Day 7: London

Over to London for a couple of days of work between games. After many days of experiencing the efficiency of German trains, it is a let down to arrive back at Frankfurt Airport to be told the British Airways flight will be an hour late “because the crew has not had enough sleeping time”. How about getting another crew and flying on schedule.

On the plane, the woman next to me talks loudly on her mobile from the moment she sits down. “I’ve got the smallest seat on the damn plane, because of the way its body curves, the plane’s late, Frankfurt was boring and full of World Cup thingies, my bag was too big, should have brought two smaller ones, the coffee was disgusting. And how are you, darling?” Dreading you coming home, love.

Reading the English newspapers, full of Wayne Rooney stories, I come across this gem in The Times of London. “Deep in the English soul is the feeling that playing football in hot weather is not natural.” That’s it then, wait until Iceland hosts the games.

Fly into London City Airport, which is quite an experience, skimming close over buildings and landing in the middle of Docklands. Met up with Andrew and Nicole and went to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre (pictured above), a fantastic recreation of the original Globe where Shakespeare’s works were first performed. Saw Titus Andronicus, which is so bloodthirsty and violent that it’s no surprise it is rarely performed.

And now for two day’s work, so don’t expect much on football for the next couple of days.