Hot, Bothered and Expecting: London in a Heatwave

Our annual gals’ trip but this year, on my birthday! When we planned it earlier this year the girls didn’t know I was pregnant, I was so excited to tell them! I knew then that the trip may not be easy but I was only a few weeks along at that time, I had no clue what lay ahead. As the weekend approached, my excitement was tinged with worry about how my hips would hold up.

That week, I hadn’t been feeling myself and the day before we were meant to go, I had reduced fetal movements so we headed to the maternity centre to go checked out. Very scary the first time going there but thankfully, baby decided to start moving again, and everything checked out fine. Since then, baby has been kicking me almost non-stop! Honestly, it's one of the best feelings ever, even when it hurts and keeps me awake in the middle of the night!

So, back to normal and on the Friday (my birthday) we set off for London. While I tried to pack light, the reality of all the creams, tablets, and an extra pillow made my bag anything but light. But that pillow was a lifesaver for extra comfort on the train! Oh, and I brought my walking stick, although in hindsight, I really should have upgraded to crutches at that point. The stick just didn’t cut it. It was during the heatwave in June, so I made sure to bring a fan; it was sweltering, especially once we arrived in London.

The train journey flew by, filled with snacks and card games. Once we got to Kings Cross we walked to Coal Drops Yard to meet Becca (who we were down there visiting). We enjoyed a yummy tapas dinner at Barrafina before heading to the top of the Gherkin for drinks. It would’ve just been a quick uber but there was a cycle race so we couldn’t get to the main road to get to the car without walking back up the stairs and having to walk back on ourselves. Usually, this would be a pain but I had my stick and it wouldn’t be too bad but my hips from sitting uncomfortably all day and the heat – it felt like I was in the race. But we made it.

When we got to the Gherkin we went through all the security and up the main lift to the 39^th floor. To reach the 40^th floor it was a special round glass lift for disabled only, so the woman that greeted us there said “only the lady with the cane”. So I had my own special glass lift for the final floor up. We had a big giggle about this. The view from the top of the Gherkin was incredible and it was so lovely to all be together and having a drink and a catch up. We then headed back to Becs’ to finish the night with drinks and games. That night was boiling … thank God for my little fan, even though I did need to charge it throughout the night. Which was no problem seen as though I  was up every hour to use the bathroom!

Getting up to a proper made coffee and an incredible brunch selection, it really felt like we were on holiday! I decided to skip out on Saturday's adventures with the girls, as I was utterly exhausted from Friday's activities—between fatigue, hip pain, belly strain, and the heat. They went to get Ice Cream and went to the theatre, the pics looked fab. It’s painful enough when you miss out on something because of your body when you’re at home, nevermind when you’re away. But I was just grateful that my body let me get there in the first place and I was able to spend the weekend with them all. I knew they would be supportive, as they always have been throughout my journey with arthritis, standing by me every step of the way and never letting me feel like a burden. Since day 1 these girls have been my rock. I will never forget the first time I met them all when I started sixth form at a new school and was in a knee brace and on crutches. They were so kind and looked after me and have ever since. Back to London – that evening we had the most amazing BBQ, Becs’ boyfriend had been prepping the meat all day and wow was it worth it. Sitting around the BBQ with cocktails (or mocktails for me) was a delightful way to spend the evening, and I was so glad then I hadn’t stayed home just in case I couldn’t cope.

Another sweaty, uncomfortable night followed, complete with frequent trips to the bathroom – I definitely won’t miss this part of pregnancy!! The next morning, we headed out for brunch at MILK, just as yummy as our previous visit a couple of years ago. We then took an Uber to the park to play bowls, but it was closed, so we simply relaxed in the sun, soaking up the peaceful atmosphere. Typically, we would walk or take the tube around London, but to save my legs, we opted for Ubers. The only tube ride we took during the trip was back to Kings Cross, and thankfully it wasn’t too crowded or long—minimal suffering on my part! Milly, Meg, and I then headed back up north, where, unsurprisingly, we were greeted by rain and cold weather!

Overall, it was a fairly chill weekend for me, especially considering we were in London. Still, my body paid for it in the days that followed, with cankles taking a long time to resemble ankles again! But it was all worth it to escape the house and spend quality time with friends—something that will be more challenging once the baby arrives! I honestly don’t know how people travel so much when pregnant. But like I said in my last post and as everyone says to me – every pregnancy is different and cannot be compared. I need to remind myself of this at least 10 times a day!! I’m just so grateful that I have the friends that the unwavering support they offer me through all of life’s ups and downs. And I hope they know that I’m always here to support them in return.

Thanks for reading,

Ali x