TRAVELING TO LONDON
Up early and went to Leeds station to catch the train to London. I was very aware of how heavy my bags weighed today and am perplexed how we are going to carry all our luggage around the world. I looked at what I was carrying and thought there was little I would want to travel without. For example, my electric razor, it could go but having a big bushy beard is itchy and uncomfortable. My laptop could be replaced with the new iPad or MacAir laptop depending on what our needs are near the time. I am very much bothered by smelly scent, so I like to bring my own soap and scent-free shampoo (more weight), and the list goes on. Did I mention my special Chiro pillow, it’s not too heavy but it takes up half of my suitcase. If we are going to become international global travelers I think we are going to have to be a little more flexible (when I say ‘we’ I obviously mean myself What I need is a back pack / rucksack where it has wheels on the bottom so I can pull it when needed, strap it to my back when needed, has a pocket that expands so that the straps can be hidden for the flights and it has a smaller backpack that zips off/onto the front for day travel. I am sure something like that exists, some research is for sure needed, although there is no need to do this until nearer to when we travel.

LONDON HERE I AM
I find traveling and navigation quite easy so finding my way around London was easy. I tubed down to Waterloo and left my backpack (AKA rucksack) in the left luggage and headed off on an adventure. As I hadn’t done much exercise in Leeds I thought I would go for a walk and make up for it in London. This lasted for several hours walking along the South Bank, passing one landmark after another. I first passed the London Eye – the Ferris wheel that dominates the London Skyline with its loveliness and is a pleasurable break from the usual vertical buildings. Then there was the National Film Theatre, the Hayward Gallery (which unfortunately was closed for a refurb), and The Globe theatre to mention just a few.

TEDDINGTON
Later in the day I went to Teddington to meet my Cousins. This was fun as I had no idea which direction I was traveling in.  I knew I was on the right train, but was I traveling South East, South or South West? I had no idea, which was good to relinquish control and go with the flow. As soon as I got off the train I was ‘forced’ to go for a pint in the pub about a 45 second walk from the station. It was called the Bloated Mallard, by far my favourite pub to date on my UK travels. From the outside it looked plain and basic but as soon as I walked in through the doors I was punched with personality. You could smell the proper wooden log fire in the back (without it being overwhelming), and experience the cool and down to earth interior design. They also had some great beers on tap. I enjoyed a pint of Lovely Lady, a smooth semi creamy ‘hoppy’ pint (without the fizz), it was refreshing and very satisfying. In the back room there were pictures of Banksy’s graffiti art on one wall and a deer head on the other. They also had the world’s second best use of wall paper, the best being the Cascades in Vancouver on Main Street.

This pub was followed by another pub where I saw Gulden Draak on tap. This is a 10.5% Belgium beer, dark and confident in taste without tasting like strong crappy bear you drank as a teen to get ‘shitfaced’ on. A classy-pint. My cousin compared it to drinking a pint of wine as far as the strength was concerned, but this didn’t stop him form having a second pint .

After the third pub we decided to go back to Vicki’s house to crash for the night. She lived in a ‘granny flat’ (the top floor of a four story house, above her Landlords). Her parents warned me that it was tiny and cramped. It was small but we never felt we got under each others feet – well I didn’t, maybe she’s telling a different story at work today

We were all ready for a good night sleep, which would have happened if it hadn’t been for the taps. From about 2-4am the tap in the bathroom had not been shut off correctly and it made this on and off vibrating, rattling, ‘monster in the walls’ kind of noise. You know when you are too tired to drag yourself out of bed to do anything about it, or you are lying there hoping that by a miracle the noise will suddenly stop. After the landlord came to the door and asked if we had a tap running we got up and fixed the problem. Oooooops. A few more hours’ sleep followed.

SEE IMAGES ON FLICKR:
part 1, part 2, part 3 & part 4

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