TTTT: Packing Tip - Admit You're Going to Buy Things and Be Prepared

When we travel, I like to shop for people. I recently picked up an adorable baby outfit in Paris for a baby shower I had been invited to. I like to buy German chocolate and other candy to share when we get home. I pick up small trinkets like Christmas ornaments or accessories for myself. My sons like neckties for church so I will try to find one that has regional meaning to it. And, of course, t-shirts - we're always buying t-shirts. Sometimes I get a special request from someone because stuff from the Harry Potter shop in Kings Cross station is WAY COOLER than your run-of-the-mill HP stuff you can find in the US.

That being said, I can never guess what kind of extra space I'll need because I don't know what I'll find. Early on, we tried the "Just Don't Stuff Your Suitcase Full" method. Well, I have found that if there is space in the case, I will fill it with one more thing (Regina K is guilty of over-packing.....).

Despite our best efforts, we usually found that there just wasn't room to put much in at the end. Besides, I swear my clothes "fluff" in a suitcase. Maybe it's that when you come home, it's all dirty so you practice the "who cares" packing method of pretty much just wadding it all in. And, Mr. Cockfosters is always convinced that he's "not taking much" and will pick his normal sized carry-on but then keep saying things like, "Do you have room for my....."

So, during one trip, we realized that it just wasn't going to all fit. So, we ran to a mall and bought a canvas bag we could check. It changed our life (okay, we lead simple lives where we get excited about simple things). We now have this lovely (it's ugly, but lovely in concept) 18 inch sturdy canvas duffel bag that we take on every trip as our extra stuff bag. Before every trip, I get that thing out and flatten it down and place it in the bottom of my suitcase and then pack all my things on top of it. It takes up almost no space and weighs very little. When we arrive and I start buying things to be brought home, I toss them in the open mouth of the duffel bag. It's a good visual of what I've done so far. I know that if that bag starts to get full, I need to shift the shopping down. If I still have specific things to get, I need to keep space for those. If we have extra space in the end, we take a trip to Marks and Spencer or Waitrose and stock up on candy or other fun things we can share with others when we get home. The bag comes home full every time. However, because it's also canvas and I know what airport luggage handlers do to luggage, it is sometimes stuffed with shoes, dirty underwear and socks (don't worry, we keep the food separated) while we put the Christmas ornaments or more delicate things I might have found into my suitcase in a manner that protects them better.

Now, here is the only word of caution where you just might run afoul of this glorious TTTT; the dreaded flight from London to another European destination.....

We got trapped in that ONCE. I had gloriously shopped my heart out in London at Christmas time. We were flying to Germany and then driving on to France for Christmas markets. I was feeling so smug about my shopping finds and had left room for the treasures I was going to find at the Christmas markets. We were going to come back and check back in to our hotel near Paddington for 2 more days before flying home. As were getting ready to leave with all our luggage, we suddenly had a horrible realization that the duffel bag was going to be stupidly expensive to check-in at the airport and that we already had carry-ons. European Airlines do NOT mess around with carry-on luggage. They don't turn the other way when you try to roll your giant suitcase down the ramp or carry-on 4 bags. And, they pretty much charge you for every bag you check and it adds up fast. We had a similar situation the following year with Regina P and her Mr. Cockfosters - although we were ready for it that time.

So, here were our solutions in both cases. The first year, we had our hotel keep our luggage. We were literally coming back in 4 days. They put up a tremendous fight, though. Their "policy" was to only keep luggage for 2 days. But, come on.... we had a reservation for 4 days later. It's not like we said, "We MIGHT be back". We ended up winning that fight and actually left both the duffel AND Mr. Cockfosters' suitcase there. We pared down our wardrobe and made extra space in the case for purchases. We ended up stuffing our carry-ons with our German and French Christmas Market finds, but it was mostly small trinkets and ornaments - which I had anticipated would be the bulk of our purchases. It worked.

The next year after spending several days in London, we went on to Munich. We knew we would be coming back from Munich with the other Cockfosters and spending the night at a hotel by Heathrow before flying home the next morning. So, we ended up leaving luggage at a service in Heathrow:LINK here. It's cheaper than checking bags on airlines and you don't have to drag EVERYTHING around with you which was handy when we found out our cute little inn in Munich had no lift and we had to carry everything up the stairs.

So, my TTTT (Tried and True Travel Tip) is: Plan for purchases! Don't pretend you won't buy anything. You may not spend much but what you do buy will need space to come home.

Getting Around London: Part 2 - Buses and the Tube

I have a love/hate relationship with the Tube.  It's kind of amazing to me that you can crawl down into a hole at one station and pop up across the city at another.  However, you missed a lot of good bits in between.  It's a way go get around London traffic, but it's also just a way to get around.  

If you are there for a good number of days, think about getting a proper Oyster Card.  They are the plastic cards everyone taps on the yellow pads going in and out of the stations.  They cost £5 to get one, but you can get your money back before you leave (just remember to do it before you head to the airport, there is no way to do it once you get there).  If you are mathy, you can load just the right amount of money on to it for your stay.  However, it probably won't work out completely and you'll have to get back some money when you leave along with your card price.  

Don't get scammed by the on-line "Order a visitor Oyster Card before you leave" game.  It's legit, but you might as well wait until you get there. You can purchase your Oyster Card at any of the Tube stations at Heathrow and load money onto it right there and use it immediately.  You can take the tube into Paddington station, but we prefer the Heathrow Express (doesn't accept Oyster Cards). More on that, later.  

You can pick up an Oyster Card at any Tube Station with a ticket kiosk once you get into London.  Londoners may not be patient behind you so try to find a ticket machine that is less busy.  Regina P and her husband were loading money on to both their Oyster cards on our trip and the man behind them started complaining about it not being rocket science and telling them to hurry up.  He was put in his place when they turned around and said, "We are putting money on TWO cards".  Kindness is a virtue often lost.....

Now, how much do you load on your card?  Good question.  You can actually get a rough idea knowing that there are caps on the daily cost.  But, it's not entirely possible to just go with that simple math because you don't know what mix of transport you'll take each day.  Not to worry, you can get your refund at the end, but as part of your travel budget, you don't want to load too much on your card and tie it up.

First - it doesn't cost you a fee to load money on your card.  Although, you will incur any foreign transaction fee your credit or debit card might impose.  But, TFL (Transport for London) doesn't charge you to add money so you can top it up all the time.  USE THE SAME CREDIT OR DEBIT CARD each time.  Otherwise, the system may not be able to refund your money and will have to mail you a check in British Pounds that you'll have to figure out how to deposit.  

Second, the most you will pay to travel on the Tube each day is £6.80.  That's JUST for the tube and it's JUST for Zone 1 and 2 which is pretty much anywhere you'll go in London.  The single fare is £2.40 or £2.90 so after 3 trips, you are no longer charged for the day.   For the buses and trams, the daily cap in London is £4.50.  That means you will  only "pay" for the first 3 trips.  After that, your card will cease to have money taken off.  Also, you can use the buses for an hour on ONE touch in for free.  You can jump on and off any bus for a whole hour before you are charged again.  

So, math it up!  If you intend to take the tube all day, you'll need about £7 per day you're staying.  However, the bus and tube caps are independent of each other so reaching one doesn't mean you have reached the other.  So, if you intend to mix it up, you'll need more.  If you get on the Thames Clipper boats, your fare will be £6.50 per trip.  So, the safest bet is to put about £20 on at a time and check it occasionally.  

At some stations, when you tap in, you will quickly see your balance displayed on the screen on the turnstile.  Not all stations have it and sometimes you are moving so fast you barely see if.  But, you can always check your balance at the ticket machines.  Just tap the card on the yellow pad and follow the instructions. 

Stuff to Know:  Your Oyster Card WILL get you to Hampton Court Palace (but at a greater cost and caps don't apply so make sure you have money on it).  But, your Oyster Card will NOT get you to Windsor Castle.   Those are common questions people have.  You'll have to buy a train ticket at Waterloo Station to get to Windsor.  

One of my scariest parts of travel is not looking silly on public transport because I don't know how to do it.  Believe me, you are not going to find many people with patience as you clog up the queues.  It's not hard, but you want to fit into the flow and go!  








So, stay with me - I'm going to make you a pro:

1. Approach the turnstile WITH YOUR CARD ALREADY IN YOUR HAND (I promise if you stop and try to dig it out at the point that you risk a public execution).  
2. Tap it on the round yellow pad.
3. Wait for the gate to open and slip through without dawdling because I guarantee you that someone is about to touch the pad again with their own card.  
4. Keep that card handy - like in your pocket because you'll need it at the end.  
5. Take the escalator down to your platform, but FOR THE LOVE OF HER MAJESTY AND ALL THAT IS STILL IN TACT ON YOUR BODY, STAND TO THE RIGHT unless you intend to walk quickly down the stairs.  Never, ever get on with your people and clog up with escalators by standing side by side talking about what time you're going to get on the London Eye.  
6. Get on your train - if you don't know which direction to get on, stop and look at the map but keep yourself close to the wall while you read the stations. The maps are usually located at the junctions between this platform going THAT direction and the other platform going the OTHER direction.  
7. Get off your train and run with the salmon upstream to the exit.  Dig your card out of your pocket on the endless escalator because you will need it to get out of the station.  Tap out and go through the turnstile.                          

I love this guy's video on using Oyster Cards and transportation!  

I love riding the bus in London.  I mean, who doesn't want to get on a red double-decker bus???  So iconic!  

Riding the bus is quite easy AND you literally get your own sightseeing tour because you're above ground.  But, you are also subject to London traffic so sometimes it's not the quickest option.

Bus riding is EASY!  

1. Find your stop and, if necessary and if no one else has, wave your hand when you see your bus approaching so they know to stop.  
2. Get on and tap your Oyster card on the yellow pad (often you'll get a chance to see your balance right there)
3. Find a seat - upstairs is the best view.  But, once that bus starts moving, you will be tossed about so HANG ON.
4. When you approach your stop (as seen on the screens in front or announced), press the button ONCE (unless you've already heard it go off, then you're fine - it's not a poll to see how many need to get off).
5. Exit through the SIDE DOORS ONLY.  No need to tap out.  Don't dawdle down the stairs, people are getting on and trying to get UP them.

Remember, you can hop back on and off as many times as you can in an hour for the same price as your first tap (but, you still must tap in each time).  It's great if you just want to pop into a shop and then go someplace else.  It's also great if you want to just see the sights.  Route 15 is the most scenic route in London.  It hits a lot of the highlights.  

Now, here's my BEST TIP for London Transportation.  However, you will need a working cell phone.  T-Mobile offers you free data and texting in London without an extra charge.  It works PRETTY GOOD, although I feel like I'm not prioritized when it comes to tower access because it's not a UK carrier so it can be clogged and slow at times.  But, get yourself the City Mapper app.  It's literally the best thing I've ever used.  It shows you buses and tubes in real time.  It tells you where to catch them, where to get off and how long it will take you.  There is even a rain option on the driest way to get to your destination.  I even use it to navigate when I'm walking because it shows me the way I'm walking and doesn't have the same confusing arrow that turns in circles like Google Maps does.  It also has GETT and Uber capabilities as well as their own new Smart Ride.  Fun Fact: It's for many other world-wide cities so it's a win no matter where you are.  SERIOUSLY, GET THIS APP!  

When you are leaving London, you can get a refund for your Oyster card deposit and any money left over on the card.  CLICK HERE for instructions and tips. 

Getting Around London Part 1: Black Cabs vs Uber

Walking in London is GREAT!  It's actually one of my favorite ways to get around certain areas because you see so much and get some "fresh" air.  But, walking isn't always the answer because of distance or the load you're carrying - like luggage.  That luggage that is supposed to walk by you like a well-trained dog is great until you hit the mean streets of London or the cobblestones of Copenhagen.  It suddenly turns into a petulant child having constant meltdowns while you beg it to go just one more block.  

There are lots of ways to get around London on wheels.  But, don't think that renting a car is a good idea.  Put that madness out of your mind.  You will immediately regret your life choice when you end up parking your car 5 km from where you were trying to go.  Mr. Cockfosters has a London acquaintance who has to take the tube to get his car when he needs to drive.  It's parked so far away from his flat that he has to commute to it.  Let others do the driving. 

"Others" is broken into two camps.  One has "The Knowledge" and would therefore rather die than turn on their GPS and the other arrived like a month ago and relies completely on their GPS.  Both have their pros and cons and both can either be a pleasant ride or make you fear for your life.  

Those with "The Knowledge" are the black cab drivers.  Some of them are combating the rise of Uber in the city with their own app called "GETT"  You really don't have to stand on the corner and wave down a black taxi anymore and it's a fixed price ride.  But, some have complained that their GETT request will often be dumped if the black taxi driver sees someone waving at them on the street or can take a metered customer that will make them more than the fixed price.  They aren't really obligated to pick you up just because you requested them.  So, you might have to wait longer while another taxi grabs your request and comes from farther away.  If you're standing at, say Kings Cross or Paddington station, just go to the taxi stand and get in a cab.  Don't bother with GETT at that point.  

The benefit of the black taxis is room.  The backs have more headroom and more space than a private Uber car.  We hop in at Paddington station with our luggage in the back with with us and there is plenty of room.  But, if you are just traveling around London with your family, there is room for 5 in that space.  Two flip down seats are opposite the bench seat.  It's an easy and fast "in and out".  The credit card machine will be on your side of the glass.  But, we find a lot of the time that they "don't work".  I'm never sure if that's the truth or if they are telling us that to avoid processing fees.  Ask before you get in.  If you used the GETT app, you can pay just like Uber from your account.  

A pro or con, depending on who you are and who you get is the personality of the driver.  We have had drivers who really needed to retire because they clearly hate humanity and will bark the answer to any question you ask as if they are pondering the best way to murder you and dump your body into the Thames and we have had drivers who chatted your ears off with too much information about their life or London (assuming everyone they pick up is on their first trip).  I prefer the latter to the former but I really prefer the one who can "read" you and make pleasant small talk if you act like you are up for it.  "Ray" in Dublin was so pleasant that Mr. Cockfosters hired him to drive him around on the some work related errands the next day.  They spent half a day together and we would hire him again.   

Another pro and con is "The Knowledge"  which most older drivers acquired.  They are basically human GPS's - or at least in theory they are.  It can pretty quickly go awry, though.  It's great if you want to go to Trafalgar Square from, say, Camden Locks.  They can get you there.  But, if you ask to go to a hotel from Paddington Station that has changed names 3 times in the last 5 years, you might find yourself getting out your own phone to show them how to get there.  The hotel we usually stay at is a Hilton brand on Bayswater Road.  There is another Hilton brand hotel literally 2 blocks closer to Paddington.  The drop-off means a frightening U-turn in the middle of busy Bayswater Road.  We have to pay attention because if we don't notice that the U-turn is about to happen, we get stuck in traffic trying to reverse back out and do another U-turn.  We have actually had to gently argue with the cab driver about that fact that it's not THIS hotel.  Once they believe they are right, it's hard to convince them that "The Knowledge" failed them.  Now we ask for the restaurant in the hotel we are going to.  Somehow saying, "Take us to the Urban Meadow Cafe" gets us there when asking to go to the Doubletree doesn't.  

Pretty typical of the size of an Uber car in London

Let's contrast this to Uber - which is in the throes of trying to survive in London.  They keep getting their revoked license extended for certain numbers of months.  Many cities in Europe are fighting or have already banned Uber.  I get it but at the same time don't get it.  Some cities have mafia-like taxi unions that over-charge riders.  Uber is almost MORE internally regulated than those taxi unions.  Competition is good.  

That being said, I will often find myself putting my head down and pretending to not notice my continual near-death experience in an Uber.  The fact of the matter is that a large amount of the Uber drivers we have had do not speak much English.  I often wonder how long they have actually been driving around London.  When I start to ponder that, I start to get scared.  I will not get into an Uber by myself.  I only go with Mr. Cockfosters.  I WILL get into a black taxi because there is more of a separation between myself and the driver.  But, Mr. Cockfosters prefers Uber over cabs when we're together (which is usually just in the evening) so I go where he goes.  

Uber is super convenient.  You know who is picking you up, how long it will take and paying is a breeze from your phone.  Beyond, that, I'm not a huge fan.  The cars are usually TINY and Mr. Cockfosters almost always seems to put me in streetside and expects me to slide over behind the driver.  So chivalrous, but the minute my rear hits the seat and I see what I have to do, it starts to feel more like a cruel torture.  I have large feet and have to get my comfy shoe clad feet into a tiny foot space and then drag them across a hump to the other side using knees that are usually sore from walking and cannot bend to even 90 degrees at that point.  Because the cars are tiny, I then have to insert them into the tiny slot left for me by the driver who has his seat pushed back most of the way.  

Sometimes the cars are so small and the driver is so, well, "zippy" that I start to get claustrophobic and then car sick.  There have been a couple of times that we arrived at our destination none too soon and I was able to get out and take a lung full of air before something unseemly happened.  It doesn't help when they put 17 air fresheners in there, too, to cover up the fact that they smoke.  

But, conversation is rare, often because of language barriers.  Sometimes that also causes problems if you are going some place very unfamiliar to them.  They have the address on their app, but you might need to be dropped off on the north side and that's where it all goes wonky.  

That being said, our last Uber driver in London was in a mini-van and was the most delightful Polish man.  We had an enjoyable ride and conversation.  It's not all bad, but it's sometimes not good.  

While black taxis don't have music (at least not that I've heard in one), Uber drivers will often have it playing.  Sometimes they play to the audience - we have gotten in cars and had them flip to jazz or classical.  Other times, you are going to listen to their rap or music from their own culture at too high of a volume.  We have asked for them to turn it off at times - especially since occasionally Mr. Cockfosters has a business phone call in the car.  These are not trained drivers.  They are just kids trying to make a bit of money.  That's something to consider.

Choose your ride carefully in London, but do download the Uber and GETT apps so you can decide which ride fits you.  Sometimes, like us, it will be a mixture of both.  If you have luggage with you, definitely choose the black cabs.  Sometimes those small cars simply can't fit your large suitcase in the boot of the car and you're stuck waiting for another one to arrive.  

Next time: Buses and Tubes

TTTT: How Not To Ruin Your Trip

~It's time for a TTTT (Tried and True Travel Tip)~

Full Confession:  Regina K is a germophobe.  It's not a bad thing and no, I don't need therapy.  But, I DO have a bit of an obsession with staying healthy while traveling.  Laugh at me if you will, but I laugh at people who laugh at me when they come home with an "airplane cold."

Nothing sends a chill down my spine faster than the insides of two places - airplanes and tubes. I see what you people do.  Humans can be disgusting and our fingers are useful tools.  That's all I'm going to say about that.  

The tube trains and the inside of airplanes look like giant petri dishes to me.  I will do everything I can to NOT use my hands to hold on to any pole in the train.  I will wrap my elbow around the pole or, in the winter, leave my gloves on.  I like a surface I can lean against.  I'm not young enough to Tube Surf where you just stand freely and sway.  But, I wish I was and it's excellent for your core.  But, if I am forced to touch a pole or hand-hold with my bare hands, I am digging for the hand sanitizer as I leave the station.

When we get on an airplane, we wipe all our surfaces.  They are rarely cleaned properly and so you are sharing the germs of perhaps dozens of people before you.  We wipe the tray table, arm rest, seat belt buckles and entertainment screens.  We have gotten judgy looks before but they can be judgy all the way to their local clinic when they get sick.  It is NOT the air circulating in the airplane that makes you sick, it's the surfaces that are rarely cleaned.  

And, if I remember, I wipe down the TV remote and door handles in the hotel when we arrive.  Those are also rarely cleaned properly.  Don't get me started on hotel bedspreads...... there isn't enough time.  Let's just say, we try to stay where they put on fresh bedding between every guest......  

In the early days, I took Purell and Wet Ones wipes.  Then I realized that those only killed bacteria.  It's not the bacteria that takes you down while travelling, it's the virus' and they require a different kind of death formula.  

So, I went hunting for the perfect virus killers.  Here's what I found.

You want Clorox wipes, not Wet Ones.  You can get the Clorox wipes in a small travel pack at Target or on Amazon.  Make sure to press the seal closed after every use or they will quickly dry out.  I think Lysol also makes wipes.  You want to actually SEE on the package the claim that it kills viruses.  

As for sanitizer, most of what you buy at the local drug store is just alcohol and claims to kill 99.9% of bacteria.  Great!  But what about the cold virus, norovirus, the flu, etc?  None of those are caused by bacteria.  I found some very nice virus killing machines on Amazon.  They are not harsh and they don't smell.  

ProtecTEAv is my favorite.  It's pricey but so is missing 2 weeks of work after your vacation.  However, the bottles actually last quite a while.  A little goes a long way.  


CleanSmart is another that I have.  It is like spraying water on your hands.  There is almost no scent and no skin irritation. You can also use it to clean your phone screen.  

There are others at Amazon - be sure to search for Hand Sanitizers that kill viruses.  You probably won't find them in a local drug store.   

And, if you are travelling in areas where the food and water are iffy, you might want to start taking a really good Probiotic a few weeks before you go.  We went on a Segway tour of Paris with 4 young adults from New York who got into some bad seafood in Marseilles the day before.  None of them were sure they were going to be able to go for 2 hours straight on the Segways without a stop.  They were all still slightly green from their ordeal the night before.  It was surprising because France isn't where I'd worry about food.  

Stay healthy and travel well.  Nothing ruins a trip faster than a miserable illness.  You paid a lot of money to be where you are, don't spend your expensive time in a bathroom or in bed.  

Oh, and PLEASE don't get on an airplane all oiled up with whatever essential oil is supposed to ward off sickness.  I got on one last month and it smelled like an Italian restaurant because someone had slathered themselves in Oregano or Basil oil.  Be kind to those around you and keep your smells to yourself.   

Christmas in London!

German Christmas markets were always on my Bucket List.  But, I had no idea that London should have been at the top of my Christmas Bucket List; like at the very tippy top TOP of that Bucket List.  Not just near the top, but AT. THE. TOP.  

In 2015, I turned a certain age..... and, I decided it was time to go to Germany to the Christmas Markets.  Just after we bought our tickets, we started to feel fearful of the terror situation.  There were some pretty credible threats.  It just didn't feel right to go so we cancelled.  *sad trombone*.

The decorations are everywhere!

In 2016, we decided we were going - no matter what!  Mr. Cockfosters had business in London so we decided to start out there and then move on to his business in Frankfurt where I would encounter my first German Christmas Market (it did NOT disappoint) and from there we would be on vacation and head to Strasbourg and Colmar, France (France took it up another notch).  

Anyway.... while German and French Christmas Markets are in their own category (leave a comment if you want a post about those), London is like someone rained glitter on the city and then plugged it all in.  I have never seen lights like that in my life.  It is such an undertaking that they turn them on around the middle of November (much to the grumbling of some city residents).  But, when you don't have Thanksgiving to actually signal it's okay to put your Christmas decorations up (who am I kidding - it's actually Halloween if you are a retailer - actually, I swear it's Labor Day, now....), then you have to make a judgment call on when to switch on those lights.  

FUN FACT:  We love Christmas time in London so much that we went back in 2017 and took Regina P and her Mr Cockfosters with us.  My husband and I are currently talking about doing it again this year.  Yeah, that's how good it is.....  

CAUTION:  If you plan to see London and then go on to Germany or France, do be aware that many Christmas Markets do NOT open up until the last weekend in November or first weekend in December.  Don't head for London Thanksgiving Week and then think you can just pop over to Germany for markets.  Timing is everything.....

Do you see that we were out in London after sundown!  If you read my first post, you'll understand what this means - LOL  

Harrods Candy and Food Halls - a must stop!  Harrods also has a nice Christmas shop on an upper floor as well as a section full of their in-house branded items.  Find the Egyptian Escalators to head upstairs. 

London does windows right.  They are fun and imaginative for the most part

Yummy Brownie with marzipan from Harrods.  They had so many festive goodies! 

Avoid the monstrosity in Hyde Park.  It's a tacky, fake German Christmas carnival with a tacky, fake German Christmas Market.  I went in during the day and had issues with the security.  They checked my purse thoroughly but when I asked if they wanted to check my Harrods bag, they declined.  It made no sense.  It's free to enter so if you must.... but, at night it's horribly crowded.  

Portobello Road Market on Saturday was shoulder to shoulder.  It's a fun place to find souvenirs and you can spot some exteriors from Notting Hill (the movie).  While you're there, grab some fish and chips from The Fish House of Notting Hill which isn't too far away.  It's the best we've had in London.  Or, if you're feeling up for pizza, grab a slice of Sicilian style pizza at Arancina almost next door to The Fish House on Pembridge Road  

When the was the last time you saw a proper Salvation Army Band?

Keep your eyes peeled - Christmas is EVERYWHERE!

Big Ben before they dressed him up in a scaffolding

Regent and Oxford Streets are where the action is at.  However, the closer you get to Christmas and on the weekends, it becomes a nightmare.  Although it's not a pedestrian street, it becomes a pedestrian street due to the sheer numbers of people.  We were literally forced to walk in the street at times.  It DID make me quite uncomfortable given the current terrorism tactics of using vehicles. 

These were animated.  The peacock feathers would spread out. 

Don't forgot to head to Carnaby Street just around the corner from these main roads.  They have fun decorations and great food.  Stop in at Kati Roll Company for some Indian Street Food or Mother Mash for some traditional British Pie and Mash.  Both are in that area.  

Seriously, go to Mother Mash for dinner.....  You choose your pie (or sausage) and then your mash (lots of varieties) and then your gravy.

Covent Garden is another glittering delight not to be missed

Score some hot chocolate at Hotel Chocolat in Convent Garden.  They literally scoop their own shaved chocolate into your cup before covering it with hot milk.  

Look for the quirky!  Brussell sprouts are a traditional British Christmas Dinner side dish.  I found them many places in many forms.  These are chocolate balls wrapped in Brussell Sprout printed foil.  They were fun for Christmas stockings!  I also have a felted Brussell Sprout ornament on my tree.  

If I had had room in my luggage, I would have owned the Pass the Pud game.  It's like "Hot Potato" only with a traditional English figgy pudding.  It burped if you were holding it at the wrong moment.  Who wouldn't want to play that????

Call me crazy, but I'm not sure I want a Wicked Uncle to give my kids Christmas presents.....  Sometimes Tube ads are good reading!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Exhibition Road near the museums does a lovely live Nativity on the weekend evenings in December.

Final tips and thoughts:  London will be cold and muggy this time of year. It might even rain on you so bring your umbrella.  The stores will be heated to about 75 degrees or more.  You will die if you are heat sensitive like me.  The tube (especially the Central Line which aspires to be in the tropics) will feel like 100 degrees no matter what time of the year.  You will get on in your winter gear and immediately sweat off 5 pounds.  Layers are your best friend.  There will be extremes in temperature - be prepared for that.  I always say that we could solve the world's climate issues if London just turned down the heat in December.  

But, it is NOT too late to plan your trip to see London at Christmas time!  If you need ideas, leave a comment.  

The First Time Regina K Went to London

The first time I went to London was, well, a bit of a disaster by today's standards.  Mr Cockfosters and I had been awarded a trip from Xerox - a company we were sales agents for.  It was 1992, which Her Majesty refers to as "Annus Horribilis" which pretty much describes our first trip. The trip barely registers on my memory bank.  

Of course, in 1992, it didn't seem that rough.  But, looking back at how I travel now vs how we traveled then, I will say that hindsight is totally 20/20

This is how it went:

We flew to London in a jet in which there were 4 seats in the middle of the plane.  We ended up in those middle seats.  It was terrible.  My first time to London and I had NO WINDOW  I'm still bitter at the Xerox travel agent who did that to me.  The nerve!

We landed and were bused immediately to a breakfast event at a large old lodge with high ceilings in Windsor.  I saw Windsor Castle only from a bus window.  It had not yet burned at that point.  That's all I remember.  It was morning and all I could think about is why the oranges looked like broken produce in the sale bin at the grocery story.  I had honestly never encountered less than perfectly colored oranges.  These had green on them.  Why I still remember that is beyond me.  Jet lag messes with you.  I also remember the chestnut trees being in bloom.  Another odd thing to remember.  

We were put up at Grosvenor House in London on Park Lane.  We were told it was the swankiest hotel in London and that the Sultan of Brunei stayed there and not his own property down the street.  It honestly looked like something from a 1950's movie.  The carpet was literally thread bare and we couldn't figure out the bathroom fixtures.  It was dark and old and dingy.  Let me say, that I am sure it's not that way anymore.  It's now a Marriot Hotel and given its Park Lane location, I can't imagine that they haven't updated it several times since then.  But, at the time, I was sorely disappointed and wondered if anyone at Xerox had actually viewed the rooms.  

Well, now we were in London - there were several activities planned for us and several optional activities.  What did we do?  Practically nothing.... we were scared to death to be in such a large city and sure we were going to get robbed or murdered.  We pretty much camped out in our room or didn't venture more than a block or two away.  

We DID go to Harrods and worried we were dressed nice enough to get in (remember those days?).  Someone told us to go to Covent Garden one evening and we looked at them like they just told us to go to the South Side of Chicago at 2 am. How could ANYONE suggest we go out in London after dark?  While others took advantage of the West End Theater tickets we had access to, we had cold sandwiches in our room.

We argued over which platform we were supposed to be at on the few Tube trips we took.  We stood on the right AND left of the escalators and got yelled at.  We stood in the middle of the sidewalk looking at our giant paper map.  We were just steps from Hyde Park and ventured about 2 feet into it.  

We DID manage to see Westminster Abbey, St Paul's and Buckingham Palace thanks to organized tours through the British Tourist Authority (does that even exist anymore?).  I remember video taping things around there.  The tape, however, was lost in our rental car when we went on to Denmark and I never saw it again.  

I now chuckle about the trip.  But, at the time, I never thought I'd ever return to London.  As the years went on, I felt like I had blown it and missed so many things.  

To top it all off, I was an early adopter of scrapbooking so I gloriously cut all my photos into the most criminal shapes ever and glued them on colored copy paper.  

Fast forward to 2012 - we returned - with technology (although even then, we only had one cell phone that worked at great expense and a GPS we had downloaded European maps onto but didn't have enough space for street names so we were walking blind most of the time) and the city I was so fearful of 20 years earlier during that Annus Horribilis was completely opened up to me.  I've been back about 10 times since then - mostly since 2015.  I go almost quarterly and wander around by myself as a tag-along traveler for Mr. Cockfosters' job.  He works and I play.  I like to say I live there part-time.  Stay tuned for my favorite bits of my favorite city.  

In 1777 Samuel Johnson said, "...when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."

That is my truth.... I am not tired of it, yet.  I find something new and interesting every time I go and I'm sharing it with you!