Monday – London – a mouse with a phone caught in a trap

Wake up at about 8.30am after about 25 hours sleep – the dreaded jet lag has hit. Kylie has gone to work so I just amble around the flat for a while and get some breakfast – toast & coffee and will just take it easy today because we are going to the theatre tonight.

Kylie has bought us tickets to see Agatha Christie’s ‘The Mousetrap’. It is on at St. Martin’s Theatre in the West End of London – the major theatre area. The plan is to stay at the flat until about 4pm and then go into town to meet Kylie. Well, so much for that idea – it was not a good plan anyway. I’m not going to waste a minute and decide to head off to the station and back to St. Paul’s Cathedral.

I remember the way to the station, buy the right ticket and I get off at the right stations. How is easy is this!!! Kylie’s work (Orient Capital) is just down the street from St Paul’s so I don’t have far to walk to meet her. The Cathedral is even better the second time around but unfortunately no photos allowed.

What a magnificent place. I get there about 12.30pm and stay the entire afternoon. I walk around and around and this time I see everything – sometimes even see it 2 or 3 times. I mark everything off on the pamphlet guide – what a fabulous place if you love history and I do.

Going into the Chapel of St. Michael and St. George, I sit for a while and light candles for Aunty Edna, Uncle Ivan and Nanna Iris.

Revisiting the Crypt – the tombs of Christopher Wren, Nelson & Wellington and also the Treasury where there are a lot of artefacts. I don’t know how many times I walk around the Crypt and the Cathedral but I know it’s a lot. Evensong is at 5pm and I don’t have to meet Kylie until about 6.00pm so I take up a seat in The Nave – the main part of the Cathedral – for the service. Am glad of the rest and I get a chance to fully admire the ceiling of the Dome.

I am really enjoying the service until Kylie’s mobile phone starts ringing. I have forgotten all about it. She has given it to me in case I get lost and need her. Well I don’t know how to answer the bloody thing so I look around trying to pretend that I am trying to find the person who is so rude as to have a mobile phone in a cathedral. The ploy is not working and I try to cover up the sound with my hand but that doesn’t work either. I am glad when the service finishes so I can escape. Mega embarrassment and I am sure that the Archbishop has taken notes.

Meet Kylie and she asks ‘Why didn’t you answer the phone?’ I explain the situation – she thinks it is a real hoot and can’t stop laughing. She was ringing to make sure that I have not got lost in the big city and of course when I didn’t answer the phone she panicked thinking where the **** is she.

I was in St Paul’s Cathedral at the Evensong Service of all places making an idiot of myself – that’s where. Oh well, I do it back in OZ, so may as well continue the tradition here. Kylie agrees – yes I am an idiot.

There are two of the guys from soccer over here and we agree to meet up and have a few drinks (that tradition doesn’t change either). One of the guys – Justin, has been to Greece and the Islands and to Italy and other places on the continent and has had a fabulous time. The other fellow Craig and his partner Lisa are living in London so we all agree to meet for dinner tomorrow night.

Anyway – off to catch the mouse!. The play is great. It is a really small theatre – really intimate atmosphere – and it is packed. We have the middle two seats in the front row of the upstairs Stalls. How classy!

This play has been running in London since 1952 and at St Martins from 1974 – it is the longest running play in history, a real whodunnit – and the cast instruct us not to reveal to anyone who committed the murder.

At intermission we go outside to grab a breath of fresh air and London is alive and buzzing. There are people everywhere and the feeling of the West End is incredible. Back to the play and the ending is a real surprise – but I promised I wouldn’t tell!!

We have a bit of a walk around and then catch a cab home (my shout again). It has been a long day, full of excitement and merriment, I get into bed and am asleep before my head touches the pillow. I am really glad to be here with Kylie.

Highlight of the day : West End and finding out whodiddunnit!