Hilary's Adventure: London Free Walk

Today we went to talk to the company that was setting up our bank accounts, phones and alike. This meant that we had to negotiate the tube all by ourselves. We had to change trains twice. It wasn’t a problem because everything is well signposted and easy to get around. I’m surprised at how fast trains come and go. I think the most we had to wait for a train was 2min. I don’t understand what people are complaining about.

We arrived easily at our station and off we hopped and started our walk to the place. It wasn’t a long walk but we were not sure we were going to the right place for a while. We arrived just on time to have the meeting with the bank liaison who was walking us threw the process. It all went smoothly. And after we got our phone cards so we can have a uk phone number. The sim card was with a company that will let us call oz land line for 4p a min. That’s almost as cheap as skype.

After all that we had time to catch a train to Hyde Park corner for the ‘free’ tour. This tour is a walking tour around London, it not really free because they work for tips and not like other tours. Great system and service! We met the tour guide between Hyde Park and the Buckingham palace grounds. They were easy to find and be part of.

Our tour guide was named Giles and a want to be actor. He was really good at keeping everyone engaged for the 2.5 hour walk. First he talked the Duke a Wellington and what he did during the Napoleonic wars. Next we took a small walk to Buckingham Palace. Once there is told us a funny story about a crazy old Irish man that broke into the Palace one night and what he got up to. Next were Clarence House and St James’s Palace. We talked about how Charles and Camilla live in Clarence House when in London and that St James’s Palace is now office buildings for the queen and Charles. There are always guards on duty at Clarence House so we could have a better look at them here then Buckingham Palace. These are the guards with the bright red jackets and big fuzzy black hats. They look quite amusing up close. Next was a stroll along Paul Mall on the monopoly board to Trafalgar Square. To hit free parking along here happens about as often as it does on the monopoly board. Trafalgar square was interesting to see, there was barely any Pigeons tho, quite disappointing. After Trafalgar Square was a walk to Westminster Abby, where the royal wedding was a few month ago. This place is stunning! Every time you look at it you see more and more detail. Next was our last stop of Parliament House. This place is amazing to look at, a must see. Westminster Abby and Parliament House had so much detail on the outside I wonder what the insides look like. We thought about going inside Westminster Abby but it was 15pounds a tickets and we were hungry. The tour finished at Parliament house at about 3.30pm so we decided to have some lunch. Giles said he knows a place that if we say we have done the walking tour with him gets a cheaper food and drink. He said he will show us once he was done with the tour.

The pub was a 10min walk up the road, not that far really. It was a pub called the monk. It was quite nice and very English pub like. We sat down with a few Canadians that had done the walking tour too. They were 2 girls that had spent a year in Paris being a Nanny. They gave some great tips for getting round Paris cheap. The food wasn’t that great but we managed to eat it. The British ale they serve was flat and room temp, just like everyone says lol.

After lunch we headed home. We managed to find a station and get on a train going the right way till we needed to change lines. We found our platform fun but we headed the wrong way lol. We realised before the next station so we just hopped off and ran across the platform to the right train for home. Once home we relaxed and cooked dinner for us and Trish. Michael had a work thing on so he wasn’t home for dinner. If he was we would have done a bigger, grander dinner then just risotto. After dinner we headed off to bed, we were quite tired was wondering round London.