Our stay in London

5th april 07

Finally got to London. didnt have a raod map so didnt exactly know where we were going. Tried to find a servo to get a aroad map but couldnt see one. Just started driving and guessing which way to go. Phil asked a taxi driver which way to our hotel as it is in the dockland area. he told us. We went over the tower bridge as that is where the signs said to go. Still couldnt find where we had to go. stopped at a servo to get a road map but they didnt have one and the girls behind the counter didnt have a clue which way we needed to go. A guy in the queue told us which way to go. Started to drive and follow the signs and then the signs stopped and we didnt know which way found a tourist info centre in greenwich and aksed them how to get there. Finally found hotel and went to check in but the guy said he couldnt find our booking and he asked if I had a recepit to show we did pay but all I had was the voucher travel agent gave us. He said we could pay as he couldnt find it and I said I wasnt going to pay again as we alreay paid. so he rang up the company the travel agent booked it through and they confirmed we did have a reservation.So he checked us in finally. Wasnt happy for awhile. Took things up too our room and went and took  car back to victoria station. we got directions off hotel for that.  Found it and gave the car back we were glad to get rid of it especially being in London. went and had a very late lunch. Went to tourist info centre and got our tickets for hop on/hop off bus tour for tomorrow. Caught tube back to hotel. watched some TV and went down to the bar area and had some dinner and watched some soccer. Went back to room and went to bed. getting up early so we can get to the london eye early before everyone else.

Love to you all and see you all soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

6th April 07

Woke up at 6.30am as we wanted to do our hop on/hop off bus tour and go to the london eye before everyone else does. had breakfast. Very nice breakfast. Lots to chose from. Caught the underground to Green park station. Caught the 8.45am tour bus. Saw hyde park, marble arch, Trafalgar square, piccadilly, Big ben( Big ben isnt actually the clock it is the bell in the tower. We didnt know that),Park Lane, Downing street,Regent street, The strand and mayfair. We got off on westminsters bridge to go to the london eye. It is like a big ferris wheel with enclosed pods. Wanted in line for about 30mins. Got on there was about 15 people in our pod. It holds up to 25 people and there were 32 pods. It goes up 135m and you can see up too 40km away. The ride takes 30mins to do the loop. Took some great pictures. Got our photo taken as we were coming down. Phil did his crossed eye eyes in the photo. We got a copy of it. Then we went on a boat cruise to tower bridge on the thames river. That took about 30 mins. Got off and walked around the tower of lonodn and saw the tower bridge. Got back on the bus and went to trafalgar square. Got off near downing street. There were lots of police and a huge black thick gate. So you couldnt go near blairs house. Couldnt really see number 10 either. And we found out on the bus tour that he also lives in number 11 as he has 4 children and they dont all fit in to the one house. We then walked up to trafalgar square. Got subway for lunch. Trafalgar sq was very busy because it was a sunny day and they all sit near the fountains that are there. Walked to a sports bar. Phil had a VB. they also have TV in the toliets so if you are watching a game and need to go you wont miss anything. Went back to the bus stop to do our walking tour of the beatles. The tour gudie was mike. He was a singer himself.  We saw tin pan alley, trident studios, soho sq, paul McCartney's office which he still uses today, saw where mozart used to live and the highlight being 3 saville row where the beatles recorded let it be on the roof top. This turned out to be the last live gig they ever did. It was in 1969. They were initially recording let it be in the underground studio when yoko ono walked in. This caused annoyance to the other beand memebers so they decided to play on the roof. Mike told us with in 20 mins about 3 or 4 street blocks was jammed packed with people. They would have been so lucky to be there. Apparently john lennon said " Did we pass the gig". Then we walked back to piccadilly circus and got the bus to buckingham palace. Took some pictures. Lots of people there. There were even police in one of the gates. Walked to victoria tube station and caught the tube back to hotel. Got back there at about 8pm. Had dinner in the hotel at the bar area. Watched  a bit of soccer and went back to the room. watched Tv and went to bed

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7th april 07

Woke up at 7.30am. Had breakfast and caught tube to st johns wood to go to the lords cricket ground. Go there just in time for the 10am tour.  We went in to the long room, commitee room, both dressing rooms, media centre, museum and the stands. The tour guide rod was really informative. There were even americans on the tour. The ground was named after thomas lord. He was a net bowler but a wheeler and dealer who sold the land to marleybone cricket club. We saw the real ashes urn. It is actually a perfume bottle that was given to a upper class english family by some women who lived in melbourne where the english team stayed/ Thsi was the first time they had the ashes.They were lots of indians on our tour. Also ron alexander ex VFL player was on our tour.  Walked to Abbey rd and walked across the zebra crossing made famous by one fo the album covers. This is were apple studios are. Went and had lunch at a cafe on abbey road. We then walked to regents park. Went to Little venice and caught a water taxi to camden lock market place. They have lots of market stalls here 7 days a week.  The place is loaded with lots of weird people. There is hepas of punks here and they only let you take a photo of them if you buy them a beer. We didnt get any pictures of the punks cause we refuse to buy them a beer. Bought a few things. We went in to a shop called cyberdog. We metion this as it is a really freaky shop. Check there website www.cyberdog.net. All the people where dressed in rubber and plastic. They had mohawks, fluro hair and lots of tatts. They sell tshirts that have little lcd screens on the front of the tshirts. You can type in whatever you wnat to say on your tshirt. Caught the tube back to hotel. Had a cheap dinner at the hotel (was $140 for one steak and one lamb fillet and dessert and drinks). Went back to room and watched TV. Went to bed.

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8th April 07

woke up at 7am. Got ready and had breakfast. Caught tube to London Bridge station and went to London Dungeon. It is a like a museum/theme restaurant without the food. It is all about the criminal past in London. Like Jack the ripper and a few other criminals. Had to wait about 40mins before we got in. Got  a photo taken before we could start walking around. It is a photo of phil about to chop my head off with a axe. Phil went crosseyed in the photo. It looks good. Paid our money and started to walk around. You go into a dungeon area. It was smelly. Went in to a lot of different rooms and there were people who worked there that told us the stories about what happened but they were dressed up and were pretending to be the criminals. We got to one part were there was a judge and another lady who called up the Criminals (people in the crowd). I was one of them. I was accused of urinating in the water supply. It was funny. Walked aorund to the other areas. Went on like boat ride. It was very dark and the boat turned around and went backwards but you didnt know where you were going. The other ride was like the free fall ride at dreamworld but it was alot shorter. You sit in it and they lift you up and there are wax judges saying things and telling us we have to be hung and that is when you drop. It was a suprise. Got a photo of that too. It looks like I was scared. My hair went all over the place. It was just the shock of it going down as you didnt know when it was going to go down. It was a great place. Glad we went there. After we finished there we caught the tube to camden town and went back to camden markets so we could have a better look around. Walkeda orund there for a few hours. Got a t-shirt each from cyberdogs. They are pretty cool. I bought a very soft monkey.You can use it as a pillow. Had a Hot chocolate. Caught the tube back to the hotel. Watched some TV and went down and had dinner.Phil watched some cricket. Went back to the room. Cant believe we only have one more day left. It has gone fast. Went to bed. Gettng up early to go and finish off the sightseeing we havent done yet.

Love to you allxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

9th april 07

Woke up at 7am. Got ready and had breakfast. Our last day in London and of our trip. Caught the tube to westminster abbey. Had to wait about half and hour to get in. There was a line already when we got there. It opened up a bit earlier then normally. I think cause there was people where people waiting. Walked around. there is some tombs in there and most of them have the famous people buried in them. This is also the place where Princess diana and the queen mother had there funeral. Got in to a chapel area and it tells you not to take photos but phil did and he got told off. He thought no one was watching as the guy who came and told him not to take photos was cross-eyed and phil didnt realise he was actually looking at him. We left and took some photos outside. Caught a london black taxi to st pauls cathedral. It was nice inside. There was also tombs of well known people in there. The guy who built it had a tomb in there.Walked to st pauls station and caught tube to marble arch. Walked through hyde park. Lots of people as it was  a very nice sunny day. There were boats and paddle boats on ther water. Walked through kennsington gardens. That was nice. Got to Kennsington palace. Got  afree audio tour with it. So when you got to a room you put in the number that was in there and it old you about the room and what was in there. We saw some of the clothes princess diana used to wear and the photo shoot she did. we also walked through Princess Margarets flat. It was ncie and big. The whole palace was beautiful. Walked to Royal albert hall. Went on a tour that lasted for about 1 hr. It was a great tour the guide was excellent. She really go in to what she was saying. we saw the queens box and where she enters from. There is a door on the otuside that isnt marked with a door number and that is where she comes in. When she arrives there she goes in to a royal family room. where she waits for the duty manager to show her other guest to there seats and then he comes back and takes hert o her seat. There are 4 rules you have to follow if you get invited in to her box. That was dating to back to when it was 1st built. They were no drinking,no eating, Proper clothes and no dancing or standing up. Nelson mandella was invited in there once and he wasnt told the rules so when his african music came on he got up and started dancing to it. The queen didnt know what to do so she stood up and so did everyone else in the box cause when the queen stands everyone in the box as too. there is a photo on the wall of them all satnding and it is the only time the queen has gotten a photo with everyone standing up in the box. Watched ashort film on the history of the hall and what type os shows go on in there. After that we walked to Harrords. Got some lunch from there. Where we had lunch one of the pizza makers sang opera. It was good. Walked around for a bit. Very busy. Caught a bus to Glouster station. Had to go to a boots chemist to get my mirgraine patches. The lady in the boots chemist looked like a life size bratz doll. She had the same shaped head and the big eyes. Caught tube from Glouster station to hotel. Ordered taxi to take us to airport tomorrow. Went up to the room and watched Tv and packed all our things. They all fit in which is good. Went down and had dinner. Watched a bit more Tv and went to sleep. Cant believe we leave tomorrow.

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10th April 07

Woke up at 7am. Got ready and went down and had our last breakfast in london. Went back up too the room and made sure we had everything. Caught taxi to airport. took about 1hr. Nice taxi driver. Checked in. The had to wait in line to go through security. They went through one of our cabin bags and they took our harrods jam off us. I didnt realise that we couldnt take that on. Went up to qantas club. Had something to eat and rink. Got on plane at about 11.45am. Plane had to wait to take off. Left about 45 mins later. Plane wasnt full. Which was good. We had the 2 seaters and the back of the plane again which was good. Flight was 10hrs and 40 minsWe watched Tv and phil read the newspaper and did a crossword. Had lunch and breakfast cause we were arriving in to hong kong in the morn so the lunch was like our dinner. Slept for abit. Couldnt wait to get off an walk around for a bit. Finall got to Hong Kong was there for a hour. We got off the plane ddnt go near any shops and had to go through securit again not sure why as we went through in london and the only place we could have gotten something was in the air. We sat at the gate  and waited tl we had to board. We were tired. Go back on the plane. The flight was 8hrs. Another long trip. Watched Tv again. Slept for abit. Phil had about a hr. He got up and walked around and looked out the window at the bac of the plane. I slept for about 2-3 hrs. We couldnt wait to get off the plane.

Cont on the arrive home

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