[Back | Next]

Monday, March 25, 2002

I woke naturally at six. I had been planning to eat breakfast, then head down to Tube and brave the rush hour crowds to go into City, but I wasn't going to wait in my room for an hour and a half. I took a quick shower, packed up the last of my things, and went downstairs. There was an older American couple trying to find someone with whom to check out, but no one answered their ring. They suggested leaving the key in the room, which locked by itself. I ran up, left the key, ran down, shouldered my carryon pack, and slung my small daypack over my arm (it was a zipoff from one of our larger travel packs, and had no carrying handle, which was a nuisance). I walked down to Tottenham Court station, tried to buy a single fare plus an airport ticket at the counter but was told to only buy one at a time. I caught a Central Line train, which was not too crowded though I had to stand for the four stops. Most passengers got off at Chancery Lane. I left the train at Bank again, and emerged in front of Royal Exchange.

I had thought of having breakfast and a coffee in one of the three Starbucks, though they weren't large, and I was worried about taking up space with even my modest baggage as the Monday morning commuter rush hit. The large bronze doors were still closed, but I noticed a small side door open, and decided to go in and ask the hours of the security guards I figured would be inside. Sure enough, a couple of them (not in uniforms, but in suits) were there, and in response to my query told me that the exchange counter opened at 9:30. This was, I figured, enough time to manage the trip to the airport. As I went out one of the guards came after me and asked if it was English money I had. Yes, I said, but it was old. He offered to do the change for me, asked how much I had. I had 85 pounds; he opened his wallet and extracted all his money, but he only had 75 pounds, and the other guard had no cash at all. "Who uses cash anymore?" he said. "I'll take the 75," I said, "you've saved me having to sit around for an hour and a half." We swapped all of our bills, I thanked them, and left the bank. Going back into the subway, there was still hardly anyone around. I bought a ticket at the machine, entered through the turnstile, went down the escalator; the train arrived, I found a seat, and I was off.

[Back | Next]