I was super excited to leave work early today, and get an early start on our long weekend. I left Cambridge to meet Day in Milford, at our friend’s house. From there, Day and I will make our way to Logan Airport, and then, London! I’ve been looking forward to this trip, why? Because it’s just me and Day this time, and I am looking forward to spending time with my wife.

Getting to the airport, through security and to the gate, was a piece of cake, thank God, I’d hate to start our weekend bickering with Day, travel day can be stressful. So, as long as the wind (it’s a little stormy tonight) doesn’t affect our flight, I’ll see you in London tomorrow.

Day One: Arrival and a Food Tour

I did a bit of research before coming to London, public transportation being one of the topics. I thought I was a genius when I purchased our Oyster Cards (pre paid public transportation cards) online. Everything I watched suggested buying a card online, and pre load it with £15. Getting out of the airport and on a train to London would then be a breeze (you’d miss the lines of people, waiting to purchase their cards at the kiosks). Although, it seems, £15 isn’t enough to get out of the airport and off to London during peak travel time. So, we waiting in line anyhow, to put more on (“top up” in London, not “top off”) our Oyster Cards, not the genius I thought I was. If you pre purchase an Oyster Card (which I recommend) put £25 on it.

So, travel day was perfectly painless. We were even able to check into our hotel, the Rookery, hours early. We dropped off our bags and wandered about London, until our 3 pm. food tour. We like booking something the first night, it keeps us out of the hotel, and from taking any naps. As badly as you might want to take a short nap, ya gotta muscle through it, it’s the only way to get through the jet lag.

I booked a food tour with Secret Food Tours, and our guide, Sophie, was fantastic. She was young, enthusiastic and funny. She was a huge rugby fan, and swore like a construction worker, what’s not to like? It turns out, while we were there, the World Cup was going on. England had just beaten New Zealand, and all they’d have to to now, is beat South Africa on Saturday to win the World Cup. Sophie seemed pretty excited about it, I wanted to offer my condolences the next day, they got their asses whooped. The tour took us around Borough Market on the south bank of the Thames River (pronounced “Temz”) near London Bridge, a pretty neat neighborhood. The food was good, we had a Bap (a breakfast sandwich) fish and chips, a sausage roll, which was awesome, and a few other things I can’t remember. The market was great, fun to walk around and I’d recommend it, even if you don’t do a food tour.

Day two: a Walking Tour

It’s actually Sunday now, day #3, and we are sitting downstairs in a sitting room, by a fire, waiting to go out for “afternoon tea,” which I am surprisingly excited about. But before it becomes a big blur, let’s talk about yesterday.

Friday was beautiful in London, however, yesterday it rained, all day. So, like everyone else in London, we went to the British Museum. I’m not much of a museum person. Museums always seem a bit overwhelming to me, there’s too much to look at and read, and my attention span is quite short. Day wanted to go though, it was raining, and, it’s free, so we went to the museum. Aside from the crowds, it was pretty good, and had some great photo opps.

After the museum, we did a walking tour, with London Walks. Day wanted to do the “Disastrous London” tour, which started at the Barbican near our hotel. The tour was about two hours long, and Andy, our guide was really, really good. The topic: centuries of disaster, war, fires, plagues and brutality. London Walks seems pretty good. There are many different tours, all throughout the day (I was kinda interested in the nighttime “Jack the Ripper” tour, but we didn’t have time). Just show up at the designated time and location, and pay then, no pre booking required. I like those, you can keep your plans pretty flexible. Day and I wanna do more than just “see” the sights, we enjoy learning something as well. Walking tours, food tours and local markets are a great way to spend your vacation.

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For dinner, Day wanted to try Indian food at the Dishoom Restaurant, in the trendy neighborhood of Shoreditch. Trendy means, we don’t take reservations and make you stand in line for two hours, so we look cool. The food was good, but it’s London, and I’m sure you can find an equally as good restaurant that isn’t “trendy.” If you like good food, waiting in line and what’s trending though, the Dishoom is a great choice.

After the two hour wait in line, and dinner, I made Day take a quick walk (it may have been a bus ride) to Tower Bridge, so I could get some pictures, which came out awesome, if I do say so myself. I couldn’t get her to cross the river for a different perspective though. We did take a bus back home. You can’t go to London and not ride the red double decker buses. With your Oyster Card, and an app called Citymapper, public transportation is easy, and fun.

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Day three: The Churchill War Room

Day’s a huge WWII buff, and wanted to do the Churchill War Room Museum, so we were up and out fairly early Sunday morning. We started our day with breakfast and an unexpected surprise, the Covent Garden Market. The breakfast place was in this great market, with all kinds of vendors, restaurants and entertainment. They were beginning to set up for Christmas, which made it even more festive.

Not so festive, but in my opinion, an absolute must while in London, the Churchill War Room Museum. I said Day was the WWII buff, but I am as well. WWII was the single largest event in history, in just a few years every WWII veteran will be dead and there is an entire generation that knows very little about WWII, the “greatest generation” and the man John F. Kennedy described as, “the most honored and honorable man to walk the stage of human history in the time in which we live,” Winston Churchill. Surely we all have an hour or two for “the most honorable man to walk the stage of human history…”

After the War Rooms, Day and I went for a walk, the long way of course (about 2 miles). We walked to Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abby, and Big Ben. We had no time to do any tours, but the walk was nice, the rain held off all day, and we had reservations for “afternoon tea” to make. We were here for just a long weekend, and London is big, with lots to do and see, so we had to prioritize. You can never see everything, so why try. Day and I wanted to do a food tour, a walking tour, the War Rooms, tea and a play, relax and enjoy each other’s company, we did all that and got our “steps” in.

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Day was excited about “afternoon tea,” and it wasn’t long before I too, got excited about having a traditional “afternoon tea.” She chose the hotel Montague on the Gardens for our tea. Wow, that place was nice. When Day and I come back to London, that’s where we’ll stay. The hotel is beautiful, “tea” was great, and the location is perfect. It’s right next to the British Museum, and Buckingham Palace is just a short walk due south. The location was convenient for the nights activities as well, a play at Duchess Theatre. So if plays are your thing, the Montague is just on the north end of the theatre district.

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For our last night, Day wanted to see a “A Play that Goes Wrong.” It’s a comedy and the premise is: everything goes wrong, they are terrible actors, working with a terrible director, on a set that is falling apart. The play was fun, pizza afterwards, and a nice bus ride home, made for a perfect evening with Day.

Day four: Heading Home

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After breakfast and a walk over the Millennium Bridge to Borough Market, Day and I made our way to Farringdon Station and our train to the airport, our long weekend was over. I am on the plane now, a chance to give thought to our trip, and write.

Long weekends, Day and I need to take more of them. This little getaway was impromptu, we decided on London because the flights were cheap. It turns out, London is a great city and I had a great time. I think what I liked best about it, it was just me and Day. The trip was also very easy. There were only a few things on our itinerary, which Day chose, and I happily did, and, enjoyed. I got to do what I wanted as well: ride the red double decker buses all over town, visiting some of the more iconic sights of London, and take way too many pictures, and of course, post stuff on Facebook, all of which she tolerated. A long weekend in London was perfect for me and Day. I think it could be for you as well, give it a go.

Luv ya,
Curly