Day 02 - Singapore to London
As the kids pointed out - "what a long day". 15 hours travel from Singapore and then another 18 hours of day in London - although no one saw the whole day through. The kids were asleep the moment we stopped running around at about 5:00pm and then the grown ups not long after.
The flight from Singapore was fairly unremarkable except that it was running about 30 mins late. Everyone got at least 5 or more hours of sleep, and Sierra seemed to sleep most of the 13+ hour flight. Madi not so much - constantly playing with her mostly buggered inflight entertainment system.
I had forgotten what it was like to arrive in Heathrow first thing in the morning after curfew ends. Lots of big international flights all landing at the same time and the queues in the customs halls were running all the way back out into the corridors leading from the terminals. I think we only had to queue for about an hour - thanks to a lovely customs person who was taking sympathy on families with young children and the elderly - pulling them to the front of the line from about half way through. Sixty questions about our visit to the UK and it was off to collect our bags and clear customs. It was then that we noticed that a zip on Kristie's new upright suitcase had partially split and looked like someone might have been in her bag. So we then tried to open her bag, only to learn that the combination had changed and we couldn't even get into the bag properly. Not the start we had hoped for and only after trying in vain to speak with customs or the baggage agent for over 1/2 an hour, did we gave up and head into London and the hotel.
The busy yet fast Heathrow Express landed us in Paddington and our holiday was truly underway. Arriving at Paddington station is a grand reception. Modern at ground level, but the architecture of the station is still spectacular to this day, with its high glass roof and arching spans. There is just something majestic about it. Off to the ATM for some expensive GBPs and then we decided to unknowingly make our first mistake and head to the Tube for the short trip to Waterloo station and our hotel.
At the Paddington tube station we were greeted with out first challenge. That was getting down the rather quick and steep peak hour (fast) moving escalators with 2 children and each off us with a suitcase. Standing at the top trying to work out how this was going to work safely, a station attendant took pity on us and took the kids bags and down we descending into the bellows of London with the humid and stale air that is the underground.
First problem conquered, we then were presented with a very busy peak hour platform where everyone is in a rush. When the Bakerloo line train arrived everyone rushed onto the train. First Kristie and Sierra each with their bags boarded while Madi with me and two bags waited patiently to board last. Then as I was boarding the doors started to beep - and yes the very narrow door I was trying to negotiate with 2 suitcases started to close. So then it was "UH OH!" what do I do. Kristie and Sierra on the train, Madi on the platform and me trying to board a closing door with 2 awkward suitcases. Very quickly working out that I wasn't sure Kristie knew where we were heading, so I decided that I had to commit to the train. So. . . wedged in the doorway I let go of the one suitcase outside the door on the platform, grabbed Madi and pulled her inside under my other arm holding the door open and then reached back to luckily find the other suitcase hadn't rolled away and I could grab it and drag it onto the train. Trying to move inside the carriage, I couldn't hold the door open any longer with one hand, so the door closed onto the suitcase, with it only halfway in the door. Not sure if the train had started to move, but I can tell you I had visions of the case being cut in half and Madi's belongings being spread all over the place. Needless to say with both hands I was able to drag the case inside the carriage just in time.
Onboard the train, I turned to look at Kristie and Sierra and Sierra looked like she was in shock - pale, stunned but being very brave. Needless to say she does not want to ride any more trains. Once at Waterloo, it was a 5 minute walk to our hotel right next to the London Eye, in County Hall. Thankfully we were able to check-in straight away, so after a shower and off loading our bags we were on a mission to stay awake for the day and see a bit of London with sun shining.
We are lucky enough to have a park right next door to the hotel, and the kids discovered a playground and were in heaven until a rather brave squirrels turned up to play. At first the kids were very cautious, but they quickly developed a curious playful fascination when they realised that they were so timid. Just very fast and playful.
Leaving the London Eye for later in our stay, we headed out over Westminster bridge, when we discovered that Big Ben and the parliament buildings were disappointingly covered in scaffold. Big Ben was one of the things that the kids were particularly keen to see in London, but they weren't disappointed for long with so much else to see and do around us.
Our next stop - Westminster Abbey, also had some scaffold around it, and it had just closed to the public for the day as we arrived, but this did nothing to dampen the kids enthusiasm. So, instead of venturing inside the abbey, we walked around the outside and its surrounding buildings, where we discovered Dean's Yard. It was a grassy square surrounded by beautiful old buildings.
On our way to Buckingham Palace we walked through the back streets of Westminster and ended up in St James park for lunch. Unable yet to convince the kids to try local food, its was the usual cheese toasties.
It is a really pretty park and fairly busy with workers and tourists alike, having lunch in the sun. It was then on to Buckingham Palace - which Madi has taken to calling "Buckingtown Palace".
We were pleasantly surprised by the kids enthusiasm to see where the Queen lives, and Madi literally ran up to the gates wanting to go inside. We discovered that this was possible in the months of August and September when the Queen is away on holidays. Apparently tours of some of the state rooms and gardens can be booked in advance for a fee. In the palace forecourt, the girls had their photo taken with an off-duty palace guard.
After the palace we had our sights set on Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Sq. We walked back through Green Park where the kids had ice cream and a ball playing in the autumn leaves. Its the simplest of things that often give the kids the most pleasure. They would have played for hours if we had the time.
Piccadilly Circus did not have the same impact on the kids, as all the bright lights did for me the first time I saw it, so we quickly moved on to Trafalgar Sq. Then while walking along Haymarket I hear some call my name only to turn around and see (my work-wife, as we call each other) Sarah Brown. What are the odds?
Sarah, being visited by her mum, walked to Trafalgar Sq with us where the kids had a ball with the street artists/performers. The first was a homeless man busking on the street with a length of rope with loops on it and some dishwashing detergent. He was making giants bubbles that the girls has a absolute ball chasing around. A very simple thing to do, with big impact on the kids.
After saying goodbye to Sarah, we then found a man sitting in the square giving away free handmade rings. His sign said "Every one will be happy. Very nice feeling to make people happy. No one will ever become poor by giving". I must say the the man didn't look like he was very wealthy, but he genuinely seemed to want to make the girls happy, as when they could not find a 'free' ring that fitted their fingers, he offered to make one for each of them, with their chosen bead charms. They are so excited with their creations.
Before leaving Trafalgar Sq, we visited the church of Saint-Martins-in-the-Fields and its vaults. A lovely church, but the crypts beneath the church (which now house a cafe), were beautiful to look at. The brick vaulted roofs were something to behold.
And that was pretty much our first day in London. By the time we returned to the hotel room, the girls were quickly asleep and Kristie and I not much after that.
The flight from Singapore was fairly unremarkable except that it was running about 30 mins late. Everyone got at least 5 or more hours of sleep, and Sierra seemed to sleep most of the 13+ hour flight. Madi not so much - constantly playing with her mostly buggered inflight entertainment system.
I had forgotten what it was like to arrive in Heathrow first thing in the morning after curfew ends. Lots of big international flights all landing at the same time and the queues in the customs halls were running all the way back out into the corridors leading from the terminals. I think we only had to queue for about an hour - thanks to a lovely customs person who was taking sympathy on families with young children and the elderly - pulling them to the front of the line from about half way through. Sixty questions about our visit to the UK and it was off to collect our bags and clear customs. It was then that we noticed that a zip on Kristie's new upright suitcase had partially split and looked like someone might have been in her bag. So we then tried to open her bag, only to learn that the combination had changed and we couldn't even get into the bag properly. Not the start we had hoped for and only after trying in vain to speak with customs or the baggage agent for over 1/2 an hour, did we gave up and head into London and the hotel.
At the Paddington tube station we were greeted with out first challenge. That was getting down the rather quick and steep peak hour (fast) moving escalators with 2 children and each off us with a suitcase. Standing at the top trying to work out how this was going to work safely, a station attendant took pity on us and took the kids bags and down we descending into the bellows of London with the humid and stale air that is the underground.
First problem conquered, we then were presented with a very busy peak hour platform where everyone is in a rush. When the Bakerloo line train arrived everyone rushed onto the train. First Kristie and Sierra each with their bags boarded while Madi with me and two bags waited patiently to board last. Then as I was boarding the doors started to beep - and yes the very narrow door I was trying to negotiate with 2 suitcases started to close. So then it was "UH OH!" what do I do. Kristie and Sierra on the train, Madi on the platform and me trying to board a closing door with 2 awkward suitcases. Very quickly working out that I wasn't sure Kristie knew where we were heading, so I decided that I had to commit to the train. So. . . wedged in the doorway I let go of the one suitcase outside the door on the platform, grabbed Madi and pulled her inside under my other arm holding the door open and then reached back to luckily find the other suitcase hadn't rolled away and I could grab it and drag it onto the train. Trying to move inside the carriage, I couldn't hold the door open any longer with one hand, so the door closed onto the suitcase, with it only halfway in the door. Not sure if the train had started to move, but I can tell you I had visions of the case being cut in half and Madi's belongings being spread all over the place. Needless to say with both hands I was able to drag the case inside the carriage just in time.
Onboard the train, I turned to look at Kristie and Sierra and Sierra looked like she was in shock - pale, stunned but being very brave. Needless to say she does not want to ride any more trains. Once at Waterloo, it was a 5 minute walk to our hotel right next to the London Eye, in County Hall. Thankfully we were able to check-in straight away, so after a shower and off loading our bags we were on a mission to stay awake for the day and see a bit of London with sun shining.
Leaving the London Eye for later in our stay, we headed out over Westminster bridge, when we discovered that Big Ben and the parliament buildings were disappointingly covered in scaffold. Big Ben was one of the things that the kids were particularly keen to see in London, but they weren't disappointed for long with so much else to see and do around us.
It is a really pretty park and fairly busy with workers and tourists alike, having lunch in the sun. It was then on to Buckingham Palace - which Madi has taken to calling "Buckingtown Palace".
We were pleasantly surprised by the kids enthusiasm to see where the Queen lives, and Madi literally ran up to the gates wanting to go inside. We discovered that this was possible in the months of August and September when the Queen is away on holidays. Apparently tours of some of the state rooms and gardens can be booked in advance for a fee. In the palace forecourt, the girls had their photo taken with an off-duty palace guard.
Sarah, being visited by her mum, walked to Trafalgar Sq with us where the kids had a ball with the street artists/performers. The first was a homeless man busking on the street with a length of rope with loops on it and some dishwashing detergent. He was making giants bubbles that the girls has a absolute ball chasing around. A very simple thing to do, with big impact on the kids.
After saying goodbye to Sarah, we then found a man sitting in the square giving away free handmade rings. His sign said "Every one will be happy. Very nice feeling to make people happy. No one will ever become poor by giving". I must say the the man didn't look like he was very wealthy, but he genuinely seemed to want to make the girls happy, as when they could not find a 'free' ring that fitted their fingers, he offered to make one for each of them, with their chosen bead charms. They are so excited with their creations.
Before leaving Trafalgar Sq, we visited the church of Saint-Martins-in-the-Fields and its vaults. A lovely church, but the crypts beneath the church (which now house a cafe), were beautiful to look at. The brick vaulted roofs were something to behold.
And that was pretty much our first day in London. By the time we returned to the hotel room, the girls were quickly asleep and Kristie and I not much after that.
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