Jane and I woke up early but a decent night’s sleep so hopefully we’re adjusted to the time zone already 🙂 I did some admin this morning and did a quick walk round Gerards Cross (including stepping in to WH Smiths to take in the smell). I also went to Tescos for the novelty and bought a sandwich and packet of Skips.
At lunchtime i got a train from Gerards Cross to Huntingdon which took me through London (Marlerybone Station then Bakerloo line, Met line, Thameslink at Farringdon). I’ve spent the rest of the day with my mum, which involved lots of chatting and a pub lunch.
Meanwhile Jane has spent the day with Julie – she might do her own separate update.
Here are some things I had forgotten about UK:
- Stingy nettles
- Hedgerows and brambles
- Distantly familiar birds and their songs
- Skips (crisps)
- Gasometers
- The shape of intercity trains
- Graffiti tagging of train sidings
- Cows in big green fields
- Fly tipping
- Really really old buildings in unexpected places
- The sudden glimpse of a church spire and towers while travelling
- Variety of fashion/unique individuals
- Scarecrows in fields
- Canals
- Things that look like castles
- Literally layers of history
- Old building that are pubs
- Old building that were not pubs but are now pubs
- Conversations with shop keepers about the weather
- Old folks using swear words like punctuation like the youngsters.
- Roman roads
And here are some things which are new since i was last here:
- Proliferation of windmills
- Fields of solar panels
- Rewilding of public spaces
- Pedestrian crossing buttons/lights
- So many charity shops (all good charities and all nicely organised shops)
- Pharmacy selling vodka and spirits as well as meds
