Thursday 24 August 2006

Part two

So are you ready for Part two??  Good coz here it comes ;-)

SATURDAY
Woke up fairly early – before the alarm went off if I remember correctly, we met the girls downstairs for brekkie (apart from Sam as she shouldn’t really be there ;-)  Unfortunately there wasn’t a table big enough for us all so Sarah, Trina and I sat in the corner.  It was help-yourself breakfast, consisting of toast, cereal etc.
 
After breakfast we met up in the lounge area to decide what we were going to do for the day.  Jamie turned up around 10.30am ish.  It was another beautiful day and we wanted to do some touristy things for the girls.  Eliza hadn’t been to London for a long time so we were going to make the most of this.  Sarah and Jamie turned into tour guides for the weekend.  (Jamie lives there and Sarah used too!)  So they took us to Camden Market by bus, although they weren’t sure which stop we had to get off at.  It was so hot!!  Brigitte/Eliza/Coops were popping into every shop they went past, so the rest of us made our way up the road.  Jamie and Sarahwanted to look in the record shop across the road so we let them go.  Trina, Sam and I wandered round the market and as Sam had been there already she showed us the really cool shops.  Like the one that plays banging music but it has all ultraviolet lights and freaky shop assistants.  Past all the food stalls, and the doughnut stall (promising ourselves we’d go back there).  At one point I heard Sam’s name being called and Trina’s so I looked around but there were tons of people and I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from.  Eventually I found that Sarah and Jamie were the culprits and they were sitting in the pub.  As Sam and Trina had walked on I followed them and told them I’d seen the girls in the pub garden.  Neither of us was very hungry so we carried on sight-seeing.  Sam was a great tour guide, advising us not to talk to the punks on the bridge etc…………..Not long after she stopped for some noodles as she hadn’t had any breakfast.  They were nice (I hadn’t had any before), Sam didn’t want to finish them so I took the tray from her.  I stabbed a piece of chicken and they went everywhere!!  Unfortunately I was wearing my green crop trousers so there was a lovely noodle stain on them.  Apart from those, I had a pair of jeans and a pair of my work trousers so I was either going to be hot for the rest of the weekend or completely messy!!??!!
 
After a bit more of a walk around, we made our way to the doughnut stall – getting very hot by this point.  I had a chocolate one with raspberry sauce mmmmmmmmmm…………………  Walking and eating we stopped in a few more shops for a nose but I felt very hot and quite faint at one point so I waited for Trina and Sam outside!!  When they reappeared we went to join Sarah and Jamie in the pub garden.  I sat on one of the benches in the shade but then a bunch of randoms took over.  Grrrr………………….  Around 2ish we went to meet up with the others no-one turned up on time except Trina and me.  When everyone was back together the girls decided that instead of doing more touristy things such as Madame Tussard’s we should find a pub near the river and enjoy the sunshine.  So off we went to find a bus.  Jamie and Sarah took us to one bus stop that every other bus stopped at but not the one we wanted.  So off we walked again to find another bus that would take us in the same direction.  Much better luck this time and off we went through most of London.  From the bus I saw Buckingham Palace, the horse guards, Trafalgar Square, and more.  When we got off the bus you could see the Eye really clearly, and we were heading in that direction but first we were shown Scotland Yard.  Everyone took piccies and there is a group one where we are doing the ‘International Roger Fans’ sign and we could imagine the policemen watching us on their CCTV wondering what the hell we were doing.  LOL…….  We made our way towards the river after that and tried to find somewhere that would sell a drink.  On our way we passed Westminster Abbey and as there was a policeman outside I made the girls have their pic taken with him, he was very nice lol…………We also went past Big Ben which was pretty cool – I was seeing lots of things I had never seen before.  We heard it bong on the quarter past and quarter too but not the o’clock bit.  L  Never mind!!  We stopped on the bridge and watched the boats go past for a few minutes and decided to try and find somewhere to get drinks.  By this point we were growing ever thirstier!!  Plus it was really hot!!  We found an amusement arcade that said there was a bar inside but once we got in, something stopped us from getting a drink and we went back to the McDonald’s.  Everyone got a drink and a bite to eat if they wanted it and sat outside in the sunshine.  Conversation turned to what we were going to do in the evening and Sarah and Jamie started singing Queen song’s again!!  After a while we decided to make our way to the Dominion and get our standing tix for WWRY.  (Apparently you can buy them on the day!!)
 
Once we got there some of the girls queued up to buy the tix and I went to nosey at the merchandise.  I hadn’t spent any money in Camden so I figured I would buy something at WWRY.  We managed to get our tickets and so made our way back to the hotel for a change and to freshen up.  Around 6.30ish we went back to the dominion and met Jamie outside.  Sam and Jamie were not coming in (they were getting fed up with WWRY by this point.)  The rest of us went in and found our standing places; got drinks and merchandise J  the standing room is right at the top of the circle so as far away from the stage as possible!!  Sarah managed to take some photos though which was pretty cool.  It was good fun and as we were standing we got to dance around a bit lol……….  During the slow song No-one but you Coops got out a load of lighters for us, which we started waving but we got told off for it lol………….  It was a good night and afterwards we went with Sam, Jamie and Gabriel to the bar they had been in for most of the night.  At one stage some bloke came into the bar with some chips.  Brigitte, Eliza and Coops all said that they wanted to experience proper fish and chips so we were on a mission to find them some.  So when this bloke walked in with some we all argued between us who should go and ask him where he got them from.  Eventually Jamie went over to ask him and he even offered her some lol…………………..  Armed with the knowledge that a fish and chip shop wasn’t that far Brigitte, Eliza, Coops and I went to find it.  Straight across the road from the Dominion was a shop on the corner with a bright neon sign saying Fish and Chips.  *rolls eyes* couldn’t believe we’d missed that one!!  Once there I have to give the girls a quick lesson in fish and chips and they order 3 cod and chips.  The fish was huge and it all came in a cone for us to be able to eat them straight away.  I had sausage and chips J  we stood outside to eat them whilst being entertained by some bongo player and all the drunken people on the streets of London on a very warm Saturday night.  The girls were very happy they had finally had a taste of proper fish and chips.  Once we were full we made our way back to the pub.  After photos were taken and bitching about the bar staff we went back to the hotel.
 
Slept better that night J  we put the fan on in our room and although I couldn’t feel it all that well it still made a difference.  Also Brigitte had brought her copy of Gluttons for Punishment over for me to have a look so I borrowed that for the night and found it very interesting!!
 
Hope you enjoyed that - part 3 Sunday coming soon xx
 

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Jen,  I`m glad you came to London when the weather was still nice and sunny.  I can see you had a great time...AGAIN!  I`d really love to go on the London Eye, I`ve heard it`s really worth it for the view. :o)

Sandra xxxx

Anonymous said...

What a fantastic day ,The sight seeing was great ,you should have gone on the eye I did and dont like hights but loved it it moves so slowly and it isnt at all scary ....Hey never mind all that lol ....I still want to know if you have moved flats ?.,.,.,Jan xx

Anonymous said...

Can't beat London on a Saturday night. And I agree with Jean, you should have gone on the eye. B. x

Anonymous said...

Oops! Did I say Jean? I meant Jan, of course. DOH!  B. x

Anonymous said...

Awww, sounds like you had a brilliant day.  Loved the photos.....and you got a smiling policeman!!  Not often that happens!
The one and only time I've been to London was with my school 10 years ago.  I had an absolute ball and would love to go back.  It's expensive though, eh?
Keep the entries coming!
Hugs,
Ainsley xxxx
ps; you're first on the list when I win the lottery!!
xxx

Anonymous said...

Lolol you're a wacky lot.  You wouldn't get me on that wheel unless you wanted me to upchuck!!  They're lovely photo's Jen, even the one you don't like. Rache

Anonymous said...

Loved the photos Jen! I'd love to go on the Eye! I'm glad you had a great time! Jeannette xx  

Anonymous said...

Glad to see you back again. London is great isn't it? I do miss it but I also love being able to breathe in fresh country air like I do now. You had an exciting time in London...very interesting. Love Connie

Anonymous said...

Aww..I've only discovered these wonderful entries today! Thanks so much for writing this up! It was a wonderful time. Hoping for a repeat! No matter where and when! xxx

Anonymous said...

Jen, looooooove your writing! I am so happy you put it all in one place so that old people like me can re-read should they forget most of it! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Those areas in London aren't that far from me! Sounds as though you all enjoyed yourselves!
http://journals.aol.co.uk/irisclyde/LaDolceVita

Anonymous said...

Hi Jen :-) LOVE the photo's!! Kaylee's been on the London Eye but it's tooooo big for me ~ I'm a chicken now I'm old LOL. Sounds like you had a great time and don't forget you said you'd let me know if you're ever in London again ;-) Take care my friend
love n hugs Deb ~xxxx~
http://journals.aol.com/debbiewebb4465/TheLifeTimesofanEssexGirl