Paddington Station. This was the closest Underground (Subway) station to our first hotel. It was here we caught the first trains for our days of exploring. It was also here that we saw the bear of the same name fame: Paddington Bear at Paddington Station.
The best way to take advantage of London's fantastic public transporation is to buy a one-day pass. They'll ask for what zone and the best reply is just for the Tourist sites and those are covered by the first pass Zone 1-2. The price is 14 pounds for three one-day adult passes. They offer several maps that help you plan your trip. Borrow a good book on London travel or spend a morning in the public library scouting out what you'd like to see. Or you can just explore and see where you end up.
We soon saw the first of many old-style English phone booths, and so naturally Carli and Caty had to pose in them! Here is Carli inside the phone booth. And this other photo is Cata doing the same.
We also encountered our first "Bobbys" and they didn't want their photo taken. They were nice about it, but they walked off hurriedly. We would later meet nicer, more obliging police officers. Sadly, the top news story in London was the murder of a woman probationary officer, who was the mother of five. She was killed on the birthday of her youngest child and had made all the arrangments for the child's party that night. Three killers are still on the loose. Only 10% of London's police are armed. This woman had only a vest that would have prevented a knife attack and she and her partner responded to a call not knowing what they would encounter. Prayers for the woman's husband and children are needed.
The "trick" had to be to get to the Stanstead airport by 1 p.m.! We left the train station at 12:15 and the taped announcement said we would take 45 minutes to get to the airport. We made it! But no Carli for a while as we waited by the only one place we knew Carli had to emerge, The International Arrival gate, but by 12:20 we were reunited! Carli looks great. She said being at the school and walking everywhere has helped her keep in shape.
Our adventures in Europe started with our having to leave our hotel immediately after arriving to jump on the Stansted Express, a direct train service from Liverpool Station (a London subway and train station) to go and pick up Carli at the Stansted airport. We knew nothing about prices, etc. and we trusted the retro cab driver to take us there. The price to go to the airport was high, but we needed to go and pick up Carli who was flying in from Granada on Ryanair, the European answer to Southwest airlines, as we would find out that next Sunday as we flew from London to Granada and back.
One lifelong dream was fulfilled Sunday when Nellie, Carli, Caitlin, and I were able to worship at Wesley's Chapel at their 11 a.m. Sunday service. What a powerful experience!
