Monday 31 August

Monday 31 August

London

Another BIG DAY!
Attached to the sightseeing b us trip was a free river cruise, so we took advantage of that to get from the Tower to Westminster along the Thames. From there we got a train to Hampton Court. The train passes through Wimbledon – saw some tennis courts, but as they were surrounded by weeds and cyclone wire, I don’t think they were the official Wimbledon courts.
Hampton Court Palace is magnificent.
Every time we went into a room or chamber or courtyard or garden we were in awe. The palace is in several sections, each with a distinctive style. Henry VIII’s was big, and surprisingly light and airy. There were enormous tapestries – so big that if you took the threads in just one of the 40 or more tapestries and laid them end to end they would stretch around the world one and a half times. In Henry VII’s and Anne Boleyn’s time at the palace there was constant building going on.
The next section was built by Charles 11 and another section for William and Mary.
The gardens were beautiful – some very formal, and designed to impress – they did.
We also walked through the Hampton Court Maze and got to the centre and out. Incredible to think that people have been wandering around that maze for hundreds of years, at least we got out in about 20 minutes.
Hampton Court Palace is fabulous.

We got the train back to London and went to Baker Street – 221B of course, then walked along Regent’s Park – lovely and looked at some beautiful Georgian houses, we walked and walked to Lords Cricket Ground to get to St Johns Wood to get to Abbey Road and cross the zebra crossing, just as John, Paul, George and Ringo did. There was a small crowd of people waiting for traffic to pass to take photos of their friends and family crossing the road. Everyone has a go and each of us laughs and feels like a goose, but does it anyway! This was worth all the kilometres we walked. A real highlight.
Abbey Road is fantastic!

We met up with Andy, Kristin and the kids for dinner, and toasted our travels and wished Lucy a safe return home tomorrow.
Great excitement as walked to Andy and Kristin’s hotel – there was a big traffic jam on Tower Bridge Road and at first I thought there had been an accident – no – the bridge was being raised to let a tall ship get through. Don’t see that every day!

It’s still a little unreal to think we are in London – we have both thought at different times, “Oh this is Sydney” but then see a sign that says Tottenham Court Road or Tower Bridge and realise ITS LONDON!