First day in London 17th Sept

We stayed overnight at the London Eye Hostel. That was an experience and we still have one night left before we pick somewhere else to stay. It's a 15 bed dormitary. 4 bunk beds 3 high and 1 bunk bed 2 high. This room is maybe 4m x 5m tops. Ryan and I are both on the second level up and i quickly realise i got to get used to climbing up in it whether my collarbone is broken or not. I tell you it's not easy. The room is boiling hot, even though outside it's freezing! Only 1 day in, it's different thats for sure.

We set the alarm for 7am. Got up and had a freezing shower!!!! Then headed to the kitchen for the free continental breakfast. Toast, cereal and a cuppa. The cuppa was all i really needed but i made sure Ryan filled up on cereal and toast so we didn't have to buy lunch until later.

Today's a long long day for us. We pay 26 pound each to get a 48 hour ticket on the Big Red Bus. This takes you all around London to all the sites and you can hop on and off as much as you like. I never thought that i would like London but there is so much history here. So many old buildings, it is amazing. Big Ben, St Pauls Cathedral and the London Bridge are all spectacular. We also did the Buckingham Palace Tour which was 17pound. I have no real interest in the queen or the royal family but this place is amazing. So extravegant, if you go to London you really have to do the tour and experience it all. It's expensive but it's definately worth it.

Ryan on London Bridge

Kayte and Ryan and Big Ben

How is this for timing aswell, the Pope is in London for 2 days. what caos! People everywhere, cops everywhere with machine guns and traffic jams galore.... Oh and that also meant that the map we had of where all the bus stops for the hop on hop off bus were, had changed temporarily for the day and oh did we get lost. I have never been so frustrated before, walking around and around doing atleast a 10km block only to end up back where we began and no closer to where we had to be arrrghhhh!!!! Poor Ryan had to put up with me whinging too!!! I was so frustrated but getting lost is all part of it.



Buckingham Palace



We ended the day going to Harrods and driving through Notting Hill. Did i mention that London is the most expensive place i have ever been to. Because we only get 58 pence per our dollar, you basically have to double the price in your head to figure out what it's worth in the aussie dollar. For example 4 pound for a train ticket. That's atleast $7 in aus dollar. What a rip off!



Anyway, Tonight was the Lion King so we had to hurry back to our hostel and get changed into warmer clothes as the show started at 7.30. Wow! The Lion King was spectacular, even Ryan thoroughlyenjoyed it. Amazing sets and costumes. The giraffe and elephant costumes where unbelieveable, it truly was an impressive show.

By the time we got back to our hostel it had been atleast 12hours. We hopped on the net and booked our accomodation for the next 2 nights in London at the Astor Victoria and then went straight to our room. As soon as our heads hit the pillow we where asleep.