I recently quit my job (the phrase 'effective immediately' is a joy to say - try it next time you want to quit your job and never return. It's immense.)
So as such I have lots of time on my hands - I have plans for next year, but I'm slightly in limbo as I've got 2 weeks until Christmas, and it's just impossible to get anything done with Christmas approaching. So I'm taking some down time, then getting my arse in gear come January.
That means I've got two weeks of great mellow time - which I'm spending laying about the flat, pissing around on the internet, watching Xena and making cookies and then eating said cookies. Joy.
Yesterday I took an afternoon nap (which I should know by now, is ridiculous. I am not a nap person.) consequently I found myself bolt upright at 5:30am wondering if having a coffee would somehow push me off the edge and send me straight to sleep (scrambled logic admittedly, but warm milk was doing fuck all!) - so ended up taking an early morning stroll around North West London.
I left the flat in almost darkness, in two pairs of leggings under some jeans, a giant all-purpose weather coat and massive headphones acting as ear warmers. I instantly regretted my decision to leave my nice warm toasty bed to be outside in wind so icy it was like headbutting a snowman - but I continued on nonetheless, and had a genuinely cracking morning.
I walked along the Grand Union canal (which is right outside my house, and is one of those things I never ever take for granted - every time I walk past it I marvel at its' quiet beauty) and found a little canal boat selling cups of tea to passing cyclists, so got myself a cup of tea and wondered along the canal feeling pretty wonderful (if slightly mental).
As the sun started to rise, I found myself amongst quite a large block of industrial buildings (I think I was somewhere past Ladbroke Grove) - and amidst them I spotted a tiny alleyway - it was called something really cute, I can't think what, I wish I'd made a note! Anyway I followed it and it lead to some little old stone steps, which I couldn't help but walk up - I felt like I was in Pan's Labyrinth or a similar magical horror story -and after a little urban climb, I ended up on the roof of one of the industrial buildings. Not very glamorous and exciting - walking up the rickety stairs a part of me thought "I've definitely discovered the back entrance to Narnia" - but after getting over the initial disappointment, I realised I was in quite a cool, random spot.
I put my bag and tea down, lit a fag, and looked around - and at that moment it hit me.
It was beautiful. Genuinely, heartstoppingly, beautiful.
A clear view of a morning sun rising across foggy grey London rooftops - I felt like when you look at other people's travel photos of Vienna or St Petersburg or New York - except it was my home town.
I felt like I'd never properly seen London before, like I was looking into it's dark, gentle, old, proud heart - and and it was strangely nostalgic.
Anyway, wildly unprepared, I hadn't brought a camera - and I will regret that forever.
But it looked and felt a little like this..
So as such I have lots of time on my hands - I have plans for next year, but I'm slightly in limbo as I've got 2 weeks until Christmas, and it's just impossible to get anything done with Christmas approaching. So I'm taking some down time, then getting my arse in gear come January.
That means I've got two weeks of great mellow time - which I'm spending laying about the flat, pissing around on the internet, watching Xena and making cookies and then eating said cookies. Joy.
Yesterday I took an afternoon nap (which I should know by now, is ridiculous. I am not a nap person.) consequently I found myself bolt upright at 5:30am wondering if having a coffee would somehow push me off the edge and send me straight to sleep (scrambled logic admittedly, but warm milk was doing fuck all!) - so ended up taking an early morning stroll around North West London.
I left the flat in almost darkness, in two pairs of leggings under some jeans, a giant all-purpose weather coat and massive headphones acting as ear warmers. I instantly regretted my decision to leave my nice warm toasty bed to be outside in wind so icy it was like headbutting a snowman - but I continued on nonetheless, and had a genuinely cracking morning.
I walked along the Grand Union canal (which is right outside my house, and is one of those things I never ever take for granted - every time I walk past it I marvel at its' quiet beauty) and found a little canal boat selling cups of tea to passing cyclists, so got myself a cup of tea and wondered along the canal feeling pretty wonderful (if slightly mental).
As the sun started to rise, I found myself amongst quite a large block of industrial buildings (I think I was somewhere past Ladbroke Grove) - and amidst them I spotted a tiny alleyway - it was called something really cute, I can't think what, I wish I'd made a note! Anyway I followed it and it lead to some little old stone steps, which I couldn't help but walk up - I felt like I was in Pan's Labyrinth or a similar magical horror story -and after a little urban climb, I ended up on the roof of one of the industrial buildings. Not very glamorous and exciting - walking up the rickety stairs a part of me thought "I've definitely discovered the back entrance to Narnia" - but after getting over the initial disappointment, I realised I was in quite a cool, random spot.
I put my bag and tea down, lit a fag, and looked around - and at that moment it hit me.
It was beautiful. Genuinely, heartstoppingly, beautiful.
A clear view of a morning sun rising across foggy grey London rooftops - I felt like when you look at other people's travel photos of Vienna or St Petersburg or New York - except it was my home town.
I felt like I'd never properly seen London before, like I was looking into it's dark, gentle, old, proud heart - and and it was strangely nostalgic.
Anyway, wildly unprepared, I hadn't brought a camera - and I will regret that forever.
But it looked and felt a little like this..
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