Part Two — Last 36 hours (actually last 24 hours)

This final part is being written en route to SFO from Heathrow. By the time you get this, I will be on the ground in California.

Greetings from United Flight 900

Started Monday morning with great plans for a long walk (including a visit to the oldest synagogue in London, which I learned was only a few blocks from the hotel) and finishing another project I had brought with me and shopping and…. But obviously very over-ambitious.

Opted to get work done before setting out to meet Emma and Hem for lunch at yet another wonderful restaurant; Indian — Gymkhana (which I had hoped to try when I was in London in November, but it was booked). We were all still a bit full from the big dinner the night before, but we managed to get through the two-course meal. They had two, three, and four course meals for lunch. Cannot even imagine how anyone could eat more than the two course version. I opted for the dosas with duck and cocoanut chutney followed by a spicy baby goat dish with vegetables… Lots of small starters and the usual Indian accompaniments.. We talked and ate.. and then Hem and Emma set off to Tiffany’s to do some wedding ring shopping ( I think just looking and getting ring sizes confirmed). I headed to the tube back to Threadneedle, deciding it would be best to get back to work rather than take the walk I had planned.

Then at about 7 I headed to Kennington to see Lara and Elliott’s apartment and have dinner. They live in a Council Housing high rise. Council Housing (social housing) is sort of like our public housing. The building is 1970s vintage; concrete; one of three towers; about 15 stories. Kennington is a politically progressive area and so a lot of council housing was developed there. Under Thatcher, there was a big effort to sell off council housing and turn it all into market rate ownership. Apparently a friend of theirs bought a unit, and now Elliott and Lara are renting that unit from her. While the entrance to the building, the lobby, and the hallways could be improved, the units are quite nicely done — two levels within each unit; terraces with great views; two bedrooms; and nice kitchen with eat-in zone. They say that apparently 10% of the units were sold and the remainder remain in the pubic supply. It’s a strange situation it seems, with 90% of the housing being subsidized and 10% being private. Not clear how well it works, but they seem to like the apartment.