Saturday, 25 August, 2018
Wednesday we went to see my aunt in Leigh-on-Sea. She’d asked me to be sure to check with her first: ‘Would be pleased if you can confirm this with me some time beforehand. At my age, one is never sure one will still be around.’ I confirmed…and she was! Fish and chips lunch accomplished, flowers distributed, birthday cake deposited in the fridge – we were too full to eat it!
On the way home all was well until I got up from my seat and had to struggle to get off the train (such pain in my legs and almost impossible to bear weight), down a lot of stairs, along a long corridor, turned back at the next stairs, back halfway along the long corridor and up another flight of stairs, into the train, and a slow limp home. My hips seem to have seized up – never happened before. Hobbled my way through the rest of the evening, very painful. Ugh.
Thursday I decided to just relax, do some stretches, apply heat, and not venture anywhere. Stretching was a shock. One leg moved more than a foot away from my body, the more painful side only a few inches! However, this plan seemed to work since by evening I was walking fairly well again. And my day on the couch meant I did a lot of organising for going away. Yay!
Friday I’d arranged to meet a friend from Wyandotte, Michigan (near Detroit). She’s part of an email group I joined about twenty years ago. The group was an offshoot of a Coronation Street newsgroup back before the internet looked so pretty. We’ve all met over the years and now Kate was in the UK doing her annual Doc Martin fan trip in the Somerset area. I’d booked afternoon tea at The Hilton Paddington so she could easily bring her cases in on her way to Heathrow to go home.
And I was good to go! Walking easily too, but took some pills just in case. I’d read online about a great new transport app called City Mapper so installed it and explored. The app shows every single transport method in the area to get wherever you’re going. This includes public transport, Uber, bike stations…and I noticed a little green icon I’d never seen before. Looking further it was a new ride sharing system under the TFL network, Smart Ride. One of their stops was just across at the Little Local. To get to Paddington, I’d be sharing with up to seven more people, it would take an hour and my first fare would be a discounted £4 (usually £9). To compare this – if I were paying full fare on public transport, it would cost £4.90, and by mini cab £26. Deal!
I could track my ride, which arrived on time, a Mercedes Benz minivan and I was and remained the only passenger all the way. Comfortable, quiet, competent – yes! I love it. Duly shared with friends and maybe I’ll get some referral money.
I do not like Paddington station. It’s my least favourite. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s the layout but it has a lot to do with how unsavoury I think this part of town is. If I were just arriving for the first time to London from Heathrow, I’d be more than a bit disheartened at my first view of this city.One day I’ll explore the Paddington Shop but this time I only glanced at the goods – other fish to fry!
I shopped for envelopes for Krish. Then I went to where Kate’s train was arriving but I didn’t see her, back to the Paddington shop area. Eventually, Kate showed up looking bewildered and off we went to the hotel. At first, I was disappointed in the Hilton. The lobby was dark and shabby, the way I see most of Paddington, W2. However, the part where they serve tea was modern, bright and quite lovely.
We each sank into some a comfortable (once you get into it and then struggle back out of it) armchair and waited for tea. Service was pretty attentive. The tea? I’ll give it 6/10 – sandwiches a bit dry and skimpy apart from the smoked salmon (on a half brioche, with a caviar garnish no less) little cakes for sharing rather than one of each for both of us, only one small scone. However, the amount was more than enough and we knew we could ask for more sandwiches.
We chatted and Kate shared her Doc Martin/Martin Clunes stories from her visit and showed me some photos and videos. A pleasant interlude. Then I ordered an Addison Lee ride for her, which she later told me was wonderful – of course!
My ride home was long and I felt a bit sick after all that food. I watched some This is Us on my phone and hung in there. Around Kings Cross, it suddenly got dark and the rain pelted down for several minutes. On City Road, about 3/4 to Whitechapel, we slowed right down. Two cars had collided and were blocking traffic. Didn’t look too serious, happily, but held us up for quite a while.
I was stopping in Whitechapel to pick up some food from Needoo Grill on New Road. I’d heard about Needoo when some years ago a work colleague took me there. We had such a lovely lunch, I started to go more regularly but always take out. Eating there was fine but if I had to use the toilet the strong smell of mothballs didn’t do it for me! It kind of countered my whole food experience! But they make a lovely dish called Punjabi Tinda (baby ‘eggplant’ – actually a gourd called Tinda), have a very nice and cheap naan, and make a fantastic mango lassi.
It’s Eid and the guy behind the counter was smiling and very friendly. We chatted a bit and I ordered the tinda, two naan, and another favourite – Dhal with aubergine. He threw in some chocolate when I mentioned I was treating myself to ‘not cooking dinner.’ Back at the bus stop, another crowd – this time there was a man lying in the road with several police around him. I’m not sure if he was injured or was being arrested but I moved on quickly to my bus.
Very glad to get home. A couple of hours later I ate some of that delicious food, and there’s more to eat another time.
A very successful day, one that I thought might not happen after my painful Wednesday evening!