So Friday was my last day in the haven of culture, wealth and poverty that is otherwise known as London. It included 6 hours of missed sleep, 4 hours on trains and the final hours at NME. The evening before (Thursday night) I spent far too long awake chatting to Zac and the ever mysterious figure that is my good friend Harrison French; there would of also of been a rare spotted Paula but it turns out she's sick as a dog and more contagious than a cold in a crowded bus.
Today (Friday 13th) was an odd one. Even though I only slept for about 5 hours, I woke up fresh as the dickens. I hadn't any food left as we had cooked it all the night before so I settled with no breakfast and just another scolding hot shower. I think the shower knew I was leaving because I felt like a kettle and a volcano made a devil spawn of a boiler and it wanted to curse me with dry skin for my leaving gift.
So after triple checking I had everything packed, I left the door with a massive handheld case and a huge backpack, looking like the world's most middle class backpacker. Let me tell you, the tube is awkward when you require the space of three people. But anyway, despite all the awkwardness of my journey, it actually went off without a hitch and I arrive, on time. Bloody exhausted though.
Being that it was the last day there everything felt a bit strange, the cut outs that I was doing seemed more sad, the tea tasted more sour and the day seemed more grey. Even with the fact they often didn't have work to give me, I have still really enjoyed my time there. It's such a refreshing change to see an office that didn't have a single suit in it. I really did enjoy every hour spent there; so I would like to thank the whole office but most importantly, the design team—because that's where all the cool dudes hang out n' stuff. So thank you to: John, Dani, Becky, Tony and 'head honcho' Mark.
To show my gratitude to the team for putting up with me and giving me the opportunity to join them for two weeks, I did the only sensible thing; buy a shite tonne of cake.
In this rare image, Tony is instructing another member of the office that they were to eat the cake otherwise they were to never see their family again.
As you can see in the image above, the ever carnivorous Tony Ennis brutally dissected Colin the Caterpillar of which I had bought for the office to give thanks for my time there. Once he had been cut into pieces he then force feed the dismembered insect to other members of the design team – myself included – all the while doing this on the desk belonging to Jon, the digital designer. (Sorry Jon)
After the brutal ordeal was done with, I then had to pack up all my things and bid the team goodbye; which honestly really sucked. I had been so kindly welcomed in; even through all my pestering of Dani and Tony they still waved me off, albeit that Dani had already started cheering at the fact the seat next to her would not be constantly be asking for cut out jobs for at least a weekend. Well, not really, but she was throwing a knife at a picture of my face. Only kidding. It was Tony.
I now fear for my life.
So this is the last part of today's post and the day ended with a massively long train journey, of which I hate the kind. So I over-dosed on rescue remedy and sat on the train feeling like a hippy on a downer, sat at Woodstock, but somehow on a train. But I image half of the crowd of Woodstock probably thought they were somewhere other than a field on the outskirts of New York.
To end this, I'm going to make a final note and basically sum up my time in London.
When I first arrived, and even before that I was very naive toward London. I had very strong views against the place and it was mostly upheld by the short amount of time that I had spent there. I found from my time, that a lot of things I thought about London were correct, but what I learnt was the small portion that were incorrect were so distinctly false that it had completely skewed my view, and blinded me with ignorance.
I found that the capital of poverty was also the capital of community, but to find that you had to just open your eyes more to what is around you. I found that there are so many things about London that stress me out and that I cannot stand, but alongside with that is all the culture, food, music and people that make me love the places I have visited. And finally I found that, if you expect to find something you'll make almost any excuse to make sure you find it; but when you don't expect anything and open your curiosity you will be pleasantly surprised.
Vincent Walden's Professional Capital City Review: London – 8/10
That concludes these posts; please stay tuned for up coming ignorant & observant posts about other places on this planet. Thank you if you've read all 13.
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