Yesterday this country mouse headed into the big city of London. I went to the Grand Designs Live Expo down at the Excel. I must apologise to the London residents that I keep meaning to go and visit. But the day was for me to get out and look at stuff without the need to talk and socialise (if that makes sense).

The expo itself was good, not as good as the one I attended 2 years back. Lots of hard sell by energy companies this year. I got nabbed by e-on, spent over half an hour with this guy wanted to sell me their latest fuel package. He succeeded, well until a climate change person thrust a leaflet into my hands. The e-on guy said “what is that” I said “a leaflet on the impacts of making solar panels” then his mood went quite aggressive toward her. That was the point he lost his sale. Last time I checked we lived in a free country.

This year there were a hell of a lot of solar panel companies there. Even Sainsbury’s tried to sell me a solar panel deal.

The reason I went to the expo was to look at self builds. I have a pipe dream. I want to build an eco house that does not pay anything to the gas man or the electric man. In fact I want the electric man to buy back from me. As I say it is a pipe dream.

A great highlight for me was seeing a really great chef Martin Blunos doing a cooking demo. He made a risotto from finely chopped broccoli stalks, looked fab. There were also loads of fabulous sculptures and carvings etc. Sorry to all the folk I probably spammed on Instagram and other social networks, well those of you who still look. But as like most folk I don’t get into London as often as I would like.

On the way back home I went for a bimble down Regent Street and Oxford Street, a bit of retail therapy, didn’t buy anything though.

On the train journey back I was captivated by a young lady who was receiving messages to her BlackBerry. She would get a message and her face would beam then she would break into an uncontrollable smile. It’s a look that is only made by someone who is truly in love. It made me smile and I felt happy for her because I know only too well what that feeling is like. When someone makes you smile at a screen, anyway this is why I shouldn’t write blogs I go off subject, well that and my grammar and spelling are shit.

Any hoo, I know the self build is a pipe dream and probably will never come true. But sometimes you need pipe dreams. Life can be really shit and crappy, pipe dreams or any dreams make it less so.

So a bimble around London with an iPhone 4. I cut out loads of footage, well hours of footage is boring

The video was filmed and edited on the iPhone 4.