The Blurb: October 2008

A walk down Wakeling Street

Saturday 25 October 2008  6.04 pm

It's near Limehouse Station on the Docklands Light Railway.  It's home to about 20 or 30 people.  It contains a council building and a public house.  And most important of all, this short, unregarded back street in east London is named after me.

I found it in my A-Z the other day and decided to visit, so after a brief stroll round the quaking financial district in which I saw that the Royal Bank of Scotland offices are "To Let" and took a photograph which placed a grand horseman somewhat awkwardly atop a traffic light, I hopped on the aforementioned driverless railway and had a look.

There aren't many Wakelings in the world, although I am aware (thanks to Google) of Tim Wakelings who write maths textbooks, teach computing to elderly people, play squash in Massachusetts and ... one who ranks between Timothy Dalton and Tom Cruise on the Harem's List of The World's Most Fanciable Men.  Still, despite my namesakes' obvious calibre, I'd never seen a street or building with my surname before, and it was quite a surreal experience walking down it.
 
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Not the Tube Olympics

Saturday 11 October 2008  9.36 am

Just in case you missed it, the Tube Olympics was held just before the Beijing Games this summer, with challenges like the fastest time to visit all the stations on the London Underground network.  The mathematician part of me loves something like that, and I have a friend who has held the world record in more than one category...

Tempting as it was to try this sort of thing, however, I've decided to satisfy my desire for exploration at a slower pace.  While I'm in the capital, I'm going to try and visit every Tube station - but get off the train and have a look around, and even talk to people that I meet.

So far I've discovered a Singing Buddha karaoke bar in Morden, the new face of advertising in South Wimbledon, a custom bear shop in Wimbledon, a long street near Wimbledon Park that contains only mansions with Mercedes, an impressive Baptist church near Southfields, a gorgeous sunset view of Canary Wharf (pictured here) from Canning Town, a beautiful lit-up Tower Bridge from London Bridge, and a JET car with a tree growing out of its exhaust in East Putney.

This challenge may take me all year and beyond, but it should be interesting.  I'll keep you posted.
 
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How London works

Saturday 4 October 2008  10.01 pm

This week I arrived in London, in a hired mini-van containing (almost) all the stuff I own in the world.  It was a beautiful sunny day.

Things are going well here so far, I'm settling in, and I think I'm going to enjoy this year.  I've learnt quite a lot already... since Monday, I have discovered how Londoners turn right, just how many opportunities there are to say 'yes' (and 'no'), the delight of serving students free cake, the code for the church door, various insights about leadership, a liking for cats, the social demographic of the Balham area, and the fact that I can't use my shiny new Oyster card on the overground trains.

That'll do for the first few days. :o)
 
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