the show yurt

we are stopping off on our grand tour for a posh week in kensington. papajoes little bro runs a lovely pub  http://www.thequeensarmskensington.co.uk/ and we are staying in his flat. we even have tickets to see swan lake on ice at the royal albert hall. how classy! 

we have taken the opportunity to go to loads of museums and to finally visit the show yurt. it is the size we are thinking about so it felt really important to go and stand inside it and really get a feel for the space and the light. also it was built in mongolia. we have been strongly advised to buy an english yurt because of the wood quality so it was interesting to see the wear on one that is six years old. there is a substantial difference in price between local and imported and we need to be sure that we make the right choice. buying local will mean that we need to buy smaller but we are talking about our home so it needs to be able to stand up to some wear and tear.

i have been excited about this post for weeks, i was all ready to write about how positive i felt, how the space was great and the kids loved it but i'm afraid i have a slightly different story to tell.

it was definitely smaller than i had prepared myself for.. i know, i know.. it was always going to be tiny. when you plan to live in a space with a 19ft diameter you are not expecting a palace but when i have tried to imagine the space it was bigger in my head. the walls were lower than i expected, i think that is what did it. we have measured out the floor space before but the low walls enclosed around it shrank the space. the light was fantastic though. i had assumed that with only the small window around the wheel in the roof it would be dark and even the white walls would appear dull but it was wonderful. doll and i secretly planned hanging our disco ball from the centre to fill the space with pink speckled light. mind you, that was the only sense i got out of either of the big kids the whole time we were there. they clambered all over the poor ladies authentic yurt furniture and threw stones about the garden. i resorted to bribing them with chocolate to keep them quiet. 

i came away feeling unsure about what we had signed ourselves up for.. my first real doubts that this was a good idea. after a cup of tea with an old friend, a fantastic burger and a good night sleep (thank you baby, two nights in a row with only one wake!) i am getting on top of it. it is just a lot to process, being homeless and drifting is harder and more tiring than i ever imagined and on top of that we have big, tough decisions to make and so much organising to do. london is a very stressful city, i long for the open flat fens, where you can stretch and think. not long now, roll on monday. two weeks settled, sites to visit, friends to catch up with.. i can't wait.