today's meeting: cold latte better than hot late

Chilling in an early, sunny cafe this morning.

The default latte has given way to iced coffee, which is served in industrial portions. Unlike the continent, there is no side glass of iced water.

My tactic to arrive early paid off. I could plough through some emails and make a call or two. My colleague was completely melted after running from the tube perspiring a little when he arrived a trifle late.

Judging by the craned necks from others, I think I also made someone's day by leaving my (paid for) newspaper on the table. There was huge shoulder grazing interest throughout my journey for the Sport section, with its big picture of Andy Murray and a similar sized one of the defeated England soccer team.

Like many, I watched the surprisingly close tennis yesterday and wish Murray well for the next rounds. From this morning's display of close humidity, its no wonder they reached for the Wimbledon towels after every rally.

walking around a slightly wet London

Instead of today's tube strike slowing us down, we all seemed to get to our various destinations early.

I had a pre-meeting rendezvous at a coffee shop and was around an hour early.

My colleague arrived about 3cms of latte later.

We were so early that we took a phone conference prior to our main meeting from within the coffee shop(different tables for this part because of the unfortunate echos and and delays delays delays when using multiple cellphones in one l-l-location-n-n).

Then on to our meeting.

Would our host be there?

We'd been checking our phones for last minute emails. Nothing to worry about. She was also early, although wanted to pop outside for a cigarette before the session started.

We waited and looked out to the streets. Solid masses of people wearing trainers and carrying backpacks.

London was walking.

backpackandtrainers cam