Sonia's Birthday week in London

Monday 11th December 2006

The week didn’t start auspiciously. Sonia was off sick for the last two days before we left with a heavy cold, and had not had a decent night’s sleep for several days due to the coughing. So Monday morning meant packing and booking a cab from home to Nottingham station to make sure that we didn’t miss our train. We couldn’t miss it as we had booked first class tickets as part of the treat for Sonia’s 40th birthday. We got there in plenty of time but found out about 10 minutes before it was due to leave that it had been cancelled due to problems with wires in the Bedford/Luton area. “Customers” were advised to take the next train to Leicester and then try to catch a London train from there. Not a good start to the week and I was getting ready to go into full complaining mode. On arrival in Leicester, spoke to staff on platform who suggested that I had a word with the train manager when the London train pulled in. I explained our position to her and she was very sympathetic. We were told to help ourselves to a couple of spare 1st class seats and we headed off in comfort. When we got to St Pancras we jumped in a cab to go to the flat in Hazlitt Mews round the back of the Olympia Arena, where we were welcomed in by the owners. They showed us round the flat and headed off. After settling in, unpacking etc, we took an early evening stroll around the area to get our bearings. We made our way around Olympia on to the Hammersmith Road and had a snack in a local café before buying a few essentials like bread an butter for toast in the morning. Tried to meet up with Chris for a pint as he was in London on UNISON NEC business, but his meeting finished late and by the time he had his dinner it would have meant meeting him at 10 pm on the Euston Road. By bus it would have taken us about an hour to get there, the tube would have taken about 30 minutes with two changes, so we had to say it was not practical to meet up.

Tuesday 12th December

I popped into the local paper shop to get The Guardian while Sonia took a shower and after breakfast we strolled round the corner to Olympia Tube station where we bought zone 1-4 travel cards. The owners of the flat had provided lots of information leaflets but the most useful one was the bus routes map for SW London. With this we had worked out our bus route to Kew gardens which meant we got to see all those bits of London you miss when you go on the tube. We caught the 391 service from near the flat which should have taken us to Kew without changing, and it would have done if the driver had not told everyone to get off somewhere just east of Chiswick and then drove off. We hung around for about 10 minutes before the next 391 bus turned up. That took us over Kew Bridge and dropped us near the gates to Kew Gardens. We headed for the coffee shop to get our bearings and decided what we were going to see. While we were there, a peacock wandered into the courtyard and then into the coffee shop itself. After that little diversion, we walked around the gardens, went in the various greenhouses (Palm House, Temperate House and Cacti House) and up to the Pagoda and Japanese Garden. As we were cold we decided to take the tube back rather than wait for a bus. Got off at Baron’s Court and took the wrong turn out of the station but found a very good butcher’s shop, H G Walter, who sold us lamb brochettes, some veg, and a couple of pies. Heading back past the tube station, it was a surprisingly short walk back to the flat where I cooked the brochettes and served them up with spuds and carrots. We then checked out the local pubs, deciding that the Havelock Tavern on Masbro Road was the least smokey. We sat at the bar and I am convinced that the woman sat next to Sonia was Jennifer Saunders. I didn’t say anything as I’m probably wrong and was enjoying a couple of pints of Pedigree as well as Sonia’s company.

Wednesday 13th December

Sonia’s 40th Birthday started with breakfast and present opening. While Sonia got ready I went to the paper shop for the Guardian and our zone 1-2 travel cards. We caught the bus outside Olympia and were carried through Kensington until we got off just after the Albert Memorial. A short walk took us to the V&A where we were amongst the first in. We spent an enjoyable couple of hours or so wandering through the fashion, Chinese, Japanese and Nehru galleries. There was a sound and vision sculpture in the courtyard consisting of columns with lights in them that played sounds and flashed lights as you moved around them. People were just standing around looking at it so Sonia walked in and set if off, then lots of people joined in. We had a cup of tea in the William Morris room under a beautiful ball shaped chandelier before hitting the Art Deco exhibits and the shop. A bus ride back to flat and we were busy ironing shirts and getting ready for the highlight of the afternoon – 3pm afternoon tea at Claridge’s Hotel. We headed back to the bus stop but soon realised that the traffic was snarled up due to a combination of road works in Knightsbridge, the Horse of the Year Show at Olympia, and it being London. Signs at the bus stop indicated that it should take 45 minutes to get to Bond Street (in normal traffic) and we would need another 10 to 15 minutes to walk down to Claridge’s and it was already 2.15! We hailed the next passing cab. The driver was very helpful. He took us through Hyde Park and along Rotten Row before cutting across Park Lane, through Grosvenor Square and the US Embassy, dropping us at the door at 2.45. I gave him a tip.

“Afternoon tea at Claridge’s” had been Sonia’s response when I had asked her back in May what she wanted for her 40th Birthday. A few e-mails and it was booked. Six and half months later and we walked into the Art Deco reception area. The staff were very helpful, showing us to our table and we were allocated one young woman to talk us through the menu of so many different types of tea on offer. We were also given a choice of champagne – pink or white. This was followed by a delectable selection of sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and Marco Polo jam, pastries and cakes. The background music was provided by a pianist and cellist. We eventually were full up about 4 and I asked for the bill, at which point the member of staff who had been looking after us appeared holding another pastry with a candle in it. It was a nice gesture by the hotel staff who had picked up that it was Sonia’s birthday from my e-mail booking back in May. The musicians struck up “Happy Birthday” as the surprise was delivered to Sonia. Everyone clapped. Sonia blushed, and I couldn’t stop smiling as this was an unexpected bonus. Sonia’s cold and sore throat meant that she was so short of breath that she couldn’t blow out the candle and I had to do it for her.

After the extra pastry and the not so small matter of the bill (which was worth every penny), we headed out into the early evening of Bond Street. We popped into Penhaligon's perfumery but Sonia was unable to enjoy it due to her cold. We carried on north and visited Liberty’s Store, riding in a Mock Tudor panelled lift. I bought Mum’s Xmas present before we set out down Oxford Street looking at the lights and searching for a No. 10 bus stop. We rode the bus back to Olympia, stopping off at a local chemist for cough suppressants and a spray to numb the sore throat. Having changed out of our smart clothes, we walked to the Odeon on Kensington Road to see Happy Feet. We both enjoyed the film and headed back to the flat through the crowds leaving the Horse of the Year show.

Thursday 14th December

The morning started with what had become our little routine, me getting the paper and travel cards while Sonia woke up and showered. After breakfast we caught a No. 9 bus at Olympia all the way to The Aldwych, via Knightsbridge, Trafalgar Square, and the Strand. A short walk down to the Embankment for a stroll along the Thames took us to the Millennium Bridge. We crossed the river and headed into the Tate Modern where I wanted to see the exhibition of work by Carsten Höller (some giant slides). I participated in the art installation by sliding down the tube from level 4 of the gallery to level 1. Bit like a giant helter-skelter at Goose Fair but much faster and smoother (and free). We hit the shop to buy a Xmas present for my niece the art student, and headed out down the South Bank past the Globe Theatre, The Clink and into the Borough Market for lunch. None of the stalls seemed ready to serve us at 11.45 so we went to Fengsushi Japanese Restaurant (London Bridge branch) for salmon cakes and noodles.

After lunch we jumped on the RV1 bus which took us over Tower Bridge and dropped us by the Tower of London. We then caught a 15 bus that was supposed to take us back to the Aldwych but after it took 30 minutes to get from the Tower, round St Paul’s Cathedral and to the top of Ludgate Hill, we asked the driver to let us off as the bus hadn’t moved for over 10 minutes. Walking down Ludgate Hill and then along Fleet Street we came across a TGWU picket line as part of the Justice for Cleaners Campaign . We chatted to a couple of the pickets and gave them our vocal support, much to the apparent annoyance of 2 local police who were watching. Then it was back to the Aldwych and turning right into the West End. We had a rest in a coffee shop on St Martins Lane having walked down a tapering alleyway known as Brydges Place. Our feet rested we cut across to Charing Cross Road, popping into Foyles book shop to buy a few books. Then on to Oxford Street and a couple of pints in the Argyle Arms while we waited for the Xmas illuminations to come on (well that’s our excuse and we’re sticking to it). Beautiful glass screens and ornate plaster work downstairs, and with no smoking allowed in the upstairs bar Sonia’s sore throat wasn’t made any worse. Most of the shops on Oxford Street these days are chains stores and we have the same stores and goods in Nottingham. A quick stroll through Selfridges and a look at the Xmas lights were all we needed before we caught a No. 10 bus on Park Lane back to the flat. A light tea of the pies from the butchers and some ice cream from the local shop (not the healthiest of diets) and we collapsed in fron to the TV to rest our weary bones.

Friday 15th December

We broke with the routine for our final morning in London as we had to pack and be out of the flat by 10. A quick tidy up, wash of the breakfast plates, and clean down the sides in the kitchen and bathroom and we were ready to go just after 9. Got the travel cards and papers from Olympia station on the way to the bus stop. We caught the No. 10 to St Pancras where we deposited our cases in the left luggage office. It’s a sign of the times that the guy had to open and check our bags when we deposited them. Good job the dirty laundry wasn’t on top! We then took the tube up to Camden Lock as our train wasn’t until 2.55pm. Had a coffee overlooking the Regents Canal and then hit the stalls. Bought presents for my sister, nephew, each other, and the house got a sign plate to go over the back door. After lunch bought from a stall and eaten on communal benches and tables in the middle of the market we headed back to St Pancras by tube. One of the advantages of 1st class tickets is that there is a separate lounge where you can wait for your train, drinking free tea, coffee and juice, reading free newspapers (even if it is the Evening Standard) and resting on leather sofas. Another treat for buying so far in advance. When we got on the train we found another couple sat in our seats reading the Telegraph and spread out over the four seats around the table. We compared the coach and seat numbers on their tickets and they were the same! They suggested that as there were other seats available we should go and sit in them. I refused to accept that this was going to happen and got the train manager involved rather than have a stand up row with the “gentleman”. Once he saw that we were not going to give up, the other couple reluctantly agreed to sit on one side of the table while we took up the seats we had booked. A moral victory for the Guardian readers with the Camden Lock paper bag over the Telegraph readers with a plastic bag from Harrods. The journey home was quiet, with not a peep from the other side of the table, while we chatted away and did the crosswords together. To add to the fun, we were ahead of them in the queue for the cabs, despite their pointedly getting off the train before us. I know it’s petty but I don’t care. I wasn’t going to let a snobby couple spoil the end of a wonderful week away celebrating Sonia’s 40th birthday.

Now all I’ve got to do is sort out which of the 120 photos will go on Flickr.com and get them linked into relevant bits of this blog…

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The photos have been edited (so the one of Sonia asleep with her scarf around her head is not there) and they are now on line at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobwatt/

Office Xmas party time

Usually I avoid the office Xmas party as it tends to be a lunchtime do and involves driving (and therefore no drinking). But this year it was different. A crack team of party organisers formed a clandestine committee and got on with the task of organising a very enjoyable event. Here's a picture of the heroes of the day...

They booked the the Gedling Miners Welfare on Mapperley Top, sorted out a magnificent buffet, a disco, lots of raffle prizes and a quiz (which Sonia and I won). It was a bit embarrassing as the prize was designed to be shared out amongst a slightly bigger team than the two of us, so we had 8 bottles of wine and 4 boxes of chocolate to take home.

I took loads of pictures. Just a couple are on public display on my flickr.com site. The rest are burnt on to a CD ROM that will be shown around the office next week.

This year's event was one of the best office parties I've been to and I hope that the rest of the office appreciates all the hard work that went into the organisation.