Homeless

Having closed the apartment door for the last time, said tearful farewells to Goon and tenants and sped off in K.Kantapong's taxi, we are now officially homeless. Goodbye Bangkok; we'll see you again before too long I'm sure.

One 12-hour flight later, we are in the unremarkable but pleasantly leafy suburb of Sudbury Hill in north-west London, staying as ever with Kate & Nick plus whichever of their five children happen to be around. Gotta say, London looked glorious as we drove into the West End in our bright red rental Hyundai. Blue skies & just the right temperature; busy Notting Hill pavements flanked by trees, bookshops, cafes and pubs laden with hanging flowers; people carrying the Sunday papers; decent pavements; envy-inducing townhouses in Kensington; parks full of families; Wimbledon on the radio; past grand museums and the Royal Albert Hall (Proms about to start)... and all from traffic that keeps moving. I could get used to this.