London

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They change the guards at Buckingham Palace at 11:00 every morning, usually watched by hundreds or more people. We were lucky to get a reasonable spot to watch and the copper (policeman) on duty was great explaining what was happening and why. Slightly ruined by the non-English speakers talking over the top of him. The ceremony is only cancelled in wet weather.

Andy and I then stopped in the Bag O Nails pub to coordinate what we were doing next. I headed off to Hyde Park Corner Metro to go to Leicester Square to organise tickets for a Westend show tomorrow and Andy set off to Greenwich to the Observatory and Maritime Museum.

After I got the tickets I then headed to Greenwich. First stop was the Cutty Sark. This is named after a Scottish lady's short shift. No-one is quite sure why the ship was named such. The figurehead is based on Nannie, the witch, from Robbie Burns poem Tam O'Shanter. The Cutty Sark originally transported tea to the UK and then later wool from Australia.

I then headed off to the Maritime Museum where I thought I would catch up with Andy. We did eventually find each other at closing time. It is a great museum. Both the Cutty Sark and the Maritime Museum have a great collect of figureheads which I think are lovely.

From here we walked down to the Admiral Hardy where we were serenaded by a drunk singing along to the music. They still served him a beer so no RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) here. Mind you, he still had 3 glasses nearly half full where he was sitting. Enough of the singing - time to move, off to The Gypsy Moth.

This is close to the Cutty Sark, so from here we walked under the Thames in the tunnel built 1905. It seems that 95% of London cyclists are illiterate as they can't read the no cycling signs every few metres and at the start and end of the tunnel. We came out at Island Gardens. From here we caught the train/underground to go on the Emirates Greenwich Pennisular cable car. We could use our Oyster cards for this. Great view over the Thames and Greenwich. We only went one way so had a 35-40 minute walk at the other end through non-residential parts of London to get the underground back to the hotel.

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