I'm currently spending at least a couple of weeks in thatLondon. I had a job interview in Godalming (Surrey), on Wednesday - I was due down here to see Fran so simply extended the trip by a few days. So now I'm waiting for the outcome of said interview... not too confidently to be honest, but we'll just have to see what happens. Week days see me scouring the less-frequented areas of the capital in search of street art, quirky cafés and cheap snacks. Mainly on foot.
This is all good as it saves wearing a hole in my Oyster card and I see things that otherwise would be missed while sitting on the Oxo. I really like London and I could easily live here without a problem, but I am well aware it has its fair share of detractors... for usually the same, uninspired reasons: "it's too busy", "everyone is unfriendly", "it's expensive"...
Well to be truthful, it depends where you end up while you're down here. I took a swift walk from Camden to Waterloo on Friday early evening and I thoroughly enjoyed the exercise in the bracing February air. However, for the first time, I let negative feelings about the capital creep into my thoughts. At the time I was pissed off, but looking back and sitting here now I do realise it has helped me to understand the 'problem(s)' that some people have with London. So my route was thus: Park Way - all fine, Regents Park - all fine, Great Portland Street - all fine, Regent Street - all fine, Whitehall - all fine, Westminster Bridge Road - all fine. Anyone who knows London will realise there seems to be a gap in the street running order - how did I get from Regent Street to Whitehall? Well, um, I took the direct-ish route and walked via Oxford Circus, Soho, and the squares: Leicester and Trafalgar.
What a fucking error that was. Especially considering the time of day. Let's see what we had:
2. Trendy teenagers walking 3-abreast as they looked for Carnaby Street and 'checked in' on their iphones;
3. [To save causing offence, let's just stick with] European school kids loitering en-masse at subway and tube station entrances;
4. Soho was busy, but it does have a certain charm and at least the people there are shopping and/or working; and
5. Blokes with flyers trying to get me into the Aberdeen Steakhouse - "fucking leave me alone. Do I look like I've had my tastebuds laser-removed?".
However, the main problem I encountered really deserves more than a simple bullet point in a list. Problem #1 is predominantly attributable to Wicked, Grease The Musical, Les Miserables, Hair Spray, Dirty Dancing et al. Each to their own; if someone wants to pass a few hours watching an Olivia Newton John wannabe or pretending witches and wizards exist while eating their own bodyweight in Minstrels, then that is absolutely fine. BUT when I hear over and over again "oh we went to see that show in London... it was great... and all the bright lights... it's really busy though, people everywhere; I couldn't live there", I cannot help think that whoever utters those words is completely missing the point.
Please don't travel to London to see a show, stand in the middle of Shaftesbury Avenue looking at an upside-down map and/or dawdle 5-abreast while gazing up in apparent amazement at The Trocadero or The Palladium AND THEN complain about the crowds. Because... and here's the breaking news...; you might actually be the crowd - along with me and the few million other people walking through the Borough of Tourism. I know; crazy, right!?
In other news, I'm looking for a 56cm Colnago C50 Pista frame and forks... if you have one in the loft, then please let me know.
Thanks for reading.
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