Casablanca to London Friday 6 June 2009 6th Jun 2009

It was good not to get a wake-up call this morning. (mind you we had a couple of crank calls at 11pm and 12.30am in the morning!) We finished packing and made our way down for breakfast at about 8am. We had breakfast and a few laughs with some of the people from the tour then went up and got our stuff ready to leave at 10am. We hung around in the lobby for about 45 mins, seems the end of trips like this are spent waiting to leave.

We eventually got a shuttle to the airport and again, had to wait. We arrived at around 10:45, and our flight was due to leave at 1:40pm. The wait didn’t seem that long, we managed to say our good byes to all the people we got along really well with and then our flight left about on time.

We arrived at London Heathrow at about 4:30pm and were through immigration and customs by 5pm. Our transfer was waiting and we had a very interesting ride into London and to our hotel. We went through so many interesting parts of town, Kensington, Earls Court, Sloan St, etc.

Our Hotel is very nice, they asked us as we were checking in whether there was any special occasion that we were celebrating, Deb said yes, her birthday, and we thought nothing more of it. We got welcome drinks, a local beer for me (which seemed to create a stir, I don’t think too many guests here go for local beer!!) and Deb had a soda.

When we got to our room there was a small white chocolate and raspberry cake sitting on the table with a banner in icing proclaiming ”Happy Birthday”. It was a pleasant surprise, so we sat down with our drinks and had birthday cake (we are celebrating Greg’s birthday now too, seeing it is only a bit over a month away!).

After we sorted ourselves out we went out and had a look around the area, looking for a supermarket and somewhere for dinner. Our hotel is directly across the road from “The Royal Mews” ( Her Majesty’s horse stables!!) and literally just down the road from Buck palace, we can see the Union Jack flying over the castle, so Liz must be in.

We found a supermarket, after searching around Victoria Station (reception at the hotel said there was a Sainsbury’s down there) we eventually found it and got a few things and then found a nice looking Pub for tea. We dropped the stuff back at our room and went back to the pub , “The Kings Arms” for tea. I had Fish and Chips, and a pint; Deb still feeling the effects of Morocco just snacked on my meal. It was nice and an easy way to start our London leg of our holiday. After tea we walked up to the front of Buckingham Palace, (no lights on inside, Liz must have gone out for tea, but not to the pub we went to !!) And then we came back to the room, Deb has had a bath, with lots and lots of bubbles , and I have done this blog. (the bath was lovely, there was some great oil to put into it, but what I have enjoyed more it being able to brush my teeth with the local water and not using bottled water!!)

Tomorrow we are going to meet up with Linda and Keiron (Deb’s Cousin and hubby) and do a walking tour in Old Hampstead Village, then we thought maybe the Tate Modern Gallery and a bit more exploring.

We are glad to see Ethan is enjoying being a super-hero . Carly you are going to have to put in a phone box for him, that dolls house just doesn’t do it for him!!! (lol, Greg, you and Ethan crack me up!! I was laughing out loud in Casablanca airport when I saw the photos!! What a boy!)