I normally don’t look back but I somehow found myself browsing through the archives of this weblog wondering what I was doing this day 2 years ago, not realizing that today is a special day. For me.
Today 2 years ago exactly I was in London. Only for a weekend because 2 years ago I still lived in Denmark. But it was the weekend where I made the right decision.
In that weekend:
I was alone in London for the first time and I was there to find out if I could love the city and if the city would love me back.
I saw Kevin Spacey for the first time (Richard II) in the Old Vic, it was also my first theatre visit in London. I didn’t know then how much I was going to love the theatre in London.
I couldn’t find the BBC buildings in Shepherds Bush (I was supposed to go there for a guided tour).
I saw Blue/Orange in that very awkward place. This real life event actually made it into the script I am currently writing but got edited out again.
I visited a London cinema (Empire, Leicester Square) for the first time in my life and saw Wallace & Gromit. I fell asleep halfway the film because I was so exhausted from all the impression London made on me.
I visited the Science Museum and bought a t-shirt with “WannaSeeMySpaceShip” on it. I was in the middle of a Hitchhikers period at the time I remember and Slartibartfast never really left me after that.
I bought a book titled: “How to Write A Filmscript in 21 Days” in Waterstones on Piccadilly. My first book about screen writing but not my last it turned out.
I actually tried to write already at that time but (I still have stuff from that time) lots has happened since then and hopefully my writing has improved since then too. The first ideas about the script I am currently writing are from that time though.
I stood in Covent Garden leaning against one of the big pillars, the sun on my face on a cold November day and I thought. Yes. Let’s do this.
And in that weekend I wrote the 4 line poem you can read on the Union Jack.
I am no longer scared. I am used to left in stead of right. I drink tea the Milky Way, I like Bangers and Mash and London, I love you.
It’s nice to hear that everything has turned out great. Will you stay in the UK or do you have plans to move to another country in the future?
I never plan more than 1 day ahead at the time so as it looks today, I have no intention whatsoever to leave London. Why should I? London seems like a perfect fit for me, both theatre, cinema, culture and education wise.
And I think I will have a hard time leaving the accents behind too. But never say never.
And London loves you too
I really really liked this post. For too many reasons to list here, but I really, really liked it. So glad you’ve made such a very good decision :)
This was a beautiful post … I think your choice was a great one. And I’m so glad that you started a blog and that I found it and was introduced to your world… Go, Ingrid!
I am profoundly in love with London, and I have been for a really long time. Actually I am planning on going there for University, because being away from London is like being away from part of your own heart.