“Believe me,” the London cabbie said, “we’re even happier to see you than you are to see us.”
Riding back to our hotel from an afternoon matinee in the West End, careering down narrow streets toward Blackfriars—oh, those old English names!—the driver and his American passengers had a brief conversational lovefest. Delighted to be back in London. Delighted to have you back. Old friends week, right?
Hyde Park was established by King Henry VIII in 1536. (Simon Hurry/Unsplash)
Exactly. My recent trip to London reminded me how precious the familiarities of travel are, every bit as meaningful as the novelties of exotic discovery. As often as I head off somewhere new, I schedule a trip in the lap of familiarity….