Another day on the move, back to an English speaking country today.

Breakfast in the hotel , the usual coffee/tea with croissants, then a taxi to Gare du Norde train station for the Eurostar to London, we get going a bit earlier than planned as the bit of information we’ve read says get there earlier than the 30 minutes before the train leaves they ask, it’s a bit tougher getting through the passport and immigration control points. Glad we took that advice as it helped.

Our taxi is on time, he’s a chatty fellow and €20 is the cost to Gar Du Norde, which proves that I did get ripped off the night we arrived, and I can now see the exit we should have to get the “proper taxis”, oh well next time.

We fill out the British immigration papers, get in the line and we’re there for the 11.10am train, it’s about 9.50 and people are just arriving for the 10.10 train, what a bunch of wankers getting there so late and then having to push through, then complaining because “boo hoo, I’m in a rush darlings please move aside and let us important Americans through !” The navigator shares my view on this rare occasion, f….g wankers should turn up a lot earlier. We get through to the Duty Free waiting area and wait for when we can board the train, which is 10.50, and right on time it happens. The Eurostar is a pretty swish train, we’re only 2nd class, but the seats are good and there is plenty of space. We find our seats, but ai end up in the wrong one, no worries, the couple from Manchester, one who was meant to be sitting where I’d plonked my posterior said all ok stay where you are. We chatted to them the whole way to London, they are retired and had just spent 4 day’s in Paris.

In no time we’re under the English Channel and ploughing along at 230km into London’s Kings Cross St Pancras station. In no time again we’re on the London Underground ( the Tube) on the Piccadilly Line to Gloucester Road to find our apartment in Chelsea, a rather swish suburb.

We have a lovely apartment at Collingham Gardens, about 1/2 way between Earls Court Tube Station and Gloucester Road Tube Station, both about 5 minutes walk, easy peasy. Genelle and Mark take off to do. Buckingham Palace tour and I WANDER DOWN TO Earls Court with them, then chill with a coffee and do a bit of shopping at Sainsbury’s on Cromwell Road. My right leg has been really sore the last 2 day’s and I need to give it a break for a day or so, so below is our new accomodation for the next 4 day’s, not as good as we had 2 years ago with the Murphy’s but ok.

After they finish at the Palace we might catch up with the McLeods, if they are free, and available, maybe they have tea and scones booked with Liz?

I get the tube into Russell Square to catch up with the McLeods at the Royal National Hotel for dinner. Ken, Jane, Dale, Pauline and Phamy are all there and later Pauline’s cousins Molly Sharp joins us.

I retire back to Chelsea and the others head to Selfridges and other places, my day is done.

Cheers

Paul