The Journey Begins Again

Every journey has to start somewhere, so mine always seems to start at Cronies Sports Grill in Camarillo, California.  One last club sandwich with a huge drink that was constantly refilled at no extra cost with both Diet Pepsi AND ice!

The best part was dining with my #1 Pink Elephant!

Afterwards Laurie drove me down to Los Angeles International to send me off on my 10 hour, 10 minute non-stop overnight British Airlines flight to London.

Being away from her is the worst part of this deal.

London Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5

Less than a year old, Terminal 5 deals ONLY with British Airlines.  It was built in part as an answer for British Air's uncanny ability to lose luggage in London (see Susan D'Antuono for more info).

Fortunately they did NOT lose my one piece of luggage but I didn't get my bag until one hour after I got off the plane.  Slow to be sure but I'm thankful I had it. 

Heathrow Express at Paddington Station

After the long trip from Camarillo to Heathrow, about 15 hours all told, this Express train that costs 16.50 GB Pounds one way was deemed a necessary luxury.

The London Elizabeth Hotel was only a short 400 meter walk from Paddington Station as opposed to the one hour meandering walk last January when I got hopelessly lost on my first trip to London... LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES!

After getting checked into the hotel, it was off to see the sights of London.  Where to start?  The obvious choice was a Tube ride to the Barclay's English Premier League's Shangri-La.

The Tube's Piccadily Line's Arsenal Station

My first, very emotional visit to the

"Home of the Gunners!"

Next up, lunch at the Punch & Judy Pub in Covent Garden

The Punch & Judy's Hearty English Fare of Beer, Sausages, Mashed Potato and Gravy

Harry Houdini, Jr.

He was back from the dead and performing at Covent Garden while I dined.

The view of Westminster Hall and the Houses of Parliament from Trafalgar Square

On Trafalgar Square some people get no respect!

The Horse Guards

Nice Warning Sign

Big Ben

The Buxton Monument

Celebrating Great Britain's outlawing of slavery in 1833.

CSI London?

I stumbled upon London's Coroner's Court.

Westminster Cathedral

No, this is NOT Westminster Abbey, totally different.  This Cathedral is Roman Catholic

West End Plays

This is my fourth trip to London and I have started each one the same way by attending a West End play on my first night in town.  Tonight's choice was the world's longest continuous running play, Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap".

As you can see by this sign in the lobby, the performance I attended was number 23,400 in the streak.  The show premiered on November 25, 1952 and is in its 57th year in London! 

I figured it out!

The audience had to swear a loyalty oath to not reveal "who dunnit?" to keep the mystique of the play going.  I will honor my sacred oath but I AM proud of myself for figuring out who the culprit really was.

Thank you Gil Grissom for all you taught me on all those CSI shows from Las Vegas!