Flying into the Sunset

I can’t quite believe that my trip to the US is over, the last three weeks have been amazing ~ relaxing, exciting, terrifying at times (wedding speech), but overall just brilliant.

Spending so much time with my brother and his new wife, Melissa, was great – I haven’t spent this much time with my brother since we were teenagers I think, god I miss him. But it’s time to head home, back to reality and thankfully I’m back to health.

I *might* have upgraded to Business Class on the way back, after the free upgrade on the way over, I’d tasted all the joy of a flat-bed seat, how could I go back?

 

Blood Red Skies Over Crouch End

The sunset over Crouch End was fantastic tonight ~ especially due to the clouds and light rays.  As a child I fell in love with clouds ~ I used to lie on my back in a field or on a hill and watch the clouds float by and change shape.  Clouds and with it, climatology was the reason I took A-Level Geography … I just love clouds, which is probably odd, but hey, who wants to be normal!?

Reflected Sunset

By the time I got around to having my first tea of the day the sun was setting, sending out vibrant red and orange streaks against a quickly darkening sky, which was reflected in the adjecent building.

Five minutes later, the sun has gone and it’s time to get back to work.

Goodbye America

It’s the end if my big US adventure Boston > Maine > New Hampshire > DC > Virginia > Boston. It’s been a brilliant two weeks, I’ve loved it all. Even the 12hr drives, they were all part of a great holiday. I’ve loved spending time with my brother and Melissa.

But now I’m being driven to the airport and tears are welling up. The sun is setting over Boston and on my big US Adventure. We all vow to see each other again soon. And then the tears flow.

A Delaware Sunset

After a 12hr drive from Maine to Washington less than a week ago, the thought of a return car journey makes my heart sink … and currently sat in the back of a stop-start car it’s actually worse than the earlier journey, albeit shorter … endless nothingness … I hate being a passenger – we’ve done 200miles in 6hrs (with a break) … aaannnd there’s soooo faaaaar to go still!!!

As the sun started to set on my penultimate day in the US we passed over the Delaware river bridge ~ out of the back of car I just about managed to capture the fiery sunset.

… just 4hrs of driving in the dark to go.

Sunrise in the White Mountains

I’ve arranged a 6am wakeup call so that I can hopefully take photos of the sunrise. After grunting at the receptionist that called me all cheerily to say good morning, I completely fall back to sleep until gone 6.30am and end up running down at 6.50am.

It is freezing up here especially at this time of the morning, even wrapped up in so many clothes. Because it’s much later than I had intended to go out I thought I’d missed the sunrise, if indeed there would be any red sky. I’m just about to give up and head back in when I turn back around for one final glance and see the red starting to build.

And then the battle with the camera begins ~ why am I not more skilled with this camera? Gah! There some ok-ish shots, but they could have been so much better if I knew what I was doing. I’m only out about 40mins, but I’ve taken over 100 photos, and I’m freezing and in need of coffee, but I’m glad I got up early to see the sunrise.

Blood Red Skies

I popped back my old company last night for a leaving do – I’d forgotten just how fabulous the sunsets are 16 floors up.

Southbank Rooftop Drinks

God I love London. I love London for many reasons and in any season. The South Bank is fantastic winter or summer, there’s always something happening, it’s got a great buzz, whether it’s the Christmas market, a food festival or the Sunday bookstalls. But despite the hustle and bustle it can also be a haven of calm. Atop the gaudy yellow spiral-ish staircase is a rooftop garden bar. People sit on benches, tree stumps or the grass chilling and drinking pimms and wine in the sun.

It was the first proper sunny weekend of the year and fortuitously Tiff and I had arranged to meet. Rooftop drinks was our mission ~ to relax in the sun, drinking wine (naturally), watching the world go by … and speculating on couples, reading just how well [or badly, usually badly] their date is going ~ another particular favourite pastime of ours. Not only a fantastic night, but also just what we both needed.

It was so lovely to watch the world go by. We walked over Hungerford Bridge on the way home. It’s one of my favourite views of London, especially at night. I love London, I love that it’s my city.

West End Cranes and a Sunset too

The sunsets over London have been fiery this week ~ big red balls of fire burning into the clouds on the horizon.  Thankfully I’ve had my big camera with me so I can take better shots than I can usually take with my iPhone.  The skyline is littered with dozens of cranes, industrially changing the shape of West End, bit by bit, swinging here and there.  I love the contrast of the metal scarecrow-esq beings and their stark silhouettes against the beautiful evening sky.

We move out of our office in a month or so and my views across the rooftops of London will come to an end, but for now the beauty and the beast of the evening sky continues to deliver views like this.

Centre Point Sunset

From my office in Centre Point Tower you get a fabulous view across the London skyline and many great sunsets. Although there won’t be many more of these as CP is being developed into luxury flats soon and we move out at end of March.