As Glen pointed out late Sunday afternoon, there had been one discrete thing in our diary — lunch at 1pm. We did indeed have lunch at 1pm but the day contained so much more than that.
We woke up at 11, got ready and left the house to go via Leicester Square to see what shows were on in the evening. We’d been given theatre vouchers for a wedding present and wanted to make use of them, but whereas I thought Monday was the off-day, it’s actually Sunday so selection was limited. We found some we liked the look off, moved out Monday night plans to Sunday night, and then decided to investigate further.
Leicester Square was getting ready for the premiere of George Clooney’s new movie, Tomorrowland, so there were barricades and screens and lights and advertising going up. It would be a good place to avoid in the evening. There are also all these Shaun the Sheep statues about London and they’ve been painted different colours and patterns. It’s pretty cool.
We walked up the road to Golden Dragon where we were due to meet people for dim sum. Noel (who I sang with in choir in Perth) and his partner Marcus, Marcio and Eliano (our neighbours from Toronto), Annabelle (another choir member from Perth) and Jo (my cousin) all came for lunch. I always get a bit apprehensive about combining people who don’t know each other but it quickly became apparent that I needn’t worry and everyone got along.
We ordered a lot of food and it was very tasty. Somehow we managed to finish it all. The best part? This magnificent feast only cost £15 each. Bargain! Conversation was good. We caught up on the news. Afterwards we went for cake and coffee at Sapore Italian Cafe in Leicester Square. (Yes, more food.)
Jo left us then, and the rest of us walked up to Piccadilly Circus and then Regent Street. It wasn’t as mental as other days I’ve been, so that was a relief. Marcio and Eliano had never been to London so they were keen to see the sights. We bit farewell to them, Annie and her partner, Evy, then went to Noel and Marcus’ for coffee and a sit-down. It was nice to rest out of the hustle and bustle of London for an hour or so, and to see where the guys live.
We’d arranged to meet Rahul, a radiologist from Perth who’s in London for two years doing fellowship and messaged us when we landed in Heathrow, at an Indian restaurant called Dishoom. Noel and Marcus walked with us, taking us last a pub where Glen and I got passes for a bear night that we were going to with Marcio and Eliano later.
We got to Rahul just after seven and said goodbye for now to Noel and Marcus. We joined the queue and after a while got let in to go to the bar, before being shown to a table. Though we’d queued it was only a 30 minute wait for us (Rahuk had been there much longer). We ordered food (sensibly not ordering too much as we were still full from lunch) and caught up on all the goss from radiology back home, discussed what he and his wife will be doing when she gets to London in July, and swapped travel stories.
After three hours, we walked to Leicester Square and went our separate ways — Rahul to home, Glen and I to a nightclub in Vauxhall. The club is called Eagle and caters more to members of the gay bear community. Having said that, there was a mix of people and we weren’t made to feel unwelcome. Marcio and Eliano were there with a friend of theirs so we hung out with them, had a couple of drinks, and called it a night just after midnight. I was so pleased to see my bed.
Travels with Dan 
What do you say, eh?