Sunday, June 17, 2007

Scents

DSD has been in Brighton for a week and we went down to visit today. I've never been there before and I liked it. I think it helped that I've been to Blackpool twice.

In a particularly large 2nd hand store I found this scented geranium. I've wanted one ever since I smelt them in the conservatory at Kew a few months ago. It's an unusual smell, more herby than flowery.


There was a London to Brighton bike ride today and the train home was pretty full. It got more crowded when we stopped at Gatwick Airport and a rowdy group of 10 returned English tourists got on.

A couple of them found seats and the others sat on their bags in the aisle. Once the train started moving someone got out a bottle of champagne and popped it next to my head. I uttered a mild profanity and champagne started spilling onto the carpet.

One of the group saw the look of disgust on my face and made a loud announcement, 'Oh! Some people aren't looking very happy. It's just champagne people!'.

Champagne was passed around and the girl on the suitcase next to me opened a can of beer. The man opposite me unzipped a suitcase and started rummaging through. 'That stinks'', the girl with the beer cried. 'Yeah, it's the rugby team's dirty washing' he replied.

He then got out a shirt and started waving it around. When beer girl screamed he procured a pair of smelly underpants and then some rancid socks. A man behind me asked them to put the clothes away. 'People are complaining', announced one of their party, sarcastically.

If they were teenaged or really drunk it mightn't have been so bad. But these were very normal looking English people in their 30s and 40s. Thank goodness I only catch public transport a couple of days a week. And thank goodness I have a blog to vent on!

2 comments:

j a s o n said...

AUssies/Brits and the Drink, I'm all too used to it...its boring isnt it?

I was utterly surprised last night in Siena. There were lots of people milling around the main square, most of them eating at restaurants and many sitting in the main square chatting and chilling out.

After dinner, at about midnight, I wandered over to where people were standing around, expecting a drunken throng. But no, instead people were just happily standing in groups having a chat, and eating gelati. A few with a beer in hand, but not a pyramid of empties at their feet.

No LOUD drunks screaming at each other. It felt so strange, cos I have been so accustomed to late night = drunken crowds with mess and urine everywhere.

Instead all was calm, sociable, friendly and clean and tidy, people were using the bins as provided...so strange!!

Joe said...

Yes, we're so conditioned to expect that people drinking are going to be unruly.

I'm so jealous of you being in Siena! I loved it there!