Christmas on steroi_s 🧑‍🎄🎅🎄🦌🛷

[MARTINE]

Wow. We will be in Lincolnshire so it just might be. oohh.
We are safely ensconced in Staybridge Suites off Bath Road. Bit of a deal to get here on the Hoppa but all good. The guy behind us just missed his bus and went to enquire about a taxi. £40. He declined and returned to the bus stop.

Arrived around 3.00pm and checked in. IHG platinum so room upgrade and free drinks. There's a huge lounge downstairs with free tea and coffee machine. Alcohol and nibbles Tues, Weds and Thursday from 6pm until 7, free washers and dryers and a rather good gym apparently. We have a separate lounge room and bedroom. Kitchen with dishwasher and microwave. All of this for £100 a night. Great value. They use the Hilton Inn next door as their restaurant and breakfast area.

Wot ‘dis P?!?!

 

[GarrettM]

Wowee.
I'm sorry your trip has been so compromised Pushka, but good to see your're making the most of it.
I imagine it's extremely frustrating to be so hamstrung and subject to the whims and policies of difficult tour operators. I'm not sure I could handle it.

Oddly enough between your TR and my daughter watching Kara and Nate's somewhat similar adventure on YT...

I'm suddenly keen to brave the cold to one day do Christmas in Europe. Might have to save for a decade or so.

 

[Flyfrequently]

This post is overdrive for cheese loves. Oh my. Huge queue. Didn't wait.
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Mmmm raclette! It would have been worth the wait @Pushka

 

[Flyfrequently]

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The weather went from bright and sunny, but very chilly, to overcast and dark around though I am not one for as we exited the boat. We knew we had a three hour bus trip to go. We had hand luggage, which meant back packs and carry on rollers that we'd had to take onboard the smaller ship and our main luggage was on the road somewhere in a truck. It was all a bit coughbersome but there you go.

That bus trip, we had the CD on board ours, there were four bus loads and they were absolutely full, of people and luggage. The trip was fine for about two hours then the last hour was just difficult. It was raining heavily. Peak hour traffic. Autobahns. So many semi trailers. Very dark. So we got to Strassbourg and the CD showed us the usual berthing place for Viking and which was now flooded. So we continued on. We were the third bus. We could hear the CD trying to make all the arrangements for the next couple of days, on his phone. So many jigsaw pieces. Anyway, this bus is going down very narrow streets, he hit one pothole and thought he'd ruptured something like a tyre but that seemed ok. We headed down one dark - well lane actually, and came to a stop. Left or right. The driver didn't know. He was lost. . He got out the bus and went over to another driver to ask where to go. Meanwhile we hear tooting and yelling from the cars backed up behind as only the French can do, then two drivers emerged and started to remonstrate. On the other side of the bus our friends were watching just how close the bus was coming to take out concrete bollards. I've said this a few times this trip 'you just can't make this stuff up'.

Finally hes on the phone to the ships captain who gave him directions in German. Off we go. We arrived at the Viking berth. But. There were so many Viking ships, all identical from the outside, rafted together (so one is invisible from the road) and we couldn't find ours. We drove around and around looking for Tialfi. Finally we saw the first bus that had left and he told us where to find it. It was in a different berth.

Got to Tialfi around 7.30pm. Our rooms were identical to the last boat, that's how ship swaps work. Now, we were here for a night. On a FB group I'm one I'd been following the cruise before us that left two days earlier. So I knew at the start this was going to happen. We have ended our days cruising unless the water levels drop. And likely here for four nights. Stuck up against another boat and four days of buses. But Viking CD would not tell people that and they seemed, in the main, to be completely oblivious to it. That's how Viking likes it. They control the information flow, drip by drip.

Our view. I can touch the next boat.

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Now rafting like this is not uncommon. I'd expected it for a night. That's normal. But four nights is not. Not without moving ports in between.


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Ah @Pushka I now understand your "office view" photo from a few days ago.

It is disappointing for you with change of plans but love your positive attitude, and though not one for cold weather travel, those Cologne market photos were beautiful.

 

[VPS]

Fingers crossed for you

https://www.itv.com/news/2023-12-18/white-christmas-forecast-for-parts-of-the-uk

 

[TheRealTMA]

Fingers crossed for you

https://www.itv.com/news/2023-12-18/white-christmas-forecast-for-parts-of-the-uk

White Christmas: Edinburgh most likely city to see snow

sports.ladbrokes.com

don't bet on it.

 

[VPS]

White Christmas: Edinburgh most likely city to see snow

sports.ladbrokes.com

don't bet on it.

I won’t but I hope it does

 

[Pushka]

Wot ‘dis P?!?!
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Almost like a gingerbread flavoured chocolate mousse?

 

[Pushka]

though not one for cold weather travel, those Cologne market photos were beautiful.

Neither is MrP so well, he’s missing the sun.

 

[love_the_life]

Neither is MrP so well, he’s missing the sun.

He will have the warmth soon when you are in Dubai

 

[Pushka]

This complex we are staying at is near the Budget and Avis rental depot. There's a large holiday inn next door which is where we had dinner last night. Nothing gourmet, just a good pizza that we shared. MrP just getting over a cold and now it's my turn. More like a cough than congestion etc. So chugging the water down.

The special menu last night. We've been told to expect pigs in blanket on Christmas Day, Christmas Eve? I dunno. Sorting those days out is like herding cats it seems. . We are going with the flow. Tell us where to be and we will be there. Mulled wine a tad overpriced here. We were paying around €4.


But I tried the pudding which was a good size for me and nice.


Nice trees




There is an onsite self serve laundry. Which we used last night and good to catch up. But




This Hotel housed Ukrainian refugees and it did cause issues amongst paying guests as access to the laundry was extremely difficult and crowded. It was fine yesterday. We think there are still a couple of families living here as there was a teenager in uniform who is living here.

And last but not least, our view.

 

[Pushka]

We made it. Of course there’s another bus story involved. That’s for later.

 

[Seat0B]

And last but not least, our view.

Jackpot! Car park and bins!!

 

[Pushka]

A very long day to get to London and we had a bus mishap along the way. Of course we did.

But Peter Pan was Absolutely Fabulous (see what I did there ).

Thankyou @VPS for the suggestion. Brilliant idea. Julian Clary was magnificent. And smutty. Nigel Havers downright funny and well ridiculed by Clary. Tinkerbelle the fairy was priceless. The ventriquiloquist so good. And Jennifer Saunders permanently pi$$ed and also slipped into her AbFab role in a scene. Such simple funny things they did. Lots of ad libs . Costumes were spectacular and constantly changing. Clary was also attached to a cable that took him from stage right through the ceiling meaning that we in steerage (upside down) had great views of him, for a couple of seconds. I just don't think Australia could cope with such shows. Gorgeous young men dressed as fairies? Won't happen here. The Palladium is similar to the Victoria? In Melbourne or whatever it's called. Very cramped. A sell out but we had four spare seats next to us.

I now get Brit Christmas Pantomimes.

 

[Pushka]

But the hopefully final bus story. Because we are staying a bit out of Heathrow, we had to get from here to Heathrow and then Elizabeth line to Bond Street. We knew the hotel hoppa bus stopped outside. We just checked at the front desk who suggested we take the local bus to West Drayton then get the Elizabeth line from there. Don't go to Uxbridge he said which was the end of the line. Ok. So we get on the double decker rattler, so far so good and off we go, waiting for the Drayton stop. He said it would take 15 minutes. Through drab suburbs. Usual commuters. Longer and longer. Waiting for Drayton. After 30 minutes we thought something was up. We turned around to the ladies behind who said Drayton was way back about 20 minutes. FARK. We had to get to London. They suggested we go to the rail station at Uxbridge and go back. We realised then we were the last on the bus and the driver said we were at the end of the line. You know that sick feeling in your stomach. Would we miss the panto? So driver kicked us off and told us where the rail station was.

We passed by this cute Christmas market at Uxbridge, I can recommend it but we didn't have time. MrP suggested we grab a taxi, dang the cost and ask him to take us to the nearest sub station. He suggested West Drayton (ok, y'all are killing me now as they'd say in the good ole USA). He was fab, got us there in 20 mins. Lovely cabs too. Ran into the station, asked the attendant what to do, he said hurry, next sub in four minutes and just use the debit card we had. Ran, UP the stairs, and as we got there train pulled in A fast ride to Bond street station and we'd made it.

So in his excitement to tell us to go local and save £2 the front desk guy didn't tell us which was the Drayton stop because the name Drayton is not used as a bus stop. Seriously, the final most critical detail and he didn't think to tell us that? Ended up costing us at least £40 because we went to the end of the line on the bus, AND we had to get a taxi to the tube station. Idiot.

Another taxi story. On the way back, it was 8pm by now and we were whacked as we are both battling colds, we got to Heathrow T3 to catch hopper back to hotel. It was 30 minutes away and then realised we had to go to T5 on the hoppa before going to hotels. Nup. I walked to the taxi attendant and asked how much to get there. He said maybe £10. I said the driver won't get mad at us for such a short trip. He said no, he will make sure. So went back to where MrP was, told him the story and went back to the taxi stand. By then the attendant had organised a taxi for us, driver was lovely and off he went. Of course I started coughing and apologised, he said no problems ma'am our air here is so polluted. Fare cost £11, a hoppa would have been £12+. He got a lovely crisp note tip. He then waited until we got safely inside (there are two hotels next to each other, of course we went to the wrong door so he opened the window and called out to us) and then off he went.

Why are Aussie taxis so bad?

 

[VPS]

A very long day to get to London and we had a bus mishap along the way. Of course we did.

But Peter Pan was Absolutely Fabulous (see what I did there ).

Thankyou @VPS fpr the suggestion. Brilliant idea. Julian Clary was magnificent. And smutty. Nigel Havers downright funny and well ridiculed by Clary. Tinkerbelle the fairy was priceless. The ventriquiloquist so good. And Jennifer Saunders permanently pi$$ed and also slipped into her AbFab role in a scene. Such simple funny things they did. Lots of ad libs . Costumes were spectacular and constantly changing. Clary was also attached to a cable that took him from stage right through the ceiling meaning that we in steerage (upside down) had great views of him, for a couple of seconds. I just don't think Australia could cope with such shows. Gorgeous young men dressed as fairies? Won't happen here. The Palladium is similar to the Victoria? In Melbourne or whatever it's called. Very cramped. A sell out but we had four spare seats next to us.

I'm glad you enjoyed it - it is quintessentially English and Julian Clary and Nigel Havers were superb last year.

Hope the cold doesn't get too bad

 

[Pushka]

I'm glad you enjoyed it - it is quintessentially English and Julian Clary and Nigel Havers were superb last year.

Hope the cold doesn't get too bad

It's a coughing cold not a fluey one. I do colds worse than flu. Go figure. I'll be ok, worst was last night I think so hopefully better before we see the in-laws tomorrow. MrP pretty much ok now, before he had his sinus op it would go to an infection but now it just stays as a cold. Quiet day today. Son driving up from Tunbridge Wells to see us at the hotel, where he can park, and we will have a family meal. But don't think I can hug him just yet. Maybe Saturday when we see them all again.

 

[Pushka]

The Palladium is in the heart of London. We arrived about 30 minutes prior to opening so we did a quick tour and share a toastie. We would return after the panto when it would be dark. My photos are a bit carp. A bit under the weather. Stressed from the bus thing. And huge crowds.
Liberty.


Carnaby Street. A space theme this year.

 

[Pushka]

Of course at 5pm when we exited it was dark and crowded. Packed in fact. We kept outlining places to meet if we became separated.

But it was fabulous. Really felt like Christmas here. Carols and music. Everyone happy. Weather fine.





Hamleys. This area was insanely busy. So of course we went inside.





We were going to buy these bubble guns for the 2 year old twins whom we met at sons wedding (DIL niece and nephew) but at £22 it was a no.

 

[Pushka]

We decided we'd walk around Trafalgar to head towards Covent Gardens.



Variation on a theme



Found another Christmas market. Mainly food. We'd had enough Brats by now so passed.





And reached Covent Gardens.




Decided we needed to get out of the crush and find somewhere to eat so headed to China town where long queues were found at every eating place. We stumbled on one at the very beginning and they could fit us in so we enjoyed some good food. Thirsty so a beer was in order. Then back on the tube, the wonderful taxi driver, and back to try get some sleep.

Today, Thursday will see the son (this time just a six month gap) then a quiet day then grab the rental car and drive to Lincolnshire tomorrow for the start of the different family Christmas.