London Day 3 & 4

Tuesday the 20th of April dawned clear and bright if not a little chilly and we awoke late safe in the knowledge that after a leisurely breakfast we would be packing in preparation for our flight home. Oh the best laid plans………………………………..

Our flight was cancelled. We have been rebooked on NZ 1 through LA on the 27th of April (apparently this is the first available flight assuming the airspace remains open) and also waitlisted on NZ 38 through Hong Kong on Thursday the 22nd. At the moment the best case is that we will be home on Saturday and we will return to work on Monday the 26th as planned. The worst case is that we will return on the 29th (late in the afternoon) and we won't get back to work until Friday the 30th or Monday 3rd May.

The first priority was to organise accommodation, the hotel we were staying at the Avonmore didn’t have any vacancies but the hotel next door did so we moved our bags next door then went exploring London. Our next priority for the morning was to get tickets for Hair and Wicked which we did and along the way we learnt to use the Underground.

After lunch and the first good cup of coffee I have had since we arrived here 4 weeks ago it was off to Westminster and more exploring. The Tube is very easy to use although being stuck amongst the “seething masses” is somewhat wearying. We returned to our hotel for a “nana nap” then it was off to our first show.

Hair very much lived up to its reviews and the intimateness of the Gielgud Theatre, the set, the cats and musicians and some pretty good songs made it a most memorable night out. It is interesting that a musical that is 40 years old tells a story and has relevance to today’s world.

Day 4 in London continues the run of fine but cool mornings. The news is still full of travel disruptions and only some planes appear to be flying. It will takes several weeks to get things back to normal assuming there are no further eruptions and airspace closures.

Day 4 is laundry day and rather than turn our hotel room into a Chinese laundry we nipped round the corner to the Laundrette, £6 and 50 minutes later we had clean dry clothes. We decided to make today a little more relaxed but still we walked a fair way and saw quite a bit. Our first mission was the Camden Markets which we still haven’t found but we did find the Great Union Canal and walked along its banks.



We got back on the Tube at Angel Station and travelled to Barbican to visit the Hands and Shears pub (we had to have a drink), a wander down Middle Street to the Smithfield markets and stood on or near the spot where William Wallace was executed. Then it was a leisurely stroll to St Pauls Tube Station along Giltspur and Newgate and off back to our hotel (not for a nana nap but for rest and reading).

Did you know at one time if you didn't like your wife you could take her to Smithfield Market and sell her? Apparently it was easier than divorce.



Tonight we are off to see Wicked at the Apollo Theatre in Victoria Street on the other side of St James Park. Another Tube trip I think.

We brought a new camera yesterday so we have photos…………………………………..