Day 11 - Origins

As another London friend later told me, I put my Oyster card to good use in going to Ruislip, moderately distant from London at 15km north west. Although still part of 'The Underground' system, the journey is above ground and the train has a higher ceiling, more space and forward and backward facing seats. It's good to get out of London into the burbs. By staying in a city a week or two you give yourself time to explore, experience what it might be like to be local, and sense the subtle shifts in attitude between place.

My dad was born in Ruislip and he has given me the very address of the house where he first saw daylight. He grew up in Cornwall Rd in a house of moderate size - today you would be entrenched middle class to own this property. Dad's family were decidedly working class. If I move to London I'd be very happy to live in Ruislip's surrounds.

How does one describe the feeling of tracing one's roots? The passing of time weighs heavily and you get an idea that the dimensions of time and space are very different, contrary to what modern laws of physics proclaim. For here in this very house did my dad live, these were the paths he trod, perhaps gruffly with a bag full of homework, maybe flush with radiance after captaining his school rugby team to a hard fought win. 
The place is the same. The time - now - is very different.

The economy has hit London, and Ruislip, hard. In a clothing shop they're practically throwing stuff at me. I purchase a very spiff jacket that'll be good for Paris and some hipster green trousers. I'd pay at least double for these in Australia. It dawns on me that I'll have to mail stuff home to take advantage of the bargains on offer.

The owner, from Cyprus, has been here for 30 years, although I'm not sure if he's been managing the store that long. "Australia's the place to be," he says. "My son just headed over and he's loving it. Think twice about moving here. Times are hard."
"I will," I say without conviction. "And thanks for finding the green trousers. I can almost see myself as a hipster in these. Have you heard that term?"
"We did that in the 70s."