Changes

A second day in London. I didn't have quite such an early start, so managed a quick breakfast with L and a cheerio with his wife before getting the train. Getting to KCL from Peckham Rye is quite efficient, with a decent amount of walking. I was struck, yet again, by the volume of cyclists on the Embankment. London has done much more to prioritise cyclists than Edinburgh has.

I got a couple of shots of the Somerset House quadrangle - very elegant - and a good view across the Thames from a window on the top floor of the very brutalist Macadam House. I also hadn't been to KCL since the road was closed in front to all but "access" and bikes, and that makes an amazing change (see bottom left photo).

I had to miss most of the conference in the afternoon because of meetings, and then I had a nice chat with my former PhD student PJC, who now holds a senior position in KCL law school. I'm definitely at that stage in life where quite a few of my PhD students have got chairs.... After a brief reception for the whole conference, I split the scene and started walking up towards Bloomsbury before jumping in a taxi part of the way to meet my colleague DS for a snack/meal/drink before he saw me to Euston for my (sleeper) train. In terms of DS, let me just say that Ridgeback saw a good 'un there.

Into the sleeper, and while I sat for a little while in the club room / restaurant, I soon retired to my cabin where I was pretty comfortable, all things being equal. More on the sleeper tomorrow.

I've been backblipping London and it starts here and continues here.