Well, I was not going to sit around any longer... woke up at 3:30am after seven hours sleep, feeling refreshed and thinking I was definitely going to get out to Kew. I always enjoy going there, and wanted to check up on a few things: a monkey puzzle tree over by the Orangerie, the desert conservatory, various blooming things.
But first, the final packing, and some brekkie (eggs yum) some lazing.
I took the tube out from a deserted Covent Garden station at 9:20am (where is everyone?) and was at the gate right when it opened, and just puttered about for three hours.
The Tempermate House is closed for renovation, but I did discover the Wollemi Grove behind it, and they've added onto the Mediterranean section (probably appropriate as with climate change Britain will be much more like, oh, Barclona than Belgium.)
Back in the mid afternoon for a nap and then a bit more trail map reading and Topo downloading, then off to Jon and Paul's in East London for drinks in their back garden, then a yummy Vietnamese meal in Shoreditch, land of hipsters and hijabs. I was introduced to Reggie, their pet hedgehog, who found my backpack alluring for a few seconds before skittering away.
Off to bed at 10. Got an Uber coming by to drive us to Gatwick, which' be horribly expensive--but there's no other way to get there on a Sunday morning at 4am. Not looking forward to 4 hours of sleep either. Ah well, I can sleep on the plane, or late in the afternoon, or whatever. It feels like things are happening now.