Wednesday, 30 June 2010
Nottinghamshire, UK
Land Heathrow at the ungodly hour of 0600hrs.
It’s 0230hrs body clock time.
No sleep on flight. Despite a large single malt.
Am knackered.
Heathrow hell is today Heathrow heaven. Takes 15 minutes between aircraft doors opening and sitting on the Heathrow Express to Paddington. A record.
Explain to taxi driver that I want to go to the Reform Club on Pall Mall. Which starts a conversation about my travels. He’s truly impressed.
Unlike my departure all those weeks ago, the doors of the Reform Club are open. Enquire with the doorman if it’s possible to poke my head in. And explain what I’ve just achieved. A story I suspect he’s heard many times before. But am allowed inside on the proviso no photographs are taken.
Very ornate interior entrance hall is the limit of my incursion but am feeling rather chuffed that I’ve finished my Around the World in 60 Days trip actually in the Reform Club.
Although the observant amongst you will realise that it only took 59 days.
Around the World in 59 Days doesn’t have the same ring though.
Does it.
Well, dear reader, hope you’ve enjoyed travelling with me around the world during these coronavirus times. The past week of blog posts were taken from diary entries written four months after returning from my trip. You know how it goes. The end is in sight and you run out of time and oompf to write diary every day. They were written from memory in the Apfelwein Mueller bar in Niederhochstadt, near Frankfurt, as I continued working there upon returning from my trip. Hence a few details may be missing. Or confused. Moral of the story is always keep on top of travel diary.
Am currently planning my next big trip. Overland to Oz & NZ. Though coronavirus and business commitments means this won’t be until at least 2022. But it will keep me travelling in the virtual world at least as I do the research.
Coronavirus has reinforced my view that you have got to get out there and see the world whilst you can. You never know what might happen.
Enjoy life whilst you can, dear reader.
‘Twenty years from now you will be disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore.
Dream.
Discover.’
Until the next time, dear reader. Au revoir.
Make every day count.
2 responses to “RTW 59. The Reform Club”
Thank you for the trip and very interesting pictures. I have enjoyed the way you do a down to earth narration and tell it how it is. Warts and all come to mind.
I’ve really enjoyed your blog…especially the Trans-Siberian section because I had completely forgotten so much of it. Great memories!