London Calling.

Yesterday was quite a big day for me. To some people a trip up to London may seem a walk in the park but for me it was huge. I am you see a total home bird and very rarely do I venture too far on my own. If I am with the family or a group of people I am fine but for some reason when on my own I tend to stick local.

The Husband works in London 2 days a week and has been pestering asking me to come up by train and meet him for dinner. The thought of this turned my tummy and made me get the sweats so I managed to find excuses reasons not to go.



So to cut a long story slightly shorter.........I went. YIPPEE, YAY ME!!!

I smiled the whole way there at the fact I was on a train, on my own going up to the big city. The train ride took about an hour and a half and once the first 3 stops had gone and the school kids from The Teenagers class had got off (bloody hell they can talk some rubbish) I relaxed into my journey. The Hubby kept in constant contact the whole way as I gave him a running commentary of the people on the train....A real mixture of people including...

1. A very loud business man who talked very loudly to his secretary Katie and said the word b*****k's every time we went through a tunnel as he lost reception.

2. American business people who didn't like someone called Clayton and didn't trust him with their money and then promptly said very loudly that in 6 hours they would be on a plane and out of this freaking awful country.....Nice!!!

3. Depressed looking woman who at one point sneezed so loud I very nearly wet myself.

4. ME..........A smiling loon that looked like I was on day release and had never been on a train before.

So there I am all proud and bubbling with excitement. The train arrives at London Bridge and the words of a good friend of mine ring in my ears...."When you get off do you no which exit to take because there are a few ways out". How hard can it be I thought to myself, surely you just follow the other people.....WRONG WRONG WRONG! I followed these people up some stairs and suddenly realised I was no where near the exit. I went back down the stairs and stood for a while looking at the unorganised chaos before me. I know, I thought. I will ring the Hubby...
"Hello, its me....I cant get out"
"WHAT!! What do you mean you cant get out, are you still on the train.....wait there I'm coming" was the reply I got.
"Oh no hang on, I can see an exit sign. " I said, then the phone cut off, and in the words of the loud business man I said......b****k's.
As I walked down the very long platform to the EXIT sign I suddenly realised that somehow I had managed to end up 3 platforms away from the one I came in on. The barriers were fast approaching and I heard raised voices...

"MY WIFE IS STUCK ON THE TRAIN AND I NEED TO GET HER OFF BEFORE IT HEADS BACK"
"Sir, you need to calm down, we will get to you wife just tell me which platform she is on" the ticket man was saying.

Ooh I thought, I've only been here 2 minutes and already I am witnessing a case of train rage. It was at this moment I realised that the shouty man was in fact my Hubby and he had misunderstood me when I had said I couldn't get out. WHOOPPS !!!

I sheepishly went through the barrier and tapped him on the shoulder, "Hi"....The look on his face was one of those looks you give a child when you have lost them, you know the look I mean the one where you don't no whether to slap them or hug them. Needless to say he didn't slap me (he wouldn't dare) he hugged me like I'd just been rescued from a burning building.

As happy as I was that I was with him and in London there was one thing that was causing me a great source of discomfort.......My shoes. I do have this rather annoying habit of wearing totally inappropriate shoes in the name of fashion and then walking like a ......well like a.........like a person wearing very painful shoes (sorry couldn't think if anything at that moment).
As I hobbled off with The Hubby as if by some force of magic a mirage appeared in front of me.........Next Clothing Store. I ran in only to be told they were just about to close, I don't know whether it was the desperation in my eyes or the fact I was holding a credit card between my teeth that the lovely young assistant waved me in and asked me to be quick. Seeing exactly what I needed I grabbed a pair of flat loafers and put them on my throbbing feet.....Ahhhhhhh !!!!

The evening was fantastic and we took in some lovely sights as well as having a beautiful dinner, I even tried mussels which up until this day always made me think of lady parts but with this new found courage I tried one, then two, then three. Yummy yummy yummy. As we boarded the train to come home The Hubby looked at me and smiled "I am so incredibly proud of you tonight" he whispered in my ear. And I was too.

So there we go, I'm still feeling on a bit of a high today and planning my next trip up there, one things for sure.......I wont be wearing wedges and next time I am not following any crowds.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my pictures.




Lots of Love
Me
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