Category: Uncategorized

Vienna – just wow!

Today I had my first experience exploring in a country whose primary language I am not very familiar with, and think it worked out ok – now, that being said – most people here I find do speak english, so there is a “crutch” available. I was quickly able to decipher the important words I needed to navigate the transit system, and with a map from Jackalie and Andy I was on my way!

I decided today that I was going to explore Vienna to get a better grip on what I wanted to do – so I headed to the Schwedenplatz area, which is off of the the Ringstrasse (Ring Road). This circle is the site of the old city walls, and the location of many of the most famous sites in Vienna. I enjoyed exploring a bit on foot, then decided that a bus tour was a great way to learn more about the city (I do love the facts they share) – So i found a kiosk and bought a ticket. The tour I purchased also gave me a River cruise, so I enjoyed many sites today.

The City Tour

I am a sucker for these tours – I think they are a great way to get an overview of a city and learn some cool facts, all while beginning to get a feeling for the layout and navigation of the city.

The Danube Island (and watching the police speed trap)

I decided to hop off the tour here and explore the park before heading to the pier for the boat ride. It was a very cool park, full of locals picnicking, playing games and just hanging out. It is a lovely manmade island between the Danube River and Old Danube (a meander that broke off).

This was such a lovely area, and they were in the process of setting up for a huge festival.

While I was here I grabbed a quick bite from a Greek kiosk – that may very well have been the best Gyro I have ever had!

When I left and headed back to the bus stop I witnessed a Viennese speed trap – they had it down to a science, and I must have seen 14 tickets handed out while I was waiting on my bus.

The boat ride

I headed to the pier for the boat ride. It was lovely – even though it started raining and they closed the top deck – the scenery was amazing – and I loved navigating the locks from the river to the canal – so cool!

Hanging out in Schwedenplatz

At this point I decided just to hand out in the Schwedenplatz and enjoy a nice coffee. It was neat watching the locals commuting home, shopping, and even just hanging out themselves, as well as the myriad of visitors trying to understand and navigate the transit system – which by the way is FABULOUS! I absolutely love the Tram system in Vienna – It is convenient and so easy to use!

Dinner and Vienna by Night

Jackalie, Andy and I went to dinner at a lovely place by the Belvedere Palace called Salm Bräu. It is a brewery restaurant located in old wine vaults – It was a lovely restaurant, with great food and good conversation.

After dinner, it was late, but we detoured a bit going home, and I am so glad we did, because I got to see some spectacular sites in Vienna all lit up – Vienna truly comes to life at night when the buildings are all lit up – they just shine!

More fun tomorrow – I am off to bed!

Day 7 was a long travel day.

* If you wanted to see pictures from day 6 (Claridges and the Science Museum) they are now posted on the day 6 post.

I started on the Ferry crossing between Dover and Calais. Seeing Dover lit up at night was very pretty, and you could see some of the white cliffs, which was nice.

The crowd on the night ferry was an interesting one, and made for great people watching. Because the ferry is on international waters, they could sell items duty free – so there were plenty of folks stocking up. The crossing took about 2 hours, and then we boarded the bus to roll on off and continue the journey. I slept a bit at this point on the bus, and was thankful that the guy that had been sitting next to me found a new friend to sit with and I am sure share more drinks, So I was able to sleep without as much interruption.

It quickly became clear to me that with the planned stop in Ghent I was not going to arrive in Brussels in time to catch my early train to Vienna, but at that point the bus wifi was no longer working – so I was just going to have to figure it out in Brussels.

In Brussels, I had my first moments of “language shock” as I figured out what things meant on the station signs. I was able t decipher, and headed on the next train to Brussels Noord, because I knew that was the station that the trips to Frankfurt (which would take me to Austria) would depart from. Once I got to Noord (at around 7:30) I realized that the next train I would be able to catch wasn’t until 10:30, which would but me in Vienna about 9:30 – so only about 4 hours behind schedule. I sent Jackalie a message that I would be late, then had some time to kill in the Train station. I found a small deli/shop with wifi (and a place to charge my phone) and had a croissant and coffee and just hung out there for a bit then boarded the train.

I cannot say enough about the train – it was comfortable, and because I am older than 26 I had to purchase the 1st class rail pass, so it was really almost luxurious. The seats reclined, had pillows, and I had plenty of room. I had to change to another ICE train in Frankfurt, so I used that opportunity to get some refreshments and a small picnic for the remaining long journey.

The scenery on the train was fantastic!

                When I got back on the train in Frankfurt, I had the opportunity to FaceTime with Mandy for a bit – they wifi wasn’t the best connection, but we talked for a bit, and that was fun.

After that, I dozed off, read and walked around the train. All in all not a bad way to travel, and upon my arrival in Vienna both Jackalie and Andy met me at the train station – I enjoyed their overview of the transport system and catching up with them as we ventured to their WONDERFUL flat. I was able to take a nice shower after 24 hours of travel and then just enjoyed catching up with them both.

As of today I have traveled approximately 5,332 miles on airplanes, trains, ferries and buses! 🙂

I went to bed without writing the blog post, and slept in a bit, and now I am off to explore Vienna.

My last day in London. There were many things I wanted to see, that I didn’t get a chance to do (my plans may have been a bit ambitious). What I didn’t get to do, this trip, that will certainly happen on a later trip – because I will be coming back, are:

• Visiting Greenwich, the observatory and standing on the Prime Meredian.
• Visiting the Museum of Natural History.
• A few other Museums (V&A, Tate, British Museum)
• Touring the Tower of London
• Going to the top of Tower Bridge

Even without doing those things, this trip to London has been fabulous, and I think a great success!

Packing

Because I knew it was important to get at least one good night’s sleep before I had to sleep on a bus tonight, I let myself sleep in. One of my Australian roommates at the Wombats hostel and I had made plans to go to the Science Museum together, but we both agreed that we wouldn’t leave until check out time (10:00AM), then we would take our luggage to the held luggage station at Victoria, then we would head to the museum. It took some finagling, and I learned some important lessons bout re packing my bag, but I did eventually get everything repacked in the same luggage! We started the journey with out luggage to the station, dealt with some rerouting issues on the tube, and then we headed to the Science Museum.

Science Museum

I know that everyone is SHOCKED! that I went to a science museum, but it certainly made my geeky, STEM teacher and technology geek heart happy. The exhibits were awesome! The history of computers, history of math, transportation, innovations that have changed the world and artifacts were just fabulous.

Claridges

When I decided that I would be stopping in London, I knew high tea would have to be on the agenda, and after doing some research I decided to splurge on High Tea at Claridges. It may very well be the most expensive meal I have in Europe, but WOW, it was so good! 🙂 the building is absolutely gorgeous, and quite unique. I enjoyed the , and it was a great way to end my London Experience.

Validating Eurail Pass – a stroll through London 

I knew I was going to be tight making my train in the morning, I decided to go ahead and get my rail pass activated to make my transfer easier, so I walked from Mayfair at Claridges to the Eurail Aide office on Piccadilly. It was a neat walk through a very ritzy shopping district – Rolex, Coach, Tiffany’s – you name a fancy retailer, and I passed it. The buildings were lovely, and everyone of the jewelry stores had a guard outside. It was a very pretty stroll, and much needed after the excessive amounts of fabulous food at Claridges. I validated my railpass with no problem, then I caught a bus to Victoria to begin to bid London goodbye.

Housekeeping (Oyster Card and £ use)

Once I got to Victoria, I decided to go ahead and trade in my Oyster Card (they will refund the balance as well as the deposit you pay to get the card). I decided it was best to turn in, and just get a new one when I’m back. It worked out nicely, because I ended up with a refund of £10.00 put on my debit card. I had planned my cash use pretty well, but I still had about £15 in notes, and about £5 in coins. I decided to go to M & S in the station and buy snacks for the bus and train ride. (No cheese though – can’t export that!). I kept the coins, in case I needed to use the bathroom in the station, because no £, no entry – And, that, my friends could be bad.

Bus Travel

I had booked with Megabus.uk. It is the budget of budget travels – so my expectations were low, but we loaded quickly, and I was pleasantly surprised at the comfort of the seat. I was hopeful I would end up with a seat section to myself, but I ended up with “drunk boy” next to me. In the time it took us to get from London to Dover to catch the ferry – I am certain he drank a 6 pack of Budweiser (seriously – I’m in Europe – and he is chugging Budweiser?!?) in that time. We are about to get on the ferry – so I’m going to stretch my legs, get some fresh air and pray he decides to sleep (or maybe get a new seat?). In the morning I will be in Brussles and catching the trains to Vienna to see Jackalie & Andy!  Can’t wait. I have pictures to share of the tea, the Science Museum and more, but I am writing this on the bus, which has wifi – but it is too slow to upload pictures, so they will be a fun treat for you all later. 🙂 Off to the ferry!

Today I had my Isle of Wight Day Trip/ Tour. I had booked this as a Groupon on Groupon.uk, and wasn’t really sure exactly what to expect, other than a bus ride, a ferry ride, some time at the beach, and some time at the Osborne House. For this tour I had to be at South Kensington at 7:30. Normally this tube ride and walk to the station takes about 30 minutes, so I was going to be in good shape from my hostel to get there in time, but there was a problem – they were working on the rail line that I needed to take, and it was shut down between the Docklands (where I am) and Central London – and the alternative routes were all telling me it would take over an hour, and because it was Sunday the tube had limited service, so I wasn’t going to be able to go that route. The destination was 10K from me, so I was looking for other options. I ended up getting an Uber Cab, because I could schedule them, and the London Black Cabs are almost impossible to get at that time of the morning on a Sunday.

Fortunately, all of that being said, I did make it to the coach in time, and was VERY thankful I had made it a habit of looking up tube directions each night on the tfl website for the following day’s journey.

When I arrived at the coach, there was a line of people, a driver, and no tour guide. At 7:30, when we were supposed to be rolling out, we still had no tour guide, which was quite worrisome, because we had a long drive, and a ferry to catch in Southhampton. The driver let us go ahead and load up, and you could tell he was concerned we were not rolling out. The tour guide finally showed up at 7:50. apparently he didn’t check the TFL site, and had NO IDEA any of the tube lines were shut down, so he was late.

I am not sure what kind of magic the bus driver did, but we made it to Southampton just in time to roll the bus on the Ferry. I slept most of this ride, which was very needed. Busy days, Late to bed and early to rise was making this girl start to be a bit of a zombie!

Southampton probably sounds familiar to many of you. It was a very important port in American History – it is the port that the Mayflower left from, and is also the port that the Titanic left from, it is currently the buisest  cruise line port in the UK (Queen Mary 2, anyone?)

The drive through Southampton was lovely, and it is a place I would like to explore some other time, because of it’s long history and significance, but that was not on the agenda for today, or even this trip.

Once loaded on the Ferry we got off and went up stairs, to where they had a deck, but also a bar (at 10:00 in the morning) and restaurant. I decided I needed coffee and a scone, so I enjoyed those as the ferry readied to take off, then went to the windy, cool deck to enjoy the view.

The ferry ride took about an hour, so I wandered around the (quite small) ferry when I got too cold on the deck. The views were lovely, and I especially enjoyed the sailboats, as apparently the Isle of Wight is a huge sailboating community.

Some pictures from the Ferry Ride:

 

The Isle of Wight is fascinating for many reasons. It is the smallest county in England, at high tide, but at low tide it is somewhere else. It has smaller versions of chalky, white cliffs (Think Dover), and it is a fossil haven. Tons of fossils have been found in the cliffs, and much of the knowledge of prehistoric life in that area come from discoveries that were made on the Isle of Wight. In 2013, a 9 year old girl discovered a new dinosaur, that is now named after her. You can learn more here.

One we were on the island we headed to Shanklin beach. Due to some road construction, we didn’t have as much time here as we were supposed to have, so I decided to skip the Chine and just explore the beach. I had a nice stroll, go my feet in the sand, and even dipped my feet into the VERY COLD English Channel. The sand was rocky, and there was some very colorful seaweed – I took lots of pictures, and got some (small) rocks for my science olympiad kids to look at, because they were cool.

I did get some pictures of the White Cliff I could see from the beach as well. Shanklin was lovely, and I wished I had more time to explore the old village with its thatched roofs and other features, but there were only so many hours for the tour.

Our final stop before rebounding the Ferry and heading back to London was the Osborne House. The Osborne house was the Vacation Home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The home was MASSIVE, and the decorations were unbelievable, but again, no photos were allowed indoors. The most striking room to me was the Durbar Room (designed by Rudyard Kipling’s Father). Victoria had a thing for Indian design and items after she became the Empress of India, and as a result much of the tour focused on her connections to India. The story was great, but the room was breathtaking. I couldn’t take pictures inside, but you can learn and see more here on the English Heritage Site.

I could take pictures of the outside and the Gardens, and they were SO LOVELY.

Another of the many facts I learned happened while exploring the Swiss Cottage (a cottage that Victoria and Albert had moved from Switzerland to be a “playhouse” for their children. The cottage was lovely (and larger than most people’s homes, mind you) but what was neat was the gardens. Apparently Albert was concerned his children (being royalty, after all) would not learn to be grounded or to value hard work, so he required each of them to maintain a garden and grow food, and in turn he would pay them for their food they harvested (which I thought was pretty impressive).

Here are some of my pictures from the Osborne grounds:

Unfortunately, I ran out of time here as well and didn’t finish exploring the Gardens, royal collection, or Queen Victoria’s private beach.

We loaded up the coach, got on the Ferry and started the trek back to London. I couldn’t believe th horrible traffic on a Sunday afternoon on the Motorway. We finally mad it back to London at 9:00 PM (about 30 mins later than planned), and then I had to trek back to the Hostel, with the still closed tube lines. An hour and 1/2 later, I was happily back at the hostel.

Tomorrow is my last day in London, and I have some fun things planned, so stay tuned! 🙂

So, today’s post will be a short on words, but image heavy  – It is 23:29 (now after uploading it is 0:42) here, and has been a fun, full and exciting day, and tomorrow I catch a early coach to go to the Isle of Wight, so I don’t have a ton of time to write. Hopefully I will be able to write more tomorrow when I am on the bus.

I started my journey early to Watford Junction to catch the bus to the Harry Potter Studio Tour, and then began my “magical” journey. The tour was very cool, but very crowded.

From the beginning entry onto the bus to Leavesden the Potter magic is everywhere. I loved the entry lobby, and especially the fact that they had Starbucks – so it combined some of my favorite things into one place, Harry Potter and Starbucks.

I made an interactive Panorama of the lobby minus the bajillion random people.

The crowd watching, as is the case at most Harry Potter events was epic, but it was very cool to have the chance to immerse myself into the world of the films. The props, costumes, artwork, character models, sets and vehicles were AMAZING to see.

The tour says it lasts about 3 hours, and I found that I spent about 4.5 hours, just taking my time, reading everything, watching the commentary and just really exploring. It was a one way tour, so you couldn’t go back once you had left an area. The most striking exhibit was last, the scale model of Hogwarts – IT WAS PHENOMENAL! The most anitclimatic was the Diagon Alley – and I blame that on the Universal Parks experience – because it is so big, and real there, the few shops and models in the “real film” Diagon Alley were just so similar and small it was hard to get super pumped.

Overall the tour was a wonderful experience, and I was so glad I decided to do it.

Because so many of my friends are Potter fans, I am uploading the entire album to this post for you to enjoy. I will caption some of my favorites and odd pictures later, and to help those that are not Potter people. 🙂

When I got back to London, I decided I should probably have some sort of food, but at that point most places were closed, so I took a risk and tried an Asian restaurant by the hostel.  I will say, this “risk” was made easier by the fact that London has this great food hygene  scale posted outside each restaurant.

So I went in, and had Jasmine Tea: , and decided to be a bit adventurous, as the served Filipino cuisine. I started with Crispy Seaweed (I promise, it was better than it sounds):  and Spicy Fried Rice with Mechado: . (If you, like me, have never heard of Mechado, here is the menu description:  .

It was a yummy late lunch/dinner.

Then I came back to the Hostel, with the intention of Face-timing folks (sorry Mandy!), blogging and getting ready for my day trip tomorrow, but instead got side tracked and socialized with my roommates, 2 lovely Australians, and some other folks in the hostel – we had a great time, shared lots of laughs and funny stories. They both bought one way tickets to Europe, and are just staying here for a bit working here and there and traveling. It is a pretty cool concept, and certainly has appeal (1 of them is a teacher, and has several short-term jobs lined up in different countries) but I am not sure I could be THAT free-spiritied, but I guess you never know! 🙂

Hopefully I will give you a good update tomorrow on the Isle of Wight, Shanklin, and the Osborne House! 🙂

Hanging with Paddington –
I was told to be at Paddington Station by 8:30 for my 9:00 train. Not wanting to risk issues with the tube and other possible delays, I left my hostel at a little after 7. According to the Transport for London site, that departure time, when factoring in walking and transfers was supposed to right at an hour, so I expected to have time to spare, but I’m not sure how the journey only took a little over 30 minutes (I guess I caught an earlier train at some point?) – regardless, I had LOTS of time to spare before I caught my train to Bath, so I spent some time wondering around Paddington Station – and what do I stumble upon, but Paddington Bear himself.

Train –
As it was just about time to board,I realized this would be my 1st long train ride, at least as an adult. It’s a good thing I liked it, or the next few weeks might be rough. I was pleasantly surprised at the comfort of the train and the lovely scenery I saw. Windows make pictures difficult, but I did have some fun with iPhone panoramic photo fails. 🙂 the scenery was pastural, particularly between Chippenham and Swindon. I’m already planning my next journey – I absolutely have to explore more of the UK. I just love it!

Bath
Upon my arrival at Bath Spa station, I decided to start by exploring the city a bit on foot. I immediately felt like I had stepped back in time. As a UNESCO World Heritage City (and the only whole city in Britain) it is very clear that substantial architectural controls and regulations are in place. All buildings that are constructed must be faced in Bath Stone, a soft stone mined nearby, with few exceptions.
My tour included the train to and from London (with a seat reservation), a tour of the city of Bath, a skyline tour in surrounding areas, and admission to the Roman Baths, so I had planned on a jam packed day. My journey into Bath was a direct recommendation from the Basford Family. I remember a conversation that took place several years ago at the Basford dinner table about places I wanted to travel to, and at that time, I really only mentioned London in the UK, and immediately Tessa listed several other places I should visit, Bath being one of them. What followed that was a recounting of Katie’s love of Bath, a pulling out of a photo album and Katie’s story of Wayne tasting the “Spa Water”, and lots of laughter. (Even after being warned I decided to try it too, (I guess it is like Beverly at the World of Coke?!?) and YUCK. I’m not even sure how to describe the taste – like hot ocean water with sulphur? But,when in Rome, or in this case in Aquae Sulis?
I decided to start with the tour, but because I had been walking around I missed the 1st part of the commentary and joined a later stop, and honestly, the tour guide wasn’t very good, so I got off rather quickly and decided to wander a bit more, and I stumbled into a boules tournament in a Central Park area. Boules is like bocce and was quite fun to watch. After this I decided to go ahead and do the tour of the Roman Baths. The history was fascinating. I was in absolute awe of the artifacts and excavations on display throughout the site. My admission included an audio guide, and even though I’m not usually a huge fan of those, I enjoyed the commentary throughout my journey. It was absolutely fascinating. What’s even more spectacular is that they are still continuously working to excavate the ruins and are finding new roman ruins throughout Bath all the time. The science geek in me was totally enthralled by the dating, validation and examination of these artifacts and how that knowledge continually shapes the knowledge we have about the Ancient Romans. After I left the Baths I felt like I had visited a little part of Rome, which was really exciting since that isn’t a stop on my travels this trip.

THE BATHS

As I was leaving the Baths I stumbled upon this great Tapestry – I hate I couldn’t get a better picture, but Mike Green, I thought you would enjoy this!

After I left the Baths, I decided to explore the immediate area surrounding it, including the Abbey right next door, a gorgeous abbey, and quite historical location. It has been rebuilt and modified many times through the years, but has continuously been a location of worship. It holds historical significance as the location of the 1st King of England’s (Edgar) coronation location. The Abbey’s exterior was stunning, but I did not get to journey inside, as it was closed for a funeral.
After ducking through quite a few quaint and lovely roadways that truly made me feel like I had stepped back in time, I decided to give the tour bus another go (I do typically enjoy the little stories and facts that the tour guides share). This time it was much better – and the tour guide was fabulous. I rode through through the entire loop with him, learned tons and made some really spectacular pictures. When I got back to the starting point I disembarked, happily tipping him on my way off the bus.

PICTURES AROUND BATH

At this point I decided that I should search for something to eat, which lead me to a quite touristy location in Sally Lunn’s. Sally Lunns is a famous eatery and one of the oldest homes in Bath. Originally I just stopped in to get a bun to take back with me, but was enticed by the smells from the cafe, so I decided I’d stop there. It was so yummy!!
The had a large menu with sandwiches and teas and pastries, but I decided that protein and vegetables would be a good choice, so I went with the lunch special, a pork loin trencher (meat, vegetables and gravy on top of a half of a bun – the bun is supposed to be a trencher, or substitute for a plate). What I didn’t realize was the amount of food this £10 special came with. Goodness Gracious. It came with soup, an entree, desert and hot tea. I was glad it was a late lunch, because it was certainly going to be a combined lunch/dinner, and even at that I got the dessert to go.

Sufficiently full, I wandered around some shops and streets in Bath a bit more (wow at the glass blowing – thanks for the recommendation Rachel!) before boarding the skyline tour, which promised views of Bath you wouldn’t be able to see on foot, and I quickly discovered why. Bath seems to be set in a valley, and as we journeyed outside the city we climbed up for some amazing views of Bath, surrounding towns and the Cotswalds.

So gorgeous. The tour ended right by the train station, but I still had a bit of time to kill, so I decided to grab a coffee from a local coffee shop, and I was not at all disappointed. As #minifigmerry shows – it was a large, and quite yummy latte! After I drank my latte & enjoyed the free wifi, I headed for the train station to catch my return train to Paddington Station.

Guess what train journeys are good for?!? Drafting a blog post while you look out the window. I’m typing this on my phone now, and will put it on my computer with pictures when I get back to my hostel.

All that said, I am now back at the hostel, and finished uploading, and I may come back and label pictures more later, but I must get some sleep!

More London adventures tomorrow – including the Harry Potter Studio Tour!

David Bailey once said “If you’re curious, London’s an amazing place.” 

I must say, London certainly delivers. Today was an amazing day – and even involved a Royal sighting!

Royal Sightings

Today was commemorating the Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, and there was a special ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral. Early in the morning while in Trafalgar Square, I witnessed the Royal Motorcade come through with Camilla in the back of the car.

Later in the day, traffic was a bear, so our bus tour got jammed up, but that worked out quite nicely, because we saw Prince Charles exiting the Cathedral with Camilla. There were also lots of other famous people I am sure that I didn’t recognize.

Exploring London

Since I was no longer suffering from Jet Lag and sleeping on a plane, I decided to use the 2nd day of my bus tour to take the tour with live commentary – which was a treat – even if it took forever because of traffic and special events. I loved the view from the top of the bus.

For me, the most prevalent observation I made all day was how London really is a Juxtaposition of the old and the new.

It started as I walked up to the Tower of London, a beautiful structure with more history than I can even begin to write about in this post, and noticed the Shard, a modern skyscraper in the background.

This theme continued as I explored the city:

A cruise ship parked next to the HMS Belfast on the Thames.

Cranes all over the city signaling new construction.

Video Screens on Old Stone

This “new” security system – 🙂

This building, now being used as a Public Toilet House

and, finally, this spin on a Phonebooth – a wifi hot spot on the street.

London is absolutely beautiful, and I enjoyed exploring it more today.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures:

Artwork

Ok, so all that know me know that sun is not exactly kind to my fair skin – even when I apply sunscreen regularly, so in an attempt to protect my skin – I did don a hat for some of my exploring today:

However, at about 14:00 (2:00) I realized that I needed to go inside for a bit or even with the hat I would be lobster-esque so I decided to take in some artwork at the National Gallery. I am not exactly a “connoisseur of art” by any means, but I very much enjoyed getting lost in the rooms of the gallery. As I had not really “planned” to hop in, I was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful works I stumbled across. van Gogh and Rembrandt were my favorite collections. I love that they have such a complete website, where you can explore the artwork from anywhere in the world.

I went into the portrait gallery after this, and they were STUNNING, but no photography is allowed. I loved this stop – it was such a great overview of important people in English history (and pop culture).

Westminster Abbey

One stop I had planned was attending Evensong at Westminster Abbey. There truly are no words – the Abbey itself is breathtaking (and I’m sort of glad photography isn’t allowed inside – the entire experience is one you really just have to see to believe). I wasn’t one of the first in line, but as I was being seated, the one of the Vergers asked me if I would like to sit in the choir stalls – he had one seat remaining. WOW! To sit in that place, and experience worship in that space was absolutely remarkable. The organ, the choir, the Scripture being read and the Cantor all gave me chills – and to join responsively in the Lord’s Prayer and Apostles Creed were just amazing. I am still in awe of the entire experience – If you are ever in London – Trust me – make plans – it is totally worth it!

Dinner with Some Locals

After all this exploring, I thought I might as well have some dinner. I used Yelp to find a pub close by, in hopes that it wouldn’t be too touristy based on the reviews. The restaurant was St. Stephen’s Tavern, and it was DIRECTLY across from The Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) and the Houses of Parliament – so stunning views. I sat in the bar, because the wait for a table upstairs was more than an hour, and I am so glad I did!

They offered general pub fare, for a reasonable cost – for less than 15 pounds I got a fish and chip platter with all sorts of fixings, and a pint of some really great locally brewed beer (Badger Beer).

The food was good, but the ambience and atmosphere were even better. There were lots of government employees having dinner engaged in lively debates, and the table next to me was no exception – I enjoyed their debate about London and its standing in the EU, and what they each thought about it. Obviously – not something I know much about – but it was interesting to hear their pros and cons.

I strolled back to the Hostel after that, and funnily enough, must have looked like I knew where I was going, because an older couple with what I am assuming was German accents asked me for directions. What is even more impressive is that I actually knew where they wanted to go (Westminster Pier) and was able to give them directions.

Back at the hostel I met my newest roommate – a girl from Korea who speaks very little english – I won’t even try to butcher her name by typing it, but as we were trying to communicate – very rudimentary, mind you, I gave her one of my packets of instant coffee (she was upset they weren’t serving any in the bar), and she shared with me a Korean rice cookie – it was very sweet, and quite interesting!

Today was a lovely day – Tomorrow I will be headed to Bath. 🙂

The Flight!

So, I decided at the airport to upgrade to “premium economy” for a little over $200 – since I had gotten such a deal on the flight (Using Sky Miles) I said why not!?! – What a smart move that ended up being. The plane was over booked in economy – so everyone was crowded back there, but I ended up with an empty seat beside me – SCORE!!

Premium Economy incudes several free drinks – snacks and both dinner and breakfast – which I did not anticipate. Honestly – for airplane food – neither was 1/2 bad.

This was dinner:

and breakfast:

The seats in premium economy are comfy, purple leather seats, with lumbar support and folding neck supports, and a decent foot rest that can be adjusted a couple of ways. All things considered I slept pretty well – and would have slept better if the older couple in the pair of seats beside me didn’t scream everything they said to one another, bless their hearts! (They both obviously had some hearing issues.

The flight was smooth and uneventful, and we arrived at Heathrow almost 1 hour ahead of schedule. Clearing  customs was easy, with fairly short lines, and soon I was on my way to the Tube.

Premium Economy  is pretty sweet!

Funny story about the plane ride: I did have a sweet older lady the seat over, who even at 30,000 feet determined I could assist her with technology – so – she kept asking me how to operate the tv console on the back of her seat – which she kept setting for Chinese. . . I finally got her set, and she happily watched movies and tv for the rest of the ride.

Virgin’s entertainment console was great, but I forced myself to mostly ignore it, because I knew I needed to try and get as much sleep as I could.

The Tube

There is nothing quite like baptism by fire. I got to navigate the tube, with luggage, during rush hour. Fortunately I knew which stops I needed to transfer at, and that all worked well. It is an efficient and easy to use tube line. I found my Hostel (Wombats London) very easily, and dropped off my luggage so that I could make the most of my first day in London.

The entire journey I was very thankful I had packed as lightly as I had. . . I could not imagine navigating with the amount of luggage I saw others with.

The Hostel!

Ok, so for a first hostel experience I may be spoiled. Wombats opened in December, so it is new, fresh and clean, and they have had time to work out any kinks they may have had at opening. The room is spacious, (I am in a 6 girl dorm), the lockers are HUGE and secured using your room key, and you have to use your key to access the building, elevator and the floor where your room is. Our dorm has a separate shower and toilet room, both of which are very clean and nice. The bed seems comfy, so all is well there. So far, I would recommend this location very highly. (There is also a great WomBar downstairs with reasonably priced beverages). The location isn’t bad, about a 10 minute walk from the nearest tube stations. I walked to the Tower of London in 15 minutes, and that included making a wrong turn (Street signs have been a learning curve – they are not always in intersections, and never in the same spot (and every road changes names 14 times in 3 miles)) – I’m glad I’ve got a good sense of direction, and feel comfortable exploring.

I will post Hostel pictures later, but as of this second I would highly recommend it!!

My Day exploring London

In an attempt to combat Jet Lag, I made myself keep moving today. I decided an overview of London was a good way to start, so I did Day 1 of my Original London Bus Tour. I only did one loop of the bus tour, because the narration and elevator music was not conducive to staying awake, so after I finished the loop I hopped off and decided that I would try the free boat tour that came with my 2 day bus tour – I thought wind and sunshine were the best option to combat Jet Lag – and that was a winner! I LOVED the boat tour – the guide was funny – and the views were incredible. #Minifigmerry V.1.0 was a casualty of the bus ride, unfortunately – she was posing for a picture on Fleet Street, good news is version 2.0 is ready to roll tomorrow with a set of fun pictures all over London.

Here are a few pictures from my phone (My DSLR was still in my luggage – so better images will come tomorrow.

And with that, I am off to shower and go to bed (at 9:00 PM London Time!) so that I am ready for an adventure tomorrow!

So, with just under 3 days left till take off, I am packed up. I have gotten a lot of questions about how I am packing for a month long trip, so I will attempt to address that here.

The Luggage: 

I debated luggage quite a bit. Did I want to go the traditional backpacker route? I knew I didn’t want to use my hard sided luggage (They work great in the US, but in Europe, through train stations and up and down stairs – not so much). I researched and decided I wanted to go with a convertible bag that could be wheeled as a suitcase (great in airports and on streets) but could also be worn as a backpack (for stairs and places where I needed free hands). I decided on the REI 26′ Stratocruiser Wheeled Backpack with Detachable Day Bag – My decision was made easy when I was checking it out at the Kennesaw REI and it was on sale. I bought it and have been able to test it for several trips to Kentucky to visit the Stenners, Special Olympics and more – and it has been great. The added bonus of this bag was the integrated daypack – which would give me a small bag to use as a carryon, and that I could use as I explored Europe. With my daypack and my luggage situated, I moved on to looking at a purse. I knew my current purse wouldn’t work, because it was already starting to show wear, and I had some concerns about how easy it would be to slash or snatch. This lead me to discover the PacSafe brand. I decided on the CitySafe 200 Cross Body Bag –  (I actually bought it on Amazon for 1/2 the price you see here). It has some great features (RFID blocking passport slot, zipper locks, exomesh lining and wire straps to deter thieves). And with that, I had my luggage arsenal situated. The Packing:  I have embarrassingly detailed packing lists, but the end result is a organized suitcase and set of bags that I feel will travel very well. My packing list was divided into 4 areas: Electronics (which I addressed in My Tech “Travelosophy”), Paperwork, Clothing and Toiletries. Paperwork This was an easy category – but very important! This list really just gave me a way to double check myself. Did I pack my passport, credit cards, currency, rail pass, reservations, tickets, etc? All of these items either went in my purse, or in the folder in my carryon. I also have a notebook to use as my travel journal that I included in this category. I did get some starter currency so that I would have local currency for each location I might visit, just in case my credit or debit card decide to malfunction.

Clothing

I knew I needed to maximize space with this category – which meant making sure that every item served multiple purposes. There was no sense in packing anything that I would only use or wear once. I also knew that I needed to make sure everything could be worn in different combinations together, so that I could take less clothing. I also wanted clothing that would not wrinkle, would be comfortable, and would wash (AND DRY) quickly. For clothing, what I ended up packing was 4 pairs of Capris (all black to make things simpler), 5 shirts, 5 pair of bamboo (quick-dry) socks, 2 pair of Yoga Pants and 2 T-shirts to sleep in (One is my CCEF shirt for the contest for those that have asked), a swimsuit, 2 simple, comfortable dresses (for high tea and days when I need to be more dressy) and of course, relevant undergarments. I also added a black hat and raincoat, both from Columbia for sun and rain protection. Shoes were a tricky thing – I have strange feet, and knew that I would need shoes that could withstand a lot of walking. I decided to go with my SKECHERS Skech-Flex – Ultimate Reality shoe – (They are like foot pillows), My Keen Newports– Amphibious Walking Shoes, and My NewBalance Black Flats , which would work as a dress shoe, but would hold up to walking all day through the city.  I also threw a pair of shower shoes in my bag, since I would be using some hostel bathrooms and sharing shower areas with folks.

Toiletries

In this category, less was more. I purchased some Dr. Bronners soap to serve multiple purposes (body wash, shampoo, dish soap, laundry detergent and more), but found it made my hair WAY too dry, so I added a small container of conditioner – I will run out of both, and have decided that will be an opportunity to try something new. In addition to the typical toiletries needed, I also needed some items to assist with washing clothes on the road. I got a universal sink plug and clothesline to simply that task when I do not have access to a washing machine. I bought a small first aid kit, moleskin in case of blisters and even some travel toilet paper after hearing some friends’  horror stories about bathrooms in Europe. I put all of these items in my hanging Vera Bradley Toiletry Bag so that I could clip it up in bathrooms with no counter space. Because I was staying in a few hostels, and trains, and even the one night on a bus, I also packed a sleep-liner and inflatable pillow, just in case the accommodations are not what I anticipated, or I need additional comfort.

General Packing

• Ziplock bags were my friend – I packed everything that might remotely spill in ziplock bags, and threw extras in the bag for when I buy food for my longer train journeys and picnics.
• I packed extra carabiner clips for securing items to my bag as I go through Europe.
• I included some Cable Ties for securing zippers and my bag to fixed objects on trains and in travel, and made sure to pack a pair of clippers (in my checked bag) to open them.
• I did pack a padlock in case I stay somewhere that the lockers don’t have one attached.
• I also threw my travel corkscrew in the bag – better than having to buy one when I have a picnic, or just want some fabulous wine.
• I used Eagle Creek Packing Cubes to organize my bag, so that if I have to open my suitcase at the airport everything has a place and goes back together nicely.
• I bought a spare pair of glasses and a pair of prescription sunglasses from Eye Buy Direct – I highly recommend them if you need eyewear – they were a great deal, and I really like them.

So there we go, everything packed, and in a suitcase that weighs less than 30 pounds, and my carryon and purse weigh less than 10 pounds. Is it Tuesday yet?

Inevitably, when I people have found out about my travel plans they have immediately asked “who are you going with?”

When I say no one, it is almost predictably followed with “are you going on a tour” or “who has planned it” – When my answer to those questions is no, and myself – the reactions have an interesting range. Amazingly, these reactions are not predictable in any way. People I would have expected to be absolutely shocked that I would even entertain an idea like this have been excited for me and very positive, folks I would not have expected to be phased by the idea of me traveling alone have been almost comically shocked. Others are a bit terrified by the idea, but all have been excited for me to have the experience, I think.  The reaction I get most often, however, is that I am very “brave” to be doing this. . . and honestly, that is the reaction that I haven’t known what to do with.

Crazy – certainly, insane – a bit, wild – of course, adventurous – maybe a little, stubborn – YES, independent – obviously you have met me, geeky – yes, smart – most of the time, and so on. . . but BRAVE? I’m just not making that leap. To me, brave has a different meaning. . .

In my book, bravery is risking it all to save others – or to make the world a better place – – no matter what the cost to yourself  may be – people like Harriet Tubman, Irena Sendler, Desmond Doss, Nelson Mandela, MLK and Aung San Suu Kyi –  and this list can go on – while these are extreme cases of bravery – there are millions of less- well-known examples that happen everyday- the soldier who enlists, the child who stands up for a friend being bullied, the employee who risks his job to do what is right. . . but, honestly – Bravery is not hopping on an airplane to go on a dream vacation.

I agree with Confused Julia – for me traveling alone isn’t brave, it is just common sense. This is the right time for me to take this trip – and solo is the way that it makes the most sense.
I am not brave – I am independent, stubborn, bold, and a little adventurous – and hopefully – when it all comes down to it, I will be smart and have a great time on this adventure. 🙂