I landed at 7:30 a.m., London time. That would be 12:30 a.m. Minneapolis time. I had a great flight. The plane was only half full and I had a whole row to myself. I watched a movie and needlepointed for the first 2 hours and then threw the armrests up, layed down and slept on and off for the next 4 hours.
When we landed in London, it was raining. Drew had given me directions to get to the center of the city to our hotel called Marylebone on Welbeck Street. I stood in line for customs in London for 45 minutes, picked up my luggge and made my way to the Heathrow Express. The cost was $25 dollars or take a taxi for 2x that. I jumped on the Heathrow Express and got off at Paddington Rd station to exit and enter the tube on the brown line, Bakerloo. I purchased a ticket for the subway and got off at the Baker Street station. Then the fun began.
As I exited the Baker station it was pouring rain, but I remembered Drew saying the hotel was a 10 minute walk from the station. The problem was that I didn't know where Welbeck was. I started walking and since I bought the ATT Passport Plan for internet time, I put the address in the phone and I went walking. By the time I got to the hotel I was drenched. A nice doorman greeted me, pulled my wet suitcase into the hotel and put me in front of a hotel desk person. It was 10:00 and they were just finishing up my room. The clerk took my luggage and escorted me to a sitting room and served English Breakfast tea. Hot English Breakfast tea! It warmed my soul, wet head and hands!! After 20 minutes and almost falling asleep, my room was ready.
The Marylebone is a beautiful old hotel. I decided to break the rules and take a 2 hour nap. No problem falling asleep! When I woke up it was 1:30 and I headed down to the concierge. He directed me to Hyde Park to catch the hop on and hop off bus. I walked for 15 minutes down Marylebone and Oxford Road. Lots of retail stores and a wet walk again. Did not bring my camera,
using my cell phone.
The Hop-on bus goes until 8:00 p.m. Tour around city was 2.5 hours. I saw everything from the Parliment, Big Ben (being restored),Kensington Palace, London Eye, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral and more. I hoped off the bus and started walking back to the hotel and stopped in an Italian restaurant to have dinner and warm up. I had lasagna and bought Drew a pizza to have when he got to the hotel. He called earlier and was stuck in a traffic jam and didn't know if he would make the last train. He did make the train with the door closing as he got on. He will be here around 9:00
I was tired. Took a shower and jumped into bed. Drew got here around 9:30 and dropped off his bags, and went downstairs to the lounge to meet a co-worker for drinks. I fell asleep quick and don't remember a things until dawn. Pictures to come
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