Using public transport

I am on a train in Edinburgh on my way to a popular tourist spot. I was the only one on this carriage as it left Edinburgh. Only one other person boarded the train before I got off four stations down the line. I can only assume this is in part due to the corona virus as the weather was glorious.










This is where I was headed.

My travel update

Thank you for all your comments about my travel dilemma. Until I had made my final decision I could think of nothing else. So much so, that these photos were taken whilst on a short cut back from one of my 'Underground' walks, only it wasn't a shortcut. I ended up walking alongside the wrong branch of the river in the wrong direction! Still what's another 3 miles added to a walk when you want some thinking time!

So instead of packing my case with summer clothes and getting on a flight to Hanoi tomorrow I will be putting my waterproofs and woolies into a backpack and heading north in my little car (once I have had a new tyre put on it!!).

The risk for me of bringing back the coronavirus from Vietnam, Cambodia or Thailand to my family (my daughter's health puts her into a high risk category) was too high.  I would also have to go into self isolation for 14 days.

The downside is that I cannot claim a refund either from the travel company or my insurance company as travel is still being allowed to these countries. Anyway, I'll let you know where I end up over the next couple of weeks on my trip around the UK on a shoestring.

Golden Square, Soho

Golden Square in Soho has a long history having been laid out in the 17th century. During the 1700s many foreign diplomatic envoys lived around the square. Charles Dickens chose it for  the setting of the gloomy home of Ralph Nickelby in his book Nicholas Nickelby in 1839. By the end of the 19th century the area was home  to the wool trade. By 1900 there were at least 70 firms connected with the yarn trade based in the square.  During WW2 an air raid shelter was dug under the square. After the war the gardens were restored and open to the public in 1952. 

Modern sculptures currently on display in the garden. Quite bizarre really.

The roses were gifted to the City of Westminster from Sophia, Bulgaria in 1972.

The statue was erected in the garden in 1753 and is thought to be Charles II

Dilemma

Many of you have been asking about my travel plans for this year.  My first trip is to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand next week. In April I am on a coastal walk around Norfolk on the East coast of England. In June I am in Paris and in September another long distance walk in Scotland. Those are the trips that have been booked. However, the dilemma is about whether or not to go to Vietnam etc. The coronavirus is spreading rapidly and whilst I don't fear for my own safety and would be taking all known preventative actions, I am worried about bringing the virus back home and passing it on to my daughter and grandchildren. At the moment I am undecided but the risks seem to be increasing on a daily basis. The best outcome for me would be a government ban on travel to these countries but that is unlikely. What would you do?
Postscript:
I have spoken to the travel company and at the moment the tour is going ahead. If I cancel, the cost will not be refunded either by the travel co. or the insurance co. Money is only refunded if the gov decide to ban visits there. It is all  about the risk to my family which would be high.

Walk around Downe

This is the first walk  that I have done, since we've had the storms, which have left a lot of damage and floods in their wake.

Saw lots of snowdrops.

This tree had fallen across the pathway but fortunately it was easy to get climb over.

What wasn't so easy was the mud! Because of brambles etc you need to keep to the paths but hauling yourself through the deep mud was energy sapping. You also needed to watch what you were doing as the last thing you want is to end up on your backside in the mud.

The walk took me through the village of Downe. There are a couple of pubs and cafes so you can stop off for refreshments if you want. I was only doing a short walk of 5 miles so I continued on my way.  Charles Darwin chose to live in Downe when he moved his family from London in 1842. It was here that he worked on his book 'On the origin of species' .

The village church of St Mary which dates from the 13th century.

Interesting place for seating.

My return walk was mainly through woodland and lots more mud. These trees must have come down in the last storm as they have  not yet been made safe.

I cleaned my boots in a puddle before changing out of them but they are going to need much more cleaning when I get home.

Frank Pick

Frank Pick (1878-1941) was the Managing Director of London Underground in the 1920s and the first Chief Executive of London Transport. He commissioned some of the most recognisable icons of London Underground's identity such as the red, blue and white tube roundel, the Johnson typeface and the art deco architecture of many underground stations designed by Charles Holden.

To celebrate his life and work there is a  large piece of artwork dedicated to his memory in the ticket hall of Piccadilly Circus underground station.

This is a permanent addition to the station's architecture incorporating the Johnson typeface and the roundel. The words used were taken from some of his lecture notes which are housed in the London Transport Museum archives.

It is worth going to Piccadilly station to just admire the colourful tile designs.

If you want to see more of Piccadilly check it out on my other blog here

Destinations 2020

At the weekend I met up with a couple of friends to go and visit the 'Destinations' exhibition at Olympia, Earls Court in London.  As it is always at the end of January it is the ideal time to look for new places to visit.

There are lots of different stands from the familiar ones

to the not so familiar.










This is the Gadventure stand, the company that I usually use especially when I am travelling solo.

There were also many talks happening during the day. I listened to a couple of them.

These slides are from a talk on Jetlag which was very interesting.

Well that's 2020 sorted! More about where I will be going in a future post.