5 J's in the U.K.: August 2006

Picture This: 4 Adults, 1 Pre-teen, and 1 Infant in a stroller. Everyone is pulling a suitcase or two and it's rush hour in London. These idiots try to get from Kings Cross rail station to Westminster (about 2miles or so) via the Underground (subway system in London). The train they need to be on is stopped because someone fell onto the tracks so they have to take all the luggage and the stroller up a 60 degree inclined escalator back to street level where they now proceed to WALK to their destination. Yes, these obvious tourists are clanking their way towards Westminster, luggage and stroller in tow, confusedly looking at street signs and debating whether or not they should hail a cab. Eventually the decision is made and the cabbie says they can ALL pile in. So in they go, 4 Adults, 1 Pre-teen, 1 Infant, a stroller, 4 suitcases, a back pack, and diaper bag. Pretty picture huh?! After all piling in and telling the cab driver where their destination is one can see a look of unbelief in his eyes. Next is a short, and I mean short, ride around the block and about 500yards more to the hotel where they all pile out like clowns from a tiny car. Lovely, stinkin' lovely!

Yes, this was us. Jim, Jackie, Grampa Gary, Grama Marti, Auntie Em', and Jailee. We should have brought Jemma and made it a little more exciting eh? All in all we had a great weekend in London. We took a double Decker bus tour that allowed us to stop at different locations, stay as long as we liked, and get back on. We saw the Tower of London, where we spent most of our time, Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, the Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar square, ......and much much more. We had dinner at a great restaurant and didn't forget to tip the carver! Auntie Em' got to visit Build-A-Bear in London where she made a Hello Kitty (she named her Jello Kitty) not only for her but for Jailee as well. It was a great weekend, the perfect way to close out a wonderful visit!

Below are a few pics of us on the train ride from Ely to Kings Cross in London. Jailee and I had never had a train ride before so it was befitting that it should be to London.