Apple Market, Covent Garden, London

I caught the train at Moreton-on-Marsh today for my first day trip to London since moving to the Cotswolds. The train from Cheltenham was 2hrs and 40 mins so made a day trip a challenge. Now we are in Bourton it is 20 mins to Moreton and then 1 hour and 40mins to Paddington, suddenly a day trip is on the cards again.

I met a friend for lunch in Covent Garden, which was lovely, but then I made my way to Oxford Circus for some shopping before catching the train home. The cacophony of sounds, voices and car horns and the mixture of smells from the exhaust fumes and the food stalls in this popular shopping area were quite astounding and the crowds were daunting an ferocious. Although I commuted into London every day for 21 years I think my 2 years in the Cotswolds has made me very appreciative of a quieter life and although I will do the trips back to see my friends and to visit the galleries,  I think I will do my shopping in Cheltenham and the villages, much more laid back and relaxing!