Chelsea Bridge Road, from 452 bus, 11th May 2009

This flaccid red and pink pair almost looks like an intentional decoration, but I've never known construction barriers to bear balloons before, and it was a windy day, so I guess they blew there from elsewhere and were caught by the ribbons. For two years this route was part of my long journey to and from work, but this time I had a different reason - I was heading back to Brixton to help clean the house as part of a protracted, tiring and emotional move.

That move, incidentally, is the reason for the vast timespan between the photo date and the publication date. Nearly two maddening months passed before the internet was connected to my new flat, and that turbulent period didn't feel over until I was snugly online again.

Edbrooke Road, 10th May 2009

Way back in August 2006, when I'd just moved (back) to Shepherd's Bush, I saw a yellow escape tucked beside cars a few metres from my new front door after two days on that road. And in a stroke of stunning coincidence, two house moves later, here's a near-identical scene on my second morning on my latest new road.

It's moments like this that make me glad I do this. Although I could do without moving house so much.

Somewhere in Amsterdam, 1st May 2009

And this one, well, it could have been anywhere. Somewhere on a dizzy, dazed and delightful amble through the city we stumbled across another, floating free in one of the myriad canals. There's no point even placing a vague marker on the map for this, so Amsterdam will have to make do with two markers for now, and only one of those accurate. I hope to add to that set before very long.

Vondelpark, Amsterdam, 1st May 2009

And another, hardly surprising given the sheer number around. I suspect its position becalmed in a still lake in the large urban park was the only reason it survived the night, safe from the tramping feet of the revellers. Whatever the reason, its location afforded a charming photo. The park is a veritable maze of lakes and bridges, and I have no idea of the exact one, so the gmap marker has been summarily cast over the park in general.

Thorbeckeplein, Amsterdam, 1st May 2009

I'd rather naively thought that spending the May bank holiday weekend in Amsterdam would be relaxing. Instead, we arrived right in the middle of the Queen's Day celebrations, which had turned the usually neat streets into heaving rivers of rubbish. Our long yomp to the hotel saw us wading though countless millions of cans, bottles, plastic glasses and orange decorations. Happily, those decorations included balloons. Thousands still hung from buildings, thousands lay as tattered rubber rags on the street. This one was caught between the two, a situation that I can't imagine lasted long.