A carpet of floral tributes in Green Park. As we enter, we are invited to remove all cellophane before we lay our flowers, to save it from being composted. People have come from all over the world to pay their respects. I lay my flowers next to a woman who has travelled from Hong Kong to lay hers. She is so grateful for the independence that Hong Kong has had and known. Another man has travelled from Canada to lay his flowers. We talk quietly together as we share our thoughts.

We all move quietly and thoughtfully among the tributes, left on every available space. The fragrance fills the air.

Having laid my flowers, we are advised by the police to ‘catch a tube ‘to the end of the queue’, now about two to three miles back, beyond Tower Bridge = the ‘official’ joining point of the queue.. where we are told ‘the man with the numbered wristbands’ awaits us!

So the walking begins…….it is daylight