English Cathedrals: Creative Dislocation

The young woman was sorting through her luggage there just outside busy Paddington Train Station. She looks up at me and says, "What's the weather for today?"

I look up at the sky and say..."Grey."

"Thanks!" she says and grabs a jacket.

I recall riding a train through the mountains of Sri Lanka. The train was swift and passed within feet of houses and neighborhoods. We would see people walk out to the back of their homes to do their business or smoke of just look at the train. And we on the train "were just passing thru" as we watched people go about their personal lives. So it is with any travel...you are "just passing thru." Real life takes place but we go on with our artificial life of dislocation.

Now, about those five extra inches of legroom on the plane.

Once when we taught school in Zambia we had some people visit us from the States. They had never been to Africa and we had been there a couple years. I said to our guest that I had a special treat for us in the afternoon. Around tea time, I got out the bread...and jam.....and butter and we had that with our tea. I was in a good mood about it all. Our guest was polite but a bit amused.

"That's it? That's the treat?!" He asked with trepidation.

I told him that it wasn't every day that we had French Bread with South African butter and English jam. It's the little things you really appreciate when you have been deprived of them. In the same way....those five extra inches of legroom meant I could stretch out a bit on a 7 hour trip. I enjoyed every dollar of the $150 bonus legroom.

So, I arrived. A day late but London was waiting.

On the Express train from Heathrow to Paddington station we zipped along quite well...but the conductor apologized for the slow moving train this morning. The Londoners rolled their eyes in disgust at the glacial pace....but I used to work on American railroads and in comparison this mornings ride was like riding with the Jetsons.

Gotta remember. Make use of airport toilets whenever possible. I hopped on the train to Paddington and when I arrived it was time to use the facilites. But alas, these cost 30 pence at the huge Paddington Staiion. I pondered that, then remembered I had some British Pounds given to me. I buy a coffee. Explain to the counter girl that I need 30 pence in change for the loo. She nods....counts out 30.....points out which is a 10 a 20 or whatever. I go to find the 30p loo. She even puts my coffee and roll aside until I return and then serves me.

I figure that if I have a Debit card and know how to negotiate the public toilets ....that's about all I need to get by in London.