My Week In London

To London

We did London for a week and that was before the Queen in all her regalia with the pomp, pageantry and celebration clogs the streets and waters of London with all their fanfare.

Strangely, it all passed in the weekend without me catching a glimpse of any of the razzmatazz on television, I hear she did us proud, but back to more important things.

The schedule had to be kept with tight; I dare say in inform some people I almost ran myself ragged trying to get across London that charges the steepest fares for transport apart from Oyster cards that may not give you the necessary feedback only to lob off an arm and a leg at the exit points. O yes, it had the jubilee commemoration design.

Business to hand

I hadn’t been to London in 18 months and it was important to catch up with friends, family and ex-lovers who have remained best of friends apart from making new ones in the process.

Akin B.C. (Before Cancer) to many, had to be seen again, as the Akin A. D. (After Disease) the cancer thankfully in full remission.

The first day involved meeting a dear friend whose career advice and help has been useful for almost two decades. I also go to take a telephone interview from his office, everything I needed being provided so helpfully.

Fed full by cousins

Then to Essex in Hornchurch on Saturday where my intervention in the kitchen prevented my being stuffed with more than I could take. I might be a tallish man but I do not have a stomach that presumably matches my height – not that any of my cousins care to listen, if they had their way, I’ll be fattened up until I could not walk – the encounter was my lot in Barking too.

By the time I trod home to Wimbledon, it was past midnight and my cane was more useful than I could have envisaged, I was so tired but thinking of church for Sunday.

Wimbledon to Hammersmith would not have been an easy journey but with the help of my friend, I got a lift to our C3 Church holding in the premises of Novotel Hotel in Hammersmith. It was a lively and wonderful service; the parts I could keep awake in of the sermon were enjoyable. Met up with some old acquaintances and then returned by substitute bus from Hammersmith to rest, it was a rather hot day.

Theatre tips

Friends and ex-lovers took the next day that included a visit to the city, viewing the Shard and going to theatre. The Duke of York theatre where Posh was showing, a send-up of the Bullingdon Club which once had the likes of David Cameron, George Osborne & Boris Johnson as members.

To be honest, there is no reason to get full-priced tickets when you can obtain good discount tickets at the box office in Leicester Square (For your information Leicester is pronounced Lester), to be sure you are getting good seats Theatre Monkey is a good site for all things theatre especially in the West End.

There is no point getting discount tickets only to have your views doubly discounted by obstructions or restricted views, theatre are for audio-visual stimulation.

Posh!

Quite an interesting insight into how the spoilt brats of the upper classes traipse out with impunity and literally no consequence because they have the money and connections to have everything taken care of.

They did a good a capella of Maroon 5’s Moves Like Jagger but I was not sure of hoity-toity white boys rapping like they were in the ‘hood as they say, it was unbecoming if not laughable, an attempt was made at a genre I cannot fully appreciate.

As for the Duke of York Theatre, getting to the lavatories was like being of the Grand Old Duke of York’s 10,000 men, I probably did four flights of stairs at different places going up and down and maybe at one time, I was only halfway up – it was funny. The nursery rhyme for your pleasure.

And finally

Then I met two men who were to me as similar as they would want to be dissimilar – Now, that is a matter of perspective. We would have had the earlier pleasure of meeting up and watching Eurovision together on Saturday but I was otherwise engaged. They to my mind are stand-out Nigerians in their various ways commendable activists on sexuality – I was pleased to have found time to meet them.

For my penultimate day in London there was first the journey to Walton-on-the-Thames to visit wonderful friends, a good English breakfast, a walk by the Thames and good banter and then back into London for a rendezvous at Foyles which was at one time in its history listed as the largest bookshop under one roof in the world. My friend’s interests were tied to the Latin American section and not too far from some rather risqué reading.

Just if you decide to walk down to the South Bank from Trafalgar Square, you are best advised to take the foot-bridge on the right-side of the crossing of the Thames – you get to see amazing views of the Palace of Westminster, Big Ben and the London Eye – it is a bridge rarely used and has freer movement.

Deepest appreciation and thanks to my good friend who gave me board, made me comfortable, offered all sorts of assistance and help in gifts of cash and kind along with words of encouragement and support – I am in your debt. Thanks.