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As I no longer have a links page or blogroll I’d like to draw your attention, if I may, to Biting The Big Apple; a great blog written by my friend Stephanie.

Stephanie and I worked together for a few years in London, then in 2007 Stephanie made the huge step of moving to New York to live and work.

Biting The Big Apple records that adventure and Stephanie’s thoughts and experiences of living in New York City.

It’s been really interesting re-reading a number of the posts with a new perspective following my first trip to New York.

Take a bite from the Big Apple.

Samuel Johnson said “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”

Well, I was starting to become tired of London when I was working there; experiencing too much of the tedious, overcrowded public transport side of London and not enough of the fun, entertaining, historical side.

However, this Tuesday I’m heading into London for the first time since I stopped working there and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to London once again being a place to visit and place for fun and entertainment.

I’m spending the day at a user testing session; I can’t say what we are testing but it’s sure to be fascinating as user testing always is. Followed, if time allows, by a little light retail therapy at the Apple Store.

Then in the evening I’m meeting some of my friends from American Express; of course this is what I’m looking forward to most.

London is a funny place though, even though working there was hard at times I think once you have been part of London it remains part of you.

Guess I’m not as tired of London as I thought I was…

Friday was my last day at American Express and it was a very, very good day but also a sad day.

One of the things I wanted during my notice period was to do for one last time the things that I had enjoyed about London. One was eating dim sum; I’d never eaten dim sum until I started work in London and I love it. So we had a farewell lunch at London Jade Garden which was really very good indeed.

Following an afternoon’s gentle file deletion and handover we headed out the main event…

I had my ‘leaving do’ at my favourite bar the Boisdale; a fantastic bar and restaurant with amazing food, live jazz and a whisky list thicker than any wine list I’ve seen… superb.

Having had a bit of a roller coaster ride at Amex over the last three years I was surprised, honoured, touched and happy just how many of my friends and colleagues came to say good bye. Even one friend who’d been on holiday that day came over and stayed until the very end.

Starting at 5pm and leaving some time around 1am it was a long, fun, drunken and very happy night; even Tommy Twopence made a guest appearance. I had some lovely, deep and emotional chats with my closest friends.

Which brings me to what I think was the impetus for this post: my friends. Sitting here now neither working at Amex or for my new company I feel strange; I feel as if I’ve lost or forgotten something.

It took until just now but I’ve realised that it there is now a hole in my life the size and shape of my friends at Amex. There are so many great people I’ve left behind but this time I am intent on keeping in touch – if you guys are reading this don’t forget to invite me out next time.

So to my friends at Amex and in particular Amrita, Steph, Marie, Christine, Joel, Mel, Dean, Sian, Benjamin, Bruce, Francois, Jenni, Luis, Ivan and so many more around the world…

THANK YOU and see you soon.