It's London ...what could possibly go wrong?

Our day started with a lovely breakfast at a small coffee shop a few doors down from our luxurious hotel (not) at Whitechapel.

We made our way down the the Tower of London to be the first in the gate for the morning tours.
One very nasty beefeater gave me a mouthful way in as I asked for a photo - obviously he was not having a good day and wished to spoil mine.
It was the first bit of attitude we have encountered but I came to notice that many of the guides were a pretty bitter lot - lots of folded arms and growling faces.
Such a disappointment.
That first hour with just a handful of visitors was glorious but then it turned to utter bedlam ad we vied for space at each exhibit amongst streams of teens and school children of all nationalities.
The tourists did not stop and by the time we left it was horror central for anyone who might hate crowds (like me).

We had traditional fish and chips and then headed for some calm at All Hallow's Church, the oldest in London and it was blissful.
Quiet and very old it was a stunning place to spend time.
Totally beautiful and ready to reveal its secret as we headed down into the crypts below that had been converted to prayer rooms.
It was my first encounter with ghosts since arriving - I seemed to be greeted at the door and then followed around whilst there by a very elderly priest in long robes - reminded me of friars, very plain but very strong energies.

We walked past old Roman tiled floors - exposed so that we could see the past history of the site and also an old saxon arch ( from 675 AD) made from old recycled Roman roof tiles.
You tend to forget that the Romans were there before the English created London.

We got on the Hop On Hop Off bus finally for a tour around the city which was the master plan with the though of getting off at a few of the stops and checking places out.

But no.....heading to Hyde Park saw us stuck in a traffic jam that just was not moving.
After 40 minutes of going nowhere we and many others on the bus decided to get off and try our best to make it on our own.
Well, that was an epic failure - the bus route map is not very clear - it shows you round about where stops are but not exactly where they are.
So we wandered, and walked, and walked and stopped to ask and walked some more and walked till our feet ached but we could not to a bus stop.

Mind you everyone else in that area of the city was also without transport.
The London cabbies had gone on strike leaving their cabs in the middle of the streets - leaving them  empty and clogging up roadways.

And it seemed that no one could speak English very well so everyone we asked gave us directions that just led us in circles.
When we finally found a stop we could not believe that it was literally around the corner from where we first started.

We barely made it back to the hotel and collapsed for the rest of the evening - nope, no Jack the Ripper tour.
No going out for tea - just a hot bath and bed.
Maybe we can try another adventure tomorrow.

Day One and the fun has already started!

Heathrow is a monster of an airport!
We landed at dawn with a red sun rising on the horizon - it was 5 degrees warm.
It took about 4 hours to finally get through Customs and all the bits required and to work out how to get into the city.
So we took the underground - good idea at Heathrow but terrible idea by the time we got closer to the city. Hundreds of people trying to pack in to the wagons in an effort not to miss the train.

Let's just say I had some intimate moments with total strangers - boobs were touched, bottoms also - people breathing in my ear....all of which was promptly followed by a courteous 'sorry'!

Then we had to haul those dang heavy suitcases up and down the stairs of several train stations ( no lifts) and as I composed myself while trying to catch my breath Gayle just laughed at how unfit we both were!

We dropped our bags off at the Ibis Whitechapel after working out how to get there and headed off again into the Underground to go directly to Gayle's best shop in the whole world Harrod's.

The bottom floors look a bit like our Myer's stores but as you go up higher the floors take on a very Egyptian theme - very ostentatious.

The clothes and items are very expensive - very high end but there seems to be a lot of money floating around as the shop is packed and lots of people are walking around with Harrod's bags.

We stopped for something to eat and we must have looked a treat because when Gayle asked the waiter whether she could have another iced tea - she was told that 'we do not do refills here" - UM....
yeah?!!!!! I wasnt expecting a refill - I was expecting to PAY FOR IT!!"

Just a touch embarrasing!

Did we really look that boganish.

I think the waiter realised that he had really offended Gayle and bough her back a chocolate.

I had a burcher muesli with vanilla yoghurt and ginger stewed apples (thought it would help me shift a day's worth of aeroplane food) and Gayle had Welsh Rarebit and two iced teas.

We then hit the store and worked our way passed amazing crystals, 1000 pound bed sheets, 9000 pound pieces of luggage and shoes that were gorgeous but outrageously expensive.

Ahh...one can dream!

Finally we headed back to Whitechapel (again a squishy ride in the Tube) a quick visit to the local Tesco for some food and checking in to our room.

It was only later that we discovered that we were next to a Mosque with a call to prayer happening on a regular basis. Also Gayle discovered that we have a disco shower - when the water comes on there is a light in the shower head which changes colour.


The air conditioner doesnt work - so we currently have the window open but we can hear all the traffic outside and the toilet is in behind a cabinet in the wall.

Well all of this goes to make our first day a lot of fun.
Nothing terrible has happened and these little inconveniences all add to the fun.

Tomorrow we are heading to get on the Hop on hop off bus for a trip around London and stopping off at the Tower.

Now to sleep before I can no longer keep my eyes open.

Let the adventure Begin!

So let's just say that there are two very excited ladies sitting in the departure lounge at Sydney airport right now - and even though we have checked in and gone through the hoops - it still feels rather surreal.
To tell you the honest truth we have been excited for weeks now - you would think we were both going on our very first overseas trip!
But it just goes to show that no matter how old you are you can still get bloody excited about life!
We have already been naughty - have made smart arsed comments to Customs officers, of course.

Its so great to have a wonderful friend to travel with that you can feel totally comfortable with and living in each other's pockets for the next three weeks will test us - I hope we are still taking to each other by the time we come home!

One hour till boarding - wish us luck!

3 Days to go!

Yes only three more days.
I am thinking hard whether I have missed something but its only last minute travel nerves.
I have been lucky that these few days before the trip have been all about me, a few health issues which have been cleared up thank goodness and no work commitments to worry about.

Unfortunately, my travel companion Gayle has not been so lucky working right up until today.
I am sure she is now breathing a sigh of relief as I write this as she gets to spend the next two days freaking out and making sure she is packed and ready to go.

Yes we are both rather s##t scared and very excited right now.

The "SH*T SCARED LADIES are SO excited!!

With only one week to go we are both hanging out for a chance to get away and totally disappear into the rest of the world.
Sometimes we can get very centred in what is happening around us... to our own detriment - getting out and away allows for a new perspective and to be able to put little nuisances in their place.

Sometimes its good to get away from people, from work and from our daily grind to appreciate what we do have a whole lot more but to also open us up to see new possibilities and opportunities that we cannot while we are locked onto our own hamster wheels of living life just one way.

So as much as this is a holiday for both of us - it is also an exploration into opportunities for coming back and doing it all better than ever before.

I am going to annoy you with a count down!!

Money changed - check!
Bag packed - well...not yet.
Accommodation verified - yep.
Hop On Hop Off bus tickets purchased - yep
Heritage England Pass purchased - got that!
Coffee supplies checked - ah ha!



Excitement meter turned up to 1000!!!
YES!

9 DAY TO GO

Its so close now I can almost feel the cramping in my legs from sitting in an aeroplane for 24 hours!

Its the bit that I am not looking forward to.
The more I think about it the more I really wish I could be teleported to England.