a lot of the time, i’m a really sucky londoner – i rarely leave my little zone of work/home lately, and i almost never make it across the river into north london.

but there were two instances recently where i realised how much i’ve limited myself. first, we had dinner plans with friends down at gabriel’s wharf the other evening. they were a bit late arriving, and it was one of those really mild but windy nights that feel so invigorating your feet start to tingle. so we walked around the south bank, people watching, looking at all the lovely lights, listening to the water. i was so annoyed i didn’t have my camera with me because the christmas lights, and st. paul’s illuminated against the night sky, and the restaurants aglow were all so beautiful i just wanted to capture them. and i remembered other winter nights long ago, when i used to come down to the south bank, and how much i enjoyed it then. i’m not sure how or why i forgot to come down there anymore, but it made me sad that i let it drift away from me.

then again, today. i’d decided i needed to start taking my lunch hour and just get out of the office for some air (which i never do). so i walked across vauxhall bridge and wandered up past the tate museum, past gorgeous stately buildings and riverside gardens. i walked all the way up to the houses of parliament and westminster abbey, and it occurred to me that i hadn’t been near them in years probably. there was a shiny cold afternoon sun beaming down on the golden spires, and a stiff breeze coming off the water, and i had some amazing music playing on the ipod, and it struck me once again just how much i’ve taken london for granted lately. how little effort i put into taking part of this city i live in. the london eye was towering proudly and the graceful arch of bridges seemed to be keeping the two sides of the city from floating apart. there were buses and boats gliding by, and even the green monstrosity of the mi5 building and the looming hulk of the battersea power station seemed to claim their place in the landscape. i hadn’t bothered to pause and appreciate these things for ages – and it has been my loss. i’ve worked in the same location for a year, and never once explored what was at the doorstep.

i need to make the effort – because one day i won’t live here anymore, and you can’t miss what you don’t remember.

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