Autumn Walks around London
Kenz and I have been on doggie duty for the past two weeks, pet-sitting for our friend’s sweet, sweet dog whilst they are back in the East Coast for a visit. Miss Haile pooch is no stranger to Auntie Lily and Uncle Kenz’s flat. Being the big dog lover that I am, I offer to watch Haile whenever her ‘parents’ go away on business or pleasure. We even keep Haile’s portable doggie bed in our flat; that’s how often she comes over.
Autumn is upon us; the leaves are changing colour, the temperature is dropping, and the days are getting shorter and shorter. We’ve been taking Miss Haile pooch on long walks around Clapham and southwest London to enjoy the fresh crisp autumn and get a bit of ‘training’ in for a big hike up Mt. Kinabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia in December. Yikes, better step up the training.
One of my favourite walks in Southwest London is a circular walk along the River Thames starting from the south side of Putney Bridge to Hammersmith Bridge. If you live in London, then you know that Putney Bridge is the starting point of the famous Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race held annually in March. This leafy part of London feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of Central London, and makes for a leisurely 4.5 miles walk. It passes through the London Wetland Centre, a great place for kids and nature lovers, crosses Hammersmith Bridge, and back towards Bishop Park and Craven Cottage, home of the Fulham FC. Haile probably knows this walk better than anyone as she lives just a stone’s throw away from Bishops Park. I think she wanted to make her way back to her lovely Fulham flat.
Back in our neighborhood in Clapham, we’ve been taking Miss Haile pooch to all our favourite pubs, The Sun, The Calf, the Bobbin, and the Draft House, all which are very dog-friendly. Only in London that I could bring a dog in for a quickie pint. I could never get away with that in California. She is the perfect pub dog, super mellow, friendly, and polite. It makes us want to be get a poochie ourselves but our lifestyle, work schedule, living on a 2nd floor flat without a garden, and travel makes it very difficult to be a responsible pet-owner. We may consider getting a poochie after we get our UK permanent residency next year? Maybe… For now, we’re happy to pet sit sweet Miss Haile pooch until she moves back to the U.S. next fall.
