Home away from Home

England   Training   Trip

  
   Joel & Clara have found a nice first level room in the Cheam Village area.  Although it is about a 45 minute train ride into central London, their new home is only a 10 minute walk from one of the world's top ballroom studios, Dance Options.  The house is owned by a fellow dancer, orginally from New Zealand, who rents out all the rooms to dancers from around the world who come to England to train and compete.   At one point just prior to the UK Open, the house was so crowded that one couple decided to stay in the garden shed in the backyard!  Don't worry about Joel  & Clara, they've got their own room to themselves (at least 'til friends and family come to visit!)

   Joel & Clara get around town by their own 2 feet and travel to other studios for lessons via the public transit system.  Although there are a lot of buses and trains, there are also a lot of delays and cancellations.  Joel & Clara's first lessons with 9-times World Champions, Marcus & Karen Hilton almost didn't happen.  With one of their trains delayed, then cancelled, Joel & Clara had to take 2 additional trains via a detour.  They made it to their lesson only a few minutes late, but the journey that should have taken 45 minutes took just over 2 hours! 

A quick snapshot of Cheam Village

   Their home's location turned out to be an even better surprise during their first weekend in England.  Joel & Clara ventured into the next town, Sutton, and found a very inexpensive out door market to buy their fruits and vegetables!  Cheap yet fresh food only a 20 minute walk!

Clara shopping at the Sutton Market
(10 peaches for 1 pound!  It's the bargain of the century!)

   Joel and Clara would specifically like to thank Roy & Terri Maguire of ADT Security Systems as well as all the patrons of Summer Magic 2003 for their generous support of this England 2003 training trip.