so, cor blimey gov, i've been dahn sarf in that fhakkin lhaandhaan, innit, look you see. pretty much everything you may have heard, imagined or simply made up (if that is not to imagine) is probably true and then some, with particular emphasis on cars and associated vehicles of the road. despite having an extensive and exhaustive public transport system - they have more buses and trains there than the rest of the country combined - they really, really like cars. as in, i believe in one day i saw more cars on one stretch of road than i would see in an entire week in a different (proper) part of the country.
this made life kind of somewhat interesting, and difficult, for me. i was there for verk, as it happened, and quite a part of that is, you know, driving. as it turned out, the only thing they are more passionate down there about than cars is limiting what roads you can drive on, or when, and all at a cost. frankly i am not too surprised about them congestion and emission charges, for pollution with all them cars must be a nightmare. goodness knows what that squatter mayor does with all the coins.
but, anyway, enough, momentarily, of my plight with the joys of driving down there. little wonder, mind, that when they do them shows of london (innit) like EastEnders, all the people do is shout at each other. it must be quite distressing to sit in so much traffic. moving on then, and romford.
i ended up in that romford place, of essex (i believe) rather more by default than design. no, i certainly would not have chosen to visit the place myself, but verk asked, and i consented. to go back briefly on the just momentarily stated claim, after my first day of driving in the place i kind of regretted it, but soon got the hang of it. if by soon you understand 2, perhaps 3, days.
yes, i did indeed see quite a few strange, peculiar things there. as one would. but, alas, i wasn't really there to take pictures of such observations. the one (slightly) above, however, was well worth documenting, i think. of course, if something is worth documenting, then one should do it properly, like what i have gone done, in the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode.
just what, exactly, have i documented (or captured) here? precisely what it looks like. that is some dummy or mannequin (actual, not film) head, under some tarpaulin, along with a rudimentary door mat sort of thing, celebrating the football (association) club west ham united. yes, that's the west ham of the east end of london (innit). well, i did warn it is a strange place.
no real surprise, to be sure, that abandoned shopping trolleys (trollies) were profligate across all of what i saw of london (innit). well, if people can have cars but they are simply too expensive to drive around, or actually driving to the shops is prohibited, then the people of the city are going to do shops via walkies, and taking the trolley home is a lot easier, i would think, than carrying it. yes, i suppose they could get one of them famous "black cabs" of london, but they are frightfully expensive.
from what i could work out, romford and a great deal of essex (essential and auxiliary) was, were or is a significant manor or turf for west ham support, a catchment area of sorts, i suppose. quite likely this is all down to the native population of the place being ardent communists, and the football club using the treasured hammer and sickle off of the soviet union as their logo or emblem. rather paradoxical, it is, how people of london tend to be red commie types, yet the city is home to the largest display and proceeds of capitalism at its most ferocious. maybe it is because so much money is generated there than the people can indulge the whimsical cash is free concepts associated with ultra left wing mantras.
what do people "do" with shopping trolleys (trollies) down there? i have no idea. probably, it is so, like in normal, proper parts of the country, eventually they end up being traded in at scrapyards for cash. except possibly not. strangely, for purposes of verk, i had to go past such an establishment there. it did not go well at all. quite a ghastly, quasi frightening place, and i shall not return. quite menacing and threatening, it all was. my suspicion is that any "business" type person anywhere near london (innit) feels like they have to act, or put on a front, like a Kray or similar villain.
right, well, that's about all i have got for you on this subject. if that. for any sort of advice if you had to be in romford, or essex, or london (innit), generally it would be do all you can to experience the place without needing to drive in it, or take any sort of responsibility for any sort of vehicle. i have little choice but to disregard my own advice on this one, but please heed the words and learn from my plight, if not benefit in an overt or direct way.
be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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