The Ytterbium Eastercon Convention 2019 Wednesday 17th April 2019 Arrival And Exploration

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I got to the centre of London (Victoria Coach Station) at 6.20 am, (the coach was exactly on time). I dragged my suitcase (weighing in like a giant breeze-block on casters) to Victoria’s Underground train station. I checked my Oyster Card (a special card used on London transport that can save money on fares), and found I still had enough credit from my last venture towards the capital to last me my first few days there. I worked out my route for East Hounslow, where I was staying at a hostel for six nights and headed there via the Underground, changing trains in Acton. My hostel was just a few hundred yards away from the station on the same road and very easy to find. I checked in quickly and easily, and slept for a few hours to catch up on rest time lost in the overnight journey South. I quickly sorted out my luggage and headed out to explore, first taking in the sites of Hounslow itself. My hostel is attached to a pub, The White Bear, and though a real ale bar, it currently had none on offer so I knew I would be using other inns nearby. I headed back into central London, heading further down the Piccadilly Line everywhere I went by transport was close to this line all through my visit now), and alighted at Russell Square. I walked back through London in glorious sunshine, taking in Holburn, St James’s Park (where I had lunch by the lake and fountains), The Strand, Savoy, Aldrych, Westminster, Trafalgar Square, and with a short hop past areas covered on a previous visit to the city, Hammersmith. I saw lots of pubs, taking breaks in a few on route. I also saw the birth places of The Suffragette Movement and the RAF, and a theatre plaque honouring the late great Ivor Novello. Returning to Hounslow, I headed out to find a pub to enjoy for the night, settling quite randomly on The Black Horse. Not only did the pub offer terrific beer, (including Fuller’s London Pride), it also offered some of the best pub grub (a chicken curry) I have ever inflicted on my taste buds. The pub is popular with Hounslow’s Asian Community and their award winning chef has catered to Bollywood movie production folk as well as Ghostbuster’s star, Dan Ackroyd. I stayed at the pub until almost closing time and returned to my nearby hostel room for my first night’s sleep. Arthur Chappell