I have decided that my blog has run it's course and it is time I stopped, six years is pretty good I think! The idea of the blog was to update family and friends while we were 'downunder' but now we are back in the Northern Hemisphere it is not necessary so this will be the last publication.
New Year's Eve started very cold again and I hoped it would warm up before midnight.
We left to drive to Audley End to catch the train and although very cold it was bright and sunny.
We arrived at Liverpool Street and went to buy Oyster Cards as we seem to be going to London more and more often so they will be useful.
We then caught the tube to Edgware Road which was then a short walk to our hotel in Sussex Place.
Our room was really nice with a bedroom, overlooking the back, and a sitting room, overlooking the front and a bathroom in the middle. A box of my favourite chocolates, NOT, Ferrer Roche! Nice gesture though.
We immediately set off back to the tube to go down to the Embankment to check out where we needed to go for the fireworks and also to get some lunch.
The roads were all being closed off and they really meant business that if you had no ticket you didn't have much chance of seeing the fireworks as they put up big screens.
After a walk around we headed back to our hotel for a rest or we would not make midnight.
A quick nap and a cuppa and a read of our books and it was time to get back down to the Embankment as we had to 'be in our pen' by 9.30.
We queued up along the Strand and it is true what they say about the British and queuing, we do it so well but all the tourists push in along the sides. Bearing in mind it was before 9.00 and the fireworks start at midnight!
Once in we had a walk along to see where we could stand. Unfortunately, all the wall space was taken and the only things we found to 'lean' on were bicycle stands.
With nothing to do midnight looked a long way off.
We stood till 10.00 by which time my back was killing me and Jon did not look too happy so I took the bull by the horns and asked him if he wanted to leave - he did not take much persuading!
We caught the tube back and bought a bottle of wine and a small bottle of fizzy at a wine shop near our hotel and went and enjoyed a cosy time watching TV and when it was midnight we saw the fireworks in the comfort of our hotel room. Not quite the same atmosphere but the thought of not having to battle to get on a tube was more than enough to know we had made the right decision.
New Year's Day
We woke after a good sleep and got up and went down to a very good breakfast. I had a very nice boiled egg - I haven't had a boiled egg for years.
I had a text from Heather to say she had not got home until 3.15 and so she decided not to meet us for the parade today and I think she made the right choice as she would have been very tired.
We then checked out and left our bag at reception and caught the tube to Piccadilly Circus. The crowds outside the station were at least six deep so we walked further down Piccadilly and bought a coffee on the way. We crossed to the other side of the road, which seemed less crowded, and we found a spot at the barriers.
The parade started at 12.00 and reached us at five past and we stood till 2.30 watching till the end. It was very good though I have to say were it not for all the American marching bands from school, colleges and universities the parade would have been much shorter.
The marching bands were so enthusiastic with so many members they must have taken up whole plane loads!
There were horses and donkeys and ponies and beautiful kites with just enough wind to keep them in the air. The Pearly Kings and Queens were lovely and all in all it was well worth the trip to London.
Once the parade finished it was difficult to move and get walking as we were so cold and stiff so we went into a café and had a mocha to warm us up and we watched the council workers clearing the streets of rubbish and barriers and they did such a good job it was all very impressive and they had it cleared in about half an hour. Obviously, a well practised routine.
We then went for the tube, which was not as crowded as I thought it would be, back to our hotel for out bag and a visit to the loo (I refuse to pay 40p at the station for a wee!).
We then walked back, I am sure we did our ten thousand steps today, to the station and got the tube to Liverpool Street for our train home.
I think it must have been Chelsea who were playing this afternoon and we had some fans on our train. I have never heard such terrible language. One man could not string a sentence together without using the 'F' word. It is really no surprise that football gets a bad name when you have to sit and listen to that. Fortunately, they got off at Northumberland Park (I think it was) and we were left in peace for five minutes.
Four young girls got on at the next station, they must have been 14/15. They were talking on a mobile and I got the impression, from the conversation, that they had never met the man they were talking to but it was a very suggestive conversation. One of the girls asked us where Luton was? I replied Bedfordshire, she didn't know that either. Jon told her she would need to go back to London and get another train out. She then spoke to the man and told him to F off she was not going on such a long trip to meet him! Amazing! They got off in Bishops Stortford but they seemed to have little idea where they were going and I wonder if they even had a ticket.
The rest of the journey was boring!!!!
Heather had texted to say she would cook dinner for us but wanted us to pick up some side dishes from the Indian on our way but she had ordered them so were ready when we passed by.
We had a lovely dinner but I think she though she was feeding the five thousand and we had so much left we have enough for another two meals!
I couldn't eat any pudding as I was too full so thought I would get my blog done and posted before the day is over.
Thank you to everyone who has been following my blog. I am so glad I wrote it as we did so many wonderful things 'downunder' that I would not have remembered half of them were it not for the blog. It was also good to keep a record when Jon was diagnosed with cancer and saved me many emails and I know exactly how things progressed.
I wish everyone a very happy 2015.
Best wishes to you all.
WEATHER
NY Eve Very cold start again -3
NY Day Overcast 7 degrees
