London - Day One
We arrived at Heathrow at around 6am local time. Customs was quick, not even blinking at our shifty, evasive answers to the tricky questions in life: 'where do you live?' and 'where will you be staying?'.
Heathrow seems like a very impersonal kind of airport, but I got excited about seeing London cabs and that we were about to ride on the tube.
I think it was probably one of nicest train-ish rides I've ever taken. I had no idea the Tube had such small, round, open compartments. The morning sun was peeking out from behind a smattering of grey cloud and the all-pervasive deciduous trees, of which we have so few in Australia, seemed possessed of an ethereal beauty.
It all seemed so familiar, yet so foreign at the same time. All those oh-so-British rows of townhouses that you just don't see in Australia, but we know so well from regular injections of BBC culture.
It was a long trip. We were going to the other side of the city, to Tottenham-Hale Station, being met by Justine's friend Anita, a Jamaican-born Londoner.
Tottenham is a bit of a rough neighbourhood, but I've lived in worse. Mostly in Sydney.
Anita and I got along from the start. She's this generous-hearted woman, a single mum with a near-adult son and a great sense of humour. She fussed about while we got everything stowed and organised our first London takeaway curry.
Jus and I sat down on her couch and after approximately 144 hours we fell instantly asleep.
Sitting up.
Heathrow seems like a very impersonal kind of airport, but I got excited about seeing London cabs and that we were about to ride on the tube.
I think it was probably one of nicest train-ish rides I've ever taken. I had no idea the Tube had such small, round, open compartments. The morning sun was peeking out from behind a smattering of grey cloud and the all-pervasive deciduous trees, of which we have so few in Australia, seemed possessed of an ethereal beauty.
It all seemed so familiar, yet so foreign at the same time. All those oh-so-British rows of townhouses that you just don't see in Australia, but we know so well from regular injections of BBC culture.
It was a long trip. We were going to the other side of the city, to Tottenham-Hale Station, being met by Justine's friend Anita, a Jamaican-born Londoner.
Tottenham is a bit of a rough neighbourhood, but I've lived in worse. Mostly in Sydney.
Anita and I got along from the start. She's this generous-hearted woman, a single mum with a near-adult son and a great sense of humour. She fussed about while we got everything stowed and organised our first London takeaway curry.
Jus and I sat down on her couch and after approximately 144 hours we fell instantly asleep.
Sitting up.
posted by Kelsey Brookes at 11:58 am
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