Marijke, Hillary, Sam and Caspar gave us a very warm welcome with even a rhubarb ginger pie at their home in Harperden. It’s half an hour with the train north of London. The perfect way to test if the British are open for drawing beautiful moments in the train. During peak hours it’s impossible to collect in the UK trains. It’s far too crowded and hot. People standing and sticked next to each other. But eleven in the morning is a good time. The first day people are a bit shy although quite a few people start drawing. It’s the same as in the Netherlands; if the first are going to draw, the rest will follow. A French family draws with the four of them. The 11-year-old son draws an Eiffel tower with swag.
The second day is the prime example of awesome train collecting. Before I ask the second person, people notice what is going on and start smiling. Drawing is not the best quality of most of them, but they are happy to try. Together they discuss what they are drawing. A guy from India asks what my plans for India are and I should give him a call when I’m there. He would be glad to help out. One boy is drawing quite some time and together we are curious for his progress. Just before we arrive in London he shows the result. A guy jokes that next time we see him, he lives in a beach house.
Now I’m in London I have a goal; collecting in the tube. According to my father it’s impossible and I shouldn’t do it. He sums up: a) it’s too busy b) people won’t be long enough in the underground trains to draw or be relaxed enough to draw c) the 12 minutes we’ll be in the tube, won’t be enough. I share my stubbornness with my father, so I try. The first six people say no and the smile of my father gets bigger. Then I ask a couple. They have to get out soon, but nevertheless start drawing happily. Also my own smile gets bigger.
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