I went on one of my forays up to London last Wednesday for a three day stay. I went to look at a tiny apartment with the dubious intention of maybe moving in? I had also arranged to meet up with my friend, and we would go for lunch after I had viewed this tiny flat.
Feeling a bit restless and out of it just lately. The sea and sand here in Cornwall is all very nice, but of late, it seems to be just a tad too quiet for me. Of course all that alters when the holiday makers arrive. Then the place goes wild. But that's not what I want at the moment. I just feel I need something different. Somewhere where there's lots of things happening. Somewhere I can reflect on my life and where it will (hopefully) take me from here.
And so I arrived in London after a long coach journey, (during which I did not feel well for most of the time). The dwelling place I was to look at is in the Earls Court, South Kensington area. Quite an in crowd and a very trendy place to be in.
I arrived at Victoria Coach Station and ordered a cab to Earls Court. The fare set me back £15. I was a little mad at myself, because the coach had already made it's way down Earls Court Road on it's way to Victoria and had I been quick enough, I'm sure the coach driver would have let me get out at the traffic lights. However, I was not quick enough and so to Victoria we went.
I arrived at the apartment block in a good mood though. I always love the journey into central London, it's always bustling with many, many people of all different races and creeds, looking at all the fascinating shops and a good many of them were sat at the side walk cafes. It was more than a little chilly when I arrived, but it obviously had not deterred them from sitting, drinking coffee and watching the world (and me) go by.
Tired after the coach ride, I spent a quiet night reading until I felt my eyelids drooping and so I decided to call it a day. The following morning, after first viewing the flat, my friend came to meet me and we set off in search of a good restaurant or pub where good food was to be had. We had partly decided beforehand that we would look at one on Brompton Road, namely, The Drayton Arms. It's a pub by day and night and a theatre (and pub) in the evening.
As Earls Court is at an intersection (junction) with of Old Brompton Road, we had not anticipated any difficulty finding this pub, but lo and behold we soon got lost, even with a map and all. Seemingly going round in circles, we finally asked a gardener who happened to be trimming a hedge where the hell we were and how the hell do we get to Brompton Road from here? He looked at us with great amusement and told us that we were much nearer than we thought (thank God for that. We were freezing.) And so we set off and sure enough we found our destination.
This was Thursday lunch time and by now as you have no doubt guessed, it was very cold in central London. It soon became apparent that it was not gonna be too much fun trailing around looking for alternative suitable places to eat. And so we decided we would eat at the Drayton whatever it was like!
We got to the Drayton Arms just as it was opening for the day. It looked rather nice ( well it is a fairly famous place). We settled down, ordered a coffee and a meal and a some wine. And we took our time eating. It was so cold outside that we were not in a rush to leave. There was a big roaring fire at one end of the room and we ordered desert and some more wine and sat round the fire, under a small but elaborate chandelier.
A pleasant afternoon went by very quickly, and when I got back to the apartment block in Earls Court I had another look at the tiny flat. I decided it was just a little too tiny, and that most of the things I possess here in Cornwall would not fit in to such a small space. And so I turned it down. A pity. I was disappointed. Sad that the little apartment in the heart of London was just too small a heart. And so with a bit of regret, I left. I said I would wait until another one became vacant and see if that one was a bit bigger.
I packed my bag and said farewell to the people who live in that apartment and whom I have come to know over the years during my visits to London. A taxi took me back to Victoria Coach Station.
The coach ride through London was fascinating as the driver took us on a route that I have not been before with this particular coach company. There was much traffic and that meant that we went very slowly along Kennsington and Knightsbridge and it was great just to do a little window shopping from the coach; looking at the window displays in such shops as Harvey Nicholls and Harrods. I had to resist an overwhelming urge to jump out of the coach and into the shops, but I was a bit restricted from doing that. Just as well.
Out of London the journey back to Cornwall was pleasant with green pastures flying past the windows on either side of the coach. But it was a long journey. Eight hours in all. It was nine in the evening when I finally got back to my own apartment. As I walked throughout the door the difference in size of my apartment to the one in London was amazing. I twirled around feeling all that space that I had missed for just a short spell of time.
What will happen? Will I ever make that move to central London that I have wanted for quite some time now? Only time will tell.
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