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Robin and Tracey NoorlandRobin and Tracey Noorland
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Robin and Tracey Noorland

We're New Zealanders currently living in Bangkok, Thailand.
Living in: Thailand
  • Our Mediterranan Cruise 2019
    Day27

    London - Bangkok

     August 11 in the United Kingdom ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Heading home! A happy/sad time. Flight wasn't until 8.45pm so we checked out at 11am and walked to Harrods to see what all the hype is. Harrods has got great "stuff", but it's all highend "stuff". But rich for us. The gift shop was really good though. So we found our last pub and indulged in our last London beers.

    On our way back we found another museum; the Victoria and Albert Museum. Even though we'd seen more than enough museums, we just had to pop in for a looksie.

    Good flight home, apart from nearly two hours queueing at Etihad checkin counter. Then after all that queueing we got the worst seats; all the way at the back and in the two middle seats of four. Oh well, that's life. Nice people on either side of us.

    We got back to Lily House at 9.30pm on Monday. Yah!

    Now we count down to our move back to NZ...    Read more

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  • Our Mediterranan Cruise 2019
    Day26

    London, day 4, part 3

     August 10 in the United Kingdom ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Hour and a half and we were in Oxford City. A stunning city. We did a walking tour of some of the Oxford University buildings (didn't go in any as a lot of it is closed for the summer break). Stunning place! We could have spent the day there. The buildings and beautiful old trees were breathtaking.

    We left the group to have lunch (at 5pm! Lol).

    Some of the Harry Potter film sets were replicated from the buildings and halls of Oxford. The cemetery scene was filmed in a tiny cemetery in Central Oxford. Very cool.

    It was a cold blustery day in Briton. We were drenched at Stonehenge and blown dry, then wet and redried again in Oxford.

    Last day of our month long holiday tomorrow 😔.    Read more

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  • Our Mediterranan Cruise 2019
    Day26

    London, day 4, part 2

     August 10 in the United Kingdom ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Stonehenge has a very mysterious past. Building of it started 5,000 years ago and was finished 4,000 years ago. Before the stones were placed it was a burial site. Not a lot is known about it as it predates history and its purpose can only be speculated. Fascinating!

    We only had just over an hour but it was enough, especially with 60 knot winds and squally rain. Not great, but we got a few pics.

    Back on the bus at 2.10pm and off to Oxford City for a walking tour, lunch and free time.    Read more

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  • Our Mediterranan Cruise 2019
    Day26

    London, day 4, part 1

     August 10 in the United Kingdom ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Today was THE earliest start so far. No brekky, out the door at 6.45am! On the tube heading for the Victoria Coach Centre. We managed to get tickets a couple of days ago for Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and a walking tour of Oxford City. Our guide Sacha is brilliant. She's studied anthropology at Oxford and knows everything.

    Left London by bus at 8am. Got to Windsor Castle at 8.45 and waited in line for it to open 9.30am. We were one of the first in so, as advised, we went straight to the state apartments where early Kings, Queens and guests lived or stayed. Then it was a wander around the grounds. This is the queen's normal residence but her and Phillip are in Scotland for the summer.

    At 11am we saw the changing of the quard - very good stuff. Back on the bus at 11.15 and off to Stonehenge.    Read more

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  • Our Mediterranan Cruise 2019
    Day25

    London, day 3

     August 9 in the United Kingdom ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Bit of a chill day today. Our feet are hurting 😔. Headed out at 10am to the British Museum. Big queues, but moved quickly.

    Amazing museum, but it was a bit of deja vu... I think this is museum four. We skipped Greek and Roman bits, but did all the rest. After three hours we were out. Maybe because we're getting into home mode, but we're both feeling a bit fatigued.

    We got back to the hotel and watched tv; haven't done that in ages.

    Robin booked us into an Italian restaurant (Locanda Ottoemezzo) for dinner. We're getting real familiar with the area and even gave a couple from Plymouth directions, lol.

    Early start tomorrow. Got a guided tour to Windsor Palace and Stonehenge. Tube to Victoria Coach Station by 7.30am...    Read more

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  • Our Mediterranan Cruise 2019
    Day24

    London, day 2, part 2

     August 8 in the United Kingdom ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Next up, tubed it to Buckingham Palace. Couldn't go in but spent 15 minutes taking pics, lol. We tried to get tickets on a tour, but fully booked days ahead. Had a delicious but expensive lunch at The Running Horse in Mayfair. Took in the sights of Oxford St, but the crowds were too much so we left pretty quickly.

    Then tubed it to see Westminster Abbey, Parliament House and Big Ben. Unfortunately, Big Ben was wrapped in scaffolding (apparently since May 2017!) for repairs. Beautiful buildings.

    At 7.30pm we had tickets to Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Oh wow, stupendous! It makes me want to do a show every night.. but that won't be happening.

    BK on the way home.    Read more

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  • Our Mediterranan Cruise 2019
    Day24

    London, day 2, part 1

     August 8 in the United Kingdom ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Massive day again. Our feet are really starting to suffer after weeks of pounding the pavements.

    Hit the Underground again and headed to Kensington Palace. We did a self guided tour of the rooms used by Victoria and Albert, previously by Elizabeth I. It was fantastic! They even had actors playing Victoria and Elizabeth talking to visitors as if it were the mid-1800s.

    A third of Kensington is dedicated to a museum and the rest is the residence of Kate, William and also Beatrice. I wonder if any of them were looking out their window watching us?    Read more

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  • Our Mediterranan Cruise 2019
    Day23

    London, day 1, part 2

     August 7 in the United Kingdom ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Time for some lunch so we crossed London Bridge for lunch at the Dean Swift pub. Then we jumped on a water taxi to Trafalgar Square (and London Eye). Next it was a visit to the National Gallery, which was pretty a wee some.

    Topped off the day with a delicious curry dinner at Memories of India, Kensington.Read more

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  • Our Mediterranan Cruise 2019
    Day23

    London, day 1, part 1

     August 7 in the United Kingdom ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Our first day in London. No plans so we headed to London Tower on the underground train. Easy to work out; just like Bangkok only with more lines. Tip: you no longer need and Oyster card, its the same price to tap in and out using your credit card and it's cheaper than buying a ticket. Used same method for the river taxi.

    Spent four hours at Tower of London and saw the crown jewels. It's huge! The queues were a pain, but it is high season.    Read more

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  • Our Mediterranan Cruise 2019
    Day22

    From Athens to London

     August 6 in the United Kingdom ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Headed to London on a 3.30pm flight. Spent the morning cruising the hotel, late up, late brekky, checked out at 12pm, checked into our flight and spent a couple of hours in the Brithis Airways lounge. We were bumped up to business when we made the booking - something about putting us on the wrong flight and changing us, blah blah. Small plane, just with an extra seat between us and better food.

    Arrived at our Hotel, Park City Grand Plaza in Kensington, at about 7pm.

    First thing we did? Find the closest corner pub! Had to be fine. Went to the Builders Arms, just 6 mins walk.

    Day over.    Read more

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