London: Sensing the End, Seeing great friends and "The Stones"

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Europe » United Kingdom » England » Greater London
March 31st 2016

Published: April 11th 2016

We’re near the end of our travels, but not ready to go….just yet. The past two months have been an incredible journey, taking us to places we thought we would never see and around every bend there was more to experience, from the White Desert in Egypt to the incredible views of Wadi Rum, to the snowy mountains during the train ride on the Glacier Express. We just had a great time in Paris and ... Read Full Entry

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Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

D MJ Binkley

Photographers, divers, writers, foodies, chefs and music enthusiasts. Travelers' Century Club Members: 12/2023. MJ 107 and Dave 104. We appreciate your feedback and if you like our stories we would appreciate it if you follow our blog. We live on North Hutchinson Island, Florida. If you are in Florida please send us a private message as we would love to meet you. Two retired nurses who are passionate about traveling the world. Our love of travel, meeting new people and experiencing new cultures will hopefully take us to wonderful plac... full info

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Stonehenge

Stonehenge

We're still captivated by the stones

MJ at Stonehenge

MJ at Stonehenge

MJ at Stonehenge

A good day

A day in the country

A day in the country

A day in the country

Stonehenge

One more view

One more view

Withstanding the test of time

Up close with the stones

Up close with the stones

Up close with the stones

UNESCO does great work

UNESCO does great work

UNESCO does great work

Finding special places

Searching for discount tickets

Searching for discount tickets

Searching for discount tickets

Joys of the theatre

English Pubs Abound

English Pubs Abound

English Pubs Abound

Yes we had fish & chips

Yes we had fish & chips

Yes we had fish & chips

a favorite

Getting Closer

Getting Closer

Stonehenge

Filet & Frites

Filet & Frites

Jackson & Rye

Perfect Swordfish

Perfect Swordfish

Perfect Swordfish

Jackson & Rye

Hugo on the move

Hugo on the move

Hugo on the move

Wild & on the Loose

Wild & on the Loose

Wild & on the Loose

Albert

11th April 2016

Sonja Massey
non-member comment

What a trip
So glad you had such a great trip but (selfishly) sad that it has ended since I look so forward to your blog entries. We have a lot of little trips (TX, FL,CA) planned in the next few months to visit family. Not sure where our next internat'l trip will be,,,,, we have plans for the Balkans in the Spring, maybe Iceland in the late summer......we'll see. I'm sure you are happy to be home after two months of travel but will undoubtedly all ready be planning you next trip.

11th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

What a trip
I'm sure we will find something to blog about later this summer but no international travel for us for now. We will enjoy our condo as much as we can. I'm eager to hear about the Balkins. We loved, loved, loved Iceland....consider Greenland also. Chat soon.

11th April 2016

Chris and Nikki
Chris

It was great to finally meet you guys. So glad we got the chance to meet up. Hopefully we'll get to see you guys when we visit Florida.

11th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Meeting you
Chris, it was great meeting. We are certain our paths will cross again soon. Let us know when you are coming to Florida.

11th April 2016

Shelley and Scott
Michele Hutchinson and Scott Maberley

Wow what a journey
It must be good to be home and to have all those great memories and an opportunity to plan the next trip. Have you got the atlas out yet? Thanks for taking us on your journey and look forward to the next

11th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Wow, what a journey
It is good being home. Still doing laundry and getting settled in but yes we are always thinking about the next trip. Over a glass of wine we were discussing our hope to short list a couple of days ago. Always interesting to see how it changes over time. Some countries move up and some move down.....you know how it goes.

11th April 2016

Kuan Yin
Karen Johnson

Pub Grub
I always enjoy your blogs, but I was particularly interested in this one since I'm headed to London next month. I've been in London before, but that was (mumble, mumble) decades ago. Let's just say I wasn't old enough to drink then. I like places with a story to them, and it looks like "The Porcupine" is one of them.

11th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Pub Grub
Thanks for following along and commenting. London is always one of our favorite locations. The pubs are great but sadly many of them have gone corporate and are now more of a chain. They all have the same menu. A good menu but it dilutes the experience. With that said we still enjoyed several of them. The Bag-O-Nails is one of our favorites. Love the names.

11th April 2016

littlewing
Cindy

I love your blogs
Such social creatures :) I always enjoy reading your blogs, hope one day to join the club and meet you in person somewhere.....what a great end to an awesome trip

11th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Loving our blogs
Thanks Cindy for following along and commenting. We are social creatures. Our friends in London asked what was the best part of the trip and we said re-connecting with friends and meeting travel bloggers. We are people people. We value friendships. We intend to track you down and go diving with you-- so look out. It was an awesome trip. A great combination of places and cultures. We learned so much on this trip.

11th April 2016

Readingfcboi
Alan Atkinson

England
Wow, you guys added England to your trip. Its funny I was only at Stonehenge a few months ago and you probably drove past my village on the way down from London. I am wondering if the strong winds you mention was storm Katie.

11th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

England
Yes we had to go track down our friends whose life has gotten busy with children and we were feeling neglected. The day we had planned to take the train to Heathrow and rent a car and drive to Stonehenge we had strong winds. Not sure if it was Katie but lots of debris was blown onto the tracks and the trains were delayed. We were told know way to know how long. Fortunately we decided to take a bus tour later in the week and it was much easier.

11th April 2016

nancic123
Nanci and David Curry

Great Trip
A perfect blend of adventure, culture, style and sophistication. Such a varied trip with mountains, desert, world class cities and so many different cultures. Happy anniversary and congratulations on a memorable trip. You deserve a nice rest so enjoy your time at home!

11th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Great trip
It was a great trip and we appreciate all your observations and comments. The trip did provide a variety of people, foods and cultures. Fortunately this time we had more similar temperatures than some of our past trips so the packing was easier. Thanks for the anniversary wishes. It was a great trip but we are really enjoying being home for now.

12th April 2016

taracloud
Tara Cloud

St. Martin in the Fields!
How fabulous that you got to hear choral music in St. Martin in the Fields, especially on Easter Sunday! It was closed for renovations when I was there, but I've many recordings of their Academy. That, friends, pubs and Stonehenge--what a fine cap to your incredible journey. Enjoy your beaches, now!

12th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

St. Martin in the Fields
I had read the acoustics were amazing and indeed pretty darn good. The choir was outstanding. We enjoyed the music.

12th April 2016

Phyllis Villec
non-member comment

MOST FUN YET
I always read your travel blogs with great interest (and envy) and this was, as usual, fascinating. Luckily, Harry and I had been to most of the places you describe, but without your wonderful friends, of course. You probably feel that two months, a long vacation indeed, was too short and are planning the next adventure.

12th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Most fun yet
Thanks for reading the blogs. We're so glad you're enjoying them. I am back to work already. The time passes much too quickly. We'll start planning the next one soon, as it will be MJ's 60th birthday trip. Should be a great one.......Dave

12th April 2016

Home and Away
Bob Carlsen

What a fantastic trip!!!
Thanks for sharing it with us. And welcome home.

12th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

A fantastic trip
Thanks Bob for following along. It was a good trip.

12th April 2016

Dancing Dave
David Hooper

Salad for breakfast, lunch & tea
Another trip over. Why do they have to end? Time to take stock and dream of the fabulous places and times you've just had, time to let the brain have some doing nothing, then time to plan the next one. Lucky you've got another Blues cruise comin' up...wouldn't want you thinking you've got too much spare time or having to work to worry about.

12th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Salad for breakfast
They always end sooner than imagined. Two months seemed like a long time when we left. It does take time to absorb all that has been seen and experienced. Not thinking about planning the next one yet. Ah yes, the Blues Cruise.

12th April 2016

Yes we had fish & chips

Ake Och Emma
Ake Dahllof and Emma Holmbro

Fish + chips - always a must
First I was thinking about commenting on one of the Stonehenge photos. But then I found this. When we visit UK eating fish and chips is always a highlight. Good for you that you made it to Stonehenge. We still have that one on the to-do-list. Lucky for us UK is less than 3 hours plane ride away and a country we love to visit. /Ake

12th April 2016

Yes we had fish & chips

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Fish + chips
We agree...just can't help ourselves. I hope you make it to Stonehenge...get on that plane.

12th April 2016

denidax
Deni, Dax and Ella

It was a shame...
It was a shame that we couldn't meet at the end, but hopefully one day we will make it work :) meanwhile, I enjoy getting to know you a bit better through your blogs. I hope you are settling down back home with no problem!

12th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

It was a shame
One of our regrets in our time in London that we didn't get to see you. I hope our paths will cross soon.

13th April 2016

RENanDREW
Ren & Andrew

Back home...
As fabulous a trip as you've had, it must be nice to be back home is your lovely condo with a cup of tea and that view! And even though you haven't mentioned thinking about the next trip...I know that it won't be long at all before the two of you start another short list :)

13th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Back home
Being home is a wonderful feeling. We've never come home from a long trip and had a place of our own so this is a new experience. It is lovely. And...yes, that view. Certainly it won't be long before our list is made, adjusted and rearranged. Eager to read your up coming blogs.

20th April 2016

Cori
non-member comment

Nice seeing you!
Hi! By now you are back in the US and I hope enjoying your after travel glow:) Thanks for taking the time to see us when you were in Paris and we look forward to our next encounter wherever that may be!

20th April 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Seeing you again
It was very nice seeing you again. Hope our paths continue to cross. Thank you for meeting us for dinner and suggesting such a wonderful place. Enjoyed talking and walking. We know you are in love with Florida but feel free to stop by for a couple of days if you are ever in the area.

1st May 2016

cabochick
Andrea

Yes! What an amazing trip
I think it is so great that you meet up with fellow travel bloggies (present company included) What an interesting way to see the world and meet like-minded people along the way! I look forward to reading your blogs backwards now and enjoying your experiences in Europe and the Middle East.

1st May 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Andrea,
You were the 1st travel blogger we ever met. We were staying with friends in that time share in Cabo. We don't usually stay in such high end places but that was nice. A little luxury from time to time is good. Looking forward to your comments about our trip. It was an education and we really enjoyed ourselves.

2nd May 2016

Arif Zaman
Rolling stone

Just loved it!
Great read about your trip! The place is in my bucket list, I wish someday...

2nd May 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Loved it!
There are so many places and so little time. It is hard to get to all of them but looks like you've got a good start.

3rd May 2016

Al Baby
non-member comment

The Latest Trip
Does Brutus get jet-lag?

4th May 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Brutus jet lagged???
Never! He is Brutus!! Travels well, never complains and likes to meet new people!

28th June 2016

Dave & MJ

cabochick
Andrea

Cheers!
What a fun picture of you two! Smiling and loving life! That's what's it's all about.

28th June 2016

Dave & MJ

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Cheers
We are loving life.

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