I'm at work in King's Cross. It's lunchtime and it's sunny outside. I'm dreaming of a swim in the ponds. The relentless ping of the office microwave wakes me from my dreamlike trance. Lunch can wait while I cycle to Hampstead Heath for a dip.
It's completely deserted at the ponds. I stand for ages on the jetty gazing at the dark green water. Still no springboard. A swan glides effortlessly in front of me, turns and looks me straight in the eye. The swan puffs out it's chest and wings, it's the size of a small pedalo, he or she is daring me to dive in to their pond. You win. Eventually the swan beats it's wings a few times and majestically flies off to the adjacent pond. Wow, how do you compete with that?
All I can muster is a feeble dive. The water is well in to double figures. I paddle around for ages, this could be the best swim of the year, it's certainly the warmest of the year. I quickly forget about the swan.
Afterwards I sit in the changing rooms and soak up some well earned sunshine before heading back to work.
It's completely deserted at the ponds. I stand for ages on the jetty gazing at the dark green water. Still no springboard. A swan glides effortlessly in front of me, turns and looks me straight in the eye. The swan puffs out it's chest and wings, it's the size of a small pedalo, he or she is daring me to dive in to their pond. You win. Eventually the swan beats it's wings a few times and majestically flies off to the adjacent pond. Wow, how do you compete with that?
All I can muster is a feeble dive. The water is well in to double figures. I paddle around for ages, this could be the best swim of the year, it's certainly the warmest of the year. I quickly forget about the swan.
Afterwards I sit in the changing rooms and soak up some well earned sunshine before heading back to work.