Friday, April 1, 2011

London Town

London Town

Dazed Arrival
After a 5 hour stop-over in Philly and a 6 hour flight I arrived in London confused as to the time and date.  I looked the proper backpacker with my 50lb pack and large daypack strapped on my front as I stuggled down to the tube.  It feels wonderful knowing what line & where I’m going on the tube, it makes life so much easier.  After the long ride up to Finsbury park I made it to Tamsin & Stephen’s house to be greeted by a hot cup of tea.  After a quick catch up I went down for a much needed nap. 
         Once awakening I of course had no desire to go anywhere but back to bed.  I cancelled my plans to go out for the night and settled in to research my weeks wandering through London.  Scarlet helped me stay awake until 9 with dinner and filling me in on what its like to be 12 these days.  I’d just like to note I’m so happy I was 12 when I was, I can barely do my makeup or wear heels at 24!
         Saturday morning I forced myself out of bed by 9:30, I was horribly impressed with myself, just in time for tea and pancakes.  I spent the morning sorting out train times and looking up London sites before heading south to Crowthorne.  I spent the evening catching up with Ant & Janet (my uncle & aunt) and mapping out sites in London.
         The next morning Ant and I were out the door by 9(ish) on our way to Rogate, where he, Sue and Tamsin grew up.  It turned into a beautiful day making for a great drive.  We stopped by Old Postings on our way to the church and Ant boldly knocked on the door.  It was all a bit strange speaking to a voice on the other side of the mail flap, who then had to struggle to open the door, but they clearly use the front door as much as Granny & Grandad did.
         The owners were very kind and had us in for a cup of coffee and a snoop. They’ve added a great kitchen onto the back and few other added windows and such but all in all the same.  The garden is the most changed with a rather hideously large garage plopped down in the entrance.  The garden itself has been openned up so the lawn stretches the full length of the garden with perfectly cut out garden beds amongst it.  They’ve done a very nice job, however, and it looks great.  I was very happy to see the garden shed is still standing as that was where we spent much of our time burning apples and making fake cigars. 
         We then headed up to the church to meet Mrs.Coombs, one of my godmothers, and visit Granny & Grandad.  Ant freshenned up their headstone a bit and we headed in to find Mrs.Coombs.  I of course can’t say I recognized her but it was great all the same.  She’s doing amazingly well for 90-something.  She had us round to her place and made us coffee while we had a quick chat before heading home for dinner.  I spent the afternoon struggling to stay awake by forcing myself to walk around the Wellington campus and read up on London.  I did learn a fair bit, I however, didn’t retain any of it.  We had had a quiet night watching some programs then finally retiring to bed.
         I had a nice sleep in before catching a train back to London to meet with Randall, a bloke coming on the African trip.  Before meeting him at Paddington I walked down Piccadilly to Hyde Park corner where Mr.Wellington himself sits then made my way back up the same way to Bond Street.  I wandered up Bond street peering in posh stores and oggling over sparkly rings.  I always enjoy the stares I receive when wandering fancy places as I look quite a dirty traveller.  After meeting Randall we wandered for ages before finally finding his hostel and checking him in, I got to see an are I wouldn’t have otherwise.  We then hopped on the tube down to Trafalgar square, past the Horse Gaurds, tried to peak at No. 10 Downing St, then to Parliament square, Westminster Abbey, nosing our way down, past Big Ben, over the bridge to the South Bank Lion, up the waterfront walk and back across the Golden Jubilee Bridge. (that was an enormous run on sentence and I don’t care!)  A half hour of sifting through menus on main and dirty side streets we finally found a pub with a great happy hour.  After a few beers and some food I was soon nodding and had to head home.
         Tuesday Lucy, my cousin, and I planned to meet at Oxford Circus for some half price sushi and then a wander through the Tate Modern.  The sushi was great and the exhibit at the Tate strange and amusing as ever.  On our way back to the tube we stopped by her old cake shop where she bought me the most delicious brownie!  I then rushed up to Piccadilly where I was meant to be meeting Randal…hours ago.  As I got off the train we were all told to exit the station due to an emergency so it was overly  crowded upon coming out of the station. It was here I left of writing and will try to recap quickly.  I went around to Buck Palace, Forntum & Masons, Liberty and St.James Palace. Then following day I didn’t have nearly as pleasant weather as to begin and I made it round to peak at the Tower and London Bridge before heading down for an unsuccesful tour of Greenwich. I ended up roaming the Bank area and looking at St.Pauls Cathederal before turning back to Finsbury Park to relax shower and pack the rest of the next day.  I had one last coffee with Lucy and a fun dinner with the family before heading to Gatwick.  I met up with the rest of the group slowly in the morning then we all boarded our plane to Gibraltar.
         
xoxo Drifting Daisy

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