Sydenham and Stoke Newington (7 December)

Although we found a flat on 9 December, we had to wait until 15 December to move into our new home.

Luckily, Fiona and Gerald graciously put us up for ten nights' worth of hot Ribina, wood-burning fires, and witty conversation, so Sydenham was our rail station for a while. There were always the most amazing-sounding birds tweeting away, day and night, all around the platform, but I never saw them anywhere.

The first item we accumulated in London was a spiral-bound copy of the A-Z and it's been our constant companion. Here's Bob, hard at work figuring out the best route to our next flat-hunting destination. Little did we know that we would end up living a ten-minute walk from this very location, The Spence Café (lovely lattés and nice people too) on Stoke Newington Church Street (a great street, but more on that later).