Kentish Town Road, 23rd April 2012

The cold wet April continues, good for drought-stricken gardens but the opposite for the city's spirits. It hasn't put off the spring ballooners though - this was rolling riskily down the main road at rush hour, but it weaved between cars until I got a clear shot. The black car at right here then rolled right over it, and still it emerged unscathed. Good luck to it.

Belsize Road, 14th April 2012

An altogether different shot in another part of town, later the same day. We were just settling down at a fine new local when I noticed this rolling around outside, and bowled out to capture it. Late and night and shaky of hand it was never going to be the clearest shot, but this is at least a reasonable representation of how it looked and felt at the time. Masterly cocktails saw the evening off perfectly. 

Gaisford Street, 14th April 2012

A fairly bleak shot in a fairly bleak April, but spring's brought balloons if not warm sunshine (scant consolation though that may be). This McDonald's balloon was menaced by a small child just before this shot, either for popping or grabbing, and so intent was he that I didn't reach for my camera initially. His mother wheeled him away though, and it survived while I pursued it. 

Outside the Maths Building, Queen Mary UL, 10th April 2012

And another, from the same friend a mere two days later! In her words, "Literally 3 seconds after this was taken some loons leapt on it." She is a zoology student, but I doubt she meant Gavia immer. Stranger things have happened mind you (and not infrequently to her).

West Ham Park, 8th April 2012

Well this continues a recent glut (a glut that compelled me to actually upload them after a long gap), and better still is a gift from a dear friend, found on her run that morning. As a bonus, I saw her later to help pin it on the map, which was handy as I don't know that part of town at all (surprisingly).

From Trafalgar Square, 6th April 2012

If there's one place in London that will be busy regardless of the day, it's Trafalgar Square. It was its usual self; heaving with artists, tourists, pigeons and other locals. We scattered the third for the walk's latest trick and during the process saw this green scoot by Nelson's Column, adding a random dot to a classic tourist shot.

Off Parkway, 6th April 2012

This was spotted after a relatively lengthy drought for the season (both balloon and weather-wise), at the start of a long Good Friday walk around London. The city was deserted by its usual teeming standards, with closed pubs diverting our route and vacant tables testimony to those escaping for the long break. Those who stayed took advantage where they could.

Pink balloon aside, this is oddly similar to my profile picture on various social media (none of which I knew existed at this blog's inception - dear god, how long it's been...).

From Regent's Canal Path, 26th March 2012

It was the first workday of British Summer Time, and to toast the new light evenings I walked home from work along the canals, and was rewarded with this green, behind bars and sunlit on a surprisingly warm evening. Bliss...

Off Gaisford Street, 17th March 2012

So in Amsterdam orange is just the national colour. In London, it's pretty much always due to Giraffe. Most of these have been seen flying from their various stores, but there's not one nearby so this is probably just a blow-in...

Kentish Town Road, 8th January 2012

Well, you go all the way to Amsterdam, and then see an orange balloon on your doorstep a week later...

Herengracht, from Thorbeckeplein, Amsterdam, 1st January 2012

I was in Amsterdam again seeing dear friends for new year, these were spotted in a new year's day daze, wandering dumbstruck through the streets amidst the detritus of the night before. A few years ago I arrived unknowing on Queen's Day and was agog at the carnage. On new year's eve it was the fireworks that astonished and shocked. All on the streets seemed to have them: bangers everywhere, and irregularly but frequently the chatter of loud explosions was shattered by a deep and resonant boom that shook windows, set off car alarms and scattered nearby revellers. By new year's day, the streets were strewn with their red wrappings and the charred fat tubes of the more substantial.

The colour of these matches the boat's covering, which is a charming coincidence and rare, as Amsterdam for me has been a city of orange balloons.

Strand on the Green, 20th November 2011

When the seasons change, I hope for a balloon that will reflect it. When it snows I crave the snowbound, in summer I desire them atop sharp deep shadows and when it's spring I want, I dunno, crocuses or daffodils or something. Anyway, in autumn, this is pretty much the ideal shot. I leapt.

I was on a Sunday morning stroll westwards along the river, my first Sunday stroll for a while, and they've served me well before. This time, oddly like the last, London was submerged beneath fog, so dense that for much of our amble the opposite riverbank was invisible. But the sun came out for this and for lunch, and illuminated balloon, leaves and a tasty pie. We stayed in the pub all afternoon while the fog descended again, and left to haloed streetlights, giggling and car crashes.

La Rochelle harbour, from Quai Louis Durand, France, 12th October 2011

Always nice to see them away from London. These two were floating in a channel of the harbour, to which it's connected by the large doors behind. The light was just fading so this was a stroke of luck, as they all are. Although these were seen over a month ago, there's been nothing since. I've missed chances though. London is getting darker every day, which doesn't make it easier to spot them. I hope for a change of fortunes soon...

Pancras Road, from 214 bus, 8th October 2011

Not the prettiest shot, but it's been a while since I've got one in flight, so it made me smile. It was taken more than a month earlier than the upload date too - for shame! Well what can I say, it's been busy...

Off Fairfax Road, from 31 bus, 22nd September 2011

You go a day shy of five months without a balloon from a bus, then there's two in a week. A different route to work , and one beset by diversions and roadworks. At least I didn't have to get up for this one.

Kentish Town Road, from 134 bus, 16th September 2011

A fleeting shot this, and oddly the first from a bus for a while - it's not like I've been using them any less recently. I'd barely taken my seat when I saw this, and as I wasn't at the front I had to rise quickly again to get it.

Kentish Town Road, 16th August 2011

This metal cage is the covering to an abandoned stairwell down to what used to be South Kentish Town tube station, which closed in 1924. It is now a pit collecting litter, while the beautiful building across the road, which was once the ticket office, is now a branch of Cash Converters.

I walk past this spot most days, and with more than a passing interest - in the spring I surreptitiously hung a hanging basket from the central strut above these bars, which has bloomed profusely all summer with red Impatiens (at least when I've watered it enough). This time I was wandering home from an abortive attempt at exercise with my flatmate, and we'd stopped to pour the contents of our water bottles into the soil. He is far taller than I am (I stuck a bottle to a stick for when I had to water it alone), so while he was drenching the basket unaided, I watched on and around and noticed this yellow below, matching the plasticked chain and the sign beneath. The plant flowers still, although surely not for much longer, for London grows autumnal, and Impatiens does not.

St Andrew's School, West Moorings, Trinidad & Tobago, 14th August 2011

From very close to work to very far afield: another gift from the Caribbean - thanks again Luna! Here's how:

"I attended a Family Day hosted by an NGO called Macaroni Kid Trinidad. It is a website and e-newsletter for parents across Trinidad and Tobago which promotes the idea of “Family First” by highlighting opportunities for families to reconnect via activities, events and local attractions. Instead of lamenting our social ills and blaming “the demise of the family”, they aim to do something positive to change the world we're leaving to our children. It was an amazing fun filled day, with tons of stuff for kids and adults alike. There were wet and dry bouncy castles, face painting, arts and crafts, games, food, live bands, and nature exhibits with live animals. My favourite part of the day was when they let loose onto the field 110 bouncy balls! The kids really enjoyed that. As with most kid related events, by the time evening fell and it was time to go home, the inevitable doomed balloon was spotted. At the back of one of the school buildings, next to the car park and sullied by dirty water a forlorn purple balloon sat. This balloon wasn't making it home with a kid."

Indeed not, but you found it and so so did I. It can't have crossed the mind of whoever inflated it for decoration that day that it would end its tumescent life in a gutter, on a camera and then blogged thousands of miles away. Random happiness amidst the chaos around us both.