Campervan Therapy

From Little Venice’s watery world we’re disloyal to the Elizabeth Line and shoot along to the Embankment on the Bakerloo’s old rattle and shake. It’s that time of winter evening, too late for museums, too early for libations of the alcoholic kind, so it’s non-negotiable, the buzz of the Southbank is the place to be, with its iconic food vans, lights, and sheer showbiz quality.

We walk across Hungerford Bridge to St Paul’s dome and London Bridge lighting up the skyline, not to talk of the Shard with its disco lights, the OXO tower in red, fairy lights strung out along the bank and in the trees. It’s as if we’re walking through a Romcom movie set. 

Meandering along the Southbank is enough, jogging groups with their music blaring out, crowds watching the adept skateboarders at the now famous skateboard under-croft. People braving the cold, huddling under the outdoor heaters with their pre-theatre drinks. The river always busy with party and ordinary bus-hop boats.

The globe is lit up in a purple and silver light show. As we walk across the Millennium Bridge it sways gently beneath us. St Paul’s dominates the north bank of it. I’m always moved by the bronze sculpture of the fire fighters saving the iconic cathedral from bombs in WWII.

Rest and recuperation in The Wren tavern calls and then it’s a quick step to Bank for a change back to the Elizabeth Line at Tottenham Court Road because after all, we’re meant to be tracing the line, which is speedy, swish and efficient. But this is us, and we can never explore anywhere in a sensible linear fashion.

In Southall we bowl on into Saravanaa Bhavan Vegetarian restaurant, which claims it belongs to the largest and best Vegetarian South Asian Restaurant group in the world. The café-like interior is brightly lit, the fridge full of sweet treats. The television is on, and the place is full of chattering families. There’s no 7 o’clock bedtime curfew for children here. In fact, 8 o’clock brings even more feasting families through the door. It’s full of life, just as I like my restaurants.

I can safely say that the vegetarian samosas are the best I have ever eaten. We gorge on Thalis and vegetarian biriyanis – our magnificent meal a Mere £28 for both of us.

As we hot foot it the few hundred metres to Southall station, a man stands taking the air outside a Sikh gurdwara, a place of assembly and worship where whoever turns up eats for free. The generosity of spirit here is moving and I’ll definitely be back on the Elizabeth Line to explore the independent shops and cafes of Southall.

A mere 40 minutes later and we emerge at Abbey Wood – we’ve just crossed London, west to east, in that time. The Abbey Arms by the station is a perfect stop-off for a nightcap, the outside decorated with 1930s style green tiles. Inside there’s brick walls festooned with fairy lights. Groups of people play cards as they sing along to the eclectic soundtrack – from Perry Como to Meatloaf. We hear the pub does some of the best sourdough pizzas around – a perfect venue for our next visit as it’s only five minutes’ walk from the campsite.