This week I learned something about myself… I’m good company!
Well I mean I can’t say that from an outside perspective but this week I had a date with myself and we had a damn good time.
Let me explain:
There are so many things that I want to do, so many things I want to see! And whilst I don’t have enough money to travel the world like some, I certainly have enough to explore my surrounding areas. And one place I’ve always wanted to explore is the great city of London!
I want to go to museums, walk the streets and see grand buildings, stroll through gorgeous green parks in our nation’s capital. So on Monday I decided, why wait? Why sit at home wanting to do something, just bloody well do it! (insert Shia LaBeouf gif here)
I’ve always thought that if you want to have a good time, or go for a day out, you have to have company, a friend or other half to do things with. But I realised something (Kylie Jenner did say this was the year of realising things and we all know Kylie J is full of wisdom.. and collagen) – if I sit around and wait for someone to text me and say “hey Vicki lets go out and do something fun” or for me to text them and wait for us both to have a free day that coincides, I’ll never see or do half the things I really want to. I’m a freelancer, which means I often have free days during the working week and expecting someone to also be free on a Monday to hang out and go to London, it’s not likely! Not to mention I’m a single gal surrounded by friends nearby who are in couples, so I’m often going to find
myself bored or even lonely (there I said it, I get lonely sometimes!) So I didn’t wait around, I didn’t wait for the allusive text which isn’t going to happen. I didn’t wait for someone to be free, I just went and did it!
And I had the best day…
When you go out by yourself you can do WHATEVER you want. No deciding between a group of where to next. No arguments over where to have lunch (not another restaurant we also have 10 minutes down the road please *massive eye roll*). YOU DECIDE!
So I planned my day out as I sat on my train in the morning. It was filled with places I wanted to go, where they were, nearest tube stops and when they were open. I knew I wouldn’t be able to go everywhere I wanted, there were about six museums on the list! But I wanted them all listed so I had options.
Now I should say there are some downsides to doing things on your own. You can’t exactly share your excitement with the person standing next to you because you might get some weird looks. And I also spoke to a stranger on the Tube and she looked mightily freaked out (seriously why don’t people talk to each other, you’re in an enclosed space for 10 minutes, sometimes longer!)
So first up on my trip around London was the Science Museum in South Kensington. I’ve been to the V&A before, I’ve been to the Natural History Museum before, but one I really wanted to do for a long long time was the Science Museum.
The thing I love about museums is the sense of wonder I feel when I walk in. I love to learn, history being a favourite subject of mine, and seeing these priceless artefacts, reading about how technology has changed over time, it fascinates me. Seeing one of the earliest film cameras and thinking about how easy it is to film something now. Looking at the first motor car and thinking about how people from that time would find my little KA so advanced, even though it’s not really considered that now (sorry KA but you’re not an interesting car). It makes me put things in perspective. About how me and my problems are only a tiny tiny part of history.
Probably the most exciting exhibit was the exhibit entitled “Who Am I?” All sounds really deep and philosophical, but was actually about what makes a person, their genes, their bodies, their feelings etc… There I was able to take part in a neurological study, I didn’t get all the info but something about learning about healthy brains and how they react so they can help improve treatment for dementia patients.. so that was pretty awesome! I also played a lot of interactive games and quizzes. The weirdest one being an optical illusion where I had my hand stroked by a brush.. it didn’t actually work on me either…
Damn I’m gonna be a GILF.. maybe not..
I also got to see what I would look like if I was a guy… And also what I will look like when I’m old. Which is a truly terrifying thought!
So I ended up spending a lot longer in the museum than planned (it’s all those damn interactive exhibits, I just turn into a kid again) and by the time I had left it was three in the afternoon and I still hadn’t had any lunch! It was then I got out my phone and looked at my surroundings on maps… That’s when I realised just how close I was to Hyde Park which just so happened to be on my list. It was about a ten minute walk away (or Vicki speed 15 – 20..) so I did what all London tourists do, I rented out a boris bike!
That’s when it started pissing it down..
But still I had a little ride around and through Hyde Park and it was actually amazing! The park itself is beautiful, even in pouring rain, but what I enjoyed most was actually just being by myself, going the routes I wanted to go. No one rushing me. No one wanting to go further than I wanted to. Just me, my thoughts, and the green around me. Serene is a good word for it, I think.
Probably my favourite picture of the whole day..
Next up I NEEDED to find food before I became hangry (when will this become an official word?) I was reminded of a restaurant that had been recommended to me by a girl at work which only has shops in central London frustratingly, Abokado! It took me about 15 minutes to work out which branch was closest to me and then another 5 to work out how to get there from my current tube station, Marble Arch. But after all that I finally ate and it was delicious!! And with excellent service and at such a cheap price (most meals are between £4-5) it was well worth the wait. I only included this tidbit because I really want to recommend it!
Once I was nourished I had no idea where to go next, by this point a lot of places are starting to close. So I decided to go to the Tower of London, not IN the Tower itself but just to walk around and see it. Such an iconic site I had never been to before.
Whilst there I saw a cool statue of some Roman guy, some beautiful tulips (my favourite) and the tower itself.. or well it didn’t actually look much like a tower.. but it was all old looking and I do love that stuff!
Who doesn’t love a poorly done pano?
And by this point it’s gone 6pm and I only have a little daylight left so what else could I see?
I’d read online that there is an amazing view of London from Primrose Hill, and if you’re lucky you’ll run into a celeb or two.. I’m exhausted, my legs ache and Primrose Hill is on the opposite side of London.. but when in Rome! (or when in London as it is..)
So I got back on the tube and two lines, one wrong turn and 10 stops later I was in Chalk Farm and had only an uphill walk in front of me… It took everything in me but I made it to the top of Primrose Hill (it’s not that hard but it had been a long day and I had ridden a bike).
And voila.. the view was insane! And well worth the HILL!!
More panos!
By the time I got back to Waterloo and on my train back to dull and dreary Farnborough, my legs were ready to give way, but I didn’t regret a single twinge of pain because I’d had one hell of a day just for ME!
So it’s just a reminder to everyone – be independent, go do things you wanna do, don’t wait for people!
And maybe if I can save up a bit of ££ it’ll be the rest of the world next – and I won’t be scared to do it alone!
Vicki Cummins 
