Views from a ride Neil and Andrew went on.

Well it looks like we have survived the first week of work at Whitehaven. I have had a rotten cold so Neil has been picking up the pieces in the evenings. Unfortunately the girl covering the post was only there for last week so it was pretty much make use of her time or go without - I chose to spend the time with her and am very glad for it. I seem to have about 70 people on my caseload but not as complicated cases as I was used to at home. Many of which I only review termly or require only boosts of therapy after surgery etc. These kids are spread around 20 or so small schools covering Whitehaven itself all the way down to Millom (near Barrow-in-Furness). There seems to be schools every few blocks but they are pretty small so some only have a few rooms each! The driving will be interesting. Most are on country roads which are often blocked and regularly used by big slow trucks, campervans, busses etc. Road names are pretty much non existent and so many of these places (especially the homes) are tucked away unexpectedly. Hopefully as i get used to the layout it will become easier. Spending the week driving around with Kathleen certainly helped a bit! It is a slightly more isolated role than the last ones where pretty much I work alone. Hopefully the work based at the hospital will keep me in touch with others. Still it seems a nice enough place to work from what I have seen.

Whitehaven harbour

The house is as good as we could have coped for. Richard our flatmate is hardly ever home (he is a fireman and often does nights at the station) and is in the process of becoming a fire trainer in Carslile (quite a drive away) so we haven't seen him much. Its a 3 bedroom place (yes a whole room for visitors! - well a single on anyway) and two levels so the rooms are fairly large by UK standards. Our skpye is all set up now, I think we tend to use mine a bit more so if you search under my email it should link through. Our address is 11 Irt Avenue, Whitehaven, Cumbria, CA28 8AZ UK. We also have finally gotten a car since leaving the Island (It was too much cost and rigmarole while we were there to organise one) The Vauxhall Astra is doing well so far. (a bit like a small legacy or caldina in shape). We should be able to fit all our stuff in but will defiantly test it next weekend when we head to North Wales to catch up with Fi and Stu for the others to have a bit of a training weekend together before Nov.

More of the boys ride

Andrew Butterworth (NZ friend living near London) came up mid week to go exploring with Neil. We were given a great Mountain Biking Guide from the IOM team I was working with and they have managed to complete 3 of the rides in it already! Each of them well worth the ride - we will have fun i am sure working out way through it! We also managed a walk around Ennerdale lake which was stunning. Neil was practising his 'paddle a slow boat' for the Portugal race in November so we were having a little giggle at his expense on the lake in a white water boat. I think they work a bit better in moving water! The only other place we have managed to explore is the cycle way just down the road from our place as Neil practises his Rollerblading (again in preparation for the Portugal race - he has posted a link to a wee video of this on his attackpoint if you were interested.) Everything is so close to our back door here it's fantastic. Hopefully as we get more settled (and well again) we will get a chance to get stuck in to it!

Ennerdale lake

We have been getting a taste of the changeable weather here. We have had a few days of stunning sunshine though overall the temp has dropped with a few grotty days. Yesterday was horrid, massive winds, sideways rain, water all over the road and whitecaps as far as you can see towards the IOM (on a good day we can see it) today in contrast today is bluebird with no wind. Dinner in the train car

Roller Boogie 3000 Neil