But before I had time to think about the strange things around me, the inability to place my surroundings, or the bizarre light shining in from under my door, I realised why I had woken with such vigour.
There was a loud pounding on my door.
With a lack of trepidation only an absolute naivety and blissful ignorance that still being half asleep can induce, I got up and opened the door. Looking out the door, my eye level was met instantly by nothing, followed by a rush of wind around my lower legs. I looked down to see two blurred splotches of blond hair speeding past my legs, and disappearing from my field of vision,
into my room behind me.
Turning around slowly, so as not to get too light headed at being up so early, and so suddenly, my bed was now inhabited by two small children in miniature school uniforms, with what was clean, brushed hair and washed and ironed clothes, in the matter of a moment, completely undone. Apparently morning was boring without waking me up and proceeding to jump on my bed, on me, and take my pillows and duvets for personal hiding spaces.
Going back to bed was clearly out of the question.
It was 7am.
After an unexpected, but nonetheless, delightful start to the morning, the day was started with an overground tube to the Camden Markets. I realise now that the Overground is like the Underground's older, mature and generally better relative. It makes putting up with the jittery, smelly, cramped underground a joke between the less knowledgeable.
Enjoying the smooth ride, and brilliant sight seeing experience that is the wonderful new above-ground invention, and meeting Millie along the way, we set off to the alternative and eccentric renowned area of London, liked and disliked in equal measure depending on who you talk to, but no doubting is gaining increasing popularity.
Having already been this year, during my earlier travels, I already knew I liked it. I remember thinking last time I was here as a tourist, 'if I ever live in London, I am going to LOVE this place. I am going to come here all the time'. So the last part isn't exactly true. A week to the day since I've been here and it's my first trip. But it was a goodie all the same and I do love it.
We chose to go on a Monday early morning, the rain hanging damp and obtrusive in the air, so crowds were thankfully not much of an issue. It was fantastic to stroll the stands, checking the various stalls and ogling the interesting individuals present, in between being heckled by the owners, eager to stamp their product as the best. There were Halloween costumes galore (I'm hoping. God forbid some of those things were meant for casual wear) and I slightly wish some of the things people were wearing were practicing for the 31st.
Millie and I grabbed lunch at an Indian stall with a friendly patron, impressing upon us our ability to mix and match ANY of the meals on offer, complete with a side of rice or cous cous. While mixing and matching is great at supermarkets and at a clothes store, the target selling point of Indian cuisine should probably steer clear of the mixing chicken, beef, tandoori, samosas and Rojan Josh path. But the man was delighted we chose his food and it tasted delicious. Four pounds for an American sized quantity of food eaten on the Venice-inspired Camden canals couldn't have been nicer.
We followed up with the markets at the Stable Yards, where the smell of leather or horse is constantly perpetuating and the blare of techno music from the rave inspired stalls is unavoidable.
Discovering the Overground comes inexplicably infrequently is avoidable, but wasn't today, and I found myself running Amazing Race style through Shepherd's Bush with two children's sized umbrella's, two lunchboxes, a stuffed elephant and a pram. Adding a balloon and two children to the tally, I made my way back, spending the rest of the day playing hide and seek, cars, dolls and all my other favourite activities.
The children did their homework...
I finally have a home, after much deliberation, and I'm getting pretty excited about ransacking IKEA as well as making my own food without getting asked if I will share and never seeing it again.
Tomorrow I have the whole day off, so if London co-operates (is the Moon square?) I'll be walking up Parliament Hill and admiring the Gherkin.
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