http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/grandmaandjames/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from grandmaandjames en-us Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:17:41 +0000 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:17:41 +0000 All packed and ready to leave found a cab that will take us to Heathrow for 30 which is a good deal as tubes in chaos due to strike.Using the laptop has been a challenge as conection keeps dropping off so writing from the internet cafe I found yesterday.Have all photos on disc so will put more up when I get home.Thanks to all who have followed the blogs and taken the time to respond to us it h http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-407490.html James writinghi every one james writingI'm writing about my top 7 attractions in my past 4 weeks here on my holidayAt number 7 it is a big castle called Cardiff castle Cardiff castle is at number 7 because it tells you about the castle and you get to go in to someone elses house a very fancy house with nice decorations like big as chandeliers and a big fire place the people in the house don't liv http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-406532.html Friday night we headed off to Brighton by cheap bus. T and S worked for a month in Brighton when they first came to thge Uk and they rate it highly. If rents were cheaper and incomes larger they would move there. I can see why. Though a rocky beach is not appealing but the place does have a nice buzz.We were extremely lucky to find a cheap family room on the seafront oppposite the West Pier. The http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-406528.html This afternoon we return on a Megabus to London. 10 for the two of us you can't complain. We have had a lovely time staying with Miss G N and S. Their home is spacious and they have about 100 TV channels so James has been pleased to chill out and channel surf. A pleasant change from our somewhat cramped conditions in the studio in London.The weather has been truly stunning but the Welsh seem e http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Wales/Cardiff/blog-404822.html We caught a Megabus from Victoria Coach Station to Cardiff today. Dirt cheap tickets. Coach perfectly acceptable but the toilets were ghastly and I was traumatised.Arrived to a beautiful day collected by Miss G. Taken to her lovely flat BBQ tea in the backyard with her flatmates and family. Lots of Pear Cider.YummyMiss G will be our tour guide tomorrow http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Wales/Cardiff/blog-403990.html I had read of the largest shopping mall in Europe opened late 2008 so off we went on the tube to Shepherds Bush. Mall shopping is a novelty to me I rarely go to the Hutt Valley Porirua or Tawa. Walking around Wellington is my usual shopping but I am not really a shopper at all.But today despite the crowded tube the shopping environment was a real pleasure. My first experience of Marks and Spe http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-403655.html A relaxed journey from Paris back to London after a frantic clean up of the apartment to ensure there was no excuse not to return my deposit. We were all a little under the weather after a fine night of wining wining wining wining and dining at the restaurant up the street that we first encountered the day we arrived. I suspect our view of it as a great little restaurant is accurate as it was http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Canary-Wharf/blog-403283.html After the success if the London Bike Tour we decided to take the Paris night ride. Equally as good but felt somewhat more vulnerable riding across Parisina intersections and along footpaths amongst somewhat disgruntled pedestrians.I think I would be grumpy if Americans took loads of tourists around Wellington holding up traffic and blocking the footpath while shouting out a very compressed histor http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-403006.html James writing.2 days ago I went to Parc Asterix with T there were loads of rides they even had the biggest wooden roller coaster in Europe it was scary.The rides highest point is about 100 meters that's pretty high. And after that ride I got a really sore back. I went on it 2 times becauseI like the thrill of it. They also had 6 more roller coasters that are pretty cool. They have this little roll http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-402919.html I do like Parisians they have overwhelmingly been polite and helpful they don't push and shove they endeavour to speak to me in English once the realise my few French phrases are all I have got and they apologise when they haven't got what we are looking for. It is all rather charming.We went to a flea market and the wondeful food market next door this morning. There were many things we liked http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-402623.html Sunday affter a long and slighty boozy lunch we were dehydrated we decided to knock one of the tourist to do activities off. We headed to the catacombs. A long line and an official informed us the our arrival at 3.30 meant we were too late as it closed at 4pm. I questioned this as my information said 5pm. I asked for a recommendation of other nearby activities but he had no idea. Stepped int http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-402341.html A very early start on Friday morning taxi came at 4 .15 to take us to St Pancras sat around for ages then waiting to leave on the 5.25am.I had brought the picnic back pack so we could particpate in the planned Bookcrossing picnics this excited the Customs officials who pulled to bits and swabbed it for drugs. T and S were carrying it James and I had already gone through and thisdid make us a http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-401735.html Anne writingA quiet day needed as a very early start tomorrow 5.35am from St Pancras ridiculous hour but an immense saving.James thought the station most attractive the other day so we decided to walk there again taking in the British Library on the way.The treasures room at the library is amazing old and relatively new manuscripts with a great display for Beatles fans of the early lyrics for http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-400793.html Anne writesUsed the London Bus System this morning I prefer it. I feel like I am in control I can sit with the map on my knee and follow where the driver of the big bendy bus is taking us Secondly it is not hot and smelly like the underground there were loads of seats and it left from our front gate and took us all the way to our destination the Nationla Gallery.National Gallery number 2 on http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Acton/blog-400560.html Anne writingTuesday 19 May and we decided to be very brave and tackle the underground alone this included a change at Embankment so we could get to the Science Museum.To me it seemed more like a transport museum although we did participate in the online GM debate and James designed small blue tomatoes with lots of flavour and ones the size of pumpkins that were tasteless.The Natural History Muse http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-400437.html James writing Today I went to the Camden markets and we had lunch near the canal I got a brazilian burger it was huge. Then we noticed a long house boat and it was a very beautiful and clean boat with nice people that own the boat. We had a chat to him about his boat and stuff then he had to get the boat through the lock and he offerd me to help him. So I pushed the lock thinking it wouldn't be s http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-399950.html Monday morning hosts T S have gone off to work and there is time before James and I wander up the road to experience the delights of the Camden Markets minus the weekend crowds. So I shall now tell you of the sinking feeling one gets when the UK Customs official enquires as to your relationship to the child accompanying you. Young NZ Maori and white middle aged woman raises eyebrows and then co http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-399883.html We both had a full nights sleep and a lazy start to the day. Decided to walk the 20 minutes from where we are staying to the London Zoo. James has never seen a gorilla before so we were thrilled to see them up nice and close. The zoo seems to be very animal friendly. Disappointingly we had heard about an enormous elephant park but it is not at the London zoo you have to travel quite some distance http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-399750.html The Flight Over and First Days in LondonJames and I are so pleased we had enough airpoints for the travel loumges. We were very tired and being able to relax and eat and drink work on the computers and have the chance for a shower was wonderful. Unfortunately the showers were all booked and we got called for the flight to London fron Hong Kong so we missed out but we enjoyed the Chinese Pork B http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-399591.html Anne WritingMoney exchanged today and we were lucky the exchange rate was the best it has been this year. Perhaps this is a sign of good things to come.James feeling very flush with relatives contributing to the cause. I suspect he will be shocked at the cost of food and activities in two of the most expensive cities in the world. I am all packed and James will pack soon. We will then have tea http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Wellington/blog-398527.html