Tag Archives: europe

London to Dubai – Day 38

Today is going to be a bording post because we spent it on the plane. Her it goes. Our alarm went off at 0315. This sucked because we only went to be at midnight. Rhian hates being woken up period. Neverlone after just a few hours. Always makes for a plesant start to the day. We showered and got ourselves organised. After checking three times we had everything we locked the suitcases. We prebooked a transfer to the airport from the hotel. Rhian was sick of carrying her suitcase up and down stairs at the train station so we paid $80 AUD for the transfer.

Once we arrived at the airport we checked inn our bags at the baggage drop then proceeded upstairs to security. Again my carry on bag got pulled aside at security. This time it was because I left the nazel spray in the bag and not in the clear plastic bags. It was only 30ml and so was under the limit. Either way I got my bag emptied and everything swiped for drugs. Came back clean.

After getting my carry on bag repacked we headed through the terminal. Nothing special here is just the same old duty free stores . Rhian had a wonder through Harrods but didn’t buy anything. We found a small cafe for breakfast. A Mocha and crumpet. After breakfast we wondered around a bit more waiting for the terminal screen to tell us what gate our flight would be at. Three minutes after it was meant to it updated and told us our gate was open at gate 9. This was good mean we didn’t have too far to walk.

We had good seats on this flight. Only a few rows from the front door of the plane on the bottom deck. I got the window seat and because of the curve at the front of the plane I had extra room on the left next to the window. After take off my ears played up and the whole words started spinning again. It lasted for about 10 – 15 minutes. I think it is because I got a little bit of a cold back over the last couple of days. Either way things settled down. After breakfast was served. Which sucked. I ended up eating some of it but soon as I was done I fell asleep for a couple hours. The rest of the flight I was still a little bit dopey. Wasn’t until the last couple of hours of the flight I watched anything on the TV.

We landed twenty minutes early. After landing we had to get a lift downstairs then a train to another terminal or building. It took at least half an hour or more for our bags to come out to the baggage claim. Ours were some of the last. We walked through the terminal and went through immergration. Was painless experience. We also walked through customs no issues there either. I found the desk from who I wanted to get the SIM card for the tablet from. However they said it would take an hour or more to reboot the computer so I left it. We got some local currency out of an ATM and then found our desk where they would arrange our hotel tranfer. However right next to it was another local mobile company and I asked them about a local sim. For only $40 AUD I got the simcard and 1GB of data. Should be enough for the week. After switching the sim card over they setup the tablet to work on the network. Mobile data before we even left the airport. I was happy.

By now our hotel transfer was ready. They lead us through the terminal and to a waiting car. All the cars over here are nice. You do not see a shitbox on the road over here. Ii was about half an hour to get to our hotel. We had a nice driver who seemed Indian but spoke english. He told us all the buildings and places we were passing on the way. We arrived at our hotel and this time it was booked under my name. Actually had on the hotel paperwork Mr Rzepecki and party :P. we got checked in and a porter brought our bags to the room. This is only a three star hotel. I knew less meant more in Dubai

After settling into the room we went downstairs to the bar and grill. I had a few Heineken and Rhian finally had a few drinks too. She was actually drinking cocktails. It has taken six weeks but she finally had a drink. We also had dinner at the grill. After 9pm a band came on stage. They were ok so we stayed for a couple other drinks. After enough drinks and food to explode we came back to the room and passed out after a long day.

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Final day in Europe – Day 37

We had planned to get up early for our final day in London. We sort of did. We slept in for an hour and got up at 0730. Today we were up early enough for breakfast at the hotel. It was nothing special. This time I had no problems with the hotel printing off the boarding passes.

We left the hotel and caught the train to Emirates Stadium which is the home ground for the Arsenal Football (Soccer) Club. We came here because we were looking for something to bring back the house sitter. Rhian said that this was her favorite team. After some research on her facebook page, Arsenal did not feature at all. Turns out her favorite team is Chelsea and Arsenal is her rival. Good work Rhian. So we left Arsenal and caught the train back in search of the Chelsea FC Megastore. An hour later we arrived and found a few things to bring back. Not telling what they are in case you tell Linda.

After getting nothing at the megastore because soccer is as much drama as WWE we caught the train across town to the Science Museum. You could easily spend a whole day here. There was so much. The space section was my favorite. However it got to 2pm and we were hungry. He had an expensive lunch at the cafe upstairs. After lunch we left and caught the train to the M&M megastore.

The train stop was Piccadilly Circus. One of the places mum said to go. Tick, done. The M&M store is awesome. It had M&M’s of course. No dad we didn’t buy you any. But they had everything else you can think of. We bought a couple of shirts, Magnet Stuffed toy and a blanket.

After the M&M megastore we caught the bus to 10 Downing Street. The home of the British Prime Minister. It is heavily guarded by police, two fences and then a road block. Have fun getting through with a tank. I thought you could actually walk the street but you can’t. The media must get special access to get the photos of him getting in and out of his car like they do.

After the photo stop we walked back to Trafalga Square. Another place mum told us to go. It seems little more than a meeting place. Next we walked down to the river to catch the bus to Canary Warf where we were going to meet my friend Carl. The bus came but it was not the normal London bus it was a coach. We had to pay for this as it didn’t take the Oyster card. We eventually reached Canary Warf and after some walking around found Carl.

We meet him at a pub called Cat and Canary. Was right on the board walk around the Warf. We stayed here for one drink then moved onto a mexican styled restruant for dinner. The food and the company was great. I told Rhian she would like Carl. I hope it doesn’t take as long to catch up with him again.

After dinner we said goodbye to Carl and caught the trains back to our hotel. This was our last day in Europe, UK and London. After reaching the hotel Rhian started to pack the suitcases with all our stuff while I as usual wrote blog posts. Tomorrow is an early start. We are getting up at 0315 to get organised for a 0430 transfer to the airport for our flight to Dubai.

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London – Day 36

Today we had planned on getting up around seven o’clock so we could be out early and see the sites. This failed. We slept in until ten and lost half the day. By the time we got organised went got coffee then returned to get a couple of things it was already midday and half the day was over. We dropped our washing off at a drycleaners just around the corner. Cost us $40 AUD to have two bags of washing done for us. Saved us sitting around doing it.

We decided to go see Abbey Road. The famous crosswalk where the Beatles took the album cover outside of Abbey Road Studios. It was pouring with rain when we got off the train and we got soaked. Taking any photos was near impossible, however we tried. There were three photographers there who all offered to take the photo for us. However they put it on their website and you purchase it from there. I declined the offer and thought to just get our own. I was too chicken to stop traffic on my own so I didn’t get the classic shot of Rhian crossing the road. I did however checkin when we arrived and John Harney jumped on the earthcam website and grabbed a screenshot of me standing on the footpath.

After ten minutes and a good soaking from the rain Rhian and I headed back to the train station where at least it was dry. We caught the train to London Bridge. When we arrived I was confused. London Bridge was not what I thought it was but after walking half way over I could see the bridge I was looking for. It was Tower Bridge I was thinking of. We walked along the river towards Tower Bridge and diverted to a restraunt to have lunch. It was a French styled restruant called “Rouge Cafe” but had a nice Belgium beer. After lunch we continued walking along the river towards Tower Bridge. We skyped mum from just next to the bridge.

After the skype call we walked across the tower bridge but did not go up the tower. Instead we walked to the other side bought tickets to London Tower. This was an old fort that is known death and torture. These days it houses the crown jewels. Your not allowed to take photos of them because it is inside a vault. They are very flashy and covered in jewels. I do not see the royals being able to afford to produce another one. They are more likely to sell the ones they have to pay their bills.

After having a quick look around it was after 5pm so we headed back to the hotel and picked up our washing. Seems they put all the washing in together because everything that had white on it was now pink. Our towels we last used in Greece had not been washed before and I am sure it was them that ran. We did give the washing over in a light and dark bag. Don’t guess they noticed or cared. We changed jackets and left the hotel to walk around the district we were staying. We found a shopping center that had a semi food hall upstairs. We settled on a buffet styled chinese restraunt. The food was ok and they even had Chicken and Sweet corn soup but it was empty so I missed out. After dinner we went to the Bayswater arms pub for a drink. Rhian didn’t drink and my belly was about to explode. I couldn’t put another thing in if I tried.

We came back to the room and I wrote the blogs for the last few days and Rhian made a list of places we would try and visit tomorrow. Until then Bye Bye.

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