TravelStream™ news feed for member 0ffk1lter on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/0ffk1lter en-us Copyright ©2010 TravelPod.com Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:41:27 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231683060/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231683060/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231683060/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:41:27 -0500 The British Adventures of Scruffy and SBuh 2009

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London, England, United Kingdom

When last we spoke we were headed to the Tates. We actually did not go to the Tates.

Instead, we headed over to Trafalgar and walked through most of the National Gallery. We saw plenty of famous Monet's, Manet's, Da Vinci's, Van Gogh's, and Raphael's. I got my visual art fix for the year :o).

Following, we sought out the nearest Pret A Manger for more soup. We, then, took the tube to the south end of the Jubilee Bridge (one of two pedestrian-only bridges downtown.

We walked the bridge from the south to the north (as there are actually 2 bridges, one on either side of the tube rail. It became immediately clear that the bridge we were on was actually facing opposite the Westminster Bank (which is what we were there to actually see). So we proceeded all the way across to the north side, pausing briefly to check the prices of a Thames River dinner boat (70.00-120.00GBP!! per person), and we proceeded to walk back toward the bank we originated on. The view was spectacular! The Eye, Big Ben, Parliament, and Westminster Abby all lit up (it was dark you see), their up-lighting continued far above the actual structures cutting into the night fog like amber towers reaching into the heavens. Beautiful!

We found a small Italian place and popped in for a quick Tiramisu (mmm!), and headed back for Pimlico, where the hotel is actually located. After some tube shenanigans, as the Victoria line was temporarily out due to a power failure, we made it back and hit St. George's Pub for a pint and a sit.

All in all a pretty easy day. Until next time...

Cheers
Dev.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231599600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231599600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231599600/tpod.html Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:08:48 -0500 The British Adventures of Scruffy and SBuh 2009

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London, England, United Kingdom

When last we spoke, I was hours away from heading to the airport to pickup Sara Beth and debating on whether to attempt to clear up the cell phone fiasco or ...pub. Well, I decided to hit the problem head on. I took the tube back out to Piccadilly Circus and began to retrace my steps.

I, finally, got to the orange store about 7:30 and my labors were rewarded...with a dark store bearing locked doors. Ah, well. After some frustrated wandering through Soho, I headed back to the room to pick up a book and some granola bars, just in case. I hit the Victoria tube stop and began my 40minute ride to Heathrow.

After picking up Sara Beth, we snagged the last tube back into town. Upon arriving at the hotel, it became evident that the front door was locked... no one at the front desk. (I had been assured upon check in that the desk was 24hrs) So the knocking began... and the buzzing and the pounding and finally our intrepid evening desk attendant came down the stairs. The only problem was, he was unable to unlock the door. Hmph. Always an adventure. He gave up 5 minutes later. We continued to stand in the 0C weather and he emerged from the other door of the facility. Bout time! We quickly shuffled out of the outdoor cold and into the hotel which was a little less cold. (Now 2AM Thursday) After throwing my extra blanket on the bed, we collapsed like flans in a cupboard and SLEPT! and slept. and slept. and awoke on Thursday at 4pm.

We got out into the city by 4:30PM, (since it was a week night and everything closes down between 7 and 9) and did some prep for the rest of the week. Got SB her tube pass for the week, hit the local Marks & Spencer for some groceries and dinner (I know, I know, I broke rule #1 of grocery shopping), and got a phone squared away. Getting back to the room around 7:00PM, we feasted on grocery store deli wraps and tea, watched some really awful TV, and got to bed.

The following morning, we ate an early breakfast, in the hotel breakfast room, of cereal, toast, juice, and coffee. We headed back to our room and supplemented with yogurt cups with granola (crushed Nature Valley Oats & Honey bars).

10AM Friday. We set out for Russell Square and the British Museum. Sara Beth would be better at explaining all of what we saw there. The real "big ticket" items were THE Rosetta Stone and some pretty important pieces of the original Grecian Parthenon.

After leaving the museum, we decided on a lunch at Pret A Manger (Thanks Amy) which turned out to be absolutely delicious, organic, and CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP! Following, we strolled through the park in Russell Square and called Mama Llama (SB's Mom).

From there we strolled through the streets of London at a leisurely pace without a care as to where we actually were. After a stop in to a pub for a sit and a pint, we continued on and found King's Cross (and tube stop). Agreeing that heading back to the room would be preferable, we took the tube back. We feasted on a dinner of grocery store salads and, for some reason or another, both passed out at about 6:30/7:00PM.

We both woke and checked the clock. It was 11:30 PM!!! After ogling at the fact and trying to reason out why we were awake, we watched a movie via my iPod and took a nap.

Woke up about 2 hours ago for breakfast. Today we're touring both Tate museums and possibly Kew Garden.

Hope all is well in the states

Cheers
Dev.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231355820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231355820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231355820/tpod.html Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:44:00 -0500 The British Adventures of Scruffy and SBuh 2009

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London, England, United Kingdom

Lacee and I tooled about today for a bit. Not much to say about it. Just wandered about.

About 4ish we headed back to the Washington Mayfair where I grabbed my stuff and headed to the Airways Victoria Hotel. After a bit of wandering, I finally stumbled upon the Airways Victoria. It's in a section of Pimlico where there are many hotels of the same general size and shape...interesting concept (and their ALL next to each other).

The room is small and unheated (w00t for packing warm), but the shower is nice. After a shower, a change of clothes (cause I'd been in em since monday...), and a cliff bar, I headed out exploring.

First, I located the quickest route to/from the Victoria Station tube stop. Then began to wander, and wander, and wander some more. Ended up walking from Green Park to the north end of Piccadilly Circus (fair hike for these tired legs). Along the way I found a cell phone shop, got a phone (prepaid), and left in search of a place to charge the battery. Ended up the closest place that, I knew, had available outlets...the trusty Washington Mayfair, where I am now posting from. Unfortunately, this phone does me no good right now because I failed to grab the SIM card that allows me to use the darn thing for anything other than a flashlight... Oy vey
::begin out-of-body experience where I stand by watching and laughing hysterically at myself for doing something so DUMB::

It is now 7:45pm. 2.75 hours til SB lands. 2.25 hours to kill till I begin the 30 minute ride back to Heathrow (the place I tried so hard to get away from last night). I'll either muster the gusto to hike back to Piccadilly and find the cell store again...or sit in a pub. Decision's still out to committee...

Until next episode...
cheers
Dev.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231340400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231340400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/0ffk1lter/1/1231340400/tpod.html Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:26:59 -0500 The British Adventures of Scruffy and SBuh 2009

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London, England, United Kingdom

Hokay...so here we go. Brace yourselves.

First off, this is the easiest way to let you all know that I braved the AA (American Airlines) rebooking, connected with Lacee (and the MTSU Theatre Study-Abroad), and faired the January London night. Seeing as I don't have my tracphone yet, I only made 2 calls after getting into Heathrow, Mom and Lacee.

This all begins on Monday afternoon. I drove my faithful little Focus from Wixom, MI to Cary, IL. Once there I connected with the Fuellings (thier daughter and I went to grade school together). Who graciously arranged to allow my car to be parked at their church in Cary and to transport me to and from O'Hare. Once at O'Hare, I took a nap and woke up an hour before my 6AM to IAD was to board. At approx. 10 til boarding, the flight was canceled without noticed. I found out that Dulles was covered in a sheet of ice and there were to be no flights for the time being.

So out went the call to Travis, who immediately called the 1K hotline and got me rerouted onto AA Flight 90 which got me into Heathrow about the same time. Though bummed about losing my Econ+ seating on an international flight, I was happy to be on any flight at all :o).

The flight was reletively uneventful. Though everyone seems to be bashing airline food, the "free" hot meal was a welcome change from the previous day's diet of ham sandwiches (thank you mom) and granola mix. I enjoyed the fold out armrest tv's and the selection of episodes from The Office. Sat in a bulkhead row (SWEET) next to a lovely Aussie family; they were really cool people.

Upon de-boarding (Tuesday 11:15 local), I made it through customs and began the journey into gaining my bearings in a country I had never been to. I called mom first, changed some money, accessed a pay internet terminal, retrieved Lacee's tracfone number, and called her. She told me to hop the tube via tha Piccadilly line and gave me directions to their hotel from the tube stop. Unfortunately, I was thrown a bit of a curveball. By the time I reached the Heathrow tube station, the last train had left for the night...Crap.

So I went with the next best thing, the bus. After deciphering the system to the point where I could successfully pay for and board a London bus, I got on, what I thought was, the Piccadilly bus...it wasn't the Piccadilly bus. Instead, this bus went as far as Chelsea and back to Heathrow. I realized this 30 mintutes into the ride and quickly made friends with the bus driver. He told me that i needed to go allllllll the way back to Heathrow and pickup the N9 line (the actually night Piccadilly line). Thankfully he offered me passage back, as the fare hde ended, to Heathrow free of charge.

Once back at Heathrow, I realize I didn't have correct change. So out of the bus station and back into Heathrow proper to seek out a change machine or, God willing, an open shop. Well, there WAS 1 open shop! I purchased a cup of coffee and left with change to pay the fare on the N9. After a 45 minute ride (3:45AM local, Wednesday), I was off the bus at Green Park; 2 Blocks walk from the hotel and 4 blocks, or so, from Piccadilly Circus.

Thankfully, it's January and chilly, so I was one of the very few on the streets at that hour. I found the Washington Mayfair Hotel and talked to the concierge. He called up to Lacee's room to make sure it was alright that I go up and up i went. She and her roommate graciously allowed me to crash on their floor for the night. w00t!

It is now 10:22AM local, and I have enjoyed a free breakfast on the hotel :o). Today will be picking up trip essentials, checking into the hotel that I'm actually paying for and picking up Sara Beth from Heathrow tonight

That's all for now.
Dev.
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