Greenwich

Decided to go to Greenwich today. The weather forecast said cool, damp, but improving! Spot on Bureau of Meteorology!!! It started off cool and damp in the morning but by 12.00 the sun was starting to break through. Hooray!

We went to Westminster Pier and paid for tickets to Greenwich. We left the pier at 11.30 and arrived at 12.30. A lovely trip.

Saw Boris Johnson launching an around the world attempt by a clipper crew. Lots of press, and us.

Visited the new Naval Visitors Centre. Fantastic place. Lots of interactive displays and great info.
We then went up to the Royal Observatory, but, shock/horror you have to pay to get in. Seeing as the only reason one goes to the Royal Observatory is to look at the Date Line, it seemed excessive, so we didn't.

We walked back down to the Maritime Museum, again more displays that they would like you to pay for, but still some good free ones.

Had a look at the Cutty Sark. Restored since the fire, but now a large charge to view . We viewed it from the outside only. Did spot some pirates drinking in the pub next door. I hope their was no hijacking being planned.

Returned to Westminster Pier at about 6.00pm and took the Tube back to the hotel.

A lovely day. The sun came out, there was NO rain, skies were blue, just gorgeous!
Had a fab lunch in the Museum Restaurant. All in all a very good day!!

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Gardens and Bus crashes

Cold, wet and unseasonable again. Why are we not surprised!
Was planning to go to Greenwich but instead decided to visit Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. Took some insulted peanuts for the squirrels and made some instant new friends! They even went so far as trying to climb up Great Gran's leg. Very sharp claws!!

Spent quite a lot of time in the gardens and then exited through Hyde Patk corner and walked up to PicDilly Circus.

Walked down to Westminster and the Embankment and then caught a Hop On Hop Off bus which travelled (supposedly) back to the Lancaster Gate area (where we are staying).

All went well up to Trafalger Square where another HOHO bus chose to crash into the side of our bus. Great panic and consternation!!

The police arrived and everyone had to leave the bus. We caught the Tube back to our hotel instead of using the HOHO bus as a convenient way to get back. An enormous traffic jam then ensued. Great consternation!

A day full of disappointments was compounded by the awareness that our favourite pub in the Paddington area - The Mitre - has gone upmarket and trendy. Very sad ( and exceedingly noisy to boot)!
Ate elsewhere. Pleasant but not the same. Oh well. Greenwich tomorrow maybe.

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London Day 3

Another wonderful English summer day - 12 degrees and rainy, although to be fair, it started off cold but reasonably dry. The rain arrived about 11.00am and just kept on and on and on!

 

We took the Tube to Camden Town to check out the markets and the Water Bus. We arrived about 10.00am and it was just beginning to get going. Had a lovely wander around, watching market stalls gradually begin to open. We watched the loch gates open and close for various craft. Very clever indeed!!

 

 

 

At 12.00 we hopped on the water bus andtravelled down to Little Venice. We had lunch at the water cafe which was much improved from the last time we ate there in 2011. New owners I guess. A lovely lunch of home made soup and bread. It was delicious.

 

We returned to Camden Loch and then caught the Tube to Picadilly. We spent some time in Waterstones bookshop - 6 floors of books! Heaven! Even spent money!!

 

We then went down to Fortnum and Masons. They actually allowed us to enter!! Just gorgeous. The male floor staff wear tails - can you believe it!

 

We then decided to come back to our hotel as it was very wet and unpleasant. Another fun day disregarding the in clemency of the weather. The Smiggle umbrella came into its colour changing own today.

 

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London - day 2

Woke up this morning to a very cold, wet and miserable day. This is not summer as we know it in the Antipodes!

 

Walked down to the pick up point for the Hop On Hop Off bus and had to way half an hour in the cold and rain. Summer, what Summer.

 

The bus finally arrived at 9.45 and we headed off to Victoria Station. We began a fairly water-logged trip around London. We chose to get off at Westminster Abbey and we spent about three hours there.

 

The weather did NOT improve. It was even colder and wetter when we left the Abbey. We headed towards the British Museum in the pouring rain (as did every student in London - half term holiday AND rain, what a combination). We spent a couple of hours there and then caught the Tube back to the hotel.

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After a bit of a rest we headed out for dinner. We went to a nice pub, the Leincester Arms, and had a very pleasant meal. The rain had finally stopped and the weather seems to have brightened up a bit.

Back to the hotel for bed.

 

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London - day 1

Well today was our first full day in London. We woke early and took a few minutes to remember quite where we were! Sent texts, iMessages and emails to various folk, (you know who you are), and then proceeded to begin the day.
Had a bit of a go at FaceTime, which was fun. Will try it again tomorrow.

After brekkie we went for a walk and found a Hop On Hop Off bus just around the corner, waiting for the likes of us and any other touristy type folk. We paid our money and took our seats (right at the front in the true Aussie spirit).

We did a full lap of the sights of London - three hours in total (not a 3 hour cruise but a 3 hour tour) and alighted at Coventry Garden to enjoy some musical performances.

On the tour we saw and heard some very interesting things. It was Bank Holiday Monday and London was packed! There was also a charity fun run which meant many areas were closed to traffic, so there were some places we could not get to.

We caught the Tube back to our hotel, had a snooze and then went for tea. An interesting but tiring day. More tomorrow.

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