Tuesday 20 June 2023

Our last day and it was a quiet one. Too tired to rage. Rayls still has her Covid cough and we are both breathless after going up and down steps of which there are many in the underground.

We spent about 4 hours on Oxford Street, Marks and Spencers, Liberty of London, Selfridges. Rayls bought some items and had a good time. We were back in the hotel at 3:00pm for our afternoon rest.

We tried to find a restaurant for dinner but all to fancy for us (it is Chelsea) so we ended up back at the hotel for room service.

Great win by Australia at Edgbaston and so nice that we were there on day one.

Monday 19 June 2023

First time in all our travels that I have spent a birthday overseas. In 1980 we spent Rayls birthday in London and went to the London Palladium to see the King and I with Yul Bryner in person on stage - great experience. Today we are going to see Groundhog Day the Musical, no Yul Bryner.

We made it through another day! It was quite the challenge to find the Emirates Stadium on the Tube. We had lunch at the Little Wonder Cafe right across the road from the stadium. Scott and Shannon made a point of eating here when they were staying nearby - so we did too. The Stadium is impressive to say the least. We did the tour, visited the museum and of course the shop. Scott became an Arsenal fan many years ago and we just tagged along. Very enjoyable few hours.

Then the long trek back to the hotel for the mandatory rest before heading out at 6 to again figure out the tube system and find our way to the Old Vic Theatre. Groundhog Day was a good show, great effects and a story I certainly know very well.

Tried to catch a bus back but couldn't figure out where it left from and so down to the dreaded tube. Not as busy heading back to the hotel as it was going to the show.

Sunday 18 June 2023

Caught the train from Fulham Broadway to Paddington Station. Then swapped to Great Western Railway to Slough and then another train to Windsor-Eton. Took about an hour. A short walk to Windsor Castle which has the flag up so the King is in residence. It was an interesting visit, Rayls particularly liked Queen Mary's Doll House display. Lots of stairs so tough going for us but it was a great visit. Great for plane spotters, a constant array of large planes just a couple of minutes from landing at Heathrow.

We caught the train back to Slough and then Paddington before figuring out how to get back to Fulham Broadway. Now at the hotel for a rest before we head out for the Abba show tonight.

Back now from the Abba Show. It was quite a chore getting there as parts of the District Line are closed due to a signal fault. I think we figured out the correct trains more by good luck than good judgement. There was a bit of rain which didn't help.

ABBA Voyage is a virtual concert residency. The concerts feature virtual avatars (dubbed 'ABBAtars'), depicting the group as they appeared in 1979, and utilise the songs originally recorded vocals accompanied by a live instrumental band on stage. Great sound and light show and you really do think that Abba is on stage.

Easy enough getting back to the hotel after the show.

Saturday 17 June 2023

We drove back to London today, around 300 K's. The car did 1212 miles or 1950 kilometres. We got an Uber from the car rental place near Euston Station to our hotel in Chelsea. Very busy roads, King has something on today.

Scott got us a 4 star hotel right at the Chelsea Football Club - beautiful place, except for all the Chelsea supporters. We got in the room right at 1:00pm and saw some of the planes from the Royal fly pass overhead from the hotel room window.

We flaked out for the rest of the day. There is a 60's show on TV, so we have been watching constant music clips from the best decade of all time.

Tomorrow we are going to Windsor Castle and then in the evening to the Abba Voyage at the Abba Arena.