So it’s Febuary 29th, a day that exists only once every four years. The kids are at nursery, I’m not working today, and I’ve a hankering to do something outside my usual routine.
At first I thought I’d be really adventurous and get a early morning plane to Amsterdam. I’d spend the day seeing the sights and then fly back in the evening. Unfortunately it appears that in order to do that sort of thing you need to be a little more planned in your spontaneity. Last minute plane fares are astronomically high, so regrettably it doesn’t look like I’ll be taking any tours of Anne Frank’s house today.
I also thought about having a go at walking up Snowdon, the highest mountain in England and Wales. However the forecast is not good and the prospect of walking 10 miles to the summit with freezing driving rain smashing into my forehead isn’t particularly appealing.
So instead I’m sitting here in the service station on the M1 motorway, nursing an overpriced cup of coffee and waiting until the rush hour traffic dies down. I’m going down to London to see my friend Rob and his 3 week old baby, then I’m going to go into the city and see the sights. I’ve been down to the capital a few times, but never really done the tourist stuff. It’s a toss up between the Tower of London or the V&A museum at the moment, but I’m pretty open to anything really.
I like the idea of doing something special with February 29th. I admit that traveling a couple of hundred miles on a whim isn’t the biggest of leaps. But if the sunrise at 6:30am this morning is anything to go by I’m going to have a pretty good day.
I hear that in the UK February 29th is like Sadie Hawkins Day in the US and Canada. Maybe you’ll get a few propositions while you’re in the big city. Always good for the ego.
Have a great time! I’m stuck in rainy France working. Too bad I couldn’t claim “when in France” and get a 35 hour work week.
I wish I would have thought of that - doing something “extra” with the “extra” day is a great idea!
Miss Britt’s last blog post..The RAP Sheet Continues
Unplanned days trips are the most enjoyable.
Sounds like a good idea. That sunrise would get me moving also.
Above Average Joe’s last blog post..Able To Leap Toys Left On The Floor In A Single Bound
Still more adventurous than me…didn’t even occur to me to try and do something special for Leap Day!
Blog Hoppin’,
Balancing Hops
April’s last blog post..Quirk: a peculiar trait, idiosyncracy
Hope you have/had a great day Dan! Good plan on avoiding the freezing rain smashing on your forehead thing. That would be pretty low on my list too.
Jeff’s last blog post..A little slice of the Big Apple
That is a pretty special sunrise. I like the trees, too. They know the sky is stealing all the spectacular glory, but they’re doing their silhouettish tree thing anyway, and elegantly claiming their share of the action.
Any actors out there want to know how to deal with scene-stealers, check out those trees.
John’s last blog post..Fugitive Colours
Wow, to be just a few hundred miles from London! I imagine there’s an endless number of things to do and see. My son wants to see the Tower, as we just watched a documentary about engineering in the British Empire. A trip to England is top of our list for a BIG family adventure in the next five years.
What am I going to do with Leap Day? Same old thing… a day of teaching, lunch out at a deli, a trip to the library and post office, then movie night tonight (gonna see Cars again).
Hope you enjoyed your special day! Post more pictures please!
Fantastic photo! I keep meaning to take one of the sun setting but so far haven’t. We are getting some great evening and morning skies here at the moment aren’t we?
Gail’s last blog post..Bumper Edition
Ann Frank House, sure. Good story. When I returned from Amsterdam the first time, I went with the Van Gogh Museum.
Rattling the Kettle’s last blog post..Gnashed their terrible teef!
JenK – I didn’t get any proposals unfortunately, although Rob did look at my funnily a couple of times.
Miss Britt – There is always next time
May – Yes, although the One my uncle Norris did to the south pole didn’t end particularly well.
Above Average Joe – It was very pleasant driving towards it on the way to my big adventure. It’s a shame I didn’t get to drive off into a sunset on my way back too.
April – I was very glad I did it.
Jeff – Yes, freezing rain smashing on your forehead is more of a easter weekend thing.
John – I had driven by a grain silo of some sort that would have been even more impressive in silhouette, but unfortunately there was nowhere to park to get out and get a shot.
Phil – I didn’t end up having enough time to do anything big, so we just wandered around and talked about fatherhood and the like. I’m going to the Shelock Holmes museum next time though.
Gail – I must admit I’m usually not up and about in time for the sunrises, and too tired by the time it sets. I need to make more of an effort to photograph them though.
Rattling the Kettle – I don’t know why it took so long for the Nazis to find Anne Frank. Apparently there are signposts to her house all over the place.
See how I cunningly dodged the implication there.
Amsterdam would have been cool!
I could have shown you my duck pics…
;-)
Xbox4NappyRash’s last blog post..Sucker For Punishment
I forgot a comma or an “and” in my comment: “days and trips”. What happened was that I changed my mind about posting it when it was too late. Also, English is not my native language.
Did your uncle Norris go to the South Pole?
I have never been interested in going to Amsterdam. I am a Southern person.
Xbox4NappyRash - I hope that’s not some sort of code for something unsavoury.
May - I was just joking about my Uncle Norris, although my dad and my Uncle Clive did go round the world in a double decker buss once. True.
I suspected it was a joke but I tend to believe anything.
Tell us more about the bus trip.
Great picture! And, great way to use the extra day to do something special.
PG’s last blog post..Project 365 // Day 28
May - i’ve been thinking of a blo post about it for a while, just need to get my act together and write it.
PG - Thank you sir.
Not at all sir, very savoury in fact, crispy duck.
Xbox4NappyRash’s last blog post..Sucker For Punishment
Well the weather sucked over here last fryday anyway. You should visit Amsterdam (or the Netherlands for that matter) when the weather is …better. It almost rains as much as in England though.
Being chronically Dutch, I only heard about the M1 being a big road.
A very nice pic from the sunrise btw!! The sun sets between 5 and 6 pm at the moment. Sunrises aren’t that early at the moment, I need to take pics while it still rises around 7 am..instead of 4-5 am or something.
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