The awful weather that recently turned Manhattan white is now drenching us. Typical! They get nearly a metre of snow, we just get wet.
We were due to revisit Portsmouth today but the weather gave us pause. We decided to go into London instead.
Mum has wanted to see the Science Museum and the V&A since before she arrived not just because I work there but because they’re both brilliant. Obviously.
Because of a general lack of step free routes on the Tube, I worked out a relatively hassle free bus journey. Though the trip from Waterloo to Exhibition Road took more than twice as long as the underground, we did get to see a lot more of London…and the traffic.
We were also lucky enough to see this extraordinary porta-loo.
Precarious loo
We watched a young guy, from Davlav, arrive to empty it as we waited for a connecting bus. He was not impressed with the access options. He had a moan to an employee who was having his morning cup of tea. He then took some photos before getting down to the hard graft of pumping it out.
It was fun to watch but, eventuality, a bus arrived and we jumped on it.
Sadly, it was the wrong bus which meant we had a long walk down Exhibition Road but, never mind, it’s quite a nice way to approach the museums…and it wasn’t raining. Much.
Following a bit of a wander around the Science Museum (including a glimpse of where I actually work) we had lunch where I have lunch every Friday.
That’s a cup of tea…not gin
Following an essential visit to the shop, we were then off to the V&A.
Mum chatted up the security guard who checked our bags to the extent that he remembered us when we left. This sort of thing happens all the time when I’m out with mum. Odd that it never happens to me on my own.
I showed mum my favourite piece and we had a wander around the Cast Courts where she was amazed before winding up in the shop.
“Is there a shop?” She always asks.
“Of course,” I assure her.
It was then back on the buses for the long haul back to Waterloo.
The only hiccough in the whole day was caused by a TFL bus driver. We were waiting at Lower Sloane Street when a bus arrived. It took on some passengers then left. Just as it was leaving a second bus pulled in behind. The bus stop was now full.
Our bus pulled up behind the second bus and let off some passengers. Then, the driver, rather than pull forward to pick us up, headed off without a glance in our direction.
I always thought the rules were that a bus driver wasn’t allowed to drop people off unless he was at a bus stop but I guess that’s not the case. The impact of this was that we then had to wait for the next bus which meant we missed the 4pm train back to Farnham by one minute. Still, we just had to wait half an hour for the 4:30 and I read the Cosmonauts guide I bought today.
Cosmonauts
