Neil Gits Observant

I’ve been in a bit of a dilemma recently. You know I love visiting diferent parts of the country, usually to check out new football grounds and take photos, but with no proper matches taking place just yet, I’ve been struggling to find a way to get my travel fix over the summer. There are quite a few places I’d like to go to, but they are in areas like Cornwall, Wales, The Lake District and Scotland which would require a short flight or a long train trip, with an overnight stay, when all I really want is a good day out in the car with the aircon in full flow and good tunes on the CD player ! Even “do-able in a day” trips down to Sussex, up to Norfolk or into the Midlands don’t appeal as much as they used to due to the outrageous rise in petrol prices, so I needed to come up with inspiration …

It arrived by looking on my own doorstep ! I worked in London for 5 years on leaving school and hated every minute of it, never wanting to go there socially and feeling no need to go back for any reason (apart from football!) for many years until Nathan had school projects where visiting the big museums would be handy. We rather enjoyed those and I’ve kept my mind a bit more open since then, although driving into the heart of the city is a complete no-no ! Then I saw one of the TV documentary series I’ve enjoyed lately where the hosts went to the Greenwich Observatory and I was impressed by the views you can get in the park there looking out over the City skyline and seeing all the historic buildings surrounding the nearby Cutty Sark too … and I thought ” I’ll have some of that !”

It was easy to drive to on a Wednesday afternoon (my typical off peak wandering time of the week…) and at about £1.40 an hour to park the car and have a good walk around not over extortionate by London standards, although I drew the line at paying £16 each to go inside the museum and ship, happy enough to take photos from the outside. I even took A13 Annie to the area the following week, this time by train & DLR, as it would be easier for her not being able to walk far, just to take the Emirates Air Line cable cars over the Thames, completing a unique double for me having walked UNDER the river a week before through the historic Greenwich Foot Tunnel !

You can see all my photos by going to Facebook and looking down my timeline, but if it is the “work” I do that appeals to your ears and not your eyes, head for the “Listen Again” page of this website and check out one of my recent soul shows … or listen to the ‘Repeat Play’ on air at Gateway from 5-7pm this evening (Saturday) …

The Tunes – Monday 11th July 2022

Love Unlimited Orchestra – Lift Your Voice & Say

Rockers Revenge – Walking On Sunshine

Richard Darbyshire – This I Swear

Stylistics – Rockin’ Roll Baby

Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music

Dynasty – Adventures In The Land Of Music

Sister Sledge – Somebody Loves Me

Jones Girls – When I’m Gone

Aleem featuring Leroy Burgess – Get Loose

Al Jarreau – Trouble In Paradise

Brass Construction – Now Is Tomorrow(M & M Mix)

David Bendeth – Feel The Real

Dennis Brown – Black Magic Woman

Jesse Green – Come With Me

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – Tracks Of My Tears

Eddie Grant – Living On The Front Line

Gladys Knight & The Pips – Midnight Train To Georgia

Loose Ends – Love’s Got Me

Tyra Levone – I Trust You

Natasha Watts – Go Slow

Melba Moore – I Can’t Stop The Rain

Stevie Wonder – Boogie On Reggae Woman

AP Connection – A Phony

Feel free to get in touch with your soulful request or just for a mention on the show – put a post on “The Old Gits Soul Show” page on Facebook, text (01268)833978 or message me via e-mail : [email protected].

The Old Gits Soul Show is on Gateway 97.8FM in Basildon & East Thurrock and also around the world via www.gateway978.com , as well as on your smart speaker or your phone, from 7pm–9pm every Monday, repeated on Saturday evening from 5pm–7pm … plus you can hear it again anytime you like via the “Listen Again” button on the Gateway website – search “Cool Soul” !