Disclaimer: the app I downloaded to write this doesn't allow me to upload photos so the blog posts will be boring until I figure that one out.
In order to avoid my 22nd NZ winter, I packed up my bags and left for the continent. I landed in London and had possibly the easiest customs encounter in my history of Heathrow customs encounters. Either I don't look as young as naive as I used to, or saying 'I'm going to do my masters in Ireland' is a code word for easy passage into the country. Either way, success.
I spent about a week in London and played tourist for a few days before venturing out to further away and hopefully less populated places. My first tourist expedition it rained.. For most of the day. There's a lyric by a band called the national where they say 'you must be somewhere in London, you must be loving your life in the rain, you must be somewhere in London, walking everyday'. My first few days in London really exemplified this as I walked about 18kms a day.. In the rain.
Anyway, I mastered the tube pretty quickly (and learnt from that that there are times when you should definitely not use the tube) which meant I could then use this ingenious piece of public transport to go further afar than Clapham and Big Ben. I gravitated towards places that had parks and water because I like them. I went to 'little Venice'.. Which seemed like someone who hadn't actually been to Venice was like 'hey these canals are so totally like Venice'. And the other person was like ok Jim, whatever you say.
I also saw the famous blue door from Notting hill and wandered through the suburb of Chelsea.. Whereby I really felt my wealth (or lack of). By these days the sun was making an appearance so I ventured out to the parks. I explored Hyde park (where there's a secret pet cemetery.. Cool) and the watched the swans go upside down under the water cos it looked funny. I also explored st Dunstans in the east which is the ruins of a Church which is now a communal picnic place, as well as St. Paul's cathedral and Hampstead Heath.
By now this 'heatwave' has hit and it was very hot.. Perfect time to jet off to even hotter weather in Portugal! All in all a great week... I could totally pull of being a Londoner but not just yet maybe. For now I'm happy being a nomad.
Peace and Aroha
J
