Saturday 5 August 2023
Today is largely all about the rain, lots of it, forecast more in London and southeast than Scotland. This has scuppered my friend Fiona and I having a long walk and picnic. We are instead meeting up in Rochester, Kent. I feel less bothered by rain than I perhaps used to, maybe I’m getting used to a plan B kind of life from spending more time in rainy Scotland.
My friend Carla came to stay on Thursday for a night. When she visited us in Scotland, we went to the Samye Ling Tibetan temple. When she visited in Lewisham, we went to the Shri Swaminarayan/Neasden Hindu temple. Carla and I sat outside a café near Waterloo shortly after she arrived at Waterloo. I saw my cousin Phil cycle past, stopped him and we had a chat. I have encountered one of the very few people we know around Selkirk while out and about, but it’s far less likely to happen in London. The following day, timings and locations kind of worked out so Angela met Carla and I while we were walking around Nunhead Cemetery. On Thursday afternoon, Carla and I went on a mission to find her sunglasses and a sun hat from second hand shops around Brick Lane. As we were within a few metres of the shop of friends of Chris and I, Carla and I popped in to say hello to them, which was lovely. It was one of those unexpected times in London where London didn’t feel much bigger than the small towns around where we live in Scottish Borders.
I am now used to the chemical taste of the water in London, which is kind of sad really. I also feel more settled back in the flat in London. Mosquitoes have done a good job of reminding me of the horrors of midge bites. I have a selection of new bites, including one large mound of a bite on my forehead. I have noticed that I definitely spend more money while I’m in London rather than Scotland, but in part I suppose I know that I can easily shop here so I do. I now have my new phone set up (not an entirely smooth transition from Samsung to Pixel/old phone to new phone), I have two pairs of trousers I’m not entirely convinced were necessary and I have had a lunch, coffee and beer out. But actually, now I think about it, I think I have spent less so far this trip than I have on previous trips. Our Indian and other less readily available ingredients were stocked up on last month. As ever, I really enjoyed walking around London, even meeting Carla at Waterloo station and people-watching.
Now time for breakfast before going forth into the rain.