Day #2 as tourists in London

Friday 18th April

A late start this morning – a public holiday meant hardly anyone rushing past Jannock on their way to work. We decided to take some exercise and walk to Portobello market for a mooch. We got there well before the tourists, the real ones, did and had a good look around. Following a group of Italians, one of which was pushing a bicycle, led us to wonder “what is the Italian for spokey dokeys?” Answers on a postcard please.

Having done the market and started the return trip the need for a cuppa and some calories kicked in. We returned to a stall where an NHS chef was demonstrating how to make a balti  but it wasn’t quite cooked. All I got was his spice mix recipe. Requests on a postcard please.

We had noticed a place advertising ‘all day breakfasts’ that was not of the cocktail lounge, yogurt smoothie or spelt ciabatta ilk at the posh (Notting Hill) end of the market, so we headed there. Wonderful, it was a Malay cafe with curry puffs !!! ( if you know me well you’ll understand ) So, we had lunch and curry puffs on the side. Their tea was excellent too. Another £15 for two lunches, even in Kensington and Chelsea.

The area probably was the reason for my smile when a grandmother impatiently reprimanded her charge with “Tarquin, do stop that chanting”. We just thought he was humming quietly. Grandma’s boyfriend came in and was singing snatches of old crooner classics loudly throughout their meal, but seemed quite acceptable – poor child.

Back at Jannock and we got a phone call from Peter on Gecko. The boat moored next to him in the basin was just leaving, did we want to move down into the vacated space? We untied Jannock, made our way up to the junction at the top of the arm and winded. Then returned past our original spot and moved down into the basin proper. At least the solar panel will benefit from full exposure to whatever sunshine is available now.

Brenda