November 2007: London (revisited)
(cross-posted to pen_voyage).
It's May 2009 and I still haven't finished my series of travel+photo blogs about my 2007 trip. I suppose I did complete a PhD in that period, but still, it's getting a bit ridiculous. Since I'm lucky enough to be going OS again next month, I thought I better get a wriggle on with documenting more of my 2007 adventure. :)
Last time I wrote about the trip, I was on the final leg of the amazing Globus trip around Western Europe with mum. It ended in London where I met Sasha, and later caught up with Andrew and Ola. Good fun!
While in London, Sasha and I visited his uncle Andrew, and we also spent a few days in Oxford - a town I absolutely loved.
So... On with the story!
3rd + 4th November 2007
In a rare and brief moment of internet access I wrote a bit about it here at the time.
After meeting Sasha at the train station, we checked into our accommodation, helped mum find hers and then a bit later we met with Andrew and Ola who were visiting from Poland!! Andrew moved there a few years ago and still lives there, in a village just outside Krakow. We had dinner at an Italian place in Earls Court for Andrew's birthday. It was very good to see them again. :)
The next morning we all walked tot he London Science Museum. It was a bit like the Powerhouse in Sydney. It housed lots of cool scientific artefacts and instruments. We also went for an explore around London.
We visited Buckingham Palace
(this is the Victoria Memorial out the front of the palace)
In the afternoon we said goodbye to mum. I'd been travelling with her for a couple of weeks. I think she was a bit sad to leave, but at the same time quite looking forward to being back in her own home. You don't know how terrible it was for us not being able to make a cup of tea whenever we wanted. ;) Thanks mum, for a fantastic trip around the UK and Europe. I loved being able to explore so many wonderful places with you. xxx
The next day, we tried to find Jamie Oliver's Fifteen restaurant for breakfast. It took us a while, but we got there eventually.
We weren't allowed breakfast without a booking, but they did let us sit at the bar and have a coffee. Phew.
Later that night, Sasha, Andrew, Ola and I went exploring again. We met at Leicester Square. We had a yummy dinner in Chinatown. Looked around the Soho area. And stopped by Picadilly Circus.
I love this photo.
The next day Andrew and Ola had to fly back to Krakow, but we had a rushed brunch at a pub at one of the major stations (I think the tube was messed up so our plans were limited) before they had to head off. I was fortunate enough to see them again in Poland, later in my travels, but I'm so glad they came to London so Sasha could catch up with them. :)
That afternoon (according to my diary) Sasha and I wandered around London - checking out the Thames, Westminster and Big Ben. I didn't take many photos because I'd already taken heaps, here.
Silly hats are a must in London. :)
Monday 5th November
According to the notes in my journal, Sasha and I did some laundry this morning, but I suppose you're meant to leave out the mundane aspects of a travel story, so I'll skip to the rest of the day. We wandered around the south side of the Thames, saw the Globe theatre and the Tate (didn't go in this time).
My camera must have run out of batteries because I don't seem to have any photographs of inside St Paul's Cathedral. Not only did we go inside, but we climbed the stairs so we were up inside the dome! Very awesome! Afterwards we had afternoon tea in the crypt cafe, underneath the church. (It seems I make a note of every meal I have when travelling. Even if not a spectacular meal, somehow it helps remind me of the day and the surroundings).
The next day we decided to catch a train to Oxford, one of my favourite cities in the UK. But that can wait for a separate post...
It's May 2009 and I still haven't finished my series of travel+photo blogs about my 2007 trip. I suppose I did complete a PhD in that period, but still, it's getting a bit ridiculous. Since I'm lucky enough to be going OS again next month, I thought I better get a wriggle on with documenting more of my 2007 adventure. :)
Last time I wrote about the trip, I was on the final leg of the amazing Globus trip around Western Europe with mum. It ended in London where I met Sasha, and later caught up with Andrew and Ola. Good fun!
While in London, Sasha and I visited his uncle Andrew, and we also spent a few days in Oxford - a town I absolutely loved.
So... On with the story!
3rd + 4th November 2007
In a rare and brief moment of internet access I wrote a bit about it here at the time.
After meeting Sasha at the train station, we checked into our accommodation, helped mum find hers and then a bit later we met with Andrew and Ola who were visiting from Poland!! Andrew moved there a few years ago and still lives there, in a village just outside Krakow. We had dinner at an Italian place in Earls Court for Andrew's birthday. It was very good to see them again. :)
The next morning we all walked tot he London Science Museum. It was a bit like the Powerhouse in Sydney. It housed lots of cool scientific artefacts and instruments. We also went for an explore around London.
We visited Buckingham Palace
(this is the Victoria Memorial out the front of the palace)
In the afternoon we said goodbye to mum. I'd been travelling with her for a couple of weeks. I think she was a bit sad to leave, but at the same time quite looking forward to being back in her own home. You don't know how terrible it was for us not being able to make a cup of tea whenever we wanted. ;) Thanks mum, for a fantastic trip around the UK and Europe. I loved being able to explore so many wonderful places with you. xxx
The next day, we tried to find Jamie Oliver's Fifteen restaurant for breakfast. It took us a while, but we got there eventually.
We weren't allowed breakfast without a booking, but they did let us sit at the bar and have a coffee. Phew.
Later that night, Sasha, Andrew, Ola and I went exploring again. We met at Leicester Square. We had a yummy dinner in Chinatown. Looked around the Soho area. And stopped by Picadilly Circus.
I love this photo.
The next day Andrew and Ola had to fly back to Krakow, but we had a rushed brunch at a pub at one of the major stations (I think the tube was messed up so our plans were limited) before they had to head off. I was fortunate enough to see them again in Poland, later in my travels, but I'm so glad they came to London so Sasha could catch up with them. :)
That afternoon (according to my diary) Sasha and I wandered around London - checking out the Thames, Westminster and Big Ben. I didn't take many photos because I'd already taken heaps, here.
Silly hats are a must in London. :)
Monday 5th November
According to the notes in my journal, Sasha and I did some laundry this morning, but I suppose you're meant to leave out the mundane aspects of a travel story, so I'll skip to the rest of the day. We wandered around the south side of the Thames, saw the Globe theatre and the Tate (didn't go in this time).
My camera must have run out of batteries because I don't seem to have any photographs of inside St Paul's Cathedral. Not only did we go inside, but we climbed the stairs so we were up inside the dome! Very awesome! Afterwards we had afternoon tea in the crypt cafe, underneath the church. (It seems I make a note of every meal I have when travelling. Even if not a spectacular meal, somehow it helps remind me of the day and the surroundings).
The next day we decided to catch a train to Oxford, one of my favourite cities in the UK. But that can wait for a separate post...