A different weekend

 S dropped me off at the nearest station on Saturday as he took the car in for an MoT.  A further use of my Senior Railcard so, although not a frequent user by any stretch of the imagination, it is looking increasingly likely that I will make a save more than the £80 cost over three years.  That was not a certainty in my mind at the outset.  I don’t consider myself a frequent rail user but I may be doing enough.  If I can work out the extent to which/how it can be used in and around London I may end up quids in.

My friend had arrived at Euston very shortly before so that was an easy meet up at Kings Cross before tackling the tube to Kensington High Street.  The hotel is a very short walk from the tube station.  We were too early to check in so left the bags with the conciege and headed into town to see the Pride parade.   This was Pride so there was always going to be an element of outrageous self promotion.  I am, however,  a creature of my upbringing and the sheer mess that was left behind was even more shocking than some of the states of dress/undress.  

Piles of rubbish dumped on the streets, particularly in SoHo.  I very nearly tripped over an empty litre vodka bottle amongst a carpet of other rubbish.  Can they not take it home/dispose of it properly?  ….and who is drinking from a litre vodka bottle in the street?  Not wishing to sound prissy here (yeah, I know I am sounding exactly that) but…

We took a break to get back to the hotel, check in, get some nibbles and water for the fridge and have a quick refresh before heading out again.

It is not my first time at this Holiday Inn and I have previously ranted about how difficult finding a hotel for this weekend was.  We were unaware that it was Pride at the time of booking so that may explain something.  Even I could not find cause for complaint and I am known for trying.  It was exactly what we booked.  The air con was very welcome.  We even had a bath - which neither of us used (and a bath is usually my preference) so I will skip swiftly over that.  Breakfast was more than worth the amount paid for it on booking.  Well mine certainly was and then some, my friend is less of a breakfast girl but even she came down and gave it a go.  Not sure I would have paid for it on hoof though.  My mean streak may have kicked in.

A decent breakfast was necessary here as for various reasons my calorie intake on Saturday consisted of a KitKat, half a bowl of chips at a Wetherspoons, some fruit and nut mix from M&S and a mix of Leffe Blonde and Moretti.  Sunday (breakfast aside) was not much improved a shared Margarita Pizza, a Peroni and a couple of Madri.  I’m usually rather healthier than that or, at the very least, my calories are rather more skewed towards actual food.

Fairly typically for London the step count was well up there.  We did, however, fail to make use of the hotel pool.  That is 2 Holiday Inns over the course of a very little over 2 months where I have not tested the pool.  Definitely a must try harder on the opportunity front.

Sunday was BST at Hyde Park which was the point of the weekend.  Duran Duran (we are of an age - much like many others present) were supported by Scissor Sisters, Groove Armada, Nile Rodgers, Mel C and others.  

Now I sunburn at the drop of a hat, so my hat remained firmly on my head, factor 50 on my face and long sleeved linen and white jeans leaving little other than my hands on show.  I also had an umbrella to hide under.  Had we made ourselves a little more aware of the timetabling we might not have been quite so quick off the mark to get there.  It was a bit of a long hot haul.  8 hours in what is effectively an open field in the heat we have been having recently is a little much for one of my colouring.  I doubt I will be going again anytime soon but it is definitely an experience ticked off the list.  Well it would be ticked off had it actually been on the list in the first place.

Monday was a gentle and more familiar day with a walk along the South Bank.  Unfortunately, though unsurprisingly, Borough Market was not open on a Monday.  Lunch turned out to be an Asahi at Butler’s Wharf.

The rest of the week may well be spent rehydrating!

S was left in charge of watering so I am hoping the vegetable garden and pots will be ok.  It seems he found courgettes, lettuces and new potatoes to eat so fended for himself, on the food front, rather better than I did.  I did have to break it to him that The Crusting Pipe in Covent Garden appears to be no more.  We have been going there for over 1/2 a century and he has been going there over a decade before that.  We were last there after a family get together in London before Christmas.  It feels a bit like the end of an era. 

In summary it was lovely to see my friend and it was a fun weekend but too much heat, too much beer, too many people and I am very much ready to get back to my norm.