London - Part III

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Apologies for the delay in posting this entry. I only had a few days in London before heading home, so didn’t really have the time to put something together while I was there. I did manage to write the following short entry in transit from London to Sydney (in the Qantas Club lounge in Hong Kong), but due to the hand-luggage restrictions at Heathrow I didn’t have access to my camera, so couldn’t include any of the pictures that I’d taken. Upon arrival in Sydney I also found that my luggage wasn’t there to join me. I was ready to post the entry without pictures today, but they finally located my bag! Having been through this before (and never seeing my luggage again) I wasn’t too confident about it being found - I was sure that I had offended the God of travel somehow. Anyway……here it is:

While I really did enjoy myself while travelling through Europe (especially the Eastern part - which is what I wanted to see), I have to admit to feeling a little relief upon arrival back in London. There's was a certain sense of adventure associated with exploring cities that I had never been to before, and the language and cultural differences certainly enhanced that. So it came as a little bit of a surprise to me at how much I was enjoying simply being amongst people who I could understand (with the exception of some of the Scots in London I guess).

Just travelling into the city centre on the tube and overhearing (that's what I like to call it) the conversations of other passengers - rather than it just sounding like a 'noise'; being able to read and understand a menu in order to get something to eat; asking a stranger for direction without the need for an apology for not being able to speak their language......... there were so many things that were simply EASIER in London (surprise, surprise). While I think I was a little naive at the outset as to the sorts of difficulties I would come across, ultimately I don't think they were really major. Hey.....I was in Europe, not central Africa or South America.

Anyway......my last few days in London also included my birthday, and Rodney and Javier (being the excellent hosts that they were) were nice enough to do dinner and drinks (maybe a few too many of the later) despite it being a school night for them. It was good to hear from my family and friends as well - thanks guys.

I didn't really feel that I had much left in London that I 'had to' do.....though I did save my trip to the Tate Modern for this stint, and also did a guided tour of the British Museum. Both were excellent. Apart from that, I took it fairly easy, with a bit of a look around the shops and a wander through Hyde Park and Green Park.

All up, my stays in London have been great (thanks again to Rodney and Javier for putting up with me). So on my enjoyment scale from 1 to 10....... where 1 equates with terrorist plats, and 10 equates with tourist spots…….I would rate my experience as 8.5

PS........ while the security scare at Heathrow added a few hours to my return journey.......and resulted in me being without anything to read, or having any clothes to change into in Hong Kong - I'm just grateful that I made it home safely, and if those are the sort of measures that are required in order to ensure that....then so be it. Thank God for Business Class check-in and Club Lounges for making things sooooooo much easier than they could have been.

So that's it guys.........I'm home safe and sound in Sydney......so you won't be hassled by me anymore.

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Photos

Secret Squirrel
Well......not so secret - he's running around Green Park (which isn't very green at the moment)

Buckingham Palace
Strangely enough things are a little greener outside Betty's house

On my way home
The tube - Clapham South

Outside Heathrow
The British Airways marquee - for those waiting to get into the terminal (obviously a long wait for some)