London, Thursday, August 3, 2023
I cannot believe I have arrived at my last day in London. Where did the week go? And yet when I think of the amount I have covered in the last seven days, the museums I visited the places I went to and the people I met, I think I spent time in the best way I possibly could.
My day began early (as I am still on Bombay time), This left me adequate time to do my packing and to take my bags downstairs to the living room. In the course of my packing, I discovered my lost silk scarf—a matter of the deepest joy to me. I did not have any weight issues, fortunately, and with not much stress at all, I kept my bags ready to be loaded into an Uber that would take me to the airport. But first, I wanted to see one more museum—The Victoria and Albert.
Early Morning Excursion to Westminster:
I was determined to eat at least one Full English Breakfast before I left the UK. Having googled places to best accomplish this, I came upon the iconic Regency Café in Westminster which has been around for more than a century. It appeared to be your basic “greasy spoon” but one that served up an enviable meal at a fraction of the cost of the fancier places. I was also looking for company. So when my friend Farhat told me that she was free today and would be happy to join me at the Victoria and Albert Museum, I asked her if she could make it any earlier—early enough to join me for breakfast at the Regency. And she could! Next thing I knew, I made plans to meet her there at 8.30 am. Only it took me longer to get there from Battersea than I had imagined.
A Full English Breakfast at the Regency Café:
I had consulted with my friend Roz as to the best way to get to the Regency which is on Regency Street in Westninster. She googled it and suggested I take the bus to Vauxhall, then cross Vauxhall Bridge on foot and find the street over on the other side. And that was exactly what I did. In fact, once I reached Vauxhall on the 352 bus, I found out that there was the No. 2 bus that could get me over the bridge without my having to foot it out. It took about ten minutes for the bus to appear, but once I hopped on, it got me across the bridge fairly quickly. From there, it was another good 15 minute walk before the café appeared in my radar. I was still early as Farhat had told me she could not make it before 9.00 am.
When I arrived at the café entrance, there was already a line that had snaked out of the space. I joined in and read the menu, written on a black board in the front. It was clear that the place specialized in humongous breakfasts—the kind that would suffice for a whole day. About ten minutes later, Farhat appeared and, after a happy reunion, we decided that we would get the ‘Set Breakfasts”—these included a single egg (mostly fried, but I asked for mine to be scrambled and they obliged), a sausage, two thick-cut slices of the tastiest bacon, baked beans or a grilled tomato (I went for the beans), two slices of toast and coffee. I also asked for a side of mushrooms (they were the giant black portobello kind—delish!) and Farhat asked for a side of hash browns. We shared the mushrooms and hash browns and had a hugely substantial breakfast—all of 9.75 pounds which is cheaper than can be found at any place. Plus you get the weight of history that such a place can offer. It is done in 1920s décor with green checked curtain, Formica-topped tables, an open kitchen and a person who took orders with a stentorian voice that would easily wake the dead! The café has been the location of many well-known TV series (The Sweeney with John Thaw, for instance, and some British films too).
Farhat and I found a corner in which we enjoyed our meal with lots of ketchup and brown sauce and what a grand breakfast it made! Of course, we chatted nineteen to the dozen before we finished every last morsel on our plates and were ready to get going—to the next course of action.
A Terrific Tour of the Victoria and Albert Museum:
My friend Farhat is a trained artist and I discovered during breakfast that she is able to do black and white pencil drawings like a pro. She is also familiar with the many museums all over the city of London as she moved here over three months ago and has finally found her bearings. When I suggested the V&A as our point of meeting, she suggested we take the Highlights Tour which began at 10.30 am. Accordingly, we took the Tube from St. James’ Park Tube Station (I pointed out to her the wonderful sculpture dotted all around the station by the famous British sculptor, Jacob Epstein) and were on the Tube to South Kensington from where I showed her the underground passage that led directly to the great museums of Albertopolis.
How lucky we were that we made it exactly on time, just when the guide was about to launch on the tour. For the next one hour, we gave ourselves up to the sheer pleasure of putting ourselves in the hands of an expert guide who knew her material like the back of her hand and was able to convey it so effortlessly and with so much style and fluency. Indeed a dream guide! Later, she said her name was Natalie.
So here are the items to which she led us:
Dale Chihuly Chandelier in the main lobby
1.Ceramics from the Tomb of Buyanquli Khan in Bukhara, Uzbekistan (I have been to the actual venue and seen the necropolis or burial site and, believe me, those ceramics had left me open-mouthed).
2.The Raphael Cartoons
3.Bas Relief and Fire Basket by Charles Sergeant Jagger (in the Sculpture section)
4.The Inner Courtyard with pond and architectural elements
5.Chinese red lacquer throne from Quing Dynasty
6.The Cast Courts with Trajan’s Column
7.These items were on the tour and when it was finished, I raced to take Farhat to see the incredible Henry Cole Ceramic Staircase which is one of my own favorites in the museum, I also showed her the Poynter, Gamble and Morris Rooms that form the most beautiful cafeteria in any museum anywhere in the world—and she fully agreed with me.
And so it was that by 12 noon, we made our way out of the V&A after spending a really terrific morning there. It was wonderful to be in the company of a real artist whose eye allowed her to appreciate the finest nuances of a work of art and to see it through her eyes. We walked briskly along the road to get to South Kensington Station from where I knew I could get a bus directly to Battersea. Farhat walked me to the bus stop and waited for me until my bus showed up. In a short while, I boarded it and was off. It would not be long before I would arrive at Battersea High Steet (my stop) ready to call an Uber to get to the airport where I intended to arrive by 1.30 pm for my 4.30 pm flight.
Off to the Airport where Another Adventure Awaits:
My Uber driver appeared in just ten minutes and after thanking Roz for her warmth and hospitality, I was off to Heathrow airport. My driver used Ways to find the best way to get me there and within 45 minutes, I was at the Virgin Atlantic desk ready to check in for my 4.30 pm flight with ample time to spare.
And this is where the adventure began. Since my flight was overbooked, the ground staff requested me to take a later flight. Since I was alone and the next flight was only 2 hours later, I decided to go for it. They offered compensation by way of a voucher for 250 pounds—not a bad deal. They also offered me an upgrade to Premium Economy and, all said and done, it did not seem like a bad idea to me at all. I had two more hours to spare at the airport and I filled it by looking at some of the shops at which I could use the voucher. Jo Malone, of course, immediately, came to mind. I hope I can use the voucher on my way back.
Finally, it was time for my flight to be announced and I made my way to the gate. I had a lovely travel companion called James Hackland who turned out to be a British research scientist at Memorial Sloane Kettering Hospital in Manhattan. He works on stem cell research and he was able to give me really interesting information about himself and his line of work. I found the extra leg room such a blessing, not to mention the really good food on the flight. Aside from drinks, I had a gin and tonic and a nice meal of pulled pork, the best part was being served a Full Afternoon Tea on the flight—one that included delicious sandwiches, a scone (complete with clotted cream and strawberry jam) and two types of cake: Battenburg Cake and a terrific caramel éclair! Can you even imagine my joy in these unexpected delights? Indeed, it was such a fitting exit from my favorite city that I simply cannot get over my blessings.My problems began when I touched down at Kennedy airport. Although Immigration and Baggage Retrieval was a breeze, when I was in the airport precinct, I realized that my SIM card would not work and that the airport’s wifi system was down. It was simply unbelievable that you could arrive at one of the world’s greatest airports, in this day and age, and not have wifi. At Heathrow, free unlimited wifi is available for the asking, but in New York, it was another story altogether. Meanwhile, all kinds of Uber touts buzzed around me looking for the kill and it was with growing anxiety that I made my way to the Traveler’s Help Desk where a lovely girl consented to let me use her hot point. With it, I was able to reach my Uber driver, get a vehicle and make my way out towards Connecticut, I cannot even begin to tell you how expensive my ride was (almost $200) but I had no choice and I had to take it.
In the Uber, the driver was also kind enough to give me his hot point and I was able to call Llew and let him know that I had landed safely in New York and was in the Uber headed to Westport to my friend Leslie’s place. It would be a good 90 minutes (thanks to traffic in Queens) before I was able to reach her place. It was well past midnight by this point, but she was awake and welcoming and gave me the warmest hug. Yes, I had dropped off and snoozed a bit in the Uber. This allowed me to spend about an hour chatting with her and finding my way around her home as she showed me lights, bathroom facilities, etc. and made me very comfortable. It was not long before I was getting ready for bed after what had been a truly adventurous day!
Until tomorrow, cheerio!
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