The brain is somewhat sluggish this morning. The morning after our Joe and someday to be our Lucy’s engagement bash in Balham (gateway to the south). Not helped by not eating anything. On the way out to Balham I tried to use my room key to get through the barrier. That was before the party had even started! This morning I couldn’t get in the lift because the room key I thought I had in my pocket turned out to be my oyster card. Fortunately THG was able to leap into action with her key and up we went. Except we didn’t. We went up one floor and then back down to lobby level. Then the lift started up again. Someone had pressed the button to call it. Fortunately that person was on the fourth floor which is where we wanted to be. What an adventurous life we lead.
Now sat in the lobby watching the world go by whilst THG hits the shops. We are in Angel. The hotel is v convenient for Kings Cross and also, as it happens, Balham. Just jump on the northern line. Thirteen stops and you are there. I was born just around the corner on the Liverpool Road. On a Saturday, fwiw.
The hotel is full, as you might imagine, of tourists. Nary a word of the local tongue to be heard. Even amongst the American visitors. Mind you I’m not sure I could understand a lot of what the born and bred (and buttered) Londoner says anyway these days. Twill be a sad day when cockney rhyming slang disappears into the history books. Lend us a monkey.
The number 214, single decker bus has just rolled by closely followed by the 205 which has an upper deck and is thus far superior as long as the front seat is free. Neither stopped at the bus stop opposite the hotel as it is currently out of use due to road works. It’s stop PN Penton Street/Chapel Market if the info is useful to you. Don’t plan your journey based on getting on or off at this stop. I did yesterday when coming from Kings Cross and had to get off a stop earlier. How annoying eh?
Couple of New Orleans Saints fans sat in the lobby. Well she is. I think his shirt says SF. Don’t want to stare to much to see what team it is. San Francisco something or other obvs. I’d say, based on a quick trawl of tinterweb because these things are important, it was the 49ers.
Have a good couple of hours to kill before we have to set off for our lunch date with Lucy’s mum and dad, the young couple, and me blood and blister Sue. There ya go. Lapsing into the vernacular. Always ‘appens when you return to your roots dannit. Although I was born here my roots are really in Wales and, actually, the Isle of Man where I spent my formative years. Dad, as the Director of Education, was instrumental in introducing Manx language lessons to primary schools on the island. Was after I’d left home so I didn’t benefit from the larnin but a nice legacy to commemorate dad’s time there.
Bloke called Hugo just sat down opposite. I assume that is his name as it is emblazoned large on the front of his shirt. Doesn’t look like a Hugo. More an Ahmed I’d have said but who am I to say. People give their children the most unlikely names. I think Moonbase Zappa changed his by deed poll. Don’t blame him. If you aren’t comfortable in your own skin sort it out. My own name is Huw Trefor Davies so not so far off being a Hugo. Probably wouldn’t have sounded right in Dolgellau in the 1960s. Ble mae Hugo heddiw? I am ok being Huw Trefor. My friends call me Tref.
In Wales it was quite common to use Trefor as a middle name. Well relatively common, ish. You would be called by both names – Huw Trefor, Robert Trefor, John Trefor etc. Not many people with the name Trefor nowadays. I started a Facebook group just for people called Trefor. It has 3 or 4 members. I messaged the 60 or so Trefors on Facebook but few of them were excited enough at the prospect to want to join the group. Needless to say it has very few posts. Perhaps that is the problem. Sokay. You run things up the flagpole, see who salutes and move on if it doesn’t work.
An hour until checkout. I suppose I should head up to the room and bring down the bags. THG is still somewhere out there in the great melting pot that is Angel Islington. All life is here.
I am now three stays away from reaching gold status for next year with Hilton Honors. This ain’t as good as it sounds because I am currently diamond but gold is fine. Building up the points for a big holiday somewhere sometime. We are unlikely to use a Hilton for our far east trip next year because a big trip like that merits staying in hotels that do justice to the location. However I can envisage a week on points in somewhere like Malta or maybe another mediterranean destination. Likely to be 2027 now. Amazingly 2026 is already looking busy and we haven’t planned any Isle of Man trips yet which is a must.
I think that’ll do for now. The cobwebs have been brushed away and I am able to see more clearly.
Ciao amigos. Hasta la vista.