Category: London

Another airport, another flight – 1 May 2017

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In the morning, we went for a walk round the golf course along from the house.  It was raining on and off as we walked through the woodland, but because we were walking through trees, there were plenty of places to shelter.  Labyrinth again became the word of the day.  There are so many paths through the woodland all crossing and re-crossing, it’s difficult to work out where you are going and where you’ve been.  We got ourselves lost a couple of times, but then Genghis Pathfinder chose a path I wouldn’t have chosen, but it lead back to the golf clubhouse.  Unfortunately, by the time we got there the rain was fairly heavy and there was no point in stopping for a coffee as all the inside seats were taken and not even the hardiest of smokers was risking the downpour at the outside seating.  We found our way back to the road and from there, back to the house.

ND suggested that we all go to a garden centre for lunch.  I didn’t recognise the route, but I did recognise the pizza stand and remembered that the pizzas were good indeed, but the waiting time was 25 mins and that was too long.  I chose instead to have sausage and beans with potato wedges.  It was an excellent choice.  Got some kale seeds and some spinach.  Scamp got a square of washable table cover.

All too soon, it was time it go.  Just had time to repack the bags and case and we were off to the airport again.  Seems like only yesterday we were getting picked up there.  Poor ND had to drive through torrential rain to get there, but as usual, he didn’t complain.

Case has now been dropped off and we’re through security although they did want to search my tablet separately.  I don’t know what was wrong with it.  Now I’m sitting in the departures lounge writing this up and whiling away the couple of hours until we go in the big metal tube in the sky.

The three did feed the deer – 29 April 2017

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We were supposed to be going to a market this morning, but the plans were changed and we went to Kingston instead.  Not a big problem for us as we both like that place by the Thames.

While ND and Hazy went off to look for shoes, Scamp and I wandered round the labyrinth (this weekend’s word) of shops and alleys, agreeing to meet the other two back at the car in a couple of hours time.  It was getting near that time when we exited one alleyway to find ND and Hazy at the end.  Serendipity.  Lunch was eaten in the open air at the market in the centre of the town.  Scamp had Chicken Biryani and I had Achari Chicken.  I also found an Italian food stall selling cannoli (not e to self – find a recipe) and bought some.  Unfortunately, Hazy has a severe egg allergy and can’t eat cannoli which have a lot of eggs in them.  We can.  We did.  Headed back home and let Hazy rest while we went to Richmond Park.  We went to see the deer, but not feed them, despite the title of today’s blog.  However when we got the parking place, we wandered round the Isabella Plantation, one of the fenced off gardens, instead.  It was a good choice for Scamp because the azaleas were in full bloom and a good choice for ND and I because of the variety of photo opportunities.  When we had ooh’d and ah’d our fill in the Isabella, we took a walk round the woods and chanced on a couple of herds of deer.  Unlike the St Mo’s deer, these creatures were quite happy to sit or stand around having their photos taken.  Our exertions deserved an ice cream cone each and then we went home taking the long route round the extensive park.

Dinner tonight was ND’s Spanish Rice with Chicken and Prawns – got that recipe.   Then we watched Fantastic Beasts, the Harry Potter spinoff.  I must admit, I was lost halfway through, but did enjoy the CGI.  After a while I began to believe what I was watching was real.

Tomorrow we are having a lazy day and going to Canute and Delia’s for lunch.

Train Talk – 27 April 2017

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Footered around in the morning and packed our bags.  Got the bus to Glasgow and onward on the airport bus to the airport – obviously!  Got through all the technicalities and security then went for a late lunch which was a Fish Finger Sandwich and chips (shared) beer for me and a glass of red for Scamp.  All of this was done under a blue sky with fluffy white clouds.  Footered about again and then on the plane and off slightly earlier than expected into that blue sky and through the fluffy white clouds.

An hour later and we were on approach to Heathrow and there was rain streaking the windows and the clouds were grey.  This wasn’t what we had ordered.  We were expecting sunshine!  We were promised jetpacks!  Theresa had said it would be sunny, although Nick the Chick had warned us that if we went to england it would rain.  Stay in Sunny Scotland she’d said.  I wish we had listened to her now.  Never mind, we caught the little monorail to the South Terminal and from there got the train to Clapham and that’s where the Train Talk started.  It came from an opinionated teenager who apparently could have been a nuclear physicist and also a Nobel Prize winning biologist, but she had foregone all that to concentrate on sexual politics.   I was amazed to find that there weren’t just Ls and Bs and Gs and Ts, but there were also Polys, although that might have been Pollys, it wasn’t all that clear.  Also, you could get wristband and bracelets to denote which you were.  She described herself as like ‘Sadness’ “because I’m short and round.”  So, not just fat then?  All this information came in an almost no-stop flow of consciousness with the occasional interjection from one of her two train companions when they woke up.  The interjections also gave her time to breath.  Thankfully, we soon arrived at Clapham and she went further on her merry way and we went ours.

ND met us at the station and we were soon at the house.  Dinner was chicken salad and it was well received.  Fairly early to bed tonight, because it had been a long day.  I think Ms LGBTP will still be talking and talking and talking!

Probably Greenwich tomorrow.

Mind The Gap – 26 January 2017

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Train to Embra from Croy.  Train from Embra to London Kings Cross.  Train from London Kings Cross to Gatwick Airport.  That was our training for the day.  More exhausting than a day at the gym

Earlier in the day I’d taken the rubbish and the old gin, wine and beer bottles to the recycling centre, and that’s where I found today’s picture which for once is not a the top of the blog.  I’m hoping to rectify it tomorrow.  If you’re desperate to find it, you can look at my Flickr feed.  Just use yesterday’s link and you’ll see Big Ted and Little Ted liming in the sun.

After that, it was taxi to the station and then the train to Embra, first class to keep us away from the plebs.

Went to Platform 19 and found the train already in and boarding.  Then the old lady in front of us got down on her knees and started reaching down between the train and the platform to retrieve … a shocked looking terrier that had fallen down the gap between train and platform and was dangling by its leash!  Lucky dog.  It seemed none the worse for its experience after it recovered from the shock.  Never seen that before.

Uneventful train trip down to London.  Sunny at first, but then the mist and fog came in and the sun disappeared.  Drank too much and ate too little.

Decided to risk the rush hour on the tube and it wasn’t too bad a journey from KC to VIctoria where we got on the Gatwick Express.  Unfortunately, the train had problems and the driver explained that he was going to turn everything off for three to five minutes.  I think that’s called a reboot in computer terms.  It worked.  The ZX81 that runs the train kicked into life and off we went.  Got off the train at Gatwick and found the Hilton.  That’s where we are now.

Just finished our dinner in the restaurant.  Mini Fish & Chips for Scamp.  Burger and Chips for me.  Washed down with a lager each.  Most enjoyable.

Early start for us tomorrow.  Hpoing for clear skies.

 

 

Hampton Court – 18 July 2016

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18 july bToday Scamp finally decided that we should go to Hampton Court.  A short walk and two buses took us there.  It’s a fascinating building, but far too much to take in on just the one visit.  We settled on the Kitchen and William & Mary’s rooms.  Walked for miles in the building and outside in the searing heat of the gardens.  The best bit was coming in to Kingston after the visit and having a well deserved beer in a bar next to the river.  Scamp of course had a Pimms.

It’s a short blog post tonight because I’m knackered and worse than that, my iPhone decided it didn’t want to count my steps so I can’t brag about how many miles I’ve covered.  Oh well, what does it matter anyway.

It’s supposed to be hotter tomorrow.  Is that even possible?

London – 16 July 2016

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16 JulyTook the train into Waterloo and found ourselves on the South Bank soon after that.  We walked along and crossed over Waterloo bridge then walked through Somerset House, but unfortunately the fountains were switched off to make way for an open air concert.  Bummer.  Scamp swithered whether our not to have a drink on the balcony of Somerset House, but finally decided that it was just a little too posh.  I have to agree with her, but it was getting very hot and I would have welcomed a drink, posh or not.  We walked along what turned out to be The Strand (Red on the Monopoly board) and finally settled on a little Italian restaurant with the strangest painted (?) leather seats.  Service was slow, but the food was really good.  It was very busy when we went in with lots of theatre-goers, but they soon vamoosed when it got near the time for the matinee.

When we left there, we walked through Covent Garden and the associated galleries selling all sorts of tat.  We tried to get a seat in a few pubs, but they were all full, so we went to a Cafe Nero instead.  We sat and watched blokes on scooters doing ‘The Knowledge’ with their maps and notepads clipped to their windshields.  Walked on down The Strand and eventually Scamp chose the Golden Jubilee bridge as our crossing point back to the South Bank and from there we walked back to Waterloo Station (also on the Monopoly board) and home.

Not the best London visit.  It feels like we need a target or a theme.  After The Strand and Waterloo Station, maybe we should aim to visit a colour set next time.  That might be a challenge.

Scamp made dinner tonight (stir fry) and we watched another excellent Hazy movie pick – The Martian.  Both Hazy and I had read the book and the movie stuck quite accurately to the book until nearly the end.  Impressed.  That’s three good movie pics on three consecutive days.  That’s good work.

Tomorrow?  Tomorrow is a new day and a new beginning.

You don’t scare me M25 – 14 July 2016

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14 JulySet off today after a fairly decent breakfast at the services next to our overnight accommodation and slipped back on to the M6 heading south and trusting in the satnav to get us to Hazy & N D’Ag’s house.

All went swimmingly as we traversed the M6, the M42 and then the notorious M25. It wasn’t as bad as we expected … for us. On the other side, the clockwise carriageway, things weren’t quite as good with what looked like a 3 mile tailback due to an accident on the outside lane. A burned out car and a fire engine in attendance, but thankfully no ambulance.

The satnav on the iPhone got us almost to Chessington when the bloody thing switched off because it was overheating! Just when I needed it most. Things like that don’t happen in the temperate climate of Scotland, but apparently it does in tropical London. Unplugged it and let it cool for a few minutes while I overheated and drove on. It finally came back on just in time to tell me to take the next turnoff. After that I was on home ground and recognised some landmarks so I could self navigate.

Spent the afternoon with Hazy and N D’Ag before he left to go on his trip to Barcelona. Made paella for dinner, after walking to the Sainsburys at the railway station because it was soooo much quicker than taking the car. Anyway, the Megane was tired since it too had survived the scary M25.

Today’s pics come from the garden in Chessington. Lots to see here including a little mouse mopping up the fallen seeds from the birdfeeder and parakeets flying overhead when I was coming back from the shops. Did I just say Tropical London?

Don’t know what we’re doing tomorrow. I thought Kingston, but Scamp says maybe Hampton Court. We’ll see.

London – 19 May 2016

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London bTook the train in to London and wandered round the Southbank as usual. Had lunch from the Indian and Mexican stalls we usually go to. After that we walked down the river, or was it up? Can’t remember.

We went for a coffee in a Nero in the OXO building and Scamp noticed there was a photographic exhibition in the building at the rear and it was free! I quite enjoyed looking at other people’s photos, especially Emily Allchurch’s Sic Transit Gloria Mundi and Babel, but £11,000 was a bit steep. After that we crossed the river looking for a pub to have a drink. I thought I knew the whereabouts of such a place, but after walking away from the river for a while, had to give up and go to a Wetherspoons instead. Had a nice pint of Ghost Ship and Scamp had an expensive G&T. I had a taste and it did taste that wee bit different from our usual. Walked back down the road to head back for the station, and there was the pub I was looking for. For future reference it was the Black Friar!

Dinner was at Jimmy Spice’s and the food, especially the Indian food was great.

Heading South – 17 May 2016

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combo bAfter an early (well, early for us now) rise and a taxi ride, we were on the train to Embra and thence on the train to London.

The carriage was a bit old and clunky but still very comfortable.  For once, we seemed to pass from light to dull as we travelled south.  It never actually rained, but at times it seemed like it wanted to.  There were lots of photographers out taking photos of us on our journey, or so it seemed until we realised that they were actually waiting to get a shot of the Flying Scotsman which allegedly we had passed just outside Newcastle.  What a disappointment.  I hope they got their shots and, if they got one or two of me peering out of the train window, that they got my ‘good side’.

Further down the line we had to brake to a stop because of a ‘trespass incident’.  I’m guessing that some photogs were getting a bit too enthusiastic in their attempts to get a nice good close-up of the steam engine.  As a result, we were 10 minutes late getting to London, and missed our connection at Vauxhall by 5 minutes.  I used the time to grab the couple of shots you see here.  Vauxhall seems to constantly re-invent itself.  Every time we stand on the platform of Vauxhall station, more new buildings are rising around us.

When we got to Chessington, N D’Ag had just arrived to give us a lift in the car.  Now if some braindead photog hadn’t trespassed at Thirsk, we wouldn’t have  been 10 minutes late into London and we wouldn’t have missed our connection at Vauxhall and we would have had a fairly long walk to the house.  Some things just work out.

Maybe the food on the train wasn’t as good as we thought.  Scamp was feeling sick tonight.  Hopefully she’ll be right as rain tomorrow, but we don’t want the actual rain, thank you very much.

A Message from Engerland – 2 October 2015

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IMG_2738- blog--277--275-1So here we are in Engerland again. Good flight down with great views of the sunset as we jockeyed for position in the line for landing. ND’A was waiting for us. I still can’t get used to the new car!

This morning I redid the SP and it looks a bit more like me and a bit less scary if that’s not an oxymoron!!

Early bed tonight before the big day tomorrow. Meeting JIC and Sim at The Angel tube station. It’ll be like being in a Monopoly game!

Below is the inktober entry for 2 October.

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