16-25 August 31, 2014
I love London! But their
fetish for stairs is a pain in the legs and their signs that only get
you halfway to somewhere are a pain somewhere else! And perhaps I
should be a bit miffed that, while at home everyone says I don’t
look as old as I am, in London, when I asked for a seniors
concession, Not. One. Person. wanted proof that I qualified. Since
money was involved, I can only assume that friends and acquaintances
at home are being kind rather than truthful 😉
There was music, a couple of
plays, art galleries …. and more. My first three days in London
were spent at Ian Baker House, another UCL residence. I’m a great
fan of university accommodation!
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| Courtyard view from my room at Ian Baker House |
Then after my Norfolk stint,
it was six nights at the home of a friend. Adrian was there to start
with but he then trusted me with his home while he went off on
holidays of his own. This latter accommodation was south of the
river, entirely new territory for me. But so convenient with the tube
nearby.
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| My second London 'home' |
The place I stayed in
London for my first three visits, formerly a Quaker establishment in
Byng Place and not now available, has been done up, as have the
grungy roads and paths in the vicinity so it is now a much better
looking streetscape than it was 15 years ago.
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| The former Quaker place |
Top of my “want to see”
list was the Battersea Power Station. The Gatwick Express kindly
obliged, slowing almost to a standstill at this point on the approach
to Victoria station as I arrived in London from Reykjavik.
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| Battersea Power Station |
Most important though, as
always, was my “want to meet” list, i.e. the people. In this
case, Adrian as mentioned, and two ringers, Billy whom I hadn’t
seen for more years than I cared to remember (Billy had done the
maths – it wasn’t pretty!!) – a most enjoyable catch-up over a
pub lunch, and Elizabeth, AKA e-aunt, whom I met up with at a ringing
practice then afterwards we talked for ages, again in a pub. I was
very kindly given a ring at this practice at Shoreditch – the band
so good that even at my best I could never have hoped to ever come
close to their skills. I was sorry to miss JPA but our times didn’t
coincide this time.
THANK YOU ALL for your time
and company (and homes) … I really, really enjoyed and appreciated
it!
Never say never and all
that, but realistically, as I flew out to Morocco on 26 August, it
was a case of Farewell to Old England forever …. although bound for
Melbourne rather than Botany Bay, and unlike of old, via Morocco,
Barcelona, Vienna and Turkey.
