Travel – Page 2 – David Kotz

London solstice

Winter solstice in London

Today is the winter solstice. (Technically, it is the December solstice, which in the northern hemisphere is the winter solstice.) I thought surely there would be many photographic opportunities for the solstice, in and around London. (Solstice is a big deal at Stonehenge, of course, but I envisioned massive crowds today and decided to wait.) So I asked ChatGPT for advice. It provided a remarkable response, listing a half-dozen locations suitable for sunrise, another half-dozen for sunset, and more; it listed specific times, provided information about transport to and from each site; it suggested camera settings; and it even built a busy day-long itinerary for a sequence of sites to visit. Although impressive, I decided to keep it simple and went to Primrose Hill for sunrise.

Sunrise over the London skyline. — Sunrise over London, from Primrose Hill – the day before solstice.

Regent Canal

An extended walk along Regent Canal and through Kensington Gardens.

It isn’t always necessary to leave London to enjoy a lengthy hike that offers plenty of interesting things to see, along with some natural spaces. Today, for my thirteenth consecutive weekend hike, I walked over Primrose Hill, along the towpath of Regent Canal, and across the west end of Hyde Park known as Kensington Gardens. Along the way I enjoyed broad views of the London skyline, intimate views of a narrow canal, backside views of London Zoo, and a distant view of the London Eye. I capped it all off with chai and a croissant at Guillam in Gloucester.

Scene along the Regent Canal, including a Chinese-style double-decker boat (now a restaurant) and three houseboats.

London – random scenes

Three random sights in London.

I often take long walks, here in London. Sometimes I have a destination – going to work at Imperial, or visiting a museum, or shopping for an obscure item. Othertimes I just wander. Either way, I sometimes ignore the temptation of Apple Maps, point my nose in the general direction, and zigzag through streets and parks until I get close to where I want to be. Along the way, I enjoy the sense of discovery, often about the smallest things.

Fifteen children’s scooters lined up outside a daycare center – Westminster, London.

Wicked!

After dark, London provides many photo opportunities.

Nearly every day, I walk past the London theater (um, sorry, theatre) housing a production of the blockbuster Broadway show, Wicked. It’s after dark, when the show is running, that it truly shines. Literally. The bright-green neon lights of the Apollo Victoria theatre’s marquee illuminates the street and, what I love most, the queue of taxis waiting out front.

Lights from the marquee for "Wicked" shine on Victoria Square, London. — Lights from the marquee for “Wicked” shine on Victoria Square, London.

Downs and Darwin

A lovely hike through the North Downs, with a visit to Darwin’s home.

“Welcome to Down House,” said the cheerful manager as I wiped the mud off my hiking boots at the entrance to Charles Darwin’s home. “Sorry for the wait, I was just out back checking on the sheep.” As I stepped across the threshold in search of a scone and a spot of tea, I felt more like I was stepping back 150 years as I skirted around the Drawing Room in search of the Tea Room. Out back, gardens and greenhouses (and sheep) still thrived, much as they had during Darwin’s day, though resting now as winter approaches.

The rear of Down House, from the gardens.

Richmond Park hike

A lovely stroll through a massive park on the outskirts of London, with surprising wildlife.

Earlier this fall, as we settled into life in London, I had the opportunity to take several hikes outside London. Thus started a sequence of ten consecutive weekend hikes… so I was determined to get out hiking again today! I chose a walk along the Thames River and through the extensive meadows and woodlands of Richmond Park, just outside London. Little did I know how much wildlife I would find in this extensive parkland, so heavily traveled by so many joggers, dog-walkers, and equestrians.

The Railway Tavern in the center of Richmond, outside London.

‘Round the girdled earth we roam

50 days of non-stop travel around the world,… and then some.

Whew, it’s good to be back home, after fifty consecutive days of travel spanning the globe. We departed our flat in London on 15 October and, other than a brief visit to the flat for two nights of laundry and repacking, we’ve been on the road ever since.

photo of a map showing our actual route from London to Singapore, midway through the flight.

New Zealand – wrap-up

Final post in the series.

We pulled into Auckland harbor early this morning, a sunny spring day. Amid all the packing and logistics of disembarking our two-week home, the Heritage Adventurer, we said our goodbyes to new friends and colleagues. Because our flight was not until the afternoon, I decided to make a visit to the computer-science department at the University of Auckland. I enjoyed the chance to stretch my legs, walking a dozen blocks up the streets and through the beautiful Prince Albert Park, to reach the university campus.

New Zealand – Te Pā Tū

A Māori cultural experience in Rotorua.

Not long after leaving the Waiotapu thermal pools we stopped at Te Pā Tū (in Rotorua), a Māori village (pā) for a cultural experience. As we approached the gated, log entrance to this forested compound, we were welcomed into the marae (sacred space) through a traditional pōwhiri welcome ceremony. Several young warriors emerged into the clearing, carrying wooden batons; after an agressive-looking display, each gently placed a fern on the ground and backed away. One member of our party then approached, picked up the fern, and then (without losing eye contact), retreated backward to our group.

Māori warriors challenge visitors at the welcoming ceremony at Te Pā Tū in Rotorua.

New Zealand – Waiotapu thermal park

Craters, mud pools, champagne pools, and sinter terraces.

After a full day at sea we docked on the eastern shore of the north island so we could visit the inland area known as Rotorua, which sits squarely on the Taupō volcanic zone and is thus rich with geothermal activity. We spent the morning exploring the many fascinating features of the Waiotapu thermal park – deep craters, bubbling pools of mud, and the colorful landscape made as mineral-rich waters evaporated or nurtured underwater fungal life.