I had guidebook Chuck nagged me to get sent to Giselle’s place so had to get up way early one winter’s day to go pick it up. She wasn’t there as she had gone back to NZ for a couple of weeks so I had to go over before her flatmates left for work. The actual book wasn’t there of course, I had been left a card and had to catch the tube to another stop to find the place to pick up the book. But finally I had Rick Steve's London 2009 (plus I couldn’t resist getting Vegan a Go-Go too).
After skimming The Book I selected the Bankside Walk as my mission for that day. Took the tube to London Bridge and couldn’t find the exit the book said to take so got a little lost before finding London Bridge (it hadn’t fallen down). The visibility was not good and I could hardly see Tower Bridge.
The weather was pretty crap actually. Still snow on the ground that had gone all icey and it was pouring with rain. Plus I felt crap as I was getting over a cold.
But I persevered with my mission. I found Southwark Cathedral and I sat on a pew and read The Book for awhile to rest and defrost before I had a look around. By the time I had done that the Borough Market was open and I had a good wander around and got a super veg burger for lunch.
Next I found the Golden Hinde replica. It’s actually a pretty small ship considering it took so many men around the world. I just looked at the outside and didn’t go in. Sorry rats, maybe when I become a real pirate I shall steal the ship and take it on a personal world plundering voyage. It would please the FSM.
The Winchester Palace is just a wall with a window in it now but I gave it a good look over as I walked past.
I skipped the Clink Museum on the advice of The Book and I didn’t bother with Vinopolis and The Anchor Pub since I don’t drink.
I considered the tour of the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre but decided that it would be better when there weren’t so many teenagers around (they were swarming) plus cheaper if I do it in with other sights in one go with a London pass. So saving that for a later date I made the choice to concentrate on seeing The Tate Modern.
I saw everything and even liked some of it. There was actually some interesting stuff and it was a lot less “looks like they gave a two year old some crayons” than I feared.
I was pretty tired due to my illness and early start to the day. I actually almost fell asleep next to one of my favourite displays. It was a whole lot of silverware that had been crushed and then hung in circles. There were a few little rooms that were showing films and had benches that looked rather comfy in them. I was so tempted to just have a little nap on one of them but didn’t think it would be a good idea.
Leaving the museum I walked across the millennium bridge (no swaying) and past St Pauls to its tube stop and the train home.
Another day I attempted to visit The RAF Museum. Unfortunately I didn’t make it as I got lost. This seems to be a chronic problem for me lately. My theory is that being in the Northern Hemisphere is confusing my sense of direction. Perhaps the sun shines from a different angle and my innate inner direction finder gets all messed up and can’t cope with the change.
Whatever it is, it doesn’t help when I forget to bring my A to Z and don’t realise that the turn I knew I had to make had actually been a gentle curve in the road I had already taken…
So the day I actually made it to the museum was a personal victory.
I am not that into military stuff (the whole trained government killer, getting up dreadfully early to be yelled at deal has never appealed to me) but the museum was free and it had some interesting stuff. I quite liked the wall of aviation history year by year and there was a nice little 3D movie of a fighter jet.
I was pretty good at the ATC computer game thing. I knew that I should land the biz jet before the 747 due to wake turbulence. The guy I was taking turns with didn’t turn his plane in time and it had a mid air collision. I tried not to look too smug when I didn’t repeat his mistake.
There was a Tri-Star cockpit simulator which was larger inside than I expected. Plus lots of old military aircraft to wander around a gawk at.
I ran out of time to see the battle of Britain hall, not sure that I really have any great desire to see it, but if I ever get the urge to see it I can always go back.
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