Into London (belated)

Yes, the same 'family reasons' kept The Best Mate and Tigger in dry dock on Maundy Thursday while Piglet and I took SONFLOWER the rest of the way to Paddington Basin. This time we took it a bit steady. Only nine locks (and we shared three of them) the first afternoon and we were moored below Cowley lock before sunset.

Just after sunrise on Good Friday morning we were on our way and moored at Bulls Bridge Tesco at 8am for a little shopping. Piglet woke up just as we pulled away and drifted through the flotsom strewn murky waters of the Paddington Arm. We didnt stop again until Greenford Visitor Moorings where we used the water point and winding hole and washed both sides of the boat. Breakfast of bacon and eggs was taken in traditional fashion.

Then on again until Mitre Bridge No6 (Scrubbs Lane) where we paid our respects to my brother with a scattering of rose petals on the surface of the water.

Then to Paddington Basin and a berth next to M & S HQ under the beady eyes of their security guard. After a quick lunch we were off to Trafalgar Square to be tourists and watch the open air theatre 3pm production of a "Passion Play".

Then we picked up tickets for the evening performance of the show "We will Rock You" and ate a pre-show dinner in Meds on Cambridge Circus before resting awhile in the beautiful garden before a very enjoyable evening out. Our Standing Only tickets didn't mar our enjoyement of the music of Queen and the humour of Ben Elton.

Then back to the boat for bed and the return journey back in the morning for Easter: to Rickmansworth by tube and Banbury by car.

18.5miles, 9 locks