Despite my love of Barcelona and urge for excessive Zara sale shopping which I more or less managed to satisfy yesterday, I felt that as I was so near London I couldn’t possibly not go and visit my darling sis and nephew R.  When I’m usually millions of miles away from her, what’s a one and a half hour flight?

So to London it was. Just for the day.  Well, 6 hours to be precise.  I met sis at Paddington Station having landed in horribly unpleasant Gatwick (once you have travelled either in or out of Changi Airport in Singapore, you are spoiled forever) and taken the Gatwick Express in to town.

Our first stop was the Natural History Museum.  Living in Singapore, which I love, I have become very used to modern culture so it was a treat to see and spend time in something built more than 100 years ago.  I had forgotten how much I love the museum’s cathedral-like central hall (where they showcase the complete dinosaur skeletons): it makes me think what it must have been like if you ever had the unfortunate, and unlikely, experience of being swallowed whole and live by a dinosaur…substitute in your mind the vaults, arches and columns for bones and a ribcage and maybe you see what I mean?!

Anyway, a rather wet and boggy stroll took us to Carluccio’s in South Ken for lunch and fortification before a spot of shopping in the mecca to all who live abroad: Peter Jones.

Everything seemed seriously good value compared to what its equivalent would cost in Singapore and following my favorite philosophy of spending to save, I was happy there for hours (I had bought along a collapsable squashy bag that I got free from a stay in the Upper House in my handbag so was well equipped for lugging my loot back to Barcelona.)

I just love this customised phone box I spotted on the way to Boots on the King’s Road for a stock up on everything Peter Jones didn’t have:

There was only just time for a quick a cup of Earl and a florentine at Patisserie Valerie on Duke of York Square where the bunting from the Diamond Jubilee was still flapping in the wind, topical once again now that the London Olympics are moment away…