Travelling and Floods

I’ve been away in Wiltshire for a few days. The travelling could have been worse. The ticket problem was sorted out OK, but then the table seats I’d booked were for old-style trains and the actual trains were a different layout… Luckily a couple of people very kindly moved and let me have seats near the door. I was of course travelling with my cat. She was in her basket, on a trolley, which meant my huge bag full of heavy presents for family had to be carried on my back. I like to show off how strong I am, but with my centre of gravity thus raised I have no balance and a width to get stuck in any tight space. So, on the trains I was able to get seated before it pulled away. Buses were a different matter… my last trip of the journey was via a packed bus. I found myself crammed in the standing area, trying to balance leaning on the trolley (which is not stable), with my bag ending up on top of someone’s pram, which luckily did not have a baby in it. My back will be eternally grateful to the dad who didn’t mind me using it as a luggage rack! I’d probably have ended up flying across the bus several times without it. Meanwhile Lizzie enjoyed people watching on the trip, though she does get a bit miffed that people ignore her, even when she meows at them.

On the trip out I was pretty lucky actually. Though my train to Swindon was unaffected, from there people were going to have an interesting journey. Due to flooding quite a few stations were closed and trains diverted. There were a whole fleet of busses in the station car park waiting to take some passengers on by road. Living in London you sometimes end up a bit isolated from the problems of other parts of the country. Seeing the swollen rivers from the train really brought it home to me. I spent some time in Marlborough, and though there was no serious flooding there, I did go down and take some pictures by the River Kennet. Normally little more than a stream, with clear waters, where you can watch trout, that day it was lapping across its banks, filling up its bridge arches, and an opaque caramel cream in colour with silt. You could see the speed by watching the ducks. Swimming upstream they’d go very slowly. Then they’d relax and swoop downstream, spinning in the flow, going as fast as flying. One group seemed to be really enjoying it. Another group, seemingly exhausted, slept on the bank.

A little further down, near a new housing development, the river was within inches of crossing the path and entering the houses, only held back by a few pathetic looking sandbags the size of bags of sugar. On the opposite bank the water had stretched fingers across a park, meaning long walks round on the grass. Ducks were getting very excited as they dabbled in the swamped grass for drowned worms and insects.





Well, flood plains and water meadows have those names for a reason. If we are going to build on them, we have to expect the results…






Meanwhile, back in London, it’s wet, but except for a few localised areas of flooding I guess it seems pretty far away. People are still concreting over their gardens, helping to cause that local flooding and drying problems… and expecting the government to sort out any nasties and keep us safe from the big stuff.

After a morning spent lugging heavy bags around on my return I went straight out for a run. I am definitely addicted.

The after Christmas lull seems to have ended and there’s quite a bit on actually. An art exhibition featuring a gun is causing some controversy (Interaction by AK47, at AA Galleries, Vyner Street, Bethnal Green, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until Feb 9th). Since the artist apparently first became famous by nicking a statue by Banksy I think it’s fair to say he knows how to use publicity, though I have no idea if his art is any good! I think I might take a look.

Meanwhile ‘Jumblist Massive’, a charity jumble sale and music mash-up is taking place at 93 Feet East, Brick Lane from 1 pm till 10.30 pm. They’re hoping to have retro treasure to sell (£1 each, shoes and coats £5) and music from Short Circuit, JP Collective and more. Entry £2). Guess who’s working, grrrrr.

And… Club Cargo is celebrating its seventh Birthday next week. You can get free entry for the Wednesday night party by downloading a voucher at http://www.cargo-london/event.php?id=1056 I haven’t been to a club for years. As a very un-chic forty year old I wonder if I dare?