First weeks in London

Time runs fast and I'm starting my week 4 in London today. So far I love this place! It's exciting, fast, cosmopolitan and has so many options.

So what happened in past weeks?

- it started to be busy (as you can assume by frequency of my posts) 

- we found our new home with my friend Jana in West Hampstead.  Moving next week, can't wait to be there!

Our house

Legally lame bloody tourist

My friend Martina celebrated her birthday this month. Our friends made a cool surprise party for her in Czech so I could not come (it's a bit far..). 

But I couldn't just NOT be there so I started running around, singing in the streets, taking video of myself to wish her happy birthday and to sneak in the party.

Watch the video (Made with Cute cut app)

Can't let you be without some lame self-pictures of myself and London sights (I can't just take a pic of the building or even ask someone to take a pic of me). But I need work on some face expression style though ;)

Visiting the queen

Volunteering for a day

Our team took part in the company "Volunteering month" and went out to help for a day. Our mission was to support the Watford New Hope Trust which is a nonprofit helping homeless people. 

We helped to sort out food donations deliveries in a big warehouse. There were many kinds of food and hygienic supplies. Lots has been already done before we arrived but we helped a bit with our hands too. I was e.g. sorting biscuits according to best before date on month, counting coffee or meat cans and sorting delivered grocery bags and boxes.

Biscuits by expiration month including Kolonada!

Running London #1

Sunday was beautiful day with summer-like weather. Time to go outside and visit the city. Running of course!

Quick tip: bring your camera, slow down  and look around!

My apartment is very close to Regent's Park so the was my target for the first run. 

The round was almost 8K and with all sightseeing (ZOO, guys playing rugby, boats and ducks on the lake, gardens, mosque, ..) and avoiding being run by a car coming from unusual side of the road it took me almost 1 hour to visit this part of the city. It was fun!

The concept of explorer's run

Running is the best sport to do easily anywhere. That's why during my travels I started to explore places while running. 

If you like to visit new places there are benefits to do it running
- you are faster so you see more 
- you do sports at the same time 
- it's much more fun than the same route every time (not even talking treadmill).

Every time you're somewhere new put on your shoes and go. And don't forget your camera! 

My 1st Boston run (March 2012)

This way I have so far explored

- Praha (throughout Žižkov the neighborhood where I newly had moved in and city center)
- Boston (Freedom Trail running, Riverside and Back Bay area)

- Miami Beach (up and down the ocean side)

- Pesaro, Italy (I had only few hours to visit the town at seaside)

- and now London! 

Exploring the office #2

My second day at work there was a Mondelez 1st anniversary. We all got cute cupcakes and tea (with milk of course). 

As the company here supports the Paralympic team we had a speaker coming over and she was the two gold medal winner in horse ridding. The 23-year-old Natasha Baker (www.natasha-baker.com) was a great speaker and really surprised me with her passion and energy. I need to pay more attention to Paralympics next time. 

Exploring the office #1

My way to work is quite long. It takes me about 1 tube hour (enough time for reading, writting, watching people). I get off the tube somewhere far far away from London in a small town called Uxbridge (but they have a Tesco, malls, banks so no complains :) ). Then I take a shuttle bus or walk 15 mins to the office.

All the "going to London" stuff

I think this was missing little bit of an introduction why Little Potato "goes to London" and why she writes this whole thing.

Since October 1 I've started in my new role in Mondelez UK. I have an amazing opportunity to work with Cadbury marketing in huge market where big magic things happen. 

So I packed my stuff (my life in 2 suitcases and a carry on), said bye and got on a plane to London. Of course I was playing my though girl role and then I was crying like a baby in the plane (don't tell anyone,ok?).

Leaving Czech republic

The past few weeks i spent saying good-byes and see-you-laters to my friends and family. It was both happy and sad. Good was to see everyone in such a short time (without the deadline of my departure we would probably procrastinate again). And sad that's obvious plus because i tend to cry too much. The best thing of all this was that I was reminded what wonderful friends I have.

I've spent lot of time with Klarka and her beautiful baby boy Jiricek.