As the end of 2024 was drawing to a close, we intended for one last day trip to London. We were looking forward to seeing London with its festive lights all aglow.

Sadly, we were not able to visit London to enjoy the festivities because mum became unwell again and was admitted to hospital at the end of November. Mum is not home yet but is being assessed and looked after in a care home.

Knowing that she is safe and being looked after meant that we could take time out for a day trip to London.

The train ran smoothly and we arrived in London in time for lunch in The Square Pig, Holborn. Several dishes including steak and pie were off the menu, leaving Mr C a little disappointed. However, we both found the fish and chips delicious.

Next, we visited the Sir john Soane’s Museum. Sir john Soane, one of the renowned English architects, built and lived in the house until his death in 1837.

“In 1833, Soane negotiated a private Act of Parliament: to preserve his house and collection, exactly as it was arranged at the time of his death, in perpetuity – and to keep it open and free for inspiration and education. Upon his death in January 1837, a Board of Trustees took on the responsibility of upholding Soane’s wishes – as they continue to do today.”

There were so many things on display in close proximity that it was impossible to take everything in although Mr C spotted all three commanders from the battle of Waterloo. This left us feeling rather overwhelmed. We found one of the exhibits, the sarcophagus of Seti I, particularly interesting. The sarcophagus, made of alabaster, is carved inside and out with Egyptian hieroglyphs showing the text of ‘The Book of the Gates’. The text describes the rituals needed to pass safely into afterlife. Drawn Inside the base of the sarcophagus is the figure of Nut, goddess of the sky, whose role is to guide and protect the dead.

Next, we walked the short distance to the Museum of Freemasonry. The museum displays artifacts with accompanying text that explores the origins of Freemasonry, which lie in the traditions of medieval stonemasons who built our cathedrals and castles. The guiding principles of Freemasonry are; Integrity, Friendship, Respect and Charity.

Part of the museum display shows the myths surrounding freemasonry and how these were made popular by news media outlets and popular novels promoting conspiracy theories.

We hope to go back and book a tour which takes visitors into the ceremonial areas of the Freemasons Hall including the Grand Temple, shrine and vestibules.

We had some time to spare before catching our train home so we walked to Foyles bookshop, hoping for tea and cake along the way. We entered Covent Garden but found the area loud, noisy, full of mundane shopping outlets and lacking in suitable cake opportunities (a shadow of its former self), I was reminded of why I don’t like cities.

We quickly continued our walk to Foyles, but decided not to indulge in cake there either. The café was full and the cakes were enormous, leaving me to wonder when a nice tasty sweet treat had turned into a full-blown meal option!

We both enjoyed browsing our favourite sections in Foyles; for Mr C that is the military history section and for me the religious and spiritual section, historical fiction and the board game section.

We eventually found ‘cake’ in a nearby Costa where the service was painfully slow and impersonal…

We took the tube back to Euston for our return journey home. We always purchase sandwiches from Pret before our return journey but the sandwich options were limited and we found the nearby M&S options in a similar state (almost sold out). After choosing the best of what was available, we made it to the platform just in time to catch the train home.

It wasn’t a classic day out in London compared to our previous day trips but our adventure gave us well needed down time.

For many years Mr C and I have wanted to visit the Temple church in London. The church is only open to visitors Monday to Friday and we have historically visited London on a Saturday.

We recently took a day trip to London using our discount railcards with the specific aim of visiting the Temple Church.

Before visiting the church, we had lunch in the Spaghetti House where due to the glorious weather we able to eat outside.

We enjoyed our visit to the church and learning the history behind it.

“Temple Church, steeped in the history of Christendom, this country and the whole Common Law World. 1162: the Round Church was built to be London’s Jerusalem. 1214–19: Magna Carta was negotiated in the Temple, and its greatest hero was buried in the Church. 1584, 1776, 1787: from Raleigh’s expeditions through the colonial constitutions to the American Declaration of Independence and Constitution, the Temple was the birthplace of American Law. And to this day the Church serves the legal colleges Inner and Middle Temple, London’s residents, visiting jurists and travellers from all over the world with some of the most uplifting services, music and discussions in London. “

After our visit we walked through Victoria Embankment Gardens soaking up the sunshine. Then with time to spare we intended to visit the National Gallery but there was a long queue so we decided to walk around the corner and visit the National Portrait Gallery instead.

Before entering the galleries, we had cake, sharing two different types with a raspberry and lime refresher to drink. We were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed the gallery and how much we had changed since our previous visit over 20 years ago.

Next, we visited Foyles book shop which was on Mr C’s ‘To Do’ list for the day. He didn’t purchase anything but somehow another board game found its way into my bag…

Now it was time to head back to the station for our return journey. We purchased refreshments including a New Yorker Rye Roll to eat on the train.

The train was on time and much to the surprise of our friends were able to join them for last orders in one of our local hostelries.

The breakfast spread was nice but the service was typical of a London hotel. The toast didn’t arrive and had to be re-ordered.

Our first port of call for the day was the Natural History Museum.  We got there before the museum was open and there was already a queue to get in. When the gates opened we were able to jump the queue because we had paid for tickets to see the ‘Mammoths: Ice Age Giants’ exhibition in order to see baby Lyuba, the most complete woolly mammoth ever found. We got into the exhibition early which meant it was quiet and we were able to enjoy the display without people being in the way.  The exhibition was very well done. I was surprised to learn that there are three types of elephant not just two because there are two types of African elephant; plains and forest.

It was obligatory to go and see the model of the blue whale which is stunning due to its size. Due to the school holidays there was a long queue to visit the dinosaurs so we gave them a miss.  There is always next time The other must visit part of the museum for me was the large escalator ascending into the giant earth sculpture.  This took us to the display on earthquakes and volcanoes and the moving plate that simulates the Kobe earthquake in Japan. By this time the museum was heaving and we decided it was time to leave and visit somewhere a little quieter.

Our destination was Foyles book shop. Earlier this year it moved locations to the shop next door to where it had previously been.  The sections I enjoy seem to have expanded and had larger selection of books to be tempted by. I was very restrained but someone next to me at the till clocked up a bill of £460!!!

After the days walking it was nice to get back to the hotel to put my feet up and have a nice relaxing bath before dinner. We dined in an Italian restaurant just of Sloane Square.  The food was delicious, the service was excellent and it was wonderful to sit outside in the warm English air enjoying the atmosphere. After our meal we caught the tube back to the hotel for a nightcap before retiring for some well earned sleep.

Many years ago, a former work colleague organised a day trip to London. The one off trip turned into an annual event taking place in October or November. A core group of people are always present on the trips. The 2013 trip took place last Saturday and, as one of my colleagues said today ‘London 2013 won’t be forgotten in a hurry’.

On arrival we were dropped off at Marble Arch. Mr C and I took a leisurely stroll along the edge of Hyde Park to the Wellington Arch where we were informed that the lift was currently out of order and that we would have to use the stairs.  I found out later that the lift had only just broken!

I had not visited the Wellington Arch before and it is currently housing an exhibition that I particularly wanted to see. The exhibition is called ‘Brutal & Beautiful… Saving the Twentieth Century’. The exhibition looks at the love/hate relationship with our recent architectural past and asks ‘what is worth saving?’ I found the exhibition very interesting; there was a varied selection of unique architecture which was not necessarily pleasing on the eye. But in the context of keeping it as a history of the past, maybe we should… You can view a few examples here.

We hailed a cab to take us for lunch in a location near to the Wallace Collection.  Mr C had a particular restaurant in mind but couldn’t remember which street it was in. The taxi driver was brilliant he took us to the best place for restaurants only 5 minutes walk from the Wallace Collection.  He dropped us right outside the restaurant that Mr C had in mind and gave us directions to the Wallace Collection.  We had an enjoyable, leisurely lunch including chatting to two ladies on an adjoining table.

We then set off for the Wallace Collection.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Wallace Collection’s displays of French 18th century painting, furniture and porcelain with superb Old Master paintings and a world class armoury. There was so much to take in and I know I missed a lot but I will go back again, perhaps next year. After picking up some sandwiches to eat on the coach on our way home and a refreshing cup of tea we visited Foyles book shop. I was allowed far too much time in there. I came away with three books…

We along with everyone else arrived at the coach pick up on time. The coach set off at the allotted time and all was well for about ten minutes… As we were travelling on the A40 just outside the city the coach driver announced that there was a problem. The turbo charger had broken!! The driver nursed the coach off the A40 onto the slip road towards Shepherds Bush where he parked the coach before phoning the coach company for them to make alternative arrangements for our journey home.

Shortly after, a fire engine and an ambulance arrived and parked either side of the coach.  Apparently some other travellers on the A40 had noticed the clouds of smoke (burn’t oil) emitting from the coach and had informed the emergency services that a bus was on fire!!

A fireman boarded the coach and some of the older ladies got excited seeing a man in a uniform! He beat a very hasty retreat…

The police came eventually to evaluate the situation. Before leaving they advised that there were no food or toilet facilities in the area and that people could get off the coach as long as they stayed between the coach and the slipway barrier.

A London coach company phoned to say they couldn’t take us all the way home but they could take us to the nearest service station and they could be there in ten to fifteen minutes. In the meanwhile the A40 had been closed off for maintenance causing to the A40 traffic to be funneled off onto the slip road that was partially blocked by our coach. Fifteen minutes passed by, there was no sign of the local coach, but the tow truck turned up and waited alongside us. A while later the London company driver phoned to say he couldn’t find us, what was our post code location? Our driver said, ‘I am not from this area I don’t know the postcode’.  He then provided detailed directions to where we were. The London company coach driver eventually phoned to say, ‘I can’t find you.  I am here’ (here was just around the corner).

The police were phoned again so they could come and assess the situation.  Towing a coach with people on board is only allowed with a police escort.  At this stage we had been trapped on the coach for 4 hours.  However, due to the camaraderie, it felt a lot less.  Eventually the police got through the road block and escorted the towed coach around the corner to the petrol station where the relief coach had parked. The petrol station refused to allow any of the passengers to use their loos and the relief coach driver got a frosty response from all the passengers.

We were quite relieved to be deposited at the motorway service station at midnight. There was food (of sorts), toilet facilities and the welcome relief of being able to stretch our legs and walk around.

The rescue coach that our company had sent out was also beset by delays… All the motorways to London had roadworks in places causing detours which meant that an hour was added to its journey. We sat, we drank, we ate and used the facilities We were SO happy when the relief coach arrived.

I eventually arrived back home at 4.10 am and I was in bed 10 minutes later…

I wonder what London 2014 will bring…

I didn’t like any of the photos enough to include them in my 100 photos so it is back to the drawing board on that.