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| 1. Rene and Sandie set off in June for a nostalgia trip to England. Neither had been there for 37 years, so it was planned to catch up on cousins and brothers and sisters. |
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2. We flew Cathay Pacific, Brisbane to Heathrow, via Hong Kong - a long trip but an exciting one. | ||
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3. Once in London, we tried to find the homes Rene had lived in as a child, and eventually decided that one was buried under Waterloo Station extensions. We found St Mary's Lambeth, the Elephant and the Castle , Southwark Cathedral and the London Eye. | 4. We travelled the buses and trains, and undergrounds too. The most tiring part of our journeys was climbing up the steps out of the underground stations - about 110 in one station. (Luckily we found an escalator). We enjoyed a personal conducted tour with the guard of the Docklands Light Railway. | ||
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5. With Ron and Rita, my cousins, we ventured to Kew Gardens to
see the beautiful plants and gardens, the Pagoda and the exquisite lake.
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6. We spent a day exploring London City, having lunch in a small
enclosed garden on the Embankment while being entertained by stilt walkers
and trapeze artistes.
We visited Buckingham Palace for the changing of the Guards. |
See more London photos here |
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7. Rene and Sandie enjoyed a superb day at Hampton Court,
especially the beautiful formal gardens and roses.
More pictures. |
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| 8. Richmond was special. The park was a great place for a stroll with David and his dog. She just loved the water. Rene and Sandie walked down from the top of Richmond Hill, past the beautiful old houses to the bridge. |
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9. Lots of people enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the riverside embankment pubs and eateries. Found one called the Slug and Lettuce and it was advertising for a chef!!! Imagine that on your resume! | ||
| 10. Rene and I ate a relaxed picnic on Richmond Green just behind the narrow winding warren of shopping streets and lanes. |
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11.Rene, Rita and Ron later decided on a leisurely boat trip down to Teddington Lock. The views were superb. | ||
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12. London exploration was the major plan for Tracey. Sandie and Tracey rode on every underground line, including the Friday evening peak hour squeeze, also country buses and suburban trains, plus a scenic trip around the Essex countryside. |
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A bird's eye view- Houses of Parliament from the London Eye. |
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