realised that when I met someone in the Post office the other day and had to think really hard when I had returned to Pflugerville, already my trip to the UK is becoming a distant memory :(
As promised I will give you a brief account of my 12 days in the UK.
I arrived in the Gatwick on 30th Nov, very early in the morning, so the long delay in my connection to Glasgow wasn't necessary but having been delayed in previous trips, it was a worthwhile precaution.
From the time I arrived in Glasgow, my feet never hit the ground again until I left Gatwick on the 12th. I spent 4 days in Hurlford, where my father-in-law lives visiting family and friends. A lot of eating and drinking was done by all. On the first Monday I visited the Joan Eardley exhibition in Edinburgh. I have been a fan of her work since I first saw it in the 1990's, so I was so pleased I was able to get to see this major retrospective of her work. Whilst in Edinburgh, managed to get a new sim card for the cell phone a friend had given us. Where would we be without cell phones these days.
On Tuesday it was back down to Gatwick and then onto Chatham, Kent where I would be spending the rest of my time. I stayed at the St George Hotel which was amazing value for £38 a night with a full breakfast included. The hotel has been recently refurbished so the room was very modern and clean, just right for a one person, even had one of those wet room showers, which is so much better than climbing into a tub to use a shower.
After my visit with Eileen, I made my first foray into the centre of London to visit the commercial galleries in the West End. I lost count of all the galleries I visited and to think when I was younger, they scared me stiff. Even now its still a little off putting having to ring a door to be allowed in but once you get into your head they are just shops selling things, then they are just like any other stores you visit and browse in. I will be writing about my gallery visits on my other blog
Originally I was to meet up with my youngest sister, Sarah in the evening (she was only one in the family who knew I was there) but she decided that as she had the day off the next day, we would meet up for lunch in Rochester and have a bar lunch. That bar lunch lasted 4 hours and if she hadn't needed to get back to her car, I suspect we would have been there all evening. It was great to see her after 4 yrs and she looked so much happier than the last time I saw her. Then she was stuck in a job she hated but now she is with Asda's on the management ladder and happier than I have seen her in a long long time.
Friday was spend in central London again this time seeing an exhibition at the V&A and then the National Portrait gallery. It was great travelling around London again (I used the bus) and seeing all the hustle and bustle but I am glad I am not doing that every day like I use to. To think I lived in London for the lst 20 odd yrs of my life and now I am a tourist!
The weekend was spent with the Family and then all too soon it was Monday which I spent mostly in the Tate Modern (once I found it, not familar with that side of London at all) where I saw one of the most exhilarating exhibitions I have ever seen and no, it was not the infamous crack. It was great to end my tour of exhibits on such a high note.
Whilst I was in the Tate, one of my oldest friends contacted me and we arranged to meet near Victoria. I thought she must have been too busy to meet up but it turns out she had been in Vienna the week before and caught a cold. As she doesn't have a PC, she had forgotten to take a note of the cell phone number I had supplied when I emailed her last so she had to go to the internet cafe nearby. On Sunday she had been laid up in bed but thankfully Monday she was feeling a lot better. I am so glad we were able to meet up if only for a few short hours but it was as if the last few years had never existed and we chatting away like it just yesterday we had been at school together (actually its 30!)
Tuesday I checked out of the hotel and stayed at Sarah's for the night. Had a brief visit with my other sister, Julie who lives in the area and then at 5am, Wednesday morning it was off to Gatwick, my trip was over:(
I loved my trip back and wish it had been longer. Everyone was commenting on how cold and wet it was but to me, it was heaven after the heat of Texas. I love the feel of the UK, the crowds, the rain, the public transport and all the things people over there tend to take for granted. I know, its not all rosy, I certainly wouldn't want to live in the SE like my sisters but give me the UK any day over the USA.
