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Jan. 1st, 2008 04:49 pmSo, I got in at 5am this morning, fell into bed but was up by 9.30 - so am a little bit zombied!
It's 15 years since my brother and I went to London for the New Year - when we used to go the streets were free and unfettered. We'd park near Waterloo, meander along the embankment. Drink wine near the Shell building, wander across Westminster Bridge, stand beneath Big Ben for teh bongs. Trip along and through Trafalgar Square with all the Auld Lang Syne and cheer, before eventually driving out along the Embankment and homebound.
Things have changed. Last night we completed a challenge - Drive through Central London without making *any* left turns! Everywhere was blocked off. It tooks us hours to get anywhere near our planned location,and we ended up parking in a dark, out of the way sidestreet. Our challenge was still not finished however, 'cos they'd closed every other road and bridge to pedestrians also!
We submitted to the inevitable, found ourselves a spot right in front of the Eye and saw in the New Year beneath the ferris, with the "best firework display on the planet" going on overhead - and actually? It was fabulous. For someone so terrible antisocial, it is amazing how uplifting it can be to be stood in the centre of a press of 40,000 people! The atmosphere was great though, no evident ill feeling, just masses of people, all ages (including some who were *far* too young to be drinking!) just having a mellow time.
What was different from before however was the change in focus - before it was all about building to the crescendo - the anticipation of midnight, which when it came carried you on for the next hour or so - just meandering through the streets, hugging and yelling and cheering and wishing everyone you see HNY - this time it was all about the fireworks - so you stood awed by them (they were rather fantastic) for the 15 minutes or so - by which time the momentum had passed.
It was good though - we had a laugh. I succesfully navigated my brother through the city, having to rethink at every junction as we realised that yet another road was blocked. We passed the Blind Beggar pub on the in and outward journey - which is kind of a reassuring landmark for me - I used to get very excited when I saw it, now I'm not excited as such, but remember the excitement if that makes sense.
My brother and I talked practically nonstop all night (Anita was very quiet, but seemed enthused, and she slept all the way back.) But it was really nice chatting to Pete, reminiscing, talking about Top Gear and various tv and it was all good.
eta: In response to a comment: Goodness me I didn't drive! Me? Drive inLondonTown! And make it back in the same day? This is Lola we're talkinga bout remember! x x
It's 15 years since my brother and I went to London for the New Year - when we used to go the streets were free and unfettered. We'd park near Waterloo, meander along the embankment. Drink wine near the Shell building, wander across Westminster Bridge, stand beneath Big Ben for teh bongs. Trip along and through Trafalgar Square with all the Auld Lang Syne and cheer, before eventually driving out along the Embankment and homebound.
Things have changed. Last night we completed a challenge - Drive through Central London without making *any* left turns! Everywhere was blocked off. It tooks us hours to get anywhere near our planned location,and we ended up parking in a dark, out of the way sidestreet. Our challenge was still not finished however, 'cos they'd closed every other road and bridge to pedestrians also!
We submitted to the inevitable, found ourselves a spot right in front of the Eye and saw in the New Year beneath the ferris, with the "best firework display on the planet" going on overhead - and actually? It was fabulous. For someone so terrible antisocial, it is amazing how uplifting it can be to be stood in the centre of a press of 40,000 people! The atmosphere was great though, no evident ill feeling, just masses of people, all ages (including some who were *far* too young to be drinking!) just having a mellow time.
What was different from before however was the change in focus - before it was all about building to the crescendo - the anticipation of midnight, which when it came carried you on for the next hour or so - just meandering through the streets, hugging and yelling and cheering and wishing everyone you see HNY - this time it was all about the fireworks - so you stood awed by them (they were rather fantastic) for the 15 minutes or so - by which time the momentum had passed.
It was good though - we had a laugh. I succesfully navigated my brother through the city, having to rethink at every junction as we realised that yet another road was blocked. We passed the Blind Beggar pub on the in and outward journey - which is kind of a reassuring landmark for me - I used to get very excited when I saw it, now I'm not excited as such, but remember the excitement if that makes sense.
My brother and I talked practically nonstop all night (Anita was very quiet, but seemed enthused, and she slept all the way back.) But it was really nice chatting to Pete, reminiscing, talking about Top Gear and various tv and it was all good.
eta: In response to a comment: Goodness me I didn't drive! Me? Drive inLondonTown! And make it back in the same day? This is Lola we're talkinga bout remember! x x
