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| View from Serpentine Bridge |
Air: 52.0F / 11.1C
Bell's palsy: day 18
It's far too early on Tuesday morning and I'm cycling across London to swim in The Serpentine. I happily ride around Regent's Park and merrily meander past the crowds snaking their way out of Marylebone Station.
I cross the Bayswater Road and enter a dreamy, mist-filled Hyde Park. The sun has barely risen from it's slumber. Is the sun male or female I ponder as I stand upon Serpentine Bridge. This is no morning for prejudice, let's go swimming.
I've arranged to meet GB at 7.45, I need him to show me the ropes, apart from visits with the swimmer faithful, I've never done an early morning swim here. He arrives pretty much on time, big smile on his mush.
We're in and out of the members' intimate mixed changing room before you can say Peter Pan. I'm a member of The Serpentine Swimming Club, I just don't have a membership card, honest.
There's still a chill in the air, but the water is 10 degrees warmer, hence the mist I suppose. We swim, no, we glide, between the two distant buoys. The view towards central London under the rising sun is magnificent. I've swum in The Serpentine a few times but this is the best by a very long length. I'm not using my snorkel today, things are slowly getting back to normal on the face front. I raise three-quarters of a smile.
I nab a chocolate biscuit from the changing room and cycle off towards Mornington Crescent, happy as can be.