He who hesitates misses out!

www.hairygoat.net

Hello
Well, the day started out dull and cool but as usual it's changing by the minute. So if you are thinking of coming out on a tour and get deterred because the weather looks rubbish, pay no attention to it. Believe it or not, it's only rained once on a tour in the last 3 weeks. (Admittedly, some days no one turns up, so do I count those days?)

Every weekday I'm out and about near a train station handing out brochures for the Hairy Goat London Photography Mystery Tour. The positive reaction from people approaching me for a brochure is encouraging and everyone is "coming along in a couple of weeks".. But please don't wait too long to come on a tour, because my supply of baked beans is running out and shortly I'll seriously have to reconsider how to continue paying my rent!

I've also been asked about young children under 12 coming on the tour. I have said on the brochure it isn't suitable, but if you know that your child is developing an interest (pun intended) in photography or history and is happy to come along for 3 hours, then by all means bring them. For free!

Just yesterday, I was near Liverpool St Station, and a fellow recognised me. He was interested in coming along on the tour but found the £20 fee to be a deterrent. So while I was standing there, I asked if he'd seen the massive perfect reflection in the building right next to us. He admitted that he was on this street regularly and had never noticed it.. And what about the gold beaver weather vane on the building diagonally opposite, plus all the other building features? (The building had belonged to the Hudson Bay Company and the features were appropriate to their business.) But, nope, he'd never noticed them either. So, I said he can certainly walk the streets for free, but he'd been doing that regularly already and hadn't seen the two things I showed straight away. And every day I find something new. Yesterday I found a fantastic frieze/coat of arms of two upright camels tucked in an alley and set into a wall.

I missed the photo of the week yesterday. It would have been called the Three Speeds of Red. At the stoplights, pulled up a red Ducati (my favourite bikes), then a fit cyclist on a racing bicycle wearing a red t'shirt.. then alongside pulled up a red t'shirted very unfit cyclist on a fold up bike. It was a perfect shot. But I dithered, and lost it.

But carrying a camera does pay off. You know how you do a double take when you see someone but are surprised by it? I was pretty sure I'd seen him strolling along the day before in Trafalgar Square but while delivering brochures to hotels the next day, I saw him again. It was The Hof, David Hasselhof. And he had agreed to a photo with one of the hotel staff, who had nothing but a camera phone. Did I gain brownie points with the staff when I produced the camera?

I have to say, this new life is great. But it would be a lot better if I could afford to keep it up, and give someone else a job too.