London :) :) :) :)

13 January 2012 - I arrived in London around midday after a 3 hour flight form Iceland. I got held up in customs due to the fact that my original UK Passport had been stolen but I hadn't reported it to the UK government.  It was all OK though - in case of any problems I had a copy of the police report and the letter from the Australian Embassy in Washington DC with me. They were really helpful and gave me a form to fill in and post and they said they will just post me a new one when it's ready. I will get some new passport photos taken before then as the ones I have are really really scary. Even I get a fright when I look at them.

I was quite proud that I managed to tote my very heavy back pack and 2 other bags and find my way to the hotel in Bolsover St Fitzrovia - peculiar name but its near Oxford Street - without too much drama. Was exhausted when I got there - my bags are heavy and I was suffering a relapse of my sickness and I had only 2 hours sleep in the last 36 hours. Yes....I could feel it coming on....wanted to cry lol BUT I DIDN'T. I think I'm getting tougher.

By the way - in Iceland a toilet is called a SNYRTINGAR ...sounds much more impressive than the LOO or the BOG.

Gordon Mc Gnome suffered a near fatal Humpty Dumpty mishap - he fell (or was he pushed?) off the table and suffered a broken hip. I'm hoping some glue will suffice to fix him or he will need a total hip replacement.

14 January 2012 - I woke up this morning which was my first surprise - I felt so awful I thought I'd died in my sleep.  I am now dosed up with Sudafed for my ears - nose spray for my sinuses - aspirin for the fever - cough medicine for the cough. I did sleep the best part of 12 hours which is probably the best medicine.

I got a late start and caught the tube to Tower Bridge. Loved the Tower of London - so much history  it's just knocks your socks off.  Looking at stuff that happened in the 1300's - a little toy soldier from the 1500's and trying to imagine the little boy playing with it. You can almost feel the ghosts around you. Standing at the spot where Anne Boleyn got beheaded and being in the room where the two little Princes were imprisoned and later just disappeared.....love it.   I walked around for about five hours and also visited London Bridge (it never burned down - I saw it!!) - Trafalgar Square and Nelson's column (impressive) - Buckingham Palace (Betty and Phil were home but didn't wave) - Green Park and St James Park (beautiful) - I had a cruise on the Thames (most enjoyable) - I saw the big London Eye (looks like a giant bicycle wheel with big spokes - not operating today) - 10 Downing St (though you can't get into the street) - Whitehall - Big Ben  (beautiful) - The Houses of Parliament at Westminster - Westminster Abbey (couldn't get in as there was a service on).   I caught the tube back to Great Portland Station (my nearest) and went to a very English Pub and had Roast Beef. I really didn't feel hungry but I hadn't eaten all day so I forced myself to order but really enjoyed it once I started. I also booked a bus trip for Monday (hopefully I'll feel a bit brighter) to go Bath & Windsor Castle & Stonehenge where I will probably feel quite at home. :)

The Rack - MWhahahaha - in the Tower of London

Betty & Phil's house

All he did was march up to that gate behind him - throw a u-ey and then march back.  But he looked pretty in his winter coat

Iceland and SNOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!!!!

12 January 2012 -  I got to JFK airport pretty early as I had to be out of the hotel at noon but my flight didn't leave till 8 pm so I just hung around the airport and people watched and read and managed to re ignite my cold. Got quite feverish by the time the plane took off. Add to this that the plane wasn't quite as big as I am used to and there seemed to be an awful lot of people on it and the ambient temperature was very high - or was that my fever?  Managed to amuse myself watching movies to while the time away but for the last half hour - I guess as we began descent - my ears went crazy. Couldn't hear a thing - and the right one hurt. Didn't want to try any of the yawning tricks to pop them as previously I have burst ear drums on both sides and I had visions of bursting them again - it was that bad.

Imagine arriving at the airport at 6 am where I couldn't find anyone who spoke English - there were no signs in English - and when I did find someone who had limited English I couldn't hear what they were saying. lol Was like a bad Benny Hill Show. Anyway - finally found a nice young man who got me a ticket on the right bus (40 mins to hotel from Airport so was glad I didn't have to cab it) and physically took me out and carried my bag to the bus. I'm sure that he thought I was permanently deaf and maybe a little bit senile.

The good news is there is lots and lots of fresh snow....beautiful. This park was covered with pristine snow.

Park with pristine snow - BEFORE

AFTER - I just had to hehehe

Sunrise was at 11.03 and sunset at 4.09 so I spent most of that time just trudging through sometimes quite deep snow looking for a Chemist shop to treat my dodgy ears.  Once again no English signs and very few English speaking people. I asked one man for "Chemist"....head shake....."Pharmacy"....head shake....."Drugs"....and his eyes nearly popped out his head. I think he thought I was trying to buy some illicit drugs lol.  I finally stumbled on a Pharmacy and could only tell the difference between that and a pickled herring factory because it had "Nicorette" on a sign.  Now have spray for my nose which will clear my ears...they tell me...and more cough medicine. I also got some ear plugs which I'll use tomorrow on the 3 hour flight to London. If it still is an issue I will go to the doctor there...ok ..KAE....KAREN....ROBYN!! nag nag :)

Went back to the hostel and once the sun went down I caught up on some sleep....my timing is all up the spout......and it will all change tomorrow so I'll just play it by ear (oops!!!)

What I have seen is very beautiful but a little smelly..I'm thinking maybe sulphur as it's a volcanic area....the beauty outweighs the smell and I'm very glad I came

Pretty:)

Gordon making snow angels

Tell me again.......why am I going to Iceland? There must have been a reason.....

10 January 2012 - Today I am feeling a lot better - not 100% but well enough to travel. Now I just need to focus on the fact that tomorrow I fly to Iceland and I don't know why. It must have seemed like a good idea at the time. I have visions of flying into Reykjavik in the midst of a snowstorm - it's the middle of winter there and they have four hours of daylight. I won't get to do much as it seems the Northern Lights tours are for 3 days and I won't be there that long. I originally thought I was there for a couple of days but with the time change I am actually there for only 26 hours. I arrive in Iceland on January 12  - stay 26 hours - then arrive in London on January 12. Does this mean I was never there at all ? lol

Today I have been to the laundromat, packed my bags as much as I can, queried my sanity several times and eaten a lot of chocolate. NO I am not nervous of flying on Icelandair to Reykjavik in winter in a snowstorm. Sigh!!! My phone will be off the air till I get to London and get a UK sim card but I will try to post here at the hostel I am staying in ICELAND!!...Cheeses!!!   Why did i do this?

On the mend

8 January 2012 - I'm starting to feel a bit better....still very tired but the chesty cough is easing and my eyes don't feel like the Sahara Desert has taking up residence in them.   In 3 days I leave the USA and head to Iceland so today I'll catch up with a few odd jobs and hopefully by tomorrow I'll be feeling well enough to go to Coney Island. :)