London calling

We arrived last night and made our way on the tube to our apartment in Paddington. 

Our apartment is a generous title for our room.  It is a studio (another word for tiny) apartment - neat, tidy and comfortable in a typical old block.  

We were so thankful our room was on the ground floor.  Our bags are heavy.  Most of these old blocks have no elevators and many floors. 

It is in a great location - quiet with shops and restaurants down the end of the street and Hyde Park a 10-minute walk away.

This morning after a yummy brekky of a latte and croissant (and we aren’t even in France yet) we walked to Hyde Park and wandered round (and round).  Walking past Kensington Palace Jim says ‘ Didn’t Di live here, she probably hated all those people in her front yard’.  

The park was beautifully green, how could it not be with all the rain and cold weather England has been having.  Saturday week is the first day of summer but it is more like the first day of winter.  It is cold with temperatures between 10 & 14 degrees.  Lucky we have some winter clothes with us.

Tonight we met up with Dianne, a friend (and neighbour) from Tawonga.  She is visiting London with her sister.  They came to see the Chelsea Flower Show.  We had dinner at a typical English pub.  It seems so natural to meet up with friends all over the world. 

Tomorrow we are catching a bus to Cornwall to visit our friends Karen and Dave whom we met 10 years ago in Fiji.  They were travelling for a year back then.  Since then they have married and had two children Jack and Lola.  We are very excited to be seeing them again after so long.  On Friday we are going camping with them for five days.  The fun continues.

Tell you more after camping, till then!  Love to you all. 

Reading the menu at one of the many locals

The old black cab

Hyde Park

An English icon

And another

Street scape

In front of our apartment block