I enjoy talking with Caleb after waking from a nice dream. I walk about a half mile for breakfast and pass a guy, with two dogs, who seems to be giggling at all the happy people… for a few more days, at least before the city of London returns to lockdown. I’ll take the bus to South Ealing (a limited connections station) and a mile from my next stop. I get back on the bus, and I get off at the Ealing/Christchurch stop, as it’s only one away from the one I need, Ealing Broadway.

This puts me on the path of the Christ the Saviour Church. I go in quietly, as I usually do, but there’s a service in session, and I won’t interrupt it by trying to capture the pointed arches and painted angels. There’s a market across the street selling pasta and pies. I’m debating where I want to walk today as transit stations are closing, and more people are wearing masks as they queue up in packs to go shopping. I take the bus to Greenford, where I left the Capital Ring Walk yesterday.

I plan on starting Section 9, which will take me to South Kenton, over five miles away. After having walked 15 minutes in the wrong direction, I find myself back at the station on my way to meet Radu, the local Romanian, at Richmond Station. The distance covered on foot will be about the same, and I would have to spend just a few more minutes on public transit if I had walked another section or two today. The bus I’m on has a broken stopping alarm, and the driver seems to be trying to reset it by opening and closing the doors.

Once at Richmond Station, I got a turmeric flat white coffee and a lavender-sugar pretzel from Olaf at Knot, an artisan shop specializing in caffeine and twisted bread. We’ll stop at Tide Tables Cafe and walk along the River Thames to Terrace Gardens. From there, we walk on Queen’s Road through Richmond Park, over two miles, and see plenty of deer on the other side of the street. We’ll part ways at a bus stop so Radu can start his journey home, and I can be back by dark with an eight-minute walk.