Statelady & Chezp's London Adventure: COMPLETED!!! About This Page:

[DisneyEveryJanuary]

Great start!!
Can't wait to hear more.

[Love 2 Laugh]

What a wonderful start! I'm looking forward to reading the rest!

[DVC_Don]

Sounds like a nice start to your TR.

[ProChristo]

I can't wait to read about the rest of your trip, and get Cheryl's perspective as well. Too cool!

[statelady01]

Day One: Part Two

The train ride on the Gatwick Express was relaxing and there wasn’t much of a view yet so I happily closed my tired eyes and listened to the accents of the folks that were seated nearby. My eyes were really hurting and when I mentioned it to Kevan- he remarked they were beet red. I made a note to maybe stop by a pharmacy for eye drops- hoping it wasn’t pink eye or some other infection. We arrived at Victoria Station and realized by the throngs of well-dressed people walking extremely fast that we were in the middle of morning rush hour. We stopped by the Tourist Center and picked up our TravelCards- that can be used for unlimited access to the buses (yup, the double decker kind, Tube and boat services). Then it came time to find our way to the tube (subway) and when it pulled into the boarding area- it was packed. We threw the bags on and weren’t prepared for the jerk it gave when it started so we both sort of fell forward and felt like complete idiots!

2 stops later, we get off at the Kensington South stop feeling a bit overwhelmed. Kevan leads me on a wild tour of Kensington while he tries to find the hotel. I have been up all night and am grimy and getting very irritated. Finally, he asks for directions and we arrive at the Hotel Rembrandt at about 9 am.

This is a charming hotel that used to serve as the suites for businesspeople working at Harrod’s, which is located just down the street. It was quaint and cozy- I liked it immediately. Kevan went to check in and we were told the room would be ready within the hour-, which normally, is no big deal, but I wanted a shower so badly it was not news well received. We left the bags with the concierge and decided to survey the neighborhood. We took a few minutes just to take it all in and I think when I saw the red double decker bus and distinctive London taxis- I really started to believe I was in London. We ventured down about three blocks and there were stores and cafes at every turn. We stopped in a little mini mart type store for a Coke and when I reached my hand into the freezer- it didn’t seem cold but as we drank, it was- just not as cold as we are used to here in the States. No matter- it tasted so good anyway!

It had been about 30 minutes and I just suggested to Kevan we sit in the lobby and wait for the room, so we headed back to the Rembrandt. As soon as we walked in, the desk agent told us our room was ready. We were given room 651- on the top floor and a complimentary upgrade for our anniversary! As we made our way down the halls, the floor creaked below- and I mentioned to Kevan that the history of the hotel was speaking to us- it was a very small but endearing aspect of the Rembrandt.

We entered our room and were very pleased- we had a king bed and a very spacious room with tv, phone, hair dryer and a lovely view of the Victoria and Albert Museum across the street. At first, I assumed there was no air conditioning as I had read that many London hotels do not have it so I opened up our windows- and the room was very cool within a matter of minutes. The bathroom had lovely marble counters and floors and a Jacuzzi bath- WOW! I knew I would get good use of that during our stay! Then I spotted the lovely robes and slippers on the back of the door- oh goody, goody, goody! Kevan found the air conditioning unit and we realized we weren’t going to need it.

After the long awaited and much needed showers we decide to head down the street to Harrod’s. I had read in our guidebooks about the wonderful food halls and I was looking forward to seeing them! We did not have any plans to make any purchases though, as I had also read Harrod’s was very expensive. As we entered with the throngs of other people who were clearly tourists, my eyes about popped out of the sockets and I groaned. I then pointed out to Kevan, ahead of us, the three catty women from our flight in Dallas! Of all the places there are in this marvelous city, they end up at the same place as we are! Unpleasant coincidence!

We began our trek through the food halls. One room devoted to a particular aspect then connected into another. We entered in the produce and fruit section and it all looked lovely- and it was clear all the displays were done with care. Then into the meat and cheese halls, also done the same, then to the seafood- which of course, had a fish smell that got stronger – Kevan pointed out to me a sculpture made of frozen fish- one is made every day! The bakery halls were a sight in themselves- the display cases full of gorgeous looking pastries and other baked confections.

We bid adieu to the food halls after scooping out the different food souvenirs such as jams, jellies, chocolates and cookie boxes. We then headed right to the fourth floor known as Toy Kingdom. This floor too, was also designed as a series of interconnecting rooms with different kinds of merchandise. Kevan loved the action figure areas and I enjoyed the teddy bear sections. We found several Thomas the Tank Engine Toys for our 4 year old Matthew, but I knew we would be going to Hamley’s later in the week so we didn’t buy anything.

We also made sure to view the Egyptian Hall leading into women’s fashions and the adornments were exquisite and the artwork and sculpture fascinating- that part felt like a museum. We browsed the bookstore areas and at this point became quite hungry for a lunch so we checked out several restaurants- all of which seemed way too expensive.

I wish we could have taken photos but as with many places indoors in London, photography was not permitted. We decided to return to Harrod’s on our last day to pick up some preserves for Kevan’s grandmom, who loves them. On our way back to the hotel, we did stop in a little store selling trinkets and picked up a toy double decker bus for our oldest son.

Coming up: Surcoming to the jet lag and The Great Search for a Pepsi at 2 am!

[stretch2864]

I'm anxiously awaiting the next installment!

[loridalel]

Wonderful TR! Can't wait to read more. I'm waiting to find out about the best and worst aspects of your experiences. It will really help me make an itinerary for my trip in January!

[Teddysmom]

Great reporting Maureen. I love the way you write, I feel like I am right there with you guys. I can't wait to read more.(What luck with those 3 women from home huh?)

[statelady01]

Day 1, Part 3

We checked out several cafes for lunch but they were packed to the brim so we decided to indulge in a little room service. We made our way back to the room in no time and turned on the tv for our first glimpse of British TV while we perused the menu. We both were surprised to see a club sandwich and fries (listed as fries, not “chips”) at 7.50 GBP so we each ordered that with a Pepsi. Room service was knocking at the door within 15 minutes and we dug in. The only surprise in our sandwiches was the presence of boiled egg so I just scraped mine off- and we both impressed with the meal.

We finished lunching at about 2 pm. I figured it was the waking hour at home, so it was time to place a call to Kevan's mom to check on the kids and let her know we had arrived safely. It was after this that the jet lag really kicked in- I was totally wiped out. Kevan protested and pleaded with me not to take a nap but it was not to be. I promptly told him I could not go any farther without some rest so he gave up and fell asleep with me. We woke at 4 pm and decided to at least venture out somewhere. I had really wanted to see the Hard Rock Café. The tube ride was easier this time- we had the hang of inserting our tickets into the kiosk and fighting our way on. We took a long walk through Hyde Park and the place was covered with leaves of all different autumn colors. We had no luck finding the Hard Rock after searching for an hour and decided we weren’t hungry enough to eat there anyway. It was dark by this time and I was pretty worn out still, so we decided to head back for the hotel. Surprisingly, we were tired enough to climb into bed and sleepy in no time. Before going to sleep though, I made sure to phone Cheryl to tell her we had gotten in alright and I was pretty sure she was as excited as I was about meeting each other in a matter of hours! By 8 pm, we were out. At 2 am, the phone rang – the kids had wanted to talk to us so we chatted about their day for a bit before hanging up. Kevan asked me if I was thirsty and I really was, so he went off with change in hand to get some coke from the vending machine. I sat there waiting for what seemed like an eternity thinking the man fell down a flight of stairs or something. Finally, he returns with no Pepsis. Problem was- there were no vending machines and he had gone to several floors looking. I didn’t want water, nor did he so in desperation, we called room service and ordered 2 sodas a piece. They were up in no time and we downed them quick. We fell back asleep by 4 am and slept soundly until the alarm sounded at 6:30.

The weather today was: in the fifties, cold but clear
The best thing about today was that shower after such a long flight!
The worst thing about today was turbulence on the flight and almost falling on someone on the tube
The funniest thing about today was seeing those awful mean women in Harrods
Today we tried dragging our luggage on the tube
And the result was a disaster and a vow to take a taxi the next time!
The most magical moment today was the moment I realized I really was in London!

Coming Up Next: The best Passporter meet ever complete with photos!

[goofy4goofy]

I can't wait for the next installment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kelly

[chezp]

OK, here's where we join in...!

Introduction

Date: Friday 14 November – Monday 17 November 2003
Adventurers: Me, Cheryl and DH Mark meeting up with Maureen and Kevan for three days of fun and sightseeing!
Resort: Rembrandt Hotel, South Kensington, London – Friday / Saturday night and our home in Maidstone, Kent – Sunday night
Celebration:
1) An early celebration of Maureen and Kevan’s 10th anniversary
2) a celebration of our 4th anniversary (we visit a different capital every year – Paris for our first, Amsterdam for our second, Dublin for our third and now London for our fourth!
3) and a chance for us all to meet in person for the first time!

Maureen and I started PM’ing each other in March of this year, when she posted on the boards that she and her husband were planning a visit to London in November. She asked me some questions, I gave her some answers (or at least tried to!) and then the idea of meeting up was suggested. As the months went on, the meeting turned from one day into two days and finally into three days. We suggested that they should come down to see us in Maidstone (about 35 miles southeast of London), stay the night and we could visit Leeds Castle during the day. The advertising slogan for Leeds Castle claims it’s the loveliest Castle in the world and it's certainly an excellent example of a British Castle.

We started looking at places to stay in London and eventually decided to join Maureen and Kevan at the Rembrandt hotel in South Kensington. It seemed to be well located, near to a Tube station (subway station), not too extortionately priced by July, we were able to get a good deal on a room for two nights there.

The plan ran something like this:
On the Friday, we would visit both the Tower of London and Kensington Palace, having bought joint tickets for the two beforehand.
On the Saturday, the morning was free for whatever we wanted to do (visiting Westminster Abbey was suggested) and then we would take a flight on the London Eye, followed by a cruise down the Thames. The day would be wrapped up by shopping along London's busiest shopping street, Oxford Street.
The Sunday would see us travelling down to our home in Maidstone and then visiting Leeds Castle, before Mark and I served up dinner for Maureen and Kevan.
They would stay the night, before travelling back to London on the train first thing on Monday morning.

Maureen and I spoke every day via e-mail and then about three weeks before they were due over here, I phoned her and we finally got to speak in person to each other. She then called me a week before they were due to arrive and again we chatted away, making all the final arrangements. We confirmed everything on Thursday evening when they were in this country and then we were set for our first meeting on the Friday morning.

[chezp]

Friday 14 November – part one : “I name that tune in one”….

The day was due to start early, but not as early as 3:10 a.m. I was still recovering from a virus was coughing, waking myself up in the process. As I lay there, trying to get back to sleep, I realised I could hear a familiar song, the Entertainer. But where could it be coming from?

Eventually I worked it out that it had to be Mark's mobile phone, so I woke him up in case it was an emergency, but no it was just his mobile phone operator calling with a special offer, apparently the ninth time that night. I couldn't believe it! We dozed off after that or rather I did, Mark was wide awake, so we got up around 5:30 p.m. and left the house by 6 a.m.

We made amazingly good time and were very close to the hotel by 7:30 p.m. Time for breakfast or maybe not. The supermarket we planned to eat at didn't open until 8 a.m. and our stomachs were telling us that waiting half an hour wasn't an option, so what else could we do, but look for those golden arches of McDonald's! Sure enough we found some after about a miles drive. We weren't sure what the parking restrictions nearby were like, so we went in to get our food and then came back to the car to eat it there, cheaper than getting a parking ticket and a fine!

We were at the hotel by around 8:30 a.m. and I got Mark to drive the car round to the car park, while I took the luggage inside. There was no sign of Maureen or Kevan at that point, so I started to check in and within a few minutes they stepped out that the lift. I recognised them both at once, despite the fact that Maureen had told me she’d had a radical haircut and we hugged each other before I was introduced to Kevan. They both noted my Eeyore top (well what else would I be wearing?! ) very quickly, so bonus marks there! Mark arrived in a couple of minutes and was introduced, before we went to leave our bags in their room before heading out.

On first glance, the hotel was lovely, very posh and I was so pleased to see Maureen and Kevin in jeans, as I did feel a bit out of place amongst all those men and women in their business suits. Their room was very big, but it was an upgrade, so I wasn't expecting our room to be anything like that.

The original plan today had been to go first to Kensington Palace and then to the Tower of London, but I had realised last night that Kensington Palace didn't open until 10 p.m., so I suggested going to the Tower of London first, a good decision as it turned out. After getting lost finding the Tube (subway) station, Mark and I purchased our travel cards for the next two days and we were off.

Today there was a strike on the Tube, but only on two of the lines. It didn't affect us too badly, as one of the lines, the Circle, tends to follow the same route as other lines on the Tube. It just meant that perhaps we had a slightly longer wait for a Tube to arrive at the station. We caught a District line train across to Tower Hill, just by the Tower of London.

By this time it was about 9 a.m. and I knew it would be busy on the Tube. I studied in London for a year in the mid 1990’s and got very used to the cramped conditions on the Tube in rush-hour, it’s not pleasant and you will be standing, as the seats will all be long gone. I think the closest experience I've had was on the New York subway. People are literally jammed in like sardines in each carriage, you have no personal space whatsoever. What Maureen and Kevan made of this, I’m not quite sure. I guess in hindsight maybe I should have warned them, but I just didn't think. Maureen and I managed to get seats a few stops in, but Mark and Kevan didn't get the chance to sit down until about a stop before we were due to get off.

When we arrived at the Tower of London, we found that we had to take a long detour to get in, as the moat was apparently flooded. It didn't look like that to me, but I wasn't about to argue with the Beefeater who was on patrol! Eventually we made it to the Tower of London and Maureen and Kevan picked up their tickets and we were off.

I hadn't been to the Tower of London since I was about nine or 10 years old and had only very vague memories of seeing the Crown Jewels. Mark was probably a similar age when he last visited the Tower and didn't even get to see the Crown Jewels, because of the queues. As a result, I think we were all seeing it for the first time really.

Next: “so which one is the famous Sceptre then?”

[*Pixie*Dust*]

More, more!! I can't wait to read the rest of it.

[DVC_Don]

Very nice so far ladies.

[statelady01]

From Maureen's vantage point:
Day 2

The alarm sounds at 6:30 and I fly out of bed. Today is the BIG day- one I have been waiting for- meeting Cheryl and Mark! Since we skipped dinner the evening before, Kevan and I were both very hungry. We made it downstairs to the Masters restaurant for our breakfast at 7:30 am. As with the case in many European hotels, this full breakfast was included with the room so we planned to eat as much as we could. The buffet was set up nicely and offered pastries, toast, cereals, fruit, cheese and the hearty portions of bacon, English sausage, eggs, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, baked beans- all customary English breakfast items. I stuck mainly to muffins, fruit, cereal – Kevan had more of the meats and cheeses. We finished by 8:15 and we headed back upstairs for a bit to make sure I had enough film in my camera.

When the elevator doors opened in the lobby, I immediately spotted Cheryl at the front desk, just as I was about to say her name- she turned and recognized me right away. We gave each other big hugs and I introduced Kevan to her. For a minute I could have sworn I was transported to the Hundred Acre Wood- Cheryl was all decked out in Eeyore! Cheryl’s husband Mark came into the hotel after parking their car soon after- I also recognized him right away. Their room was not ready yet, so we went up to ours to stow their stuff and set a game plan in motion.

I must state here and now that Cheryl was on the up and up when it came to navigating our way on the tube and buses. We were advised as we got to the Kensington Tube station that the Circle line was closed due to “Industrial Action”- i.e. strike- but she quickly mapped out an alternate route. Again the tube was packed and the girls (us girls) got seats and the boys had to stand. It would always end up that by the time the crowds cleared and they could find a seat too- that we were down to one stop- it happened again and again!

On the way to the Tube, Mark noticed the flap on my purse was not over the purse and advised me to make sure it was closed. Good advice that ,as you will see in details to come, became quite entertaining and good for some laughs.

We had purchased our tickets for the Tower of London- our first stop- in advance and Kevan made his way to the area for collecting them while Cheryl, Mark and I waited. There was really no nervous tension at all between us- Cheryl and I had been talking every day for 9 months so it just seemed like we had always been friends and Mark was very easygoing as well.

Coming Up Next Meeting the Beefeater and the Tower of London