I am back

 Jul 31,

After a long, long trip home, we finally made it back at 1:00 am on Friday. After a good night sleep (we all crashed since we were so tired) we then spent the day unpacking, doing laundry, cleaning the house, and getting settled back again. On Saturday morning I went running for the first time since we left on vacation, and felt tired but Ok. After showering, Bella and I even went to Coffee Emporium. But the trouble started after that. I started feeling super tired and had to take a long nap. By the evening I was feeling terrible, and by Sunday I tested positive for Covid and was in bed all day. Monday was still rough, and Tuesday somewhat too, but after that luckily I got better every day and when I took another test on Friday it was negative. While I was sick I just went between my bedroom and my office, but now I am back and I am free to roam around. 

Europe Vacation 2022 - Day 16 - Heading Home

Jul 21,

This morning we are packing our bags and heading home. With all the travel delays we are not sure what to expect, but we are hoping that since we are not checking luggage, the worst we experience is some delays.  No chasing suitcases during or after the trip.

Europe Vacation 2022 - Day 15 - Churchill War Rooms

Jul 20,

To follow with a bit of history after the soccer stadium, in the afternoon we visited the Churchill War Rooms. These are the underground rooms where he and his staff worked during World War II, between 1940 and 1945. There was also a museum on Churchill himself. All very interesting. While the ceiling had been reinforced with layers of cement and steel, it appears the rooms were not fully bomb proof, which not everyone knew. They were lucky though, as those rooms survived the war and are still standing now.

After the war rooms we crossed the street to go back to St James park because, from all things,  Sofia wanted to see the ducks again. We then walked back to the apartment to rest after being out all day. During the walk I asked if everyone had done all the things they wanted to do during the trip, and was ready to get back home. Sofia didn’t get to do the London Eye, because it was fully booked, but she was ok with that.  We enjoyed the trip very much but I think we are all ready to get back home. Well, maybe Lionel less so as it appears he has enjoyed the break from the dogs, but he will enjoy his bed, his pillow, and the rest of his home routine.

Europe Vacation 2022 - Day 15 - Chelsea Stadium

Jul 20,

This morning we were able to do the Chelsea Stadium Tour after all. We left early so we could do the tour before 10:00 am. Sofia really didn’t want to go, so she stayed to rest.

This was the only guided tour from the 3 tours we did and the tour guide clearly loved his team. The stadium was definitely old though, which you could see from many angles. It is not that it was run down, but it was definitely not as fancy as the other 2.

Europe Vacation 2022 - Day 14 - Oxford and UK Heat Record

Jul 19,

This morning we got up earlier than the previous days to be able to catch the 9:20 am train to Oxford. Since today was expected to be the hottest day yet, we wanted to get an earlier start. While we had no problems catching the subway to the train station, Lionel was having trouble selecting today as our travel day in the app (our only way to book the tickets), so we thought we were going to have to change plans. But at the end, after resetting his phone, the app worked and we got on the train right in the nick of time. The train was also air conditioned, so everyone was happy about that. Getting in the train itself and having AC seemed like a double win.

In Oxford we just had brunch and then walked around seeing the old buildings. We wanted to do a tour of one of the colleges but we had to wait over 1 hour for the tour to start, and with the extreme heat it was just not worth it.

On the way back we intended to take the 2:00 pm train back to London, and actually got on the train, but a couple of minutes after boarding they announced the AC was failing and therefore the train was out of service. So we all had to get out. A few minutes later they brought another train (without AC) to shuttle us to another station. That was probably a 10-15 min ride. We then waited again, eventually got in a train and made it back to the Paddington Station at almost 4:45  pm. From there the subway ride back to the apartment was a piece of  cake.

When we got back to the apartment I read the news and confirmed the UK had indeed broken the heat record. No surprise considering that it truly felt as if we were in Las Vegas, in the middle of the dessert.

Europe Vacation 2022 - Day 13 - London Dangers

Jul 18,

While London is trying to suffocate us with its current heat wave, it is also trying to save us from getting run over with the signs on the ground to tell you in which direction to look for traffic. Given how different circulation is around here, it can definitely get quite confusing. So those signs are definitely useful.