Horse riding, antiquing and boat trips are not exactly the first things that spring to mind as things to do in the London Docklands area.
Most people laughed when I told them I was going to a farm in the city. “I thought you were in The Docklands?” was the common response to which I relished replying: “Yes, I am. I'm going horse riding.”
There are more than 90,000 people working in the 97 acres of Canary Wharf, which is one of Europe's biggest clusters of super sleek skyscrapers and home to leading international companies and more than 200 shops, bars and restaurants, so you can imagine the atmosphere.
Shopping arcades; Cabot Place, Churchill Place, Canada Place and Jubilee Place; are packed with high end stores, such as Bang & Olufsen, Kurt Geiger and Tiffany and Co.
It's pretty manic. Thousands of business people march along making urgent calls made into smartphones and tube announcements to get on the train, get off the train and mind the gap, constantly ring in your ears.
This area is also a major tourist destination where surprisingly it is actually possible to mimic a country break and relax.
Just four stops away from Canary Wharf on the DLR is Mudchute, which is home to Mudchute Farm.
Here the only sound to break the peace was a cock crowing. At 32-acres, Mudchute is the largest of the capital's 15 city farms and offers riding lessons in its arena and surrounding countryside.
A half hour horseback tour of the land, which is home to llamas, Gloucester Old Spot pigs, cows, goats and other farm animals, is an ideal way to begin a country break.
Lessons are in the mornings and evenings and costs £25 per adult for an hour's group session. Booking in advance is essential because they are popular.
With one countryside activity ticked off, I had the ball rolling.
Next. Does anyone fancy antiquing, a walk around a manor house and then maybe a picnic?
I got chatting to Laurence O'Toole, a musician in a band called Sonic Jewels, who runs The Beehive vintage shop, on Creek Road: “Greenwich has the feel of a seaside town like Brighton. There are loads of designers, riverside cafes and a chilled out vibe,” he told me.
He was right about the artisan feel. Greenwich Market has about 100 designer makers selling original clothes, art, accessories and gifts.
The weekend Clock Tower Market specialises in all things vintage. You can even get arty yourself painting plates at Biscuit Ceramic Cafe, on Nelson Road.
A peek in National Maritime Museum, walk up to Royal Observatory and ice cream in the park kept me amused.
Tired and hungry I decided to head to my hotel, The Radisson Edwardian New Providence Wharf , where I was booked in for a massage and dinner.
The 169-room tower luxury hotel in the usual wharf architectural style has a sleek interior and no chintz in sight.
The East River Spa has treatment rooms and steam, sauna, rain shower and ice rooms - top quality with twinkly lights.
After the best and most intense massage of my life I lay in the Thai-style relaxation room on a heated lounger sipping chamomile tea mesmerised by the panoramic night time view of the O2.
Later dining on modern British – pan-fried Scottish scallops with sun blushed tomato, broad bean and basil broth and cheesecakes hidden in sugar towers - I realised that finding country break activities in a financial district was actually very easy. It offers the joys of the country married with the practicalities of the city.
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