Click for the current week diary
Itinerary - Kuala Lumpur overnight, London 7 days, train to Edinburgh 4 days, car wanderings for 3 weeks, London 7 days, KL 2 days, home on 1 July.
Saturday 26 May 2007
My first objective today was to see the Portobello Markets, so I left early (just before 9:00am), to get the train to Nottinghill Gate. It was a 300 metre walk to Portobello Road and the start of the markets. It looked tiny at first, but more than a kilometre later I decided it was a serious market. And I realised how popular it is when I saw the number of people pouring in as I got back to the beginning. It was comfortably crowded as I was leaving around 11:10am (see photo 1), but must have been impossible by lunchtime. I was sensible and took the train to the Museum of London and the Barbican Centre.
This museum focussed just on artefacts from the London area, and was most interesting. The best part was that is was Saturday and there were no school groups! The building was alongside remnants of the old Wall of London; one of the few bits left (photo 2). Had a late lunch at the museum cafe. Just a short walk then to a modern experiment in high density living surrounding a nine level cultural building, called the Barbican Centre. Photo 3 shows just a very small part of the high rise residential enclaves.
It was getting colder as the change swept in, but undaunted, I caught a train to Great Portland Street Station, to wander in Regent's Park. After about 20 minutes, it looked like it was about to rain, so I returned to the station and caught the train the long way back to Earl's Court. A much quieter day today!
Friday 25 May 2007
I planned to take a tour of the Royal Albert Hall today, and then perhaps wander down the Department Store end of Oxford Street. Left here about 8:45am and walked past Gloucester Station and along Queen's Gate to the Royal Albert Hall. Took about 30 minutes through tree lined streets all filled with these multi-storey flats (photo 2 is one example of hundreds). I was able to book into the first tour at 10:00am. The tour lasted an hour and we saw the Queen's Box, her private entry stairs and Retiring room, as well as the main auditorium. Simply Red is playing tonight, and the technicians were fiddling with the smoke machine and lights when we were there. Frustratingly, I could not take photos inside. Photo 2 is the outside just in case you forgot what it looked like.
Royal Albert Hall is at least 10 minutes from any one of three Underground Stations, so I walked to the Science Museum which I did not realise was behind the Natural History Museum I visited earlier this week. These places draw kids in their thousands - there were lots of class size groups which made it hard to take in the exhibits. I had lunch here - the kids all bring their own to eat outside, so there is peace and quiet around 12:30pm. The photo here is of several VW's stacked in a corner.
I caught the Underground again to Bond Street (you remember your Monopoly, do you?), and walked west along Oxford Street. Selfridges was too upmarket (a bit like David Jones back home, and Marks and Spencer were more like Target. Too many people everywhere in Oxford Street, though! My feet were getting sore so I caught the Underground to Queensway Station, so I could see the Bayswater Shopping strip. Wandered the street which included a large but quiet shopping centre. I was feeling tired in the legs at 4:00pm, so caught a train from Bayswater Station back to Earl's Court. Luckily, there was a connection on the District Line without having to change trains.
The weather has been fabulous so far - low to mid twenties for most of the week. But, it is a Bank Holiday this weekend, so Sunday and Monday are forecast to be cold, wet and windy. The locals say that is normal for a holiday weekend. I might make Sunday my rest day, and hit the markets tomorrow!
Thursday 24 May 2007
Another big day today. I slept in till 7:00am - much better than daybreak at about 5:00am. Today is churches day. I caught the Underground to Embankment Station and walked along the river to Big Ben and Parliament House (well mostly churches!). You have all seen photos of them, but the barriers, police presence and weaponry is amazing. I wandered a bit further along the river and followed some back streets to Westminster Abbey. I had to see it but thought it was rather tacky. I suppose the control barriers were necessary just to manage the hordes of people. Photo 1 is a back walkway in the Abbey. Walked on through Trafalgar Square, to St Martins-in-the-Field Church. Sadly, it is under wraps being renovated till September.
Kept walking and stumbled into the Covent Garden Markets. These were the fresh food markets of 100 years ago! (photo 2). Now it is reinvented as food outlets and tourist stores. A massive people trap!
It was a bit far to walk to St Paul's Cathedral, so trained it again. This was much newer (only a couple of hundred years old), but less crowded and with a much better ambience. For much of the time, the organ tuner was working and the rumbling low scales were a perfect backdrop. The main reason for coming here was because the cathedral allowed visitors to climb to the upper walkways in and around the high dome. And was it high! Some 450 steps in all to the top outer platform. The first level was high inside above the main chamber. The second was outside at the base of the dome. The third level was also outside at the very top of the dome. The climb was steep and the top platform was scary but well worth it. See photo 3 and look for the walkway above the pillars at the base of the dome. And the top walkway at the top of the dome. I have lots of photos, and the view was magic. I think it tops the London Eye for the challenge and views uncluttered by a glass bubble. The highlight so far.
Wednesday 23 May 2007
Today was totally different to what I planned. Had intended going to Westminster Abbey, but did not remember the District Line could go two ways, and it branched off the 'wrong' way. I hopped off at the next station, Kensington High Street, and decided to look at the shops on this very busy road. I walked along High Street towards Kensington Gardens (photo 1 is High Street from the corner of the Gardens), then continued walking in the gardens and to the end of Hyde Park. Photo 2 is in Kensington Gardens with Kensington Palace in the background, and photo 3 is the Albert Memorial. Big on monuments are the English!
Had enough walking, so hopped on the Underground to Russell Square and walked to the British Museum. Spent about 3 hours there. I can say I walked through all the rooms, but only read the details on a miniscule number of exhibits. Still, I got a feel for the place. I have several great photos from the museum, but am not allowed to place any museum items on the web. The museum was at the top (almost) of Oxford Street, so spent a couple of hours pottering along this hopelessly congested tourist mecca. Detoured to the Liberty shop and wandered down Regent Street to Piccadilly Circus. It was nearly 6:00pm, and obviously I am like the rest of London and put up with the overcrowding on the Underground back to Earl's Court. Today, I was on my feet all day, and arrived back here feeling ok. I must be getting used to being a tourist, and my feet are still holding together.
Tuesday 22 May 2007
I wore myself out again today, being on my feet all day. Hoped I would escape peak time on the trains by leaving here at 9:00am. No such luck! Went to Kings Cross station to collect my tickets from a machine for the train journey to Edinburgh next Monday. I booked a month ago on the net, and saved about 50%. Then I took the train to the Tower of London, and spent three hours there. Expensive (about $40) but worth it. Photo 1 is the building where the Crown jewels are kept. Had a late lunch in the cafeteria. I picked a good day - no queues anywhere, and I could mostly get the photos uncluttered by people. Next door is the Tower Bridge (photo 2). I took the tour to walk across the top of the bridge (one view in photo 3), and saw the Pump Room and other displays under the bridge. Fascinating. I wandered along the South Bank towards 'home', and tried to beat the peak hours again on the tube (but failed). My feet are still sore, but the blister has stayed together.
Monday May 2007
Monday was a full day of sightseeing. Wandered around Earl's Court for an hour to orient myself again. Photo 1 shows my hotel for the next week (next to the second tree on the left). Very small room, but ok for the price. I headed East along Cromwell Road and stopped at the Natural History museum (photo 2) and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Kept wandering east towards Harrods, and found a phone shop. I can now be contacted on UK mobile 07938 028 528 (but SMS is more realistic from Australia). Was planning to catch a Piccadilly Line train to Kings Cross, but there were massive delays - something about a person under a train. Instead, I tubed it to Victoria Station and shops, then strolled down Buckingham Palace Road to you know where (photo 3). Walked on to Piccadilly Circus to catch a train back to my accommodation.
Sunday 20 May 2007
Got about 6 hrs sleep, so had early breakfast and returned to the airport. I have had about 2 hours in the Malaysian Airlines lounge, catching up on Emails etc, waiting for departure at midday. Arrived in London after a 13 hour flight, but the aircraft was parked in a backlot because all the gates were full. We had to wait 30 minutes for them to find a few buses to transport us to the terminal. But at least we got off first. No pictures today!
Saturday 19 May 2007
This day has finally arrived. The flight was magic. We took two hours to be wined and dined with four courses for early tea, and had a 'Cornish Pasty' on a lettuce base for supper. We left on time at 3:00pm, turned our clocks back 90 minutes, and arrived here at 8:40pm. Am now comfortably ensconced in a hotel next to the airport. Oh, I was given complementary entry to the Qantas Club at Adelaide airport.
Previous Holidays
None yet.
This page last updated on 26 May 2007.
Home |
Contact me by Email |
Privacy Policy |
Site Help
Links to other parts of this web site are at the top of this page
This site is copyright 2007. Built and maintained by
js graphics.
|