My 30,000 step adventure
I recently visited the UK to speak at the House of PMO conference as their opening keynote speaker.
Orian and I at the House of PMO Conference
Part of the trip was also to catch up with my amazing publishers TSO and discuss my latest book.
This was a whirlwind trip arriving in the UK on Monday and departing Thursday book-ended with the 23 hour long haul flight, made for quite the journey.
However, one of the highlights of this trip was the 30,000 step adventure my publisher, now good friend, Orian Mendes took me on.
Now, I have travelled to the UK multiple times and have seen all the main attractions. Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace and all the other places on my list but I’ve never seen the things Orian showed me on our “little doddle which turned into a stroll then a merry jaunt”.
We started out in East London near Liverpool St Station and made our way along the Thames then across and back again.
Not very exciting? Well let me tell you, I saw sights along our journey that I’d never seen and the beauty of this wonderful city was highlighted through the eyes of a local.
We walked to a church in the centre of London but there was an unexpected twist.
Here we are at St Dunstan in the East church. As we walked and talked, I stated that I had seen many churches throughout Europe but Orian advised me that this was different and I would understand once we got there.
And understood I did.
The shell of a once beautiful church had now taken on a new life. Covered in beautiful foliage, it is a haven in the midst of a noisy city. Squirrels are so tame they walk up to you with expectations of a few nuts or even a pat!
Young families frequent the space as there are beautiful places to sit where I suspect was once a great hall for worshipers. Such a beautiful sight in amongst the tall modern landscape of London.
Then on from this amazing sight towards the Thames.
As we journeyed, Orian filled my head with history of this great city from the Guilds in London to all of the wonderful plaques dotted around the place in commemoration of people from hundreds of years ago.
We continued walking and made it just in time to enter a small modern art installation at Bankside Gallery across the river. We had the pleasure of meeting the exhibiting artist (Jacqueline Duncan: Out of earth & Water) and she talked to us about her extraordinary works.
Then after a cool beverage we made our way past the Globe Theatre and onward to the most delightful street vendor where we sat and enjoyed some wholesome Jamaican food. Now I have had Jerk Chicken before but nothing as tasty and delicious as this wonderful family made at this stop. Quite a lot spicier than I recall but the rich flavours were so wonderful I could not stop eating.
We made our way across tower bridge and for the first time I noticed the beautiful pale blue of the bridge. Now it’s always been that colour but for the first time I noticed it. It’s amazing the things we notice when we pause for a moment. Instead of rushing to the next thing on the list to check off, just to say that yes, I’ve seen that.
We walked a full circle and made our way back towards East London to conclude our adventure.
How wonderful to take the time to see things you’ve never seen. To learn about the true history of a place and to allow yourself the time to enjoy it.
This is what sightseeing is now for me. Not just checking off a list of things but taking moments to enjoy the sights, the sounds and the smells. To appreciate what is around us.
To not only look but to truly see.
When was the last time you had an adventure?
#CEOforChange | Award Winning Executive Leader | Technology | Innovation | Strategy | Digital | Transformation | Career Pivot Program (CP2) Specialist | Author | Keynote Speaker