Quick London Run

by · Published · Updated

Didn’t think that I’d be updating this blog again so soon, but here goes. I was in London recently for a quick trip. I was invited to apply for a sponsored internship to attend an environmental planning workshop hosted by Nauru Ocean Minerals Inc (NORI). The original venue was Ghent, Belgium, however it was changed to London following the Paris attacks and ensuing raids in Belgium.

I was only told on the Monday that I had been selected to attend, which was really short notice considering I left the Wednesday of the following week.

So off to London I went armed with rum and sweet treats for my cousins, whom I’d be seeing at some point. I don’t know if those trans-Atlantic fights (15hrs) earlier in the year between New York and South Africa (en route to Namibia) broke me in, but I felt like we reach London quick!

Once I arrived in London I made my way over to and onto the Gatwick Express. This service takes you directly in to the centre of London in 30 mins. I was once again back in jolly old England; except that there’s not much that jolly about England in December! I then took one of those typical London black cabs to my hotel… And what a hotel it was. I was booked into the London Marriott County Hall, and all I can say is location, location, location!!! The entrance to the hotel is right off Westminster bridge. Step outside and I could see Big Ben and Westminster Palace across the bridge. Look out my window, and there was the London Eye!! The location really could not have been much better; right on the Thames. Easy access to all the action.

View from my hotel room window

My face when I see the view from my room window

I had gotten in early enough that I figured that I would be able to walk about and explore a great deal still that day, however jet lag had other ideas for me. I was only able to bestir myself when the pangs of hunger roused me. I was then finally able to get it together and hit the road. I really didn’t have to go far, as I mentioned before, just a couple steps and I was in front of the London Eye and all the Southbank activity.

Boom baby!!

I took a leisurely walk along the Southbank in search of (affordable – London is pricey yes) food. What was a mini-amusement park the last time I visited this spot, was now set up as a Christmas market ( Holiday Market to be politically correct).I decided to go check it out. It turned out to be a good choice. There were several food stalls with a range of cuisines available from Indian to Mediterranean, to Swedish meatballs and New Orleans Southern fare. There was even a two storey Swedish cider lodge set up.

Swedish CIder house

Mind you, this is temporary; it will all come down once the season is over. I finally decided on a lamb and hummus wrap from the Mediterranean stall, it was delish.

I hung around a bit and people watched until it started to rain, which was bad enough, and then the wind started. I scampered back towards the hotel, but not before trying to take a few shots of Big Ben.

Big Ben

I soon gave up because of the rain blowing in my face and retreated to the comfort of bed.

The next morning I woke up and got dressed leaving more than enough time to grab some breakfast before the workshop began. I knew it would be pricey (or more like overpriced) there in the hotel, but no way was I going out in the dark and cold morning. I wasn’t feeling for a big breakfast, so I ordered a croissant and apple juice. Simple enough right?When the bill came, lo and behold, the apple juice was more expensive than the croissant!!.

Anyway I headed ff to the sessions and mixed and mingled a little before the workshop got started.

The world sometimes truly seems small. When I was studying in in Southampton, I met Fadilah, a Trini doing her PhD who also happened to be a long time friend of my own friend Ravi. She introduced me to Diva, another Trini PhD candidate at the oceanography centre there. It was nice making a little Caribbean connection that semester. Diva had told me that she and one of her PhD supervisors (a lead researcher from the Natural History Museum in London) had had an adventure in JA once, while waiting on a research vessel to dock there. Who should end up sitting beside me at the workshop but this very same supervisor?!!!

The sessions were pretty good and interesting contributions were made by participants. That evening was the workshop dinner. I had just enough time for a cat nap before it was time to head over to the Italian restaurant it was being hosted at.

Having gotten to the meeting room early, with no one in sight until just about when the workshop was to begin, I decided to sleep in a little longer the next morning. I went down and ordered the same croissant, but sans the juice as I discovered the day before that a range of beverages were served at the workshop ;).

While sipping some tea during the morning’s break I looked out the window and this is what I saw:

A random cycling Santa convention. I still have no idea what that was all about.

It turned out be another productive and informative day. I’m very glad that I was afforded the opportunity to attend.

Several of the participants left London that same evening, but I was invited to have dinner with some of those remaining, including the workshop leader. We ended up at a Mexican restaurant. Mexican food is not really a favourite for me, but everyone else was game so I just went with it.

I had extra day in London as my flight home was on the Monday. I had entertained visions of walking down to Buckingham Palace, or even visiting the Tate museum before making my way to my cousin’s house (where I’d be spending the night). Or even just going for a stroll over to Westminster Abbey.

Ha, no such thing. I was tired and outside was dark, dank, cold and grey.; not the least bit encouraging to this island girl. London is really one of the easiest cities to navigate, but I didn’t relish the thought of doing such with my luggage in tow. Heck, I’d been to Westminster square already, I could pass this time.

So I lolled about until checkout time, and then started to make my way to my cousin’s; which involved taking another taxi (fancy aren’t we? ) and a train. That evening I looked out the window at about 4pm and it was as black as night. Even though I’ve lived in Europe, I’m still never quite used to that.

You know its not a proper Ren trip without even a toops of drama, so here it is. Would you believe I overslept the next morning? After careful route planning and supposedly setting an alarm, I somehow missed a step. Luckily my body clock was up and running, so I was able to recover and get to the train station in time.

Due to some confusion and kerfuffle caused by some other passengers and their children, I ended up being bumped up to the World Traveller Plus cabin (which is essentially business class on British Airways) as a courtesy. So the journey home was quite comfortable.

That seems to be it for this year folks. I’ve posted about my trips to Mauritius, my life at sea in the Indian Ocean, and Namibia in addition to this one. I wonder what adventures 2016 will bring?! More anon…