We pull into London St Pancras 6 minutes late,
quite unlike the Eurostar. Need to make sure going forward I'm not sitting
backwards as I'm feeling a bit queasy. I'd been through immigration before
leaving Paris so just follow the signs to the London Underground. I'm back in
London :)
I'd arranged to meet Kelly at Canary Wharf station where she'll get on the DLR to join me. Northern line to Bank, nice and easy. I have a 2 minute wait for the next tube; there are so many people around so I really hope I get on the first tube! Score, me and my crazy heavy bag are on. Man alive it’s hot in here!! I'd forgotten they don't have a/c on the tube, thank goodness it's not crazy hot outside.
The change at Bank is rather painful - staircase after staircase, thankfully all downhill! I get the first DLR that comes, which happens to be going in the direction I need. No cell phone reception which I find odd (as we have it in HK) but of course it's always been like this. Within a couple of minutes we're out of a tunnel and into daylight - text sent to Kelly so I'm all set.
A ticket inspection comes by to check every single persons ticket, wow this is new. I know I scanned my card leaving St Pancras station so no issue there but have NO idea if I needed to do something at Bank Station. When it's my turn I immediately say I'm not sure if I've scanned probably - thankfully all good!
When we pull into Canary wharf station I scan the platform looking for Kelly, not yet but I'm sure she's there. Buggar you can enter on both sides of this platform so quickly I start to scan the other side. No sign of her but again no big deal. I poke my head out when we stop and can't see her - hopefully she gets on the other side. A man asks if I'm ok; yes thanks good as gold. No Kelly so I go to the next stop and get off.
3 minutes later I see a smiley Kelly looking out the window - bingo I'm on! We haven't even left the station and I'm being asked again (along with everyone else) for my ticket to be scanned. Wow they are really focusing on this!
We drop my bags at Kelly's then head out for some dinner. Kelly lives in Greenwich so we wander to one of the main areas. Absolutely wonderful to see her again! And like always there is lots of chat.
Tuesday 20 September, first day back to reality after a good two weeks on holiday. I wake to Kelly’s alarm going off at 5.30am….15 minutes to it’s my alarm. It’s still pitch dark outside. We walk to and around Greenwich Park while Oliver runs around like he’s never been outside before!
I’m back as a London commuter taking the DLR to Canary Wharf J
At lunchtime I head out to Boots and Tesco – my happy places. I could spend hours in both places every day. I’m finding everything so cheap compared with HK.
We have dinner in Canary Wharf with one of Kelly’s colleagues before heading back to her place.
I'd arranged to meet Kelly at Canary Wharf station where she'll get on the DLR to join me. Northern line to Bank, nice and easy. I have a 2 minute wait for the next tube; there are so many people around so I really hope I get on the first tube! Score, me and my crazy heavy bag are on. Man alive it’s hot in here!! I'd forgotten they don't have a/c on the tube, thank goodness it's not crazy hot outside.
The change at Bank is rather painful - staircase after staircase, thankfully all downhill! I get the first DLR that comes, which happens to be going in the direction I need. No cell phone reception which I find odd (as we have it in HK) but of course it's always been like this. Within a couple of minutes we're out of a tunnel and into daylight - text sent to Kelly so I'm all set.
A ticket inspection comes by to check every single persons ticket, wow this is new. I know I scanned my card leaving St Pancras station so no issue there but have NO idea if I needed to do something at Bank Station. When it's my turn I immediately say I'm not sure if I've scanned probably - thankfully all good!
When we pull into Canary wharf station I scan the platform looking for Kelly, not yet but I'm sure she's there. Buggar you can enter on both sides of this platform so quickly I start to scan the other side. No sign of her but again no big deal. I poke my head out when we stop and can't see her - hopefully she gets on the other side. A man asks if I'm ok; yes thanks good as gold. No Kelly so I go to the next stop and get off.
3 minutes later I see a smiley Kelly looking out the window - bingo I'm on! We haven't even left the station and I'm being asked again (along with everyone else) for my ticket to be scanned. Wow they are really focusing on this!
We drop my bags at Kelly's then head out for some dinner. Kelly lives in Greenwich so we wander to one of the main areas. Absolutely wonderful to see her again! And like always there is lots of chat.
Tuesday 20 September, first day back to reality after a good two weeks on holiday. I wake to Kelly’s alarm going off at 5.30am….15 minutes to it’s my alarm. It’s still pitch dark outside. We walk to and around Greenwich Park while Oliver runs around like he’s never been outside before!
I’m back as a London commuter taking the DLR to Canary Wharf J
At lunchtime I head out to Boots and Tesco – my happy places. I could spend hours in both places every day. I’m finding everything so cheap compared with HK.
We have dinner in Canary Wharf with one of Kelly’s colleagues before heading back to her place.
Wednesday 21 September, we are up early again and
head to Greenwich Park for a walk.
I’m heading to Ange and Aaron’s after work so pack up my stuff then lug my suitcase to the DLR station. Aah the joys of traveling at rush hour with a suitcase.
I’m heading to Ange and Aaron’s after work so pack up my stuff then lug my suitcase to the DLR station. Aah the joys of traveling at rush hour with a suitcase.
Wonderful to see
Aaron and meet Seb when I finally get to their place! Thank goodness I’d left my backpack in the
office…meant it was slightly easier walking from the train station to their
place.
Thursday 22 September, my route to work is a tad different – train that goes by a timetable. All good and well if it sticks to the timetable and isn’t delayed which is today. Not good when have a meeting to attend, thank goodness for technology to let them know I’ll be very late.
Thursday 22 September, my route to work is a tad different – train that goes by a timetable. All good and well if it sticks to the timetable and isn’t delayed which is today. Not good when have a meeting to attend, thank goodness for technology to let them know I’ll be very late.
I stop off at
Marks and Spencer’s to pick up dinner, now this should be a quick process but
alas no. There is SO much to look at it
takes me far too long to work out dinner.
Friday 23
September, my last day in the London office.
After getting coffee I visit Boots one more time….always something else
I can purchase.
Ange is home at a reasonable time tonight which is great! We order pizza and have the night in. Lovely end to the work week.
Ange is home at a reasonable time tonight which is great! We order pizza and have the night in. Lovely end to the work week.
Saturday 24
September, Ange runs off to her gym for her session and I walk to meet her. We then go for long walk along the
river. It’s such a beautiful morning,
crisp but clear. Its Seb’s first
birthday so we stop off at a shopping centre to pick up a cake. First we need to look in a few shops. I could have gone crazy…..but no space…..next
time I’m coming with a half empty suitcase.
Aaron’s parents
arrive back from the Lake District mid-morning, perfect timing as I’m leaving
today. We head down to Mortlake shops to
pick up a few items for this afternoon…first stop though is a takeaway coffee.
Late afternoon we have a wee party for Seb, or is it for the adults?! Delicious chocolate cake siting in the London sun followed by drinks and nibbles.
Ange had arranged for her uber driver to take me to the airport. He turned up early so joined us in the garden meeting the family.
My amazing time
in Europe and London has come to an end….I’m not ready to return back to Hong
Kong. I’ve had an absolutely wonderful
time with family and friends – definitely won’t be leaving my return to Europe
too long. Grazie Millie Italia, Ci ritornerò a Italia!
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