London

Sunday 16 October

We have arrived in London! Fortunately, the Oyster Cards from our last trip still work so we were able to top them up at a machine and avoid at least one Heathrow Airport queue. Last time we were in London we stayed at the Oxford Street YHA for two weeks so the area around here feels familiar. Yesterday (to stay awake) we revisited Marks and Spencers to buy more of the undershirts Gary loves and hasn’t been able to find elsewhere, Boots Chemist to buy Dale’s favourite moisturiser at less than half the price in Australia, and the Tesco Express Mart to buy supplies and found the only-made-in-England breakfast cereal we enjoyed so much last visit.

Jet lag saw us up and breakfasting at 5 am today. We had the dining area to ourselves and watched the UK news, predominantly Brexit, blah, blah! Once the sun rose we headed out in the rain and caught the tube to St Pauls, checked out the cathedral, bought umbrellas and then walked over the Millennium Bridge and along the Thames. The tide was low and it was really interesting to see all the old riverside infrastructure. We passed the Globe Theatre and Clink Street where the Clink Prison used to be, crossed London Bridge which didn’t fall down, saw HMS Belfast, Traitor’s Gate, Tower of London and Tower Bridge. We then walked up to Brick Lane and checked out the markets there and at Spitalfields. The most interesting stall sold red bowler hats and top hats. Just what you need to complete your Melbourne formal wardrobe, Ian!  To end our London day we caught a double decker bus to Bethnal Green and the tube back to the hostel. 

Tomorrow we catch the train and then ferry to Dublin.