What? Still Aive?

Yes folks, I'm not actually dead and slumpt over my PC. No. It's much worse, I have been given the opprtunity to have a bit of a life again.

You see, I am return-ed.

Two weeks ago tomorrow, I flew back to the UK for good. Yes, OK I'm ignoring the holidays and other such visits to the continent, but I am now, once again, a UK resident. Not that I've actually told anyone officially.

Anyway, I've spent the last two weeks trying to get myself settled and the first step has been made. I've been harrassing every IT Freelancing Agent in the country and one of them came up trumps and got me an interview with a suitable client. I spent last Thursday in London trying to convince them that I was the man they needed and it appears that I succeded. So, on Monday 28th September, I start my new contract in London. It's another bank; since banks are about the only type of company that are willing to pay the silly fees that I charge. Of course, I charge them because they are willing to pay. Keeps us both happy I guess.

But this means that I have a two week wait before I start. This gives them time to get their managers back from holiday, do a security check on me and also (hopefully) set up all my user IDs etc so that I can actually start work when I arrive. I've therefore been busy buying shiny things and trying to prepare myself for life on the rock again. I've come up against my first hurdle already. In order to be employed here I need to start bandying around my National Insurance Number with gay abondon. However, I can't remember what it is. I have in written down on several bits of paper, all of which are in my shed in Holland. I've therefore had to resort to phoning the government department responsible for this sort of thing. Of course, they couldn't possibly tell me over the phone and indeed I couldn't even request it over the phone. No, I have had to write to them via snail mail and they will post it back to me. Nice to know that the civil service hasn't changed whilst I've been away.

And to add to the joy of it all, this is the address that I have to write to...

HM Revenue & Customs

National Insurance Contributions Office

Evening Work Centre

Benton Park View

Newcastle upon Tyne
NE98 1ZZ

Yes, "Evening Work Centre". Are they trying to tell me that I am so stupid for not knowing my NI number that they aren't even going to look at it during the day, no, they are going to put it aside until the evening. If they can be bothered of course...