Sheffield Arrival

Brrrr…should have brought some winter clothing! Our first morning in Sheffield and the British summer is just as I remember it but now I am totally out of practice. At least there is heating in the rooms :) (central heating, Australia, it really is a good idea!).

Arrived late last night. The two Brits (including myself) waltzed though passport control - could not face another airport queue!  But the Aussies were not so lucky (maybe some pre-Ashes mind games by the officials).  Tony Taylor and some great Sheffield Hallam volunteers were there to greet us and guide us to our coaches. We had an interesting drive over Snake's Pass (not long reopened after heavy snow) and got to see some of the countryside thanks to the long summer evening. We were greeted by pizzas and biscuits at our accommodation - a great Yorkshire welcome.

Most people were out and about early this morning - though not as early as Trevor B of course.  Still on Dubai time I expect. I used the early hours to rediscover Sheffield and was surprised at just how much building work is going on - exciting times it seems.  Whole sections of the Moor shopping area demolished. Our accommodation is in a very fancy redeveloped cutlery workshop (with some interesting American iconography - presumably to go with the 'Liberty Works' theme) but there are plenty of undeveloped industrial buildings for students to see as well.

Just hoping everyone can survive the enrolment process this afternoon so we can really get started… And hope that Sainsburys don't run out of bath towels given that our bedding pack didn't quite stretch to that!
- Emma Robertson (Lecturer, History)