Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt 2015: The South Bank / East Coast Edition

When I started writing this post I was sitting in bed, wearing a jumper, a cardigan and my dressing gown all to avoid having to put the heating on. Today the heating's on.

Add to that the fact that my tomato plant leaves are turning yellow. And between the pair of us James and I have sorted out 4 bags of clothes to donate to charity. All in all something tells me there's a change of season ahead ...

Which is why I'm glad that I've almost found all 21 items on Rinda's Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt list, because in just 3 weeks' time it'll no longer be 'summertime'.

There still remains one elusive category "No.4. People playing a board game or card game" and, while I know I could mock one up by telling James to whip out his Top Trumps and smile for the camera [now there's an insight into our private lives you weren't anticipating when you dropped by today ...] I'd much rather stumble across the scene naturally.  A bit like how I did with today's topic.

3. A person walking a dog (or other animal). 
I'll get to the dog in a moment [which is something you won't catch me saying very often!] but first allow me to just lead you up to it ... [dog, lead, see what I did there? Ah ...]

When we booked a hotel on London's south bank last month we had no clear idea about what the area was like. We knew it faced the river and had the London Eye somewhere behind it ... and that was it. It wasn't until we stepped out of the hotel's front door that we realised what a constant stream of people drift their way by it along the Thames-side footpath.

Soon, like two twigs in a game of Pooh Sticks, we merged with the stream and found ourselves meandering up and down the waterfront like everyone else. [At least when you're following a river you can't get too lost]. 

Although ... I say 'meandering up and down the waterfront like everyone else' except ... not everyone else meanders.

• No, the tourists stumble around recording themselves using selfie-sticks, and stop dead in their tracks to take photos without warning. 
• Meanwhile the locals cycle and run to and from work; tucking-in their elbows as they sprint by, to avoid jabbing the hoards of passers-by who have fewer demands on their time. And, to my surprise, they even scoot past on scooters. Dressed for their day job in the city. Scooters the likes of which - where I live, you never see being ridden by anyone over the age of 15!   

So, with all this life flowing around me it was an ideal place to try to find someone walking along .. whether or not I could spot an animal there too was a different matter. Eventually I captured this one which is a little uninspiring, but it gives a feel of the place I suppose: 

I've mentioned this before, in my Month in Numbers post for August, but after a frenetic 3 days in the capital I was ready for an altogether slower pace ...  

... which lead me, sedately, to finding someone walking an 'other animal':  

I'm not sure if I could have found anything quite as polar opposite than a dog amongst the London throngs and city skyline ... and a gentle donkey ride along an almost empty beach on the North East coast.

But I guess that's what travel's for? To change your scenery from time to time.  [And maybe to swap dogs for donkeys ...because I know which ones I'd rather find on a beach!]

Julie :-)

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If you'd like to catch up on my 20 successful Scavenger Hunt discoveries then drop by my earlier posts here:

• The London edition 
• The old book edition
• The Hamlet 'ticket booth' edition
• The 'Out & About on Holiday' edition
• The 'Lincoln City Centre' edition
• The 'Town Centre' edition
• The 'Haven't I seen that outfit somewhere before?' edition

And you can visit curator of the hunt - Rinda - here at her blog Gallo Organico to catch her regular round-ups and link posts.