Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover

The Official “I’m Back” Post

A photo of Canary Wharf

We arrived back from our holiday in London on Saturday, after a crazy 7 days. As I’ve said in the past, having your anniversary in late northern hemisphere November isn’t great, and I’d advise anyone thinking of making their relationship official to wait until Christmas or springtime. Luckily being in London meant that, unlike the country retreats of yesteryears, there was actually quite a lot to do in this time of off-season closures.

It will come as no surprise that I have several (understatement of the century) photographs to share with you, and that I’m still going through them to make a collection of the best instead of showing you a blurry London. Expect a couple of posts as whilst I’d love to limit holiday excitement to one post, I’d need to reimburse you for the days you’d have taken off work to read it all – saying you found it interesting. So instead, for now, I’ve done something similar to the past years when I would list pros and cons intentionally under the opposite heading – I’m still giving you a crazy list, but this time there is no separation.

Here is a summary of our holiday:

  • Primose Hill: you have to see this, especially if you’re into photography. Visited for the sheer numbers of references to it in chick-lit books, and now I can see why there are references.
  • Seeing some gorillas: picking your skin and eating it is apparently tasty.
  • Strangers rallying to get to the aid of people falling down escalators: hearing the squeak of the machinery as a fallen person nears the bottom is rather scary.
  • Seeing a minor celebrity on a tube escalator, trying his best to cover his face whilst noticing that everyone could see him: this man, known best for his role in EastEnders.
  • Oxford Street, Mayfair, Picadilly – Beautiful and amazing times 3.
  • Problematic Canary Wharf – the place looks stunning but it’s no good for those with asthma or who like clean air. Best viewed at night when everyone has gone home.
  • Charlotte Street: I haven’t read the book yet, but I had to get a photo of the place.
  • DLR: Often travels above street level, though otherwise just like the Underground.
  • Unexpected penthouse apartment: more on this later.
  • The Savoy, The Ritz: The Savoy is squashed between buildings, easy to miss but quite something, the Ritz is a behemoth.
  • The Strand, Charing Cross, Leicester Square, Chinatown, Covent Garden: All worth seeing and Covent Garden at Christmas (or near it) is unmissable.
  • Science Museum: Geared more towards children, not so interesting for adults.
  • Missing the National History Museum (it’s next to the Science Museum): going home a couple of hours before, it later emerged, the royals turned up.
  • Deciding to attempt using the toilets in a café without eating there: a necessary venture, gets spoilt when you realise you really ought to buy something. The brownie was heavenly.
  • Hello sushi: after so many day-trips-worth of saying I must go to a Wasabi cafe, I finally got there.
  • A Folio Society Guardian event: unfortunately the less said about that the better.
  • Sims games: thanking you in advance, boyfriend, for the lost free time.

I had a few chances to come online throughout the week and I was happy at the response to the guest posts. Firstly I’m glad you all liked them because of the work the writers put into them, and secondly because I’m rather humbled to have my site kept alive. Thank you to Alice, Chris, and Meg for the posts they wrote (click on their names to read them).

So there we are. It will take me a bit longer to have detailed posts written up, but it seemed a bit odd to not have a written reference to my holiday closer to the time, to come back as though I’d not been away. Hope the list has you intrigued!

 
 

jessicabookworm

December 7, 2012, 8:45 am

I have also visited Convent Garden near Christmas and it was wonderful. Shame you didn’t get to see the Natural History Museum, I really enjoyed it. Although the Blue Whale exhibition wasn’t open. I really look forward to seeing all your photographs.

Laurie C

December 7, 2012, 11:08 am

Welcome back! I’m having trouble keeping up with commenting, but I did enjoy all the guest posts. My grandmother scared me to death with all her warnings about escalators, but I’ve never actually seen anyone have a problem on one! Is falling down escalators really that common there? Sorry, I was interested in all the things you mentioned, but that one really stuck out because of my childhood fears! ;)

Jennifer

December 7, 2012, 1:54 pm

Welcome home! :) I’m looking forward to seeing more pictures!

Judith

December 7, 2012, 6:04 pm

You did loads! What fun. Now I am very curious about the Folio Society event…

Good to have you back.

Jackie (Farm Lane Books)

December 7, 2012, 8:20 pm

I’m also curious about the Folio event – I was invited, but didn’t go. Would love to know what happened (feel free to email me secrets!!) It sounds as though you had a packed week. Glad you managed to have some good times too.

Anbolyn

December 8, 2012, 2:34 am

What an adventure! Can’t wait to see your photos and hear more about the penthouse apartment.

Trish

December 8, 2012, 8:40 pm

Wow!! You had quite the eventful trip. It’s been about 12 years since I’ve been to London…would love to travel back someday. Hope you’ll share some pictures.

Jenny

December 8, 2012, 10:12 pm

Wait what. What. Someone fell down an escalator? That is the most intense of my irrational fears, and the one most likely to occur (that, or falling onto the subway tracks, I guess). What happens when someone falls down an escalator? The more details the better, even if they are scary. I want to be prepared if it ever happens. How do you save the day if someone falls down an escalator?

(Those are not rhetorical questions. I am legitimately really frightened of falling down an escalator. I am afraid my hair will get caught in the machinery and it will pull off my scalp.)

Charlie

December 11, 2012, 11:37 am

Jessica: I think we’ll aim to visit the Natural History Museum next time, it was a case of the day being wretched and spoiling moods, so going in the summer might be an idea. A Blue Whale exhibition sounds interesting.

Laurie: There are a lot of posts and bloggers to keep up with! Sounds as though you had the talking to I did, beware of shoe laces and all that. In this case the person had a couple of pieces of luggage, as did her partner, and they were struggling to get everything on at once. They were also older so I suppose that made things more difficult. No, you’re right, it does stick out – it’s not the kind of thing you’d remember for a memories list, but it is scary so you do remember.

Jennifer: Thanks, Jennifer!

Judith: I’m thinking I’ll add a little about the event, to be honest I think it’s needed. Thanks!

Jackie: While I was there I actually went on Twitter, because I didn’t see anyone I knew (I know that’s rich coming from someone with no profile photo) and thought it likely you would have been invited. As I’ve said to Judith, I’ll write it up. The end of the week was wonderful.

Anbolyn: I can see myself doing some promotion for the place without meaning to!

Trish: The aim to have photos up soon, though as you know it’s difficult sorting through them! I’ve so many photos of Canary Wharf and need to choose only a couple, etc.

Jenny: That’s one thing I can say – there’s less of a worry about subway tracks now in London because many stations have a high barrier that opens only when a train arrives. You stop the escalators by pressing the emergency button. It took a few seconds for someone to do it, I imagine the penalty fees made people think twice. In this case nothing got caught, thankfully, they fell and I think the squeak was their shoe against the metal.

9 Comments

 

Comments closed