Dearest Lucy,We’ll never really know, but it’s widely rumored the North door to St. Edwards Church in Stow-on-the-Wold, England, inspired J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy world. The two ancient yew trees on either side of the door could easily have been the inspiration for the Door of Durin, the gateway to the elven kingdom of Moria.
I am writing this post from the Cotswolds. It is our first time renting a car and driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road. ‘Keep the curb on the left,’ is my mantra, a tip we picked up from an Uber driver. Cathy says if our marriage can survive navigating the never-ending ’roundabouts,’ it can survive anything.
We have been in London for six months, and people often ask, What it is like? The Brits will say, How does it compare to Texas? I bet this weather is different? What do you think of the food? Americans mainly want to know if we have seen Ted Lasso in Richmond.
So I am writing a few shares about life in England. I’ll start with where we live, how we get around, and the weather. Future Nuggets on the food, including the amazing pub scene, parks and recreation, sports, work, culture, and politics.
Richmond Upon Thames: We live in a small ‘garden flat’ in the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames – one of 32 London boroughs located in southwest London. Richmond is the only London borough on both sides of the River Thames. (Pronounced ‘temz, by-the-way.) The town is beautiful, charming, and alive with energy. Yes, Ted Lasso is filmed here, and we often see the actors around town.
Weather: It is different than Austin, as you might imagine, but the winter has been nowhere near as severe as, say, the Northeast in the US. I have played golf nearly every weekend. The rains have not been torrential. Just showers that come in spurts. You learn to take an umbrella and layer up. The weather apps are remarkably accurate, so planning your day is essential. Less daylight in winter is a downer, but the tradeoff is longer days with moderate temps in the spring, summer, and fall. For the year, temperatures range from 39°F to 74°F, and it is rarely below 30°F or above 80°F. After 20-years in Austin, the change of seasons has been refreshing.
Transportation: We don’t have a car and may not get one. We are ten minutes to the Richmond train station on foot, and from there, you can get into the city’s heart in 15-20 minutes. There are twelve major railway stations around the central area of the city. Each station has train services to different regions of the country and all of Europe. Trains are efficient, clean, and affordable. The world is literally your oyster from this city.
We track our daily steps and typically hit 15,000 to 20,000. Europeans walk more than Americans, and it shows in their overall appearance. They also drink more, and I suppose that shows as well. More on that later.
Rideshares (mainly Uber) are easy to hail, clean, and top-notch drivers. They are respectful if you want quiet and interesting if you prefer a conversation. They are often from other parts of the world. We enjoy hearing their stories. Also, the London Black Cabs are amazing. I have a work colleague whose father was a London cabby and have learned quite a bit from him. This is interesting, for example, The World’s Toughest Taxi Test.
The bus system and the iconic double-decker buses are also a great way to travel. We use an app called Citymapper for getting around, and once you get the hang of it, you are good to go just about anywhere, anytime!
We sometimes call England the land of nooks and crannies, in part because of the many footpaths and partly because things are generally smaller. We have Albany Passage right beside our home, which takes us to the train station and town. And since it is Valentine’s Day, I will share that the path makes for a great place to kiss your date when coming home from a nice dinner in town.
Make it a great Monday,
Dad
