My Day in London

My day in London, what do we really expect! More to the point what do we want from our experience? adventure, site seeing, people, entertainment. We hopelessly look for some inspiration but maybe none to see.

My adventure started by getting up around 4am and then gathering the family to muster, up and down the stairs running around getting dressed, like a mad hatter’s tea party. “are you ready” I shout. Falling over each other’s feet as we run around, the car is loaded, just light snacks never know...and off we go.

Children talking singing laughing the car full of magic, the inspiration of a child’s voice, the teens and the young magical moments to chapter, the siblings the bond, full of grace.

Chatter, chatter as we move along.

The roads seemed clear though got busier as the morning went along, amazing how traffic flows in and out, back and forth! Experience drives, the just passed my test drivers, and the beginners learning how we go, with the L plants on the doors...passing traffic as it flows. Cars vans bikes lorries and containers. Horns sounding driving fast slow who’s monitoring the cameras on the side of the road, checking looking watching every move, Big brother is watching you. Construction road works slowing down traffic trying to move along on a fast road so slow! Moving from lane to lane...taking over from the vehicle in front who can get there first!

Stopping refilling a pit stop, people slumber to the front ordering their food drink on the move, back to the car to re-join our journey continuing as we go, more vehicles join the road towards London, though no delays as we go.

Moving off the motorway down the slip roads to the side roads traffic rush rush rush...cars sounding their horns to push through, the cyclist doing their best to swiftly move in and out, no one responding no care for other road users...as long as they get to where they need to be hopefully in a safe way!

Arriving at the out skirts of London train station ticket machine, long gone the friendly face we used to see! Looking back asking how your day is and looking for conversation of your destination...ticket machine swipe the card printing your ticket, looking around for information to board the train to our location, we sprint yet just feet away the info we need! No direction like a friendly face...

Platform busy many people going to work or an adventure just like us! On the train did not wait long off we go. All seated snug everyone on the device's talking texting listing...no connection with anyone sitting around them. Only me and the little one a voice of pure enlightenment, a conversation with a 3 year old.

We may have a list of expectations yet may not experience them and may feel let down? Who knows. Yet you may have the best time not expecting anything, when we have high expectations we become overwhelmed in our own expectations and then feel let down. look around you and what do you really see

From station to station stopping no more than a few seconds people rushing off and rushing on doors closing fast hold on off we go! Can never be too slow? Our turn no assistance getting off you’re on your own. People look yet don't know what to do in their busy schedules looking staring as if you’re not there! Looking for a way-out people running past so fast no slowing down from the underground...to the top we go kids loving everything they see...other children holding on to their parents, as we wait we endure a guard to see the way out towards Bond St. pointing in a direction towards a light (way-out) up more flights of stairs carrying a pushchair...a short walk to a location.

Streets full of people fashion looks like it has been endured with all walks of life! Clothes look different in the shop windows on the streets people wearing boots as if designed for walking on the moon! Heads shaved eyes look sunken with dark makeup all around them far from the future, suits with a flat cap back in the 1920! Flairs with waistcoats? A modern twist. Black hair a bold cut, hair colours looks like a rainbow on the streets walking beside you, around you, in front of you and even behind you, look beyond that and you see street entertainment ordinary people making a buck or two! People surround them gazing watching looking at their perspective of their own involvement and their feelings...their thoughts become of no importance as all they see is entertaining themselves with what they see.

Become from what we see to reality and the persons we walk past sitting on the ground looking for someone to drop a penny or two...do we really see them? Do you!!! Again, we need to see and not gaze at our thoughts about them. Seeing their signs asking for assistance a message of hope! maybe? But where did they come from? Before they sat down before the streets took over their lives, before their message of hope! It’s a way of life for some! Walking past the side street a cobbled stone walk ways / streets of yesteryear a glimpse of the past though forgotten by most a life that most endured. The look of tall doors horse drawn carriages that once took the streets of London, do we forget what we accomplished back in the day as we move forward to a modern world.

We encounter the family that we have come to see, their travel also long, the young one delighted to see each other a magical moment to encounter the young lives as we grow old.

Dropping in to a store we encountered a friendly atmosphere...yet this would be the only one that was to be!! A friendly store for everyone to go to. Disney a pleasure.

I say this to other stores Wake-up London in order to survive (Smile) you just never know how far that will go and a return for everyone!

Now back to the underground we go. Oh, dear a passion not for me! Yet in order to get there you have to endure the spectrum of the tube. Down the lift you go just feet from the next level and out, obstacles in the way pushing passed the people do their best to fly past! Well most do!!!

Down to another level deep as if going down to hell! not the best...yet from A to B you need to be on the train. We wait for the next one seconds away another one arrives packed but manageable. An example of what is not the best is the underground…wow.

As a family man and many of us are, London is probably a single person’s run-around playground of expectations, rush, rush rush...that’s what l see. sardines squeezed in to a tin can... not for the faint hearted and not for the ageing or walking difficulties and pushchair with the young...most frustrating l know!! But still an experience you may or may not want to repeat? On the underground observing all that l could see the carriages swishing like a snake moving swiftly from left to right as you look down to the next carriage, someone holding on for dear life!!! yet people just doing their own thing! No interaction with anyone but their devices or reading a book and listening to music, as l stood next to someone l did not know l took conversation, it was for a short while though an interesting one, spoke about how long he has been here and his involvement being in the capital! ...then anonymous voice across the system, squawking random message! We said our fair well. People get up and off they go. Push push push to their next adventure. Off the train and moving fast up the moving stairs or the lift if you can, waiting for a long time?? stand to the right hold on tight as people rush past? Staff with a voice "keep moving" just like a cattle market...on to the streets again wow freedom. Maybe!

In to the museum, and the bones that stand tall, high as a house they make us small! The children excited to see everything from yesteryear. Did they really live like this! I was asked? I could only smile as they ran off to see something else!

The cars staked high as if flying high, some in a box, so small and just made for one. The airplane strapped to the ceiling, not moving, no flying in this one! Big industrial machines wheels as big as house, that turned slowly to burn the coal for the steam that came in to our lives. The phone that was made for us to communicate, yet to take over our lives and not to talk as we text that seems to be all. The shop the items the expense for just a memory to take away, yet we have a mind for this! Don't we.?

We step out. The light starting to fade yet still pleasant a short walk towards to sit and have some food, all hungry...as we walked towards a bench we saw flood lights part of a film set a crew making their step on the movie preparation interesting to see, from St James Park. To bold not too! The daylight fades and the street lights are upon you. Yet the people still keep on coming from all areas from the park from the street the park like a magical magnet as if a hold on them just walk through some holding a flag for most to follow, their first time to London l expect! The gathering.

Now to continue a short walk to the Palace yet a mile in most shoes! the Palace not far, lamps light up the area... Still standing the guards take their position for all to see long coats and bearskin hats as they are called, weapons at hand to protect the Queen they stand, people snapping a picture of memories to take away. As if the minds will not gather the memory they wish to take? The gates so big and strong painted black and gold holding back the crowds from moving forward. Police within the Palace making their presents known dark clothing to blend in to their location as the night time approaches. No conversion with another soul! Just observing from where they stand moving on to another location before we take the journey home

Walking past the military location streets with no people yet shouting as if all to hear... eerily sounds not for all to listen.

We arrive at Big Ben covered up as if it will keep it warm on the approaching winter. Yet construction making its mend one face open for all to see the time of London's history. Parliament area locked down streets closed from traffic to mend the buckling streets from the traffic it takes from day to day. Steel barriers placed to stop the fast approach of the vehicles that would take harm, securing pedestrians on their daily walk. The steel blocks on the paths preventing vehicles...are used to hold rubbish from the people who have walked bye! Wow the bridge looks a mess. People placing their rubbish as if its art, to lazy to see the bin right next to them, I wonder if their home is like this, apposing London of all their mite. Bins over flowing with the people’s rubbish, open your eyes and you will see that this London is not your rubbish bin. The big red bus passing by only a few people l see. The driver looks dull no smile from him, long days that encounter bringing negativity to the face that needs the rush of money.

I see the water. The Thames water moving fast just like the street, each splash bouncing in to the next. Running under our feet fast flowing, and not a care, memory of all to think about as you have a day in London. Though what a view breath taking to see a far, the tall buildings as their lights shine, the wheel glows a red tint across the water the small boats travel bouncing off the ripping muddy water the street stands full of people buying mementos of London to take back on their journey home.

We take heed as we need to get back, so tried the kids, what time will we be back! Lord only knows. We push on fast time approaching had a lovely day, more like a run back to the train saying our goodbyes to the family and to London. Making it back to the train on we go Homewood bound no traffic to delay the magic, the children sleep as we travel back late arriving the sky dark no clouds in the sky the stars shine to place a smile of the day. I take a moment to see, reflect the present day as I know tomorrow will be different, as from My day in London.