My young cousin is getting married this week so I decided to incorporate a number of bucket list items and make a proper holiday of the trip. I could have just driven or flown down and stayed at a hotel near the venue – but I had other plans.
I had booked a train from a nearby town into Glasgow, and then first class (oooh) down to London. The lovely lady who was going to look after Scout offered to drive me to the station – I continue to be amazed at how kind everyone is.
The train ride was great – started with ‘a full Scottish’ at 8:30 – which is basically a full English breakfast with haggis. Then cocktails at 11;00, and finger sandwiches for lunch at 12:00. The students across from me watched videos on YouTube all morning, and I read a book, but the elderly gentleman beside me had nothing. He just sat for the entire 4 1/2 hours. Very nice man, we all said hello when we arrived, and commented on the meals, or whatever, but other than that, he just sat. I cannot imagine doing that for that length of time without a book to read, or podcasts to listen to.
I had decided that I was going to limit my visit to Soho & Bloomsbury – no Westminster Abbey, no London Eye, no Tower Bridge for me, just a concentrated visit to the west end. I booked a cheap, cheerful, and clean hotel in Soho, offloaded my luggage when I arrived, and headed out for part one of my trip: shopping. I may hate it, but this was an opportunity to get some things that are hard to get in Scotland, So, off to John Lewis, Liberty, and a Korean grocery. Once the dreaded shopping was done, my evening awaited.