I left before he stopped

Before I left the lounge at Edinburgh my chappie with the phone was on call No 17. Flight left on time despite the fact that I was given a row for tryin to take a photo of the plane - forbidden in Edinburgh as other places, but here we do not get locked up. Does anyone here not know what an aeroplane look like !!!

Flight south was very good, the steward kept me going with Mr Gordon's favourite tipple, thanks, and I managed to read a small book called "Newhaven on Forth, My story of a living village" by Jim park, fascinating memoirs of his life as a child in Newhaven, Edinburgh. He has a tremendous memory of names, streets, and the minute of every day life from his birth in May 1924 .

Into London City airport and only seven minutes to wait for the DLR ( Docklands Light Railway) train to head into Bank and walk through to Monument for the District tube. Past the O'2 Dome, Canary Wharf, etc, the whole area being redeveloped before the London Olympics.

Arrival at the Strand Palace Hotel was a bit traumatic , room did not appear to be booked for me, however I did exercise restraint and waited patiently, using the the chill out techniques as taught by master Sparky Mark, and eventually I was sorted and in a warm quiet room.

Off out into the streets , not paved with gold, and checked out the prices for a show at the theatre next door, started at £67 and down to £37 ( but you need binoculars) - change of mind so it was a long walk through Chinatown , Soho, the theatre areas, till the rain was too wet and cold and then back to base for a Hardy's black current juice !!

Now , just have to survive tll breakfast