Day out in London

We were invited by Dan Raza to come into the K2K studio in Kilburn for his radio show, Sprit and Roots so we decided to make a London day of it. Catching the train from Polegate, we got up to Victoria and decided to walk past Buckingham Palace and through the parks to the V&A. We both originally came from South London but neither of us remember ever having walked through Hyde Park. It was wonderful – lots of wildlife and not too many people. 
The V&A is an amazing place and we could honestly have spent many more happy hours there. Jim had to check his guitar in at the cloakroom which was good as we weren’t looking forward to lugging it around all day! Highlights of the museum were Theatre and Performance, Japan, Design 1900-now and the Stained glass. All very creatively inspiring. 
After a rushed bite to eat we hopped onto the tube at Kensington to get to the radio station. We had a great time with Dan, played a couple of numbers and had a good long chat about influences and our songwriting and other plans. As the cajon is a bit big to carry on the tube, we left it at home and Josie improvised with some ‘thigh’ drumming using her Wagamama chopsticks.
The tube back was delayed and the platforms crowded so we surfaced at Oxford Circus and walked back to Victoria to catch the late train home.
It was a day of contrast – from the spotlessly clean streets around the palace, the friendliness of the staff at the V&A and the opulence of the collections, to the weary and wary travellers, homeless people and litter in and around the tube. Having been talking with Paul, a man on the tube who was homeless and had been riding the trains all day to keep warm, the displays of excessive wealth we walked past – designer shoes, handbags, cocktail bars and the showroom of electric Range Rovers (opposite the Rolls Royce showroom) for over £100,000 – seemed all the more obscene.
On the train on the way up to London we spent the whole journey discussing our event plans for the coming year. On the way back we were a lot quieter, both digesting and considering the day’s experiences – I’m sure there will be some song ideas to come.