Wilson European Odyssey

[QF WP]

Day 3 - Wednesday, 25 May
Sightseeing: London

Nothing like an early start to the morning, as the kids woke us up at 5.30am, due to our close proximity to them. We started with a leisurely cuppa, whilst the kids got out and had a play in the room. We checked that the kids programs didn't start until 7am, so not to waste time, we had both showered and had the kids ready for breakfast by then. They happily watched the first program whilst I quickly checked out the newspaper left on the door. We went down for breakfast and being early, had the pick of tables up next to the window, giving the kids the passing traffic and people. We were pleasantly surprised to find the cost was £17.50 or £12.50 per person if prepaid, so I went back to Reception to organise prepayment for all our breakfasts. Arpa was on duty again and remembered me from yesterday and happily charged our room. What a bargain, as the kids ate for free and my son always had a healthy appetite in the morning. The staff were really helpful and the food delicious, so we made sure that we made good use of the breakfast fare to supplement our lunch needs.

Today was designated as the rest day in case we had jet lag and nothing had been planned. We went back to the room and unpacked some clothes for the next couple of days bs talked about what we should do today, as we were both feeling okay but felt it was best to limit our expeditions this morning to Green Park and Buckingham Palace, which were within easy walking distance and allow us to bring the kids back for an early afternoon nap (and maybe even one ourselves ). So we checked with Concierge on the way out and they confirmed that the Changing of the Guards was on today at 11.30pm so we felt that was easily managed given it was 10.45am now.

Across the road diagonally to Green Park we went, with such a beautiful day the deck chairs were out and some great photo's ensued. Always funny to see a suited Englishman lying on a deckchair with his laptop, working away (see photo).



We made it slowly down to the Palace in time to see some Mounted Guards walk by:



as both kids wanted to walk around and it made our timing impeccable as we were across from the Palace when we heard an approaching "thuk thuk thuk" and following the noise, we were fortunate enough to see Navy One (officially Air Force One I understand once the President is aboard) come into land behind the Palace. We had hurried to get our cameras out but missed the approach shot, however did get the hovering Helo on its departure (see photo).



We then walked down to the Guards and found their band practicing or playing just prior to the Trooping of the Colours. Having 2 young kids, it just wasn't worth the angst of waiting for it back up at Buckingham Palace, so we took pictures here instead.



After they commenced walking up to the Palace, we instead headed back through Green Park to have lunch - we were pretty sure that President Obama and The Queen wouldn't miss us waving. We found a quiet spot in the shade of a tree and brought out the additional breakfast items so kindly provided by the HI, that made an excellent lunch.

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[QF WP]

Day 3 - Wednesday, 25 May (continued)
Sightseeing: London

Being our first day on the ground, we wisely chose to have our usual household afternoon quiet time for the kids. They soon passed out from the morning exercise, food and sun; giving my wife a chance to head up Picadilly to do some retail therapy and head to WH Smith to get a top up voucher for our UK mobile. It gave me the chance to update my ongoing notes for this TR.

After a solid 2 hours for all concerned, my wife met us back in our room and decided a short trip out to Picadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square was in order, to start using our two days of Zone 1 to 6 Travelcards for today and tomorrow that we had received along with our London Passes. It was also very instructive in learning about kids and the Underground - I took the lead in carrying the pram down the multitude of steps at the stations whilst my wife took control of the kids.







When we returned to our Hotel, we organised ourselves for the night. We got the kids bathed and in their pajamas, then they and my wife settled in for some room service.

I had organised to meet a couple of FF friends (Flashware and Aisle Seat H) downstairs in the bar. Needless to say, a couple of drinks stretched to a meal and worked out well, as they gave me £ cash (that I needed) and I got the bill charged to our room (snagging additional double PC points as well).

It was good to catch up with both (it had been 6 months since I had seen Flashware and 3 years with Aisle Seat H, although we had kept in touch via PM). They hadn't met previously but thought that it would be good for Flashware to meet another FT'er in London, as he had only moved over 6 months ago from Australia. We all shared a love of flying and there were plenty of stories. The night wrapped up at 11pm for Aisle Seat H and me, as Flashware had to head home a little earlier. I only realised at that point just how big a pint was compared with our drinks back in Australia - I certainly was in a happy state as I crept into our room and went to bed. Now was that 4 or 5....(pints, not AM )?


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[QF WP]

Day 4 - Thursday, 26 May
Sightseeing: London

Nobody should guess incorrectly about how I felt with another 5.30am wake up courtesy of my kids. Feeling a little delicate from the festivities last night and not expecting any sympathy, I offered to make a cuppa and then sat under the shower to normalise myself. That'll teach me to drink with expats.

We started today exactly the same as yesterday, including "breakfast in the window" (as we had begun to call it) and planning what we wanted to do today. We thought that seeing Westminster Abbey and Tower of London would at least be child friendly and something that my daughter would like to go (as she was into princesses and castles; plus had watched a bit of the marriage between the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge).

We had been contacted by one of my younger female cousins, Pia, who had been overseas for a while and was currently in London. I think she was a little homesick and wanted to catch up with us, just to hear of news from home. We were the only family not attending my fathers' and his twin brothers' 80th birthday celebrations in mid June back in Noosa. We began messaging her what we were we looking to do today and she replied that she needed to move into a new Hostel, but would meet us later after Westminster Abbey.

We started by going to the furthest point first (Tower of London - tube stop Tower Hill).







Getting out of the station, we came across a small park where my kids HAD to have a play before proceeding any further. One learns to give in sometimes to extract maximum value later on.



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[QF WP]

Day 4 - Thursday, 26 May
Sightseeing: London (continued)

Thankfully, our London Passes were very useful at Tower of London and we bypassed all the tourist bus groups as well as getting 2 colouring and activity books from the Visitor Centre. There were some places that we couldn't go with a pram, so we had a curtailed visit but an extended stay in the Cafeteria for lunch (slow eating kids and a storm).







We were hoping to walk across Tower Bridge



however as the weather had turned on us, we thought it prudent to curtail the open air part of the day and ended up heading back to Westminster Abbey. My daughter was taken with the displays and photographs of "William and Kate" and I love reading the various inscriptions and marveling at history.




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[QF WP]

Day 4 - Thursday, 26 May
Sightseeing: London (continued)






We finished at Westminster Abbey and messaging my cousin - she was on her way to the closest tube station (Westminster) so we checked the weather (which looked like closing in on us) and decided to make a quick dash to it.

Well the weather caught up with us and the heavens opened just as we were about to cross the road, so we sheltered underneath a tree with overhanging branches and made sure that my son was the driest - he was fortunate enough to be in the pram so had the hood as cover. Whilst we all had light jumpers and my daughter had a hoodie, they were no match for the rain so we were all some form of wet to drenched when it stopped - and it broke out into sunshine just to taunt us, I'm sure.

We made it to Westminster Station (of course outside taking a photo of Big Ben)



and there was my cousin (dry of course and hoping we hadn't been caught in the rain), so we had a hug and decided that going back to our Hotel was probably best, to get the kids out of any wet clothes as well as having some quiet time before bath and bed. My wife decided that she wanted to get some shopping done, so she left us at Green Park tube station to take the kids back whilst she walked back up Picadilly.

We decided that hot chocolates all round was on the cards, so whilst Charlotte had some and Jack sat comfortably in my lap and ate some biscuits, Pia and I caught up with the convivial atmosphere being broken with my daughter stating she wanted to watch some television (please and Daddy were there as well), so up to the room we went.

So we put the childrens programs on for the kids, whilst Pia and I continued to chat. She put up with my kids admirably and I think my daughter took a shine to a cousin we don't see very often. My wife eventually came back around 5.30pm, so we bid Pia farewell and put the kids into bath and bed, as we needed to pack and get ready for our travelling day tomorrow.




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[QF WP]

Day 5 - Friday, 27 May
Driving: London to Marlborough, Wiltshire

It was almost sad to have our last breakfast in the restaurant this morning and as usual, we loaded the pram full of lunch provisions. We had re-packed the night before after the kids had gone to sleep and that was definitely a wise decision, as the kids must have picked up on our excitement.

Let me set the scene behind the heightened excitement (for my wife, moreso than me). She grew up in London and whilst she was born in Croydon, during her early childhood and school years she lived in a little village called Hurst Green in Oxted, Surrey. Her best friends there were Caroline and Rachel. Even when my wife's family emigrated to Australia (when she was 11), she kept in contact with both and Caroline was Chief Bridesmaid at our wedding (see previous Trip Report in 2003). Caroline was now living in Bristol and her boyfriend Stephen lives in Chisbury (just outside Marlborough), so they had organised a party at his cottage for some of her friends. This weekend was also a Bank Holiday weekend, so our idea was to travel up to Marlborough early to beat the crowds.

We checked out and had Concierge flag down a black cab to take us to the Marble Arch Hertz office. I had booked a Group F Auto (Vauxhall Insignia or similar) with a baby seat and booster seat for 5 days, totaling £278.16 (also utilising my Qantas FF CDP). We got dropped off outside and I schlepped our bags inside whilst by wife brought the kids. To our surprise, there was a waiting room adjacent to the counter so my wife and kids sat in there with the luggage whilst I organised the car. John, a friendly Englishman, took my confirmation details and Hertz card and it wasn't long before he had printed out a boarding pass sized rental docket and put it in the usual Hertz folder. I had turned around to ask my wife whether we needed to hire a GPS as there was an offer on the counter (I think it was £9 per day).

When I turned back, he then pulled it back out and started to take me through it. When it came to the car details, I thought he'd made a mistake because it said Mercedes C180 and I was about to question why, when the realisation came (at the same time as he said those magical words we all love to hear) - "you've been upgraded". Nice one Hertz ! (see photos)





He then came down with us to the garage and showed us which bay our car was parked - "will this be okay". "Umm, yes" was my reply "but where are the baby and booster seats?" (well, one can't have everything go right). He indicated that I needed to take the docket to the office up by the exit to have them supply and fit them. So I gingerly threaded the car out of the bay, loaded in the bags, pram, children and wife then headed to the office. The two guys there took a cursory look at the docket and one went back inside the office and came back out and dumped them at the boot of the car and continued their conversation. I interrupted them, as there was already another person waiting behind me to exit and asked them to assist in putting in the baby seat and I would put in the booster. Whilst mine was the easiest to install, they dawdled and didn't seem to know quite how to install the baby seat, so my wife then got involved and put them both in their place by finishing what they couldn't.





We finally exited Hertz and turned left and left again, as we entered into the GPS the address of the next stop - Marlborough. I took a little while getting used to the power of the Merc, thankfully I was used to the indicator control on the opposite side (helps having a father who owns one and I'd driven his from time to time). Needless to say, when we finally hit the M4 motorway, I tried out the power and wasn't disappointed. The trip went relatively quickly and uneventfully, other than the crazy British van drivers who liked to think they were all Michael Schumacher driving in Germany with no speed limit - they would speed up to us and flash their lights to get past in the fast lane (when we were already travelling at the speed limit). But they had somewhere to go quicker than me, so it's their funeral not mine.


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[QF WP]

Day 5 - Friday, 27 May
Driving: London to Marlborough, Wiltshire (continued)

We also discovered the portable DVD player we had brought became an instant hit with our 4 y.o. daughter. We had packed Shrek, Polar Express, Madagascar and Over The Hedge. I don't think we heard from her on the trip up, apart from laughter and talking back to the DVD. This was to be a usual occurrence during this 4 day car trip and the later on on the Continent.

We made Marlborough by 1pm, so we stopped in the wide main street (High Street) and parked to have a look at what it had to offer us, as it was our largest nearby town for the next 3 days. We noted the library with Internet access and a play area for the kids, clothes washing service, pharmac_ and some clothes shops. After heading back to the car, we decided that it was probably best to keep the kids happy and fed, so we went back to one of the local pubs (Castle & Ball Hotel on High Street), where we were pleasantly looked after and the food was excellent. Sated, we then headed back to our car, but on the way we visited The Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop for a fleece lined cardigan for me as it was icily cold - what an excellent £15 investment that would turn out to be during this holiday.

I left my wife to check out the other side of the main road shops and hoped she would find a way home by herself. I drove back to the our accommodation with our kids and parked in one of the two carparks (sensible to have one each side for the passing traffic). We piled out, I unpacked the car and went in to see the landlord.

My wife had rung the hotel directly when we were booking and had spoken to him, organising 2 adjoining rooms for 3 nights initially and with her second call a couple of days later, extending the stay to a fourth night.

Hotel: The Pelican Inn, Bath Road, Froxfield, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 3JY Tel: (01488) 682 479
Room Type: Double/Queen Beds in both (+ cot in one)
Nights: 4 (In 27 May, Out 31 May)
Room Rate: £45 per room, per night + £6.95 breakfast (full English) per adult per day.










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[QF WP]

Day 5 - Friday, 27 May
Driving: London to Marlborough, Wiltshire (continued)









We met the owners inside (Paul and Michelle) who introduced themselves and advised that we had Rooms 4 & 5 (all rooms are on the first floor, accessed via a straight staircase).



I schlepped the bags upstairs with the kids in tow and was delighted with the size of the rooms. I decided the bigger room (number 4) with the satellite receiver would be the kids room and hold all our bags, whilst we had the sanctity of our own bedroom (with the basic free-to-air television stations for us) in Room 5. As any parent will appreciate, we could deal with the basic BBC channels (for news etc) so long as the kids were entertained with childrens shows, woe betide if we had swapped rooms. My daughter was spoilt with her own king sized bed in which to sleep and they soon found the closet. Yes, you can supply all sorts of expensive toys and entertainment for your kids, which can be overshadowed by the simple pleasure of playing hide and seek in a closet (that game kept them entertained in all of the hotels that we stayed on this trip).

I unpacked what we needed and waited for my wife to return as the kids had an afternoon nap. That gave me some chilling time as well. My wife messaged me to say she was on her way back via a local bus that was going to stop for her outside the Inn.

She returned after amazingly having spent no money and after the kids woke, we freshened up and went downstairs for dinner. We were still waiting for a table (having ordered our meals) when Caroline and Stephen arrived. Meeting him for the first time, we had to excuse ourselves as our table was ready and meals arrived soon after. They had a drink whilst we polished off the meals and I then took the kids up to bed whilst my wife stayed to have a drink.

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[QF WP]

Day 6 - Saturday, 28th May
Chisbury - Caroline's 40th birthday party



After a decent sleep in by the kids (we actually woke first and had time to watch BBC News and have a cuppa in bed), we headed first back to Marlborough to drop in our washing (Johnsons The Cleaners on High Street, £7.50 per bag, washed, dried and folded); we headed out to Chisbury, where Stephen lived and the party was going to be held later this afternoon. You have to live the narrow "two on, two off" roads that are only as wide as a horse drawn cart or a tractor - thankfully, we didn't strike too many cars and found our way without too many issues (other than the white knuckle ride from my wife, who isn't used to such narrow roads in a mid sized car). If she wanted to drive, she only had to ask

I dropped my wife off at midday as she was helping with the organisation and took the kids back to the Inn for lunch and a sleep. Had a really nice lunch (see photos) and looking outside, saw the weather turning cloudy and cold. Another reason to be thankful for the new cardigan.

We turned up to the party about 3.30pm and straight into an early BBQ dinner (with a few sherbets on the side early for me, as I was driving later). Stephens 3 kids were there and whilst all older than my daughter, soon they had made their way up to the bedrooms where the toys were and then to the backyard to run around. Some of us decided that one way to warm up was to have a walk around the district so off we went, with my kids in tow. This probably wasn't the smartest decision, as both of them at various times (and sometimes both at once) refused to walk any further and devised that Daddy was a much better option for carrying.

After getting back to party central, it wasn't long before they were back running in the backyard with Stephen's kids, seemingly cured of their various trumped up maladies (sore legs, too tired). The encroaching darkness forced us inside and Stephen's ex-wife turned up to take the kids. What a great time to suggest a nice warm bath, for it was taken up instantaneously by both my kids so after a lot of splashing, mirth and a little bit of washing; they were clean and starting to tire. We took this as our leave pass and headed back to the Pelican Inn for bed all round.


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[docjames]

Great TR. I didnt have so much luck with Hertz Marble Arch (got the Insignia which was fine, but they didnt check the car back in properly so a total PITA to sort from Australia).

Also, I believe with the POTUS on board it is actually "Navy 1" and has another callsign when the POTUS isnt aboard. If it's a marine aircraft, its "Marine 1" etc. "Air Force 1" designates that the POTUS is on board a US Air Force operated aircraft (whether that's a cessna or a 747).

 

[ellen10]

Enjoying your trip report.......looking forward to the next instalment. Although its a work in progress its a nice momento for you in the long run

 

[serfty]

Fascinating report; and you're only at the beginning. :shock:

Enjoying it.

 

[anat0l]

View attachment 3203

So cute:!:

Loving the TR LW...keep it coming!

 

[Katie]

I totally recognise that stroller from our Europe trip, looks like we had the same one. Also have great footage of my Little Miss on the swing outside Tower Hill! I didn't get there as I had to prep a presentation I gave. The rest of the family went to the Tower/Tower Hill. And my Little Miss is alos obsessed with princesses & wears glasses.

 

[QF WP]

Great TR. I didnt have so much luck with Hertz Marble Arch (got the Insignia which was fine, but they didnt check the car back in properly so a total PITA to sort from Australia).

Didn't check the car back in properly? Can't imagine what went wrong

Also, I believe with the POTUS on board it is actually "Navy 1" and has another callsign when the POTUS isnt aboard. If it's a marine aircraft, its "Marine 1" etc. "Air Force 1" designates that the POTUS is on board a US Air Force operated aircraft (whether that's a cessna or a 747).

Hmmm, thought I'd been told differently either here or on FT. Will have to research it - seems that the US AF page here agrees with you. Wikipedia agrees with you


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[QF WP]

ellen10, I know you'll be most interested in the French side of the TR and Sarlat in particular. I hope to do it justice.

Katie, the one we used was a Steelcraft Holiday, lightweight aluminum frame, easy to fold down & up and very compact when folded up. Was the only choice for the trip, although the rubber on the handles had split by the time we brought it back, so they will need replacement. We'd trialled it in ADL last year and were both rapt with the performance. We also have a 2 seater love n care 3 wheel Europa but it was too unwieldy and heavy to take overseas.

Also have a video of my daughter coming down the really long slide in the playground. Pity it was bitterly cold and we couldn't have stayed longer - but that's English weather . Maybe our daughters should compare princesses and glasses one day

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[QF WP]

Day 7 - Sunday 29th May
Meeting up with friends: Rachel, Andrew and Hannah

Another start to the morning like yesterday - yes, I was beginning to like the kids finally getting back to their decent overnight sleeps. We had another full breakfast and were upstairs packing our day packs when Michelle came up to say that a lady was waiting for us downstairs - Rachel had arrived. We hadn't seen her for probably 6 years and we hadn't met her husband Andrew or their 10 month old daughter Hannah - well, only via Facebook.

As they lived in York, we had all agreed that we couldn't make it up to York in this trip, so they had decided to make the Bank Holiday Long weekend trip down to us, for which we were eternally grateful.

We sat down with them in the bar area downstairs and discussed possible venues and decided that Butterfly World in Studley Grange was probably the best suited to our choldrens' ages and was only about 30 minutes drive away and on the way back to York for them. It also had craft shops which my wife loves and a play centre for the kids to use up some excess energy. I took some great photos - my daughter holding a snake (something I never thought I'd see) and a nice photo of the girls together. Finally, a bearded dragon that is one of the biggest I've seen:







After seeing lots of animals and butterflies we headed for lunch at the play centre - whilst Andrew and I watched the kids play the girls went to get lunch. Well in the time they took, I hoped they'd caught the lunch, skinned and cooked it then cut them up for the sandwiches, because they were forever coming back - Andrew and I had fed the kids and mine were both off making new friends in the play area while we were talking about our similar lives - as we both were in family businesses.

This was the end of the day for them, as they had a 5 hour drive back to York so we bid them farewell at 2pm. It was lovely to catch up with yet another of my wifes' friends and their partners.

I took the kids for a couple of trips around the shops whilst my wife made a beeline for a couple of craft and dress shops. We left about 30 mins after Andrew and Rachel, heading in the opposite directions back to the Pelican Inn. We contacted Stephen and Caroline by SMS and confirmed dinner with them, so we stopped by the local Thai restaurant (which was undergoing some renovations) to get a take away menu but it was shut. Well, necessity meant that I took photos of it using my iPhone and we rang them to talk through the menu and give them what we wanted to eat. They rang through the order when it was open and picked it up on their way through. Given that it would be rude to sit downstairs in the restaurant and eat it, they came up to our room and they brought the extra crockery and cutlery that we needed, as well as a bottle of red wine. We had a lovely evening catching up and bade each other goodnight.


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[TonyHancock]

Having spent 30 years of my life in England I'm seeing things in your TR for the first time.

Fabulous stuff and many thanks.

Looks like you had a great time.

 

[QF WP]

Day 8 - Monday, 30th May
Swindon: Meeting with my wifes' family Simon and Claire

A morning where we woke up to inclement weather and probably the best thing we could be doing is meeting up with family - my wifes' step brother and his fiancée. I had met Simon when he came out to Australia a couple of years ago and it was nice to be able to meet his fiancée in the flesh before their wedding in November - alas, we can't fly back for it.



They live in Newport, Wales and whilst we had all initially discussed us going up there and overnight at a local hotel (I'd booked the Holiday Inn Express in readiness), they decided to drive down to us as it wasn't far for them.

We needed to find somewhere that was child friendly and after yesterday's success, we opted again for something kid friendly yet where we could still enjoy the company of others whilst our kids were off playing. Yes, it might not have been a nice little cafe in the countryside, but with 2 small kids to entertain, it was our best option.

We had lunch together and as our kids were off in individual play areas, my wife and I both had individual time with both of them as well as separately - try telling "no" to a 4 year old that keeps pleading with you to come down the slide with them.





We all left ~ 4pm to go back to our respective homes, ours being for the last time as tomorrow we commence our continental Europe side of the holiday. We had a nice family dinner downstairs in the pub and went upstairs to put the kids to bed and start the dreaded packing.



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[QF WP]

Apologies it's been a couple of days since I've posted.

Now my wife is back to her usual programming of weeknight Zumba, Scrapbooking and Camera Club, it's back to normal on my household.


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