Son visits us

We were delighted to welcome Son to London on Sunday morning. His direct flight took off from Raleigh, NC at 5:55 pm EDT Saturday, and landed in London shortly after 6 am BST Sunday. He took the Express train to Paddington, where he was met by Hubster at around 7:45. They were back at A Flat on Abbey Road by 8:15.

Son had slept only a little on the flight, but was eager to go out and explore. I took him on the 15-minute tour of St. John's Wood. We walked past the American School, the SJW tube stop, the library, the post office, Tesco's, Starbucks (where we fueled up), walked down the Hi Street, through the SJW Church park and cemetary, past Lord's Cricket Ground, past you-know-who's house, and back to Abbey Road. He was still raring to go, so we hopped a 189 bus to Oxford Street, where we disembarked at the top of Regent's Street, walked down that to Piccadilly Circus, down past the Duke of York's column, saw a lot of white trailers parked near the column, which son correctly identified as film-making trailers, crossed the Mall JUST behind a Kenyan runner, who was the first of a dribble of runners which later turned into a torrent of half-marathoners (we unknowingly timed it just right). We paused at a sandwhich stand for his breakfast, then pressed on through St. James' Park towards Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. It was a bright and sunny day that had dawned in mist but was getting progressively clearer as the sun rose higher. At this point we called the other two family members and motivated them to join us at the London Eye.

Son and I went over Westminster Bridge and I got on line for tickets. Meanwhile, the duo of TeenE and Hubster took the underground to Westminster and planned to rendezvous with us. We got in the queue for the queue for the queue, and went to the front of that several times as we awaited their arrival. One could not get in the real queue for the queue until all members of one's party were present with ticket in hand.

Hubster and TeenE finally arrived around noon, aided by the skillful use of "mobile" phones which allowed us to spot each other more easily. We then had our tickets marked with the special orange marker, and got in the queue for the queue. We went past signs that said NO FOOD OR DRINK ALLOWED PAST THIS POINT. We snaked around the roped barriers, and finally were at the top of the queue for the queue. At this point, one broke from the ranks and dashed across an open space to get into the real queue. The people behind us thought they'd make a break for it, but they did not count on my sharpened elbows and finely honed instincts as a New Yorker, which prevented them from gaining an advantage on us. Son laughed openly at their brazen yet pathetically ineffectual attempt.

The wait from the back of the real queue was about another half an hour. TeenE and I knew the experience would be well worth the wait, as we had ridden on the Eye the previous November when we came to stake out the school and neighborhood. That trip had been at night. We were looking forward to seeing the daytime panorama of the Thames and the city stretched out in the glorious sunshine.

At last we boarded a pod with a dozen other people. I was glad that I had not paid 3 additional pounds for the "guide book", which illustrated many landmarks, as a mother with an eight-year-old son loudly narrated most of the guidebook for the "benefit" of anyone who had to listen. From it's location near Waterloo station and the Marriott County Hall, the huge loops and meanders of the Thames can be seen. For example, the Tower of London can NOT be seen from the Eye as it is obscured by a bend in the river.

After our 1/2 hour rotation on the giant hamster wheel was complete, we got some snacks, and I showed the troops how to get to the Waterloo bus station to board the 139 bus, which took us past Aldwych, through the Strand and Trafalgar Square, up Regents Street, onto Oxford Street, up Gloucester Place, past Baker Street, into Lisson Grove and finally St. John's Wood, where it deposits us right in front of the Abbey Road Studios, i.e. a short hop from our Flat.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing. I went for an afternoon walk over to Primrose Hill, which is at the northern-most point of Regent's Park. There were HUNDREDS of people grouped in clumps on the lawns and atop the hill. It was warm enough for me to take off my shoes and feel the late-summer grass between my toes. I rolled up my jacket into a pillow and had a little "quiet time" at the top of the hill, listening to the pleasant buzz of many conversations. At one point a six-year old boy challenged his younger sister to roll down the hill. "Noooooo" she shrieked. "I don't think I have the strength!!!" Hundreds of grownups smirked and wished that they could be her age and have the uninhibited joy of rolling down the grassy hill until dizzy and spent.

My quiet reverie was interupted by the arrival of a bunch of Kiwis who smelled like beer and regaled each other with tales of not remembering whom they were with last night or how they got home. I reluctantly put my shoes back on and trudged home, about a 20-minute walk. After all that exertion, I laid down for a nap and awoke to find that Hubster had made dinner. Hooray, Hubster!

I shall relate more of our Adventures with Son and TeenE tomorrow.