That I did not go on an explore last night, even though the weather and the journey were against doing so is an indication that I am back in the old groove of work but also of putting on rather than decreasing weight and improving fitness.
I had a good night all things considered rising once between going to bed before 2am and getting up to do some work just after seven thirty The plan is to work on the writing of yesterday until about 8.30, shower, there is no bath, (I knew this when I booked the room), which is standard, with large double bed, a chair at a good desk with reasonable size TV but without remote control. There is no telephone which I never use, and designed, I believe to ensure that people do not walk off with such items given that it is a city centre, facility. I will then go and buy my ticket for tomorrow and find the train times, and also get a new travel alarm, perhaps there may also be time to find a computer shop and the RJ 45 plug. I then travel to Wallington, there could have been a bus strike, but I the train station is close to the bus station which I will need to take around 11, 10.45. I also need to get some cash if I can find the appropriate dispenser.
What happened is that I checked the trains and decided to buy from the ticket machine after 4pm, later I was too tired and cold to do so! I forgot to go in search of an alarm and although several stores were open when I returned before seven they had closed by the time I dropped off my haversack visited the loo, and eaten the remaining Ciabatta Roll. Two large stores were open until 8 in the new expanded second shopping centre in Croydon, Central on the other side of the High Street, had clocks of any kind, so on return I decided to check out my mobile phone and will have to wait until morning to see if this works. I had also forgotten to add to the mobile phone which I have used for texts rather than direct calls but nevertheless the previous addition seemed to be used up quickly but I was able to get a top at W H Smith on my way back to the Travel Lodge. The daft thing is that I had visited Smith in the morning and got a new pocket London Map and of Croydon, I suspect have the Croydon one at home. I did get some cash this morning noting the credit card payment is yet to be deducted although the on line it show in terms of the money available to spend. The morning outing was more successful than this account might indicate because in Marks and Spencer's I bought some socks, not brought and which I needed and some white handkerchiefs.
When I used my mother's flat and travelled by train the bus fare was £1. In fact it was £1 anywhere within a significant distance, if you needed the bus for one or two stops or a dozen or two. There was an old travel card, and if I was then going to the pictures in central London or making some visit I would go first to station get the Travel card, visit my mother, en make the trip into central London. To day the basic adult fare is £2. This can be significantly reduced by an oyster card or buying travel tokens but to day I was not bowered but will review in January. This reminded that next year the everywhere travel by bus free card will be introduced. I wonder what the position will be in London and if as on Tyneside there is a special card with a fee to travel on the Metro system but not on the trains, and this will mean that the special care will only apply to the London underground which does not extend to Croydon
The bus route today took me through the Roundshaw Estate, built on part of the Croydon airport site as a London overspill estate and quickly developed a reputation for poor social behaviour and poor housing. Over the past five years the estate has been regenerated and it looked good this morning with at one end what appeared to be thriving local shops. However I was later reminded that on national TV last week the estate was in the news once more because a man was found to have committed suicide outside his accommodation and inside there was the remains of a body. The journey took me past St Elphege School, the school which I attended as a boy, but on a different site. I got off at St Elphege Church and note that there is now an Italian restaurant which used to be a second hand furniture store. The garage next to the Windmill pub had disappeared and I was too lazy to cross over to read what was on the surrounding hoardings. There were similar hoardings around the several storey office block, by the bridge at Wallington station. This was also the subject of national headlines with the heavy rain which led to the flooding of the summer and which began first in London. A car had been fully immersed in the dip under the bridge.
Lunch was just outside Mitcham where until recently it was possible for over 60's to get a special two or three course mean during the day until early evening on weekdays/ Now everyone can have the meal although the price has significantly increased but for just under a tenner, I enjoyed some garlic mushrooms which a barbecue type sauce/ sour cream sauce available. A good piece of steak, with some chips and mushroom and a tomato with English Mustard and under pressure some ice cream which a chocolate sauce. The glass of red wine and coffee was extra. Arriving at 12.30 although the car park was busy the restaurant appeared deserted. There was a party of four ladies on another table. In the main area there was no one and on a side area there appeared to be a party of ten to twelve. I had brought my mother and aunt here on several occasions, sometimes with other family members. Over something liker a decade the manager had remained one person, unique in my experience. There appeared to be some urgency about taking our order which was quickly revealed as a continuous crocodile of individuals emerged from the separate bar area into the main dining area, I lost count after the first fifty and orders were quickly presented from everyone else, although it was evident that the large party had prebooked their menu as a minor army of additional staff also appeared to greet them. The Christmas season is well and truly underway and from this and other experiences and information it appears that the holding of the works, the club or activity party as well as that of the family gathering has become more common than ever before and which is yet another indication of increased general prosperity on the casino society. Or perhaps home owner freeing some of the cash from their homes rather than let it be consumed by residential care home fees. My mother had to continue to pay the assessed charge for the cost of the residential care home for the two months that she was away in hospital.
A different sign of the time is that on my second outing of the evening to try and find a travel alarm clock a police vehicle rushed a quickly as it could through the pedestrianised high street. I the visited the new shopping centre where the two major stores were still open. On my way back to the Hotel at the junction of the which takes one to the former Kennard' store, the Surrey Street Market, the Indoor Market and Reeve's corner I watched as more than twelve policemen marched one individual into a police van while a number of other officers watched on. On the local TV back at the Travel Lodge, it was disclosed that the Taser stun gun is being issued today to police who have not had specialist firearms training. Tis another sign of the times.
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