For someone who is moving to London I had put a remarkably small amount of thought into what the city is actually like and so didn't have a whole lot of expectations. I had heard that it was very expensive and that the people aren't particularly friendly, and that there are lots of museums.
I arrived and following Linda's thorough instructions on getting to her place arrived at the tube station with relative ease, surprised that in some countries on trains that take people to the airport they have room for bags (that was a hint Cityrail). Walking from the tube station I realised I'd taken a wrong turn. I was standing on the street looking for a street sign when a man pulled up in a car and asked me if I was lost. I asked him the way to York St and he pointed out the direction and then told he'd give me a lift there because he was driving past. I started to wonder if he was going to try and murder me, when he showed me that he is a cabbie and drove me there for free. We stopped along the way when I saw Linda walking past. He told me that he's the friendliest cabbie in London.
It was so much fun staying with Linda. Camden town near where she lives has some very interesting markets and we had a wander around (drank some truly woeful coffee) and then spent about half an hour looking for a fur coat, due to her imminent move to Moscow. Now don't get me wrong, if we eat animals we might as well use the whole thing, but there is something creepy about wearing fur. It's like taxidermy but you have to keep touching it. There were also baskets of little fur animals you could hang around your shoulders. I was trying hard not to show my real feelings too clearly (and not being someone known for my subtlety) while also fighting the temptation to give the coats different voices and Linda was asking about each coat by saying 'what animal is this?' They're also not the cheapest things, the second hand wolfie coat that she was keen on cost 400 pounds. The guy in the shop was also both disconcertingly attractive to be working in a fur shop and very serious about the whole thing.
Including but not limited to the fur shop I had the best time in London. It was so nice to hang out with Linda and catch up with Tom and Charlotte who are lucky enough to have me on their couch upon my return. (Cheers guys!) I went to a whole lot of different areas, had a nice look in the Natural History Museum, The National Gallery and found (on Tom's advice) a very nice coffee place. I also had many friendly encounters with Londoners. I saw the blue door in Notting Hill and watched the guards in red with the tall black fuzzy hats march around Buckingham Palace.
This pleasant feeling about England unfortunately ended when British Airways lost my bag on my flight to Madrid. (Ok, not so much) but really it made me appreciate my toothbrush all the more when we were reunited about a day later.
I arrived and following Linda's thorough instructions on getting to her place arrived at the tube station with relative ease, surprised that in some countries on trains that take people to the airport they have room for bags (that was a hint Cityrail). Walking from the tube station I realised I'd taken a wrong turn. I was standing on the street looking for a street sign when a man pulled up in a car and asked me if I was lost. I asked him the way to York St and he pointed out the direction and then told he'd give me a lift there because he was driving past. I started to wonder if he was going to try and murder me, when he showed me that he is a cabbie and drove me there for free. We stopped along the way when I saw Linda walking past. He told me that he's the friendliest cabbie in London.
It was so much fun staying with Linda. Camden town near where she lives has some very interesting markets and we had a wander around (drank some truly woeful coffee) and then spent about half an hour looking for a fur coat, due to her imminent move to Moscow. Now don't get me wrong, if we eat animals we might as well use the whole thing, but there is something creepy about wearing fur. It's like taxidermy but you have to keep touching it. There were also baskets of little fur animals you could hang around your shoulders. I was trying hard not to show my real feelings too clearly (and not being someone known for my subtlety) while also fighting the temptation to give the coats different voices and Linda was asking about each coat by saying 'what animal is this?' They're also not the cheapest things, the second hand wolfie coat that she was keen on cost 400 pounds. The guy in the shop was also both disconcertingly attractive to be working in a fur shop and very serious about the whole thing.
Including but not limited to the fur shop I had the best time in London. It was so nice to hang out with Linda and catch up with Tom and Charlotte who are lucky enough to have me on their couch upon my return. (Cheers guys!) I went to a whole lot of different areas, had a nice look in the Natural History Museum, The National Gallery and found (on Tom's advice) a very nice coffee place. I also had many friendly encounters with Londoners. I saw the blue door in Notting Hill and watched the guards in red with the tall black fuzzy hats march around Buckingham Palace.
This pleasant feeling about England unfortunately ended when British Airways lost my bag on my flight to Madrid. (Ok, not so much) but really it made me appreciate my toothbrush all the more when we were reunited about a day later.
The bridge the guy in Love actually walks across after being rejected by Keira Knightley
In front of the National Gallery
Red telephone box
The changing of the guards
Tom and Cha looking very civilised
this is what happens when you go to the loo and leave your camera unattended
this Notting Hill door advertised itself as 'the' blue door
in the natural history museum
No comments:
Post a Comment