Days 1 &2 in London

We didn’t send a blog yesterday, as it was moving day, and all we had energy for was the move, and a grocery shop! However as we left our little basement appartment to go to the Tesco, we had a view down the street (Fleet street, very London-ish) of St Paul’s Cathedral, also very typical London.

Today we set out to walk in the other direction to Trafalgar Square. It was about a half hour walk, past the British Courts of Justice buildings. If their administration of justice is as impressive as the buildings it is in safe hands. We contemplated how much we in Australia are affected by that exact system.

We decided that a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus would give us a good overview of all the main places of interest, and it was excellent. We crossed the Thames a number of times, and though the traffic was very heavy it didn’t worry us. Places like the Tower Bridge and Westminster Abbey were very crowded, and it made us happy not to be here at peak summer time. We could have walked as fast most of the time, but not as far, as our mobility is still not good, so it was certainly the way for us to go.

The streets are crowded with London buses and cabs, both mostly electric, which does make for much cleaner air. The buses are still red, and the cabs are still the same shape, and predominantly black. Many of them have succumbed to the trend of sporting advertising on their side panels, everything from The Lion King, to ice cream.

Our apartment is a studio, which is very roomy, and one of those that has fridge, washing machine and dishwasher incorporated in a perfectly functional but small kitchen area. We’ve had four different washing machines, all of which work perfectly well, so that is one issue with which we haven’t had to cope. But it does make life a little dull!

Tomorrow we’re going to test out our ability to negotiate the public transport system.Read more