England
Sunday 17th April, 2011
Leaving Singapore and heading for London
We slept great!!! (Despite the bed being as soft as concrete).
Upon waking and checking over the documents for the next leg of our journey, we came to the realisation that we had PRE jet lag syndrome ie, our brains not working due to a time difference warp… we actually were missing a day of accommodation and car hire…oops!
However, thanks to waking up early, a clear, fresh mind and access to the internet, crisis averted and we will have an extra day of sight seeing in London before heading to Scotland. Just finished our buffet breakfast and packing before heading to the airport.
We’ve really enjoyed the some of the unusual architecture, great food and cleanliness. Thanks for a lovely stay Singapore even though it was hot and steamy. Every one is so polite and nice here.
We arrived after a 13 hour flight pretty exhausted and went through Heathrow Customs without a hitch. Wow, what a huge airport – 5 terminals! Makes Brisbane positively tiny in comparison.
Got a ride in a cute London cab to our B&B – did not pass Go or collect £200, just fell into bed totally wiped out 🎩
Monday 18th April, 2011
Our Accommodation
Our accommodation was a cute little Bed & Breakfast, called The Cottage Guest House, which was a quick 5 minute cab ride from Heathrow.
Our BIG day out
We woke some what refreshed after a broken sleep and headed for big ‘ol’ London town…
We rode the tube into town – it makes our peak hour public transport look like a picnic. We can’t believe how many ‘Poms’ there are here! (ha ha)
The Tube | Piccadilly Circus
Yes we were real tourists and went on the hop on, hop off ‘Original Bus Tour’ which we found has become somewhat complacent since 1951… the ‘Big Bus Tour’ rival seemed to have a more consistent timetable…
We visited all of the attractions which included most of the monopoly board…including Trafalgar Square, Strand, Fleet Street, Pall Mall just to name a few.
We also saw St Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, British museum (which currently has an Australian exhibition on), Westminster Abbey, The London Eye, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Big Ben and Parliament House, Harrods, St James and Hyde Parks, and some huge ducks and very cute squirrels.
The weather was even kind to us. Spring time is so beautiful here as all of the bulbs are in flower, there are tulips, blue bells and other bulbs everywhere, they are so pretty.
Trafalgar Square
“Trafalgar Square is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, established in the early 19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross.
The Square’s name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, the British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars over France and Spain that took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar.”
St Paul's Cathedral
“St Paul’s Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London.”
Buckinghuge Palace
“Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom.
Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.”
Tower Bridge
“Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, built between 1886 and 1894. The bridge crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and has become a world-famous symbol of London.”
St James's Park
“St James’s Park is a 23-hectare (57-acre) park in the City of Westminster, central London.
It is at the southernmost tip of the St James’s area, which was named after a leper hospital dedicated to St James the Less. It is the most easterly of a near-continuous chain of parks that includes (moving westward) Green Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens.”
Westminster Abbey
“Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster.
It is one of the United Kingdom’s most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and a burial site for English and, later, British monarchs.”
Big Ben and the London Eye
“Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the striking clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster; the name is frequently extended to refer to both the clock and the clock tower. The official name of the tower in which Big Ben is located was originally the Clock Tower; it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom.”
After hitting London-town at 8.30 am, by 6pm we were well and truly peopled out. There are so many tourists here at the moment, big crowds and long queues.
Oh, and you can’t help but notice the countless shop windows filled with tacky Royal Wedding souvenirs, (probably should have bought a suitcase full to sell on eBay…may have paid for the trip!)
It will become a special day in history before we know it…