Great Britain Odyssey 2010: Oct 2, 2010

Today we had a wonderful English breakfast at The Old Farmhouse and headed out to London about 65 miles away. The drive was fairly straightforward until we actually got into London proper about 10 miles from the guest house we will be staying at for the rest of the trip and then it got pretty hairy. Narrow CROWDED roads ... but we did get to The Glenlyn Guest House. We were able to check in early dump the bags in a room and head to the Hertz car rental return at Heathrow airport. THIS was a really tense 15 or so mile drive (seemed like 500) because Wicked Wanda chose to direct us through some very busy streets in London vs the major motorways we were all hoping for ..I believe this was a parting shot from WICKED WANDA since she knew she would be stowed away after this trip ... we did manage to return the car to Hertz and then began the task of finding our way back to the lodging ... but before actually heading to the guesthouse for the night we decided to divert to the famous Portabello Road antique market. Now this required catching "the tube" underground railway at the airport and switching train lines a couple of times ... I am sure that this is a really terrific antiquing experience ... except in my case I really could not enjoy it realizing several things ...

1. I was completely "lost" in a city of 7.5 million people
2. It was raining
3. There were literally thousands of people filling the stores, sidewalks and streets ... think Night In Old San Antonio x 10
4. I discovered very quickly that I have something of a phobia being crowded in with people blathering in many different languages none of which I understand
5. I was hungry and had no interest in eating any of the 'street vendor' food available ... this is NOT a "clean" place by any stretch of the imagination.
6. I knew we had several train rides ahead of us and I really really really don't like public transportation

BUT ... we did walk down the street go in a few shops and ultimately find our way to a "tube station" ... venture like rabbits in a warren underground, check train routes ... board crowded, smelly, loud uncomfortable trains and make our way to the right stop and walk in the rain about half a mile to the lodging.

I shall be ever so glad to leave London ... I remember why I have never been to New York City and never intend to go.

Tomorrow we shall once again board the train headed into London to visit The British Museum and perhaps some other downtown sites ... the weather we have enjoyed to date has now abandoned us in favor of the typical rainy London weather so being inside will be better than out I suppose.

I have a few pictures posted below ...

The Old Farmhouse