Schimke Ethiopian Adoption: London - wow! Planes, Trains and Double-Decker Buses!

I've lived in Germany twice in my life (when I was in Kindergarten and for a year after high school when I attended Bible School there) and have traveled around Europe a number of times. I haven't been a tourist in London since I was five, though, and was mostly looking at stopping there as a place to sleep and help us adjust with the time change on the way there and back. On the way there, that's exactly what it was - we slept and swam and flew on to Ethiopia. On the way back, though it was only a 3 hour time change and half of us had slept up to 5 hours on our night flight from Addis so we had some time to explore and it was a huge highlight of our trip!

We arrived at Heathrow at around 6:30 am (9:30 Addis time), uneventfully gathered our luggage and went through customs and took the Hoppa bus to our hotel. I had booked all of our hotels back in the summer - they were non-refundable, good deals with breakfast and wifi and other than that I didn't have high expectations. The hotel in London (Marriott) on the way down was quite nice, but I was even more impressed with the Novotel Heathrow London. It was very close to the airport (10-15 minutes including a stop), and was very modern, new looking and clean. We were hoping to get an early check-in (at 8:30 am...fat chance, but we tried) but as the hotel had been fully booked the night before they weren't able to help us. They stored our luggage for us and we had a bit of down time on the couches in the lobby.

Thankfully, the hotel let us use one of our breakfast vouchers even though we hadn't checked in yet and we enjoyed a deluxe breakfast - croissants, buns, bread, two egg dishes, lots of fresh fruit, waffles, pancakes, cheeses, deli meat, 5 different kinds of juice, coffee, yogurt, cereal, etc. etc. The food thoroughly hit the spot and it gave us the boost we needed. Instead of waiting around in the lobby we decided to head to London. We elected to take the bus back to the airport and take the tube from there. I have to admit that this was a bit intimidating to figure out where to go, which tickets to buy (kids are free under 11 but the machines were quite confusing at figuring out who actually needed a ticket, for which zone, for which hours, etc.)

Anyway, we made it on the tube and had a good laugh about the "mind the gap" warning at each stop. The kids liked listening to the accents and looking around when we were above ground. The tube took about 45 minutes to get to the Piccadilly Circus stop. We took two very long escalators up to ground level and emerged into a whole new world. The buildings were so amazing, and there were interesting things to look at in every direction. I LOVED every minute of London. I'm not sure if it was because of the extreme difference from Ethiopia (in Ethiopia the buildings are not the nicest - you see so much sheet metal and wooden scaffolding everywhere, and London has so many ornate, beautiful buildings) but in any case, I soaked up every minute in London.

We had a quick bite to eat at McDonald's, much to my mom's dismay. We just all craved a taste from home, even thought we don't eat there often at home anymore, at least we knew that it would taste good. :-) We then jumped on our double-decker bus (Original Tour) for a tour of London. The tour was very interesting and the sights were just amazing. E was excited to see Buckingham Palace but by the time we made it there both she and M were so fast asleep I couldn't wake them.

My mom wanted to stop at St Paul's cathedral and I was overjoyed to see a Starbucks right across the street. I think I was more excited about seeing the Starbucks than I was about the cathedral - sorry to those of you cringing at that, but it had been such a long day already and although I did sleep about 5 hours on the plane that's half of what I usually like to get, and plane sleep isn't exactly the most restful. I thoroughly enjoyed my mocha and we looked inside the cathedral although we didn't pay to go further in - we just didn't think the kids would make it.

Anyway, we jumped back on the bus, continued our tour and then walked for a few hours around the Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. The kids really wanted to go to Hamley's, a 7 storey toy store, so we walked there as well. The kids had lots of fun looking around but it was super expensive. I just couldn't believe how well everyone was doing - it was already getting to be bedtime in Addis time and G had barely slept on the plane. But London was so interesting that we just kept going. We really craved salad (and I love TGIFridays) so we walked there for supper - I know, I know, we should have had something more authentic but we were exhausted by this time and just wanted to go somewhere we knew.

By the time we took the tube, then the bus back to the hotel, checked in and got to our hotel it was about 8:30 or 9 (nearly midnight in Addis). It was a full, exhausting, but absolutely fun day!

We had the whole train, but somehow mom is the coziest spot. That's OK, I love it!

A view from inside the tube station

From on top of our double decker bus. Arvid stayed in the back in the open to take better pictures but my mom, the girls and I stayed in the covered portion for warmth. The views were amazing all around.

Isn't it just so awesome here?

It was surprisingly so green in London - I wasn't expecting that in January

Houses of Parliament

We were really hoping to go on the London Eye but it was closed for repairs.

Yah! Starbucks!! Thanks, B, so happy the gift card worked here.

In front of St. Paul's cathedral

The road up to the cathedral - I could have just sat and watched people and buses go by all day.

Inside the cathedral - beautiful

I couldn't believe how many Starbucks there were - almost on every block

The underground is amazing - such a fast way to get around. I would love to never have to drive again!

Tower Bridge

This is where we got off and started to walk...and walk...and walk

Who could resist a phone booth picture in London? I've never seen anyone use one, and there is a phone inside, but I can't imagine that they serve much purpose anymore other than looking good.