Over the last few weeks I've had some gorgeous days out. For our anniversary me and my boyfriend went into central London. We arrived at Piccadilly and I stood, a mesmerised tourist, staring at the iconic, glowing advertising boards I had never seen before. We then walked to Trafalgar Square and to Buckingham Palace. We strolled through St James' Park and past the Ritz, sat and had coffee before going to see the 39 Steps at The Criterion Theatre.
The past two Sundays I've had equally lovely days out. One with a friend who took me to a gorgeous cake shop in South Kensington and then led me, the tourist, around the London he knew so well. We went to Harrod's, Covent Garden, Carnaby Street walked along the Thames and finished our day at Big Ben. The following Sunday, I took my boyfriend to the same little cake shop (any excuse for cake) and we too walked through London. We went to Kensington Gardens, saw The Royal Albert Hall and walked along discussing pedaloes in Hyde Park. We walked down Park Lane, past the Hard Rock Cafe, possibly even past Johnny Depp, and in all honesty, it barely cost us anything.
And now I feel dreadful for not using London more. I had been in occasionally, of course. I'd been to the museums, the South Bank Centre the O2, places like that. My trips into London were always for something in particular, to do a certain thing. Never to wander aimlessly and just see what's there and find little things that make you smile. Or find massive, gorgeous buildings that make you smile even more. I had let myself get used to the edges. I stuck to the little towns like Putney and Kingston that don't feel like London at all, but I always felt perfectly happy there. They felt safe because they felt like home.
I don't want safe any more. I want to explore and feel happy that I've gone out and experienced the city that is so close to me.
