Arriving in the Homeland..

Big Ben
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Our flight from JFK to Heathrow goes well with about a half an hour delay on the tarmac waiting for a gate to dock at the Airport. We ended up docking at a different gate then planned then have a very long wait for our luggage. We hop in our London Cab and head to our hotel.

To keep up with what now seems to be starting out as a tradition for us Altoff's, there was no record of our booking and we have to wait 30 mins while they try and find us a room. They end up giving us an executive room with a king bed and pull-out sofa that is made up for Paula to sleep in. Our keys didn't work to open the door, the room smelled dank, and the internet (again) didn't work. We tried to call for more towels as the room was obviously for only two people, but hey, noone answers the housekeeping phone at 12:30am in the morning. We are tired and cranky and just want to sleep.

Sunshine, Rain, Sunshine, Rain...are we in Melbourne

Tower Bridge
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The first day we decide to do the hop-on-hop off thing after a sleep-in. We see Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. We get off the bus here and enter the Tower of London to view the armoury and the Crown Jewels.

After this we get back on the bus and head over to Covent Garden where Paula is to meet up with a friend of hers that is living in London. Joe and I partake in a traditional Cornish Pastry which is just yummy. We decide to go on the Thames river cruise, then have a change of mind and get off the boat at the next stop. Here we plan to hop back on the bus on another route to go over to Harrods to try and pick up some souveniers. After waiting 30 mins for the bus we give up and decide that there are no more for the day and catch a cab over. We then spend about 2-1/2 hrs walking up and down through the four Harrods World shops trying to find my replacement teapot fridge magnet that had broken. Alas, they don't make these anymore - nor the caramels I was trying to bring back for Dad.

Tower of London Knight
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Joe and I head back to the Hotel and after I have a kip, we head downstairs at 9pm for dinner in the hotel restaurant.

The next day after another sleep-in we just manage to squeeze in breakfast before they wisk it away at 11am. We spend the rest of the daylight hours shopping on Oxford Street - mostly window shopping. The weather changed so many times we lost count, blue skies one minute, pouring rain the next. The closest thing I can imagine Melbourne weather is like. After 6 hrs on my feet we get home at 5pm - my feet are so sore I just need to sit down. Paula heads out to meet her friend again for dinner while Joe and I decide to have a quiet night (resting my feet).

Tomorrow morning we head over to Paris on the train...