep very well cuz the street was very busy and it was freezin' cold! But I took a very long hot shower after getting up so I'm fine again :)
Yesterday, I had 4 viewings. I've already reported about the first one, so now the other three rooms:
#1
The room was in a house share in Stoke Kensington, North London. There is no tube and so I had to go to Liverpool Street and take a National Express train from there. It took me about an hour to get from the hostel to Hackney. (On the train were many Jews with black curls like in the movies. You can't see them in Germany.. ) It was dark and it was raining really heavily which made reading my street atlas even more difficult. I walked through a street were almost only Muslims were. I wasn't sure if I was walking in the right direction but I finally arrived at the house and I was only 10 minutes late. The girl who's moving out and who showed me around just got home herself and was soaking wet cuz she went by bike so she made us a tea first (I'm drinking lots of tea in England.. Haha!) before she showed me the room. I really liked it and the house was huge and nice. They also had a nice garden (as far as I could see in the dark..). Then two other girls came who wanted to see the room. There are 6 girls living in the house and only one of the ones who are staying was there. They said, if I was interested, I would have to come back to meet the others. I wonder why they suggested this date for the viewing if none of them had the time to meet their possible new housemates.. However, they said that they've been looking for someone before but they didn't really like any of the people who saw the room, so they're having a second viewing. They seem to be very picky. And a bit bitchy... And to be honest: I don't want to live with 6 girls in one house, sharing only one bathroom! Plus the house was so far away from.. anywhere.. although it's on Zone 2.. No! Not for me.. I guess they wouldn't choose me to move in anyway but I don't want to move in, so that's okay.
On my way to the next viewing, I got lost. I asked the girls before if there was a faster way than walking back the 15 minutes to Stoke Newington Station and they told me how to get to a bus stop and which bus to take. No. 73 came and I got in but the bus driver just said “Can't you read??” cuz the sign said “Stoke Newington”, so the bus terminated where I was. Wrong direction. I couldn't see another bus stop on the other side of the road so I asked people but no one could really help me. I dicided to go back the way I came from and to take the train 30 minutes later. I called Norma while I was walking back to the station cuz it was dark and I got lost and I needed a familiar voice.. I caught the train and texted the people in the next house that I'd be 20 minutes late.
#2
I was 20 minutes late ;) The house was in a private mews in Poplar, East London. There is also no tube, but the DLR station “All Saints” (I immediately thought of the pop band from the 90s..). Unfortunately, I forgot the name of the guy who opened the door but he was really funny! The other guy is Richard who is also very friendly. They showed me the house and the spare room. It's not very big but it's definitely cosy. There is a double bed which almost fills the entire room. Downstairs, there is a kitchen/living room in one. Two couches, huge TV and a garden behind the house :) A garden in London, I didn't even have a garden in Koblenz! We were talking for about 20 minutes and I really liked what they said. They often sit together in the evenings, especially at the weekends, have friends over, drink.. I like that :) Most of the other people said that they're all very quiet and that they're not looking for a party animal blah blah blah. I'm not a party animal but I want to have the opportunity to invite friends without disturbing someone. They seem to be very sociable which I really like cuz I don't know anybody in London so far (except for Anna). And they have a nice British accent :) Yay!! They said that there were several people interested in the room (about 8 I think) and they want to be fair and invite everybody. But I should let them know if I'm interested and then I could meet the third housemate, a girl. She couldn't be there last night. I told them straight away that I can already say that I'm definitely interested cuz I liked the people, I liked the house, it's not too far from the centre (also Zone 2), I didn't feel uncomfortable walking through the area on my own in the dark, they have a garden.. Yeah :) But the rent is 410 pounds including all bills which kind of shocked me at the beginning cuz the ad said 320 pounds, I think. 90 pounds bills per person.. But okay, I guess I have to change my limit a bit if I want to find a nice place in London. At first I only wanted to spend 350 pounds per month for the rent, inclusive of bills.. But I don't want to live somewhere I don't feel comfortable.
#3
This house was only 10 minutes away from the other house. When I arrived, the door was open and I knocked on the door. An Indian looking guy appeared and looked a bit puzzled when I introduced myself but he let me in anyways. It smelled of incense sticks. The living room looked very cosy. There was the other house mate, a Chinese looking guy, and one guy who also wanted to see the room. My appointment was at 9.30pm by the way, very late... He showed me the room upstairs but he didn't really sell it to me. He said it's really tiny, only a box room, it's very loud cuz the window goes out to the main road blah blah. I think he didn't want me to move in. Haha! But I don't want to move in there! The rent is only 350 pounds a month including all bills and the house was okay (except for the noise) but I didn't feel comfortable with those two guys and their English wasn't the best and I'm here to improve my language.. That was a place I would move in until I find something that really suits me.. Only to have somewhere to stay. But not a place where I want to stay!
When I got home, I talked to Norma for a bit and went to bed. I spent so much money on bus tickets etc. yesterday cuz there was no money on my Oyster card and no machine to top it up..
I'm back in the Palmer's Lodge Hostel now :) After carrying my 2738 kilos of luggage.. By the way, I noticed that only elderly ladies ask if they can give me a hand with my luggage in underground staions...
None of my emails were answered so I guess I won't have any more viewings today. I'll look for new ads and see if I can arrange something but I guess I'll start job hunting today!
So long...
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