The night-time is the right time.

It's still not quite light when I take Billy for his, and my, first walk of the day.

Movement activated lights still go on as I pass by houses that have them, Joggers still jog, litter-louts still litter, rough-sleepers still sleep, and illegally parked cars remain illegally parked for a short while before the traffic wardens start work. It is a pleasant time of day before the routine of daily life has properly begun.

Towns and cities are very different places when everything is closed and the people are mostly still in bed. It can be eerie, and it can be dangerous, but the rewards of exploration can be very generous.

When I lived in London back in the late 60's, I had one particular flat that was just up from Marble Arch; very central. I managed to acquire an old bike, and at strange hours would often cycle down Oxford Street, turn into Regent Street, along Piccadilly to Hyde Park Corner, then up Park Lane and home again. At anywhere between 3 am and 5 am, all was quiet and deserted, and I felt as if I had the whole of London to myself. Of course there were always a few cars, taxis, and pedestrians around, but possibly only about 5% of daytime traffic. I would recommend the activity to everyone.

City centers become totally transformed when they are quiet, and sadly they are only quiet at night. London is a great place for night-time cyclists, it's reasonably level, and there is so much to see. During ordinary daytime travels one really hasn't the time or the possibility to look around; one is too busy trying to avoid other pedestrians. But at night on a bike one can take one's time, stop where one wishes, and ride safely along otherwise far too busy streets.

I'm just sorry I can't do it again. Neither do I live in London, nor does my dodgy knee allow cycling. But I do still dream of it.