With winter not far away, Londoners reveled in this amazing weather. Or the tease of the summer past. Although by the time I got out of the tube station after work, it was still warm but dark.
This week I had a prosecco with a girlfriend at a new Prezzo on my street. I've been meaning to have a drink there since they opened. They have a lovely garden and it was nice to have a second chance of an evening there alfresco and balmy.
Today I went for a swim in the Hampstead Heath pond. It's normally shut in October but they were reopened for this special weather. There was no shortage of visitors. We queued for twenty minutes to get in and there was hardly space to sit inside let alone to sunbake.
No matter what the outside temperature is, the pond water is always cold. It was 16 degrees and I felt it through my bones. It was refreshing (with ducks paddling at face level!) but I struggled swimming out of the pond. Tiredness and panic set in and I was in trouble.
Luckily the life guard's raft glided to my side and the guard took me back to the water's edge. He overheard me saying that I was'nt a strong swimmer so he was watching me, bless him!
I'm actually not a terrible swimmer but the cold water seized my muscles after I hung off on a floating ring for a while. A warning for those who swim in very cold water. Keep moving or get out!
I warmed up in the sunshine afterwards. It will probably be the last time for the rest of this year in the Heath.
The pond looks cold and I can vouch that it bloody well is!
Warming up with a good book.
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Care to pass a balloon? :)