Hello London

A sunny day welcomes me to London and we take to the buses. First stop is Notting Hill and the famous markets along Portabello Road. Amongst silver tea pots, old cameras and food stalls I find a beautiful pashmina scarf to start our shopping spree. Next Jane finds another cow shaped milk pourer for her collection.

Is that Hugh Grant in front of us? Alas not, but we do find the shop that he works at in the movie Notting Hill. There are masses of people enjoying the sunshine, shopping and all types of food.

We now find the famous blue door from the Notting Hill movie and do the obligatory tourist photo. We are getting a bit hungry and find a pub called The Elgin for lunch. This reminds me of Chez Elgin, my home in Melbourne.

Our next mission is to follow my google map and seek a Banksy. Down one street, up another, cross over here, beautiful houses everywhere. But we never seem to get closer to our quarry. Cross back to Portabello Road and then find the right street. Start along the Acklam Street there is art everywhere, a live band playing, kids in a skate park playing but no Banksy. We turn around and retrace our steps, then low and behold Jane spots it, Graffitti Painter protected by Perspex and surrounded by other interesting pieces. Yes, my first real Banksy in the wild.

Its so sunny we hop on another bus and end up in Belgravia. First we find the shop where Beatrice and Eugene buy their hats and then a dog and cat outfitters. The house of Vivien Leigh, one of my favourite actors is down a side street. We could keep going on for hours. Alas it is time to head for Ladywell Lodge. Into the tube we descend and are whisked towards home within minutes. On the tube we are standing with all the other Saturday shoppers. A seat comes free and this young 30 year old girl offers me the seat, I am so exhausted I take it. Now I really am feeling old.