Sep 14: Bougie in London
SuperTrip2_2026 Blog Post
2026_2 BLOG
9/14/20262 min read
We traveled back to London on Saturday (12th September). Inverness airport was surprisingly well-appointed for a small regional facility, with a bar, café and newsagent both ground-side and air-side. Air-side also had a gift shop, liberally stocked with tartan-packaged whisky, fudge and shortbread. We had a couple of pints and split a cheese toastie. It was extremely civilised!
We laid low on Sunday, enjoying our hotel-apartment, snoozing, venturing out into the warm drizzle for a short constitutional and some groceries. We did robot laundry, always a highlight. We have a bath, which is splendid: such a treat on/for well-walked legs.
Today (Monday), we walked into the City and down to Blackfriars to “visit my money”, as Carey calls it, which means meet with my broker and discuss our finances and need for income for the next year. They laid on a ridiculously capacious sandwich lunch, which thoroughly spoiled our dinner (!) And was excellent.
Afterwards, we walked across the river to the Tate Modern, where we found that the Turbine Hall was between installations. Whatever they are building is enormous, maze-like and still covered in people in safety vests and hard hats. We walked home along the South Bank, over Tower Bridge and through Whitechapel, stopping off at the Blind Beggar pub for a leisurely pint.
I’ve never felt quite so bougie as I have over the past couple of days (!). When we arrived back at the Town Hall hotel on Saturday evening, the staff recognised us and welcomed us back, perhaps with practised hospitality, but it felt warmly. We had left a small tote here, which they retrieved for us. It felt very posh leave a bag at a nice hotel between stays. Our new room is lovely, with wooden floors (and the aforementioned bath). Our shower (yes, we have a shower too!) wasn’t working well when we arrived, so they sent someone who didn’t try to fob me off or wiggle things, but simply changed the shower head and it is now marvellous. For some reason, that made me feel very fancy. And, being fêted with lunch today…. It really was a “how the other half live” experience. I speak/write often about my/our pervasive sense of gratitude. It is a constant presence, like breathing, like the ground, that simultanously underpins our lived experience and requires specific experiences to be brought into focus. On the less glamorous side, lest I sound too Polly-Anna-ish, I am still scratchy from all the midge bites on my arms, acquired in the Highlands. Carey’s have inevitably healed seamlessly, while mine still itch fiercely, three days after our return.
When I think about our life, my life, it astonishes me. We popped into Southwark Cathedral on our stroll home. I felt the need for a little pray. It is a multi-layered space, reflecting construction during the 13th, 14th, 15th, 19th and 20th Centuries. While we were there, one of the pastoral staff led a short prayer cycle. It was a lovely experience, refreshing.
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Inspired by our 2024 Camino Francais, Karen has a periodic podcast called "I sent you a bloody boat", personal thoughts on faith by a person who believes in thinking. Also, known as "The Reluctant Christian". You can listen to it on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts at: