Friday, July 24-London Bound

The alarm pokes us alive at 6:30 to catch an 8:30 train from Sterling
to Edinburgh. Caroline is up with tea ready. A quick bowl of cheerios
and we say cheerio to Laurel Cottage, throw our packs in Caroline's
Volvo and make the 25 minute drive to the train station.
We are early enough to catch the 8:05, so we climb aboard. Sally
sleeps the hour long ride. I am freed from the steering wheel for the
first time in a week and go to work on catching up on blogs.
We arrive in Edinburgh almost two hours before our train to London
leaves so we seek out a coffee shop in which to plan our London
adventures. Over a bagette and a Pepsi we contemplate our 4 1/2 days.
I wander down the street with iPhone in hand like a man on a beach
with a metal detector looking for an open WiFi which I find about 5
shoppes down. Standing like a street prostitute with my back against
the wall I pull up maps and facts about London, then report my
findings back to Sally in the coffee shop pouring over guide books and
making notes.
Did I mention it is cold? It is the 24th of July and we are sitting
on the platform with long pants, fleece coats and hats and freezing
our butts off. The wind is cold. Thankfully, our train arrives on time
and we are whisked away.
This is the first time we have had reserved seats since our inaugural
train ride from Paris to Laussagne so we have to walk the length of
the train to our assigned seats, banging our stuffed backpacks against
the seated travelers as we navigate the narrow aisle. Once there I
return to blogging while Sally researches and sleeps. It is the first
time I have Internet service on a train, so I take full advantage
researching tidbits of info. It would be nice to skype some calls, but
everyone back home is asleep with the eight hour time difference.
We pull into London's King's Crossing Station at 3:45 as advertised
and make our way to the tube, Victoria Line for a short ride to
Victoria Station. We purchase "Oyster" cards (I don't know where they
got that name) which are underground multiple trip passes that allow
you to just swip your card as you enter and leave the tube. Very
efficient, and handy.
We find our hotel, the Morgan, and are quickly shown to our ground
floor room. A quick shower, and we are hoofing it to Westminister
Abbey, Parliment, Number 10 West Downing Street and Trafalgar Square.
The early evening sun is shinning brilliantly as we approach Big Ben
from the west, affording magnificent photos. It is amzing hpw many
people there are! So this is where they have all been hiding. Our
travels have been remarkably uncrowded, until now.
A dinner of fish and chips (when in London, do as the Londoners do?)
along the way and a tube ride from Charring Cross back to the hotel
and day one of London comes to a close about 11PM.

Chuck