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A spellbinding London day, clear blue skies unhazed and a soft breeze blowing. Such days in England after winter having the further excitement of rareness, the corresponding sweetness like that of water on a parched throat after a long dry trip through the desert, drugless intoxication.

On the motorcycle, the brightness and warmth and openness massaging gently a clenched mind, the last of winter’s clutching sclerosis floating away. Day like this, the crime is not to do anything with it. Girlfriend pillion, Kew gardens the destination, picnic packed.

Picnic bag a bit bulky, panniers too restrictive for filtering through traffic. Unwilling to take risks with baggage. A brief flirtation with the idea of taking the car. The flirtation over in a microsecond, we’d never get there. Easy, just take stuff out of the bags until they’re not so bulky, saves having to lug them around when we get there anyway.

The road surprisingly empty, maybe because it’s a little early, maybe because everyone had the same plan but couldn’t cope with the idea of the car journey. Another motorcycle overtaking, slowing, riding alongside, big thumbs up, grin, that’s the thing about motorcycling and sunshine, the combination activates the smile muscles.

Last two miles to Kew, the traffic hardly moving. Briskly dealt with by the motorcycle. At Kew, all the parking places taken. For cars that is, the gaps between parked cars fine for the motorcycle.

Stopping at a gap right opposite Kew’s gates, looking, going on a few yards to the next gap, stopping again, pushing the motorcycle backwards to the previous gap, no, forwards again, on cue the comment from pillion, oi, what’s going on. Oh, you know, finding the absolute nearest place to the gate, would hate to walk any more inches than we have to. Thud as I receive a bash on the shoulder for my trouble.

Kew Gardens, a place made to celebrate a day such as this. Trees graceful and timeless, leaves shimmering as the breeze passes. Flowers in bloom. Long lazy cleansing summer day and all unfettered by thought of return journey complications.