A day out diary in London

Left from the countryside of Oxfordshire at 9am, circumnavigated pot holes, road works and white van angst to board the M4 in a one hour drive to the flyover at Hammersmith. The Chain bridge at Hammersmith remains shut whilst its sister bridge in Budapest flourishes.

Into my place of birth Chelsea Green with great memories flooding back. Only the shops have changed, hardware became up market fashion, laundrette to lovely Birley cafe, Greengrocer to Lebanese restaurant the buzz remains vibrant. Met my good friend and sat for coffee in the morning sun chatting on the state of the world. The car parked conveniently outside on a bay at £10 per hour the coffee came cheaper.

Then off to the Church where I can park free and get a much needed spiritual intake before jumping on the 14 Bus to Piccadilly. The languages on the bus are many and I gave up my seat to an African couple intending that his pregnant wife sat down only to find the husband thank me and take the seat. No longer chivalry in Chelsea Im afraid. Off and into Waterstones to meet someone in their spacious unknown 5th floor coffee shop surpassed only by the one in Peter Jones.

Then two hours of number crunching and back on my favourite bus to the Church. Thank God for bus lanes to speed us as bicycles take priority of the London streets and cars get relegated to ruin. Collect the car and back to the Green, £10 again and another meeting in the rare London sunshine. It’s old fashioned business too , meeting people face to face not working from a room at home. Bumping into people who have so aged since you last saw them. It’s great, it’s nostalgic and everything you want in a vibrant life.

The pigeons those flying rats abound and pester , the wasps swirl to sting and the old Post Office sells houses for millions of pounds and rent them at nonchalant monthly fortune. Nothing has changed really except the prices. English speaking is hard to be found but everyone understands the ping of the contactless card or phone signalling one may proceed. Then as the day dims out of the blue a call from friends of old and before you know it your face to face readying for dinner together. It’s been over a year and there’s much to catch up on but old friends never fail and out of sight is never out of mind. We all catch up by main course and sit in the lovely open for a memorable evening.

Then back on the M4 via the circuitous route through no man’s land Earls Court and virtually one lane traffic back to the jungle of Oxfordshire passing traffic cone after cone. It’s been a great day in the Capital , a treat for the eyes to see the beauty of London, a bashing of the ears in its noise with walks down memory lanes and plenty of contactless card activity to get one through. Parking , road works and cones is where the money is these days the rest is just getting through. Love London. I really do.