Rob’s Randomness

So, our time in London is almost over and I think it is time for….

Rob’s Top Ten Random Notes of Importance regarding London

Please understand that this is my (Rob) list only, with a little help from family, but it is my opinion only.  These are in no particular order, other than things that seem more important to me are nearer the top, or in this case, the bottom:

10. Fish and Chips – okay, you can get just about anything to eat that your little heart desires in London, but this is so classic that it would just be wrong not to partake.  I have had them in several places on different trips, but it’s just hard to beat the shop in Kew. 

9.  The chance to travel cheap on the buses and tube.  Yes, you can take a cab anywhere and everywhere, but mass transit is efficient and fairly easy to use.  And plan on walking.  People walk here so much more than in the states.  You find yourself seeing so much more when walking, it’s great.

8. That groceries are much cheaper and pharmacy items are much more expensive. 

7.  Hard to find a regular cup of coffee.  Lattes, mochas, Americanos, all the froufrou drinks can be found on every street corner.  A plain cup of coffee?  Not so much.

6.  A hot cup of tea with sugar and cream is a great replacement for that coffee on a chilly, rainy day.  And honestly, many other times as well.

5.  Free museums.  Can I just say that one more time?  FREE MUSEUMS.  And there is a museum for just about everything in London.

4.  Lines (Queues) are not long for most attractions, but tickets can be hard to get due to restricted availability – Covid issues.  Not nearly as many people, tourists, as there have been on past trips but there are still a lot of things that have not reopened yet also.

3.  No frozen burritos or pizza rolls.  Weird, I know but this has severely affected my children and it’s not hard to guess what Eli’s first meal will be when we return.  The boy does miss his burritos!

2.  The South Bank.  This refers to the south bank of the Thames and is a stretch of pavement that runs along the river and is home to many restaurants, regular and pop-up, pubs, coffee shops, cafes, street performers, musicians, a skate park, the London Eye, aquarium, etc.  We stayed in a hotel on that side last visit and loved walking it daily.  Not there this time but have been down several times with the kids.  Great people-watching place!

1.  Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London.  I had never done this before and was very moved by it.  Performed nightly for over 700 years, never missed and been late only once.  Only takes an hour or so to see, but so full of history and drama that I wholly recommend to everyone.  One of my favorite things that I have ever done here.

And here’s some London pictures, also random in nature: