Stansted to London

 June 6th. Cloudy and a little cool but fine

We were awake early so breakfasted and got going to drive the 30 minutes to Stansted on the M11.  

Amazingly there was only one roundabout!   With no problems at all we arrived at the Car Rental Village and dropped the car back to Nigel at Europcars.   Farewell little Mercedes, you have served us well for the 2188 miles we shared together.  No bumps, no scrapes and you weren’t even very thirsty as we only spent £353.47 on your drinks.

A shuttle bus to the Stansted Airport (with ample space for suitcases) where I asked a disinterested RyanAir employee where we could weigh our cases.  He waved a limpid hand to his left and said “ who are you flying with”.  When I said Easyjet his mouth turned down and he mumbled “Zone A”. We turned around to go to Zone A and lo and behold right in front of him and behind us was a “put in £1 and weigh your case” machine.  We did.  Little Sister was under and I was 600g over.  So much for generously taking many of her purchases into my case to save weight and space in hers!  We shall sort that one out before we fly on Sunday.

Down the ramp to the train station where an elegant Frenchman sold us return train tickets on the Great Anglia Railways Stansted Express to Liverpool Station.   Twelve carriages on the train and only two stops before the terminus, the whole journey was only 47 minutes.   Liverpool Street Station was an elegant Victorian building with a great crypted roof and Very Busy. 

A helpful Information Desk Man told us where to go for  both the Lift and a taxi.  The lift was interesting.  Small and perfectly formed it was slow, very slow.  And large signs said maximum of four people or two people plus luggage or one person with a wheel chair and one bag.   

We waited until we fitted the category and went upstairs to the exit and a long line of Black London Cabs.  Yes, said the driver, he knew Bina Gardens Kensington and so he loaded us, then  our bags into the cab and off we went on a mesmerising tour of Central London Streets.  Both of us were extremely grateful we didn’t have to navigate the twists, turns, diversions, and general crush.  Why people would risk life and limb to cycle in that mayhem I don’t know but there were bikes everywhere adding to the confusion.   

About an hours ride past several streets whose names I recognised and buildings that seem familiar from photos, TV, Royal Broadcasts etc, we arrived at our accommodation for the next three nights. 

We deposited our backpacks and suitcases and went off to explore South Kensington and Knightsbridge.   But first we needed lunch.   I won’t say too much on the matter except to say it was food rather than cuisine, and I would not recommend The Drayton Arms in Old Brompton Road.  Don’t go there!

Old Brompton Road proved to have a couple of surprises for us…namely The Victoria and Albert Museum and Holy Trinity Brompton Church.   Also a delightfully tempting French patisserie.

Finally I saw a sign for Knightsbridge and then the huge brick edifice that is Harrods, with its long green awning came into view and the number of well dressed women swinging designer bags increased.   

We both wondered if we would need a head scarf to enter as there were so many elegant women from the Middle East pouring in and out the doors.   Just how many Saudi Princesses were there in Harrods today?    As we went in one of the central doors we saw a man in full Arab dress just leaving.   Past the handbags, the jewellery, the perfume, then even more perfume until we found the central elevators and a sign board indicating where the different departments were.   

Down we went to Lower Ground Floor to a gift shop area packed with people and every imaginable item marked with the Harrods logo.   I made one tiny purchase and queued at the check out to be asked by the assistant “ do you have a Harrods Card Madam?”   I mean, do I look as if I’m in that echelon?   

Then we decided that a pot of tea was needed so up to the third floor to Harrods Cafe.  This is not the top rank Harrods Cafe but still contained enough variety in its clientele to amuse Little Sister and Me.  The woman at the table next to us opened her map, spread her belongings , removed her shoes and then to my surprise ordered a Cream Tea.   Other customers were obviously tourists but were laden with Harrods label shopping bags and had clearly spent more than I did!   One customer was in a full black burkha but carrying several large labelled bags and her companion was head to toe clashing brands - Fendi coat, Louis Vuitton trousers, Chanel bag, Jimmy Choo shoes (I saw the red soles).   

Both of us decided that Harrods was rather OTT but it provided great entertainment and photo opportunities.

We walked back, without getting lost, via a Tesco Express where we bought two cans of Raspberry and Yuzu Soda.  The automatic check out machine threw a fit and demanded that we produce proof of age before purchase.  I mean, both of us look every inch our senior years at present and the drinks were non alcoholic but a staff member came and without a word overrode the message and left us to pay so she obviously thought we looked old.

Back at the hotel we checked in and went to the room to find that instead of twin it was a double bed.  Neither of us feel like cuddling so we asked for a change of room and are now on the third floor in a twin room.  Thank goodness this hotel has an elevator.   

Tomorrow is another day and we will explore more of the Great Monoply Board that is London.