West Ruislip

?...?... I don't get it. Why West Ruislip is there. It's right between Ickenham and Ruislip, both serve by their own Tube stops. Though someone cared enough to give it its own Wikipedia entry. Which was, well, esoteric. Apparently, there used to be a US Navy base right next to the station, which is now being turned into a load of flats. It's part of a planned extension that got scaled back right after WWII. There's also a golf course called The Fairway, which might as well have just been called A Golf Course.

Had a wander down to Ickenham, and had a lime and soda in the Coach and Horses. It was one of those places that only charges you, in this case, 35p for a soft drink, instead of like a pound fifty. Me likey. Not much to report about Ickenham, but there were a number of posh cars about and, more importantly, an inordinately high number of very attractive middle-aged Indian woman. Sadly, usually with kids. And SUVs.

Thinking there had to be another reason for the West Ruislip station, I wandered the other way from the station. Which took me to Ruislip.

Which seemed pretty nice. Clean. Nice stores. Even had a Baskin Robbins 31 Flavours (I went to uni with Sarah Baskin. She never wanted to talk to me.) A High Street with really wide pavements for the pedestrians, which I took to be a good sign.

Best part of the trip was easily my book, The Polish Officer, by Alan Furst. He writes historical thrillers set on the eve of WWII. Really enjoy him; his depictions of Warsaw before it was destroyed by the bombing are really good.

Glad I got it out of the way. Where to next?