Stand on the right

New career?

Cleopatra's neddle

Catherine on the Thames

Tower Bridge

Toad in the hole

As I leave the house I build up a sweat. What’s happening, it must be at least 18 degrees. Great day for an Aussie to go shopping for a winter coat. The assault is made on all the big stores on Oxford St. Its sale time which helps. Come away with three tops but not that not much for all the walking I have done.

So time to reward myself with a break at Covent Garden watching the street performers. Then back into the fun stuff .

Museum of Transport is next on the list. I am so impressed with the public transport and oyster card system you can get anywhere and everywhere easily. However I have one major problem that I need addressed. On the escalators you have to stand to your right, whereas in Sydney it is on your left. I have never been good at left or right anyhow so this just throws me. Being week 3 I am ok at this now, but in my first week it was hard. One man was particularly nice and said he would let me off just this one time for my mistake. The weirdness for me is at some of the tunnels and station entrances the signs say keep to your left. So I go into the museum to search of a train spotter to discover the meaning of this. Alas the museum is staffed by 21 year olds, so the mystery remains. It’s a very modern museum I try out driving a bus, tube train and overland train. Maybe this could be a new career.

A heat wave has started now its at least 22 degrees and half of London have stripped their clothes off. So I escape the swelter and go into the cool confines of the Courtland Gallery. Find some nice examples of pointillism, looks way different in real life than it does in picture books.

Next on the list is Cleopatra’s needle another ancient Egyptian obelisk. The name is a bit of a furphy, it’s actually not related to the Cleopatra we know. It was built about 1,000 years before she was born. The twin to this obelisk is Napoleon’s Column in Paris. Tick. Now there is just two more to see in New York and Egypt.

It’s still sunny and hot so I decide to take advantage of the day and get out on the Thames. Take a trip down to Greenwich with Brian and Mary to Aussie grandparents over here for a new baby. Pass all the sights and see lots of barges working on the river.

Tonight’s delicacy is a British dish called “Toad in the Hole” expertly made by Jane, sausages wrapped in Yorkshire pudding batter. Next on the list is pie and mash.