Three weddings and a funeral.

I was asked to cover the royal wedding for a Romanian newspaper. We arrived in London.
‘We need to meet the Cheeky girls now’ The reporter said loudly in the hotel reception ‘After, I want to see condom town’.
‘It’s Camden Town’ I said

Here they come, the bride and groom. Get ready, focus and…the crowed cheered and surged forward. The plastic bollard I was standing on bent a bit. As the carriage when by I was heading for the ground, my camera pointing to the pavement. I saw the back of Diana and Charle’s heads. No pics.

Ok, tripod set, here comes the kiss, no crowd is going to push me off my ladder and… the crowed surged, I didn’t budge. Thousands of flags waved in the air. Shit, flags, I… I can’t see anything. I missed Andrew and Sahara kissing.

God its so sad to see this, but I guess I should photograph it and…my Nikon F3 jammed and I watched, not photographed Diana’s coffin go by.

OK the plan is to find a Romanian in the crowd, get them to look at me just before the kiss so I can link the shot into a Romanian story… no chance. I decided I have the kiss of death on the subject and opted for a safe shot away from the front line crowds. I stood next to two women in Hyde Park and lined up my shot.
‘Are you official” The woman next to me asked as she looked at my camera.
‘No I am a ghost” I said and smiled ‘I am covering the event for a Romanian newspaper’
‘Really? My friend next to me is Romanian.’
Ok, I think the kiss could come in a few seconds and… ‘Ramona, please turn around and look at the camera…. now!” She did, just as William kissed Kate in the background.

On leaving for Romania we arrived at Kings Cross to get the train; there weren’t any. A bus ride later… and we missed our flight ending up having to kill 12 hours before the next one. We headed to St Albans.
It was weird to be in St Albans as a foreigner. I took the reporter to see the Abby.
‘Wow’ the reporter said to one of the park keepers as we reached the lake ‘You have ducks here, the gypsy must be very good.’
The park keeper looked confused and I hoped he would not ask.
‘What do you mean’ said the park keeper.
‘In my country, the Gypsy, they would eat the duck’.

PS, we had the front page for today ‘booked’ for an exclusive story we got whilst in London, but Laden getting binned ruled the day.

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