Back to London

Sunday, 13th September, 1981                    fine with showers

Slept in.  We cleaned the van, all the cupboards and washed.  Boys took Rae into London to see some sites.

We had a lovely day without the hassle of up and moving.  We read and rested after cleanup.

Monday, 14th September, 1981

We left early to collect much looked forward to mail.  Sat in coffee shop and all read.  Rae got one from Jenny, Sean from Brett, San from Bob, Harry & Hazel and Marie and I had birthday cards and three letters from Karen.  Each one with sad news.  One feels so useless and despondent when a loved one is hurt by loss in Australia.  First reaction is one of fleeing home when one realises this is purely selfish.  Despite feeling sad, I travelled along all day as Sean had arranged our day.  John went off on his own, and we took a bus to Madame Tussaud's - very interesting, but I expected more. I didn't like the dark rooms.  Then on to bus and off to Hampton Court.  We changed buses at Hammersmith flyover and on to Hampton.  It took 40 minutes in the first bus and one hour in the bus to the castle.

Hampton Court, London

It was raining as we alighted from the bus - we were dying of thirst - so first stop was the coffee shop.  The weather was terrible and wet, but we then went on to the maze.  Had a fun half-hour there.  An old man tickled our sense of humour - he had had enough and wanted to get out, come hell or high water.  Then off to the castle where Henry VIII and all the wives lived.  A huge lovely 16th century castle with beautiful gardens.  Lord Woolsey built it and dirty old Henry took it off him.  Then back home on over three buses.  It is about half an hour on a bus from Crystal Palace to London.

Tired and into bed.  In the bathroom I was sharing heard male voices in the bathroom came to see two Frenchmen merrily washing in basin - mixed bathing in England?

Tuesday, 15th September, 1981                  overcast but fine night

Up casually and off to town again on another Sean prepared day.  He spends hours mapping over routes, and has never lost us yet.  We have had a little Frenchman living in a tent behind us.  Very friendly - John said "looks like we've got rid of Pat" but he only had a bicycle not a tandem.  He is 71 years old and doing England on his own, just his little tent and bike.  

St Paul's Cathedral, London

Went off to London to see St. Paul's Cathedral.  I rang Karen before our tour, great to hear her voice and good news after all tragic news in mail.  Walked through St Paul's - I like it - Rae, John and Sean climbed up the dome and as Sandra and I walked in and waved from way at the top.  During the war all the area around was razed with bombs and St Paul's suffered very little damage.

Whilst there a priest gave us all a blessing, when he told us to keep quiet - we thought bomb, because everywhere you go in London they search your handbag or bags.

We had lunch in the square outside and an added bonus, kids playing basketball, then we walked down to Australia House to read the latest news.  We were news starved - haven't heard any Aussie news for five weeks.

We strolled off down to NSW house, past the gift shop but Vegemite was expensive - three times dearer than home £1.90 a pound, so we go without.  Decided to vote for NSW polls seeing we do have a stake there.  Pick up mail - letter from Tony and Billy - much excitement -Amber going to preschool.

Caught the London Tube from Piccadilly to Kensington South to visit the museums.  Hate the tube but love the museums.  Geological was very good.  A simulated earthquake kept the kids amused.  Then we went next door to the Science Museum, one needs a week to see everything - very well done!

We have decided to stay in town to see the lights of Piccadilly Circus, so we strolled back to town via Hyde Park watching the world go by.  We found a nice clean Pizzaria and had tea.  Very nice and we were starving.  Strolled around till lights came on about 8 p.m.  We were disappointed as Coca-Cola didn't come alive.  Home by bus and into bed.  Well done Sean -a good day!

Piccadilly Circul, day and night

Wednesday, 16th September, 1981               spitting

Shopping this a.m., then wrote letters. 7 of them and five cards.  Had a quiet afternoon - the little Frenchman said goodbye, off to Kent on his bike.  Late afternoon Sean came in on his own to our surprise.  John and he had gone to Greenwich on their own and to the Cheshire Cheese pub - a little old pub in Fleet Street.  John had put him on the bus and he came home on his own all the way from London - he is a good little navigator.

Thursday, 17th September, 1981                   cool and showery

Into London after a morning organising boxes to send parcels home.  Just to look at shops in Regent and Oxford streets.  What had started out as a casual peaceful day ended in a mean horrible way.  Sandra had cashed her travellers cheques and luckily put most of it and her passport into the money belt.  The kids have fits when we pull our jumpers up and unzip our belts but after today that is the best place for them.

On way home we hopped on the bus home and were jostled by two young men nearly pushing Rae off.  When we got upstairs and settled Sandra found one bastard had unzipped her purse and pinched her money purse with credit cards - to our utter chagrin.  We were so wild, Sandra nearly busted the phone up here ringing through to American Express.  Cost her nearly £3 in this phone system.  Had a happy letter from Karen yesterday.  Made us laugh -picked up photos today.  Very good!

 Friday, 18th September, 1981                        wet and fine

Day home washing, packing presents.  The kids stayed with me as Sandra and John were busy following up stolen credit cards etc.  They had a nice day without the kids and me to disturb them.  Found out 10 kg box to send home by post cost ₤36 so we are looking for an alternate way.  Sent Karen's birthday present by padded bag.

Saturday, 19th September,1981                    fine and cool

I do declare winter is here!  A bad storm rocked the van all night.  We were dry, but woke a few times.  We felt sorry for the little tents - don't see big tents like ours - just two men mainly young people.  We had to run for the bus, it waited.  The bus crew have been very kind to us expatriates.  We went into town - let the kids roam wild in the world's largest toy department store.  We strolled round on the perimeter of the grounds.  We then found a little park and had our brown homemade roles, very nice.  The pigeons thought so too.  Had T-shirts printed for all the little ones at home.

Went down to the embankment to see the Abbey, Thames national show, barge races, rowing aerobatics and carnival plus millions of people.  John lined up to buy a beer - found himself on a Fosters line and he received it free - all beer free to Aussies but Foster's only.  All along the embankment there were stalls with free Coca-Cola and Orange aid.

 Sunday, 20th September, 1981

Packed a lunch and off to see the Tower.  We alighted at Victoria and walked about 2 miles to the Tower, only to find we were too early.  It didn't open till 2:30 p.m.  So we ate a lunch on the Embankment attracting a hive of bees and fat pigeons.  Then walked to Westminster and on to Hyde Park.  Visited Westminster Catholic Cathedral  - a beautiful construction built in 1880.  From there we walked to Hyde Park to hear speakers Corner - lots of people seem to make this their Sunday afternoon entertainment, both participating and listening.  Sean and Rae had a mad race across the park.  London is full of entertainment.  People preaching, anything from politics to religion, people saying rosary and at night the Salvation Army marching up the road at Crystal Palace with a string of traffic some miles long, with only one car objecting.  This is a free country like Australia.

Monday, 21st September, 1981

Rest and cleanup day.  Met an American family of five travelling to Europe by tent and Eurail.  If it rains things will be uncomfortable!

Tuesday, 22nd September, 1981

Off to see the Tower, very impressive but depressing - saw changing of the guards of the Tower which I liked.  We walked through the bloody Tower where so many tears and heads must have been shed.  There is a walk where Sir Walter Raleigh walked in the sunlight for 12 years whilst imprisoned.  We strolled through the Crown Jewels departments.  The first section holds pure gold wine caskets, tureens, serving plates dating back to Charles 1 and William and Ann. 

Tower of London, crown jewels

Then you go downstairs into a huge Chubb strongroom box and here lies royalty’s wealth - crowns and staffs and robes, diamonds and rubies adorn all.  Queen Elizabeth II’s crown is very impressive. From there to visit St Johns Chapel a Normandy built church with winding stone steps going up the equivalent of three stories.  We lunched, then into town to the Spanish Consul to pick up our visas for when we go into Spain.

Wednesday, 23rd September, 1981

Went for a picnic down to the park and sat amongst prehistoric monsters, a lovely park in the heart of London's suburbia.  Tomorrow we leave for Dover.