LA, CA Welcome Back, SR!

(He should be landing back in L.A. sometime late this afternoon)

Hope your visit across the Pond went brilliantly! You've been missed around here.
Do tell us all about the trippe to jollie olde...

 

Back already? Capital! Hope your trip was simply smashing, ole chap!

 

You've returned, old chap? Jolly Good! Jolly Good!
Cheers!

 

Glad you're back, safe and sound (I hope), on good ol' So-Cal soil! Hope your trip was incredible!!

 

Welcome back!

 

Welcome back, old bean! Welcome back!

 

Welcome back SR!

 

Blimey for if you haven't made it back across the Pond. Welcome Back and looking forward to the tales of your adventures in London Towne. " God Save the Queen"

 

Do we really need a thread for this? (no offense, SR, you know I love you) Let the poor man sleep and say "hi" on his time. ;D

 

Well apparently *I* thought we needed a thread for this...

Welcome back, SR! I hope this thread didn't wake you up!

 

Can't wait to hear stories! Welcome back!

 

Okay, I will grant that he was probably tired yesterday but by now he has to be awake. Post SR! We want to hear about your trip!

 

I'll bet he's mostly recovering from that horrid customs area at LAX. Oooooh, how I hates that place! I hope he didn't have to wait too long in there: it's Purgatory, I tell you!

 

I think this is a nice thread, like the Happy Birthday threads. Very positive an' all. Who's idea was this thread? Yours, JB?

 

HmmmmMaybe.

 

When I came back from London last month, customs was not that bad at LAX.
Then again, we did have to stop at Cleveland on the way back and have all of our luggage and us screened at that point. No extra time in Cleveland, that is all we did. Got back on another plane with the same flight number as we had coming in from London.

Anyway, welcome back SR!

Let me know what you thought of the SW exhibit!!!

 

Ugh. I hate airports. The act of waiting there drives me crazy, and the security seems way too unnecessary. I honestly don't see what the point is with it all, besides inconveniencing the traveller.

 

For me, the point is that I really don't want to get on a plane with somebody that has a deathwish and a weapon of some sort. I'm really amazed at your attitude about it.

 

I chalk that up to youth. As much as I hate inconvenience, I'd never trade it for safety. But freedom must rule over both...

 

Well...sometimes the TSA guys go on power trips because they can (just like cops & anyone who gets to tell the public what to do do at times)...but hey, one time there was a really NICE TSA lady (in Honolulu--maybe that's why, she's in a good mood 'cause she lives in a paradise!), so I guess that makes up for it? :/

I wish I didn't have to take off my thin, obviously only strips of rubber, foam, leather (maybe?), & cloth shoes. There's no metal on 'em, not even eyelets. They don't set off the detectors. There's no ROOM for bombs. Oh, and thin hoodies too. Some TSA call then "jackets" and I have to take them off (what could I be hiding under there that's THAT small and not liquid or metal?). But whatever, rules are made for following, even stupidly. If I'm in a bad mood I'll just not buckle my seat belt at cruising altitude, and feel slightly "rebellious".

 

No insult meant Mr. Z. I think JB's got it right.

 

SR, when would you like to have another SW lunch at Sony? I think it's better for you to schedule it, as I'm a few hours behind you guys on the work schedule...

 

I am back! I've missed you guys. I was too tired to post yesterday. Sorry this is going to be long but I'm going to use it like a journal, you don't have to read it all.

Wednesday 19th: Boarded the plane Virgin Atlantic and took off around 8:50pm. No problem getting on it was very simple though I don't wear any metal and I have shoes I can take off without untieing. Virgin Atlantic is a great airline, I recommend using them. The flight was practically empty and my friend and I had a whole row to ourselves. This made it good for stretching out. Each seat has it's own tv so you could watch a choice of at least 30 movies or 100 tv shows all on demand or play video games. I watched Zodiac, which was good but long. The food they served was great too and they just keep bringing it, wine too which was free.

Thursday 20th: Landed Heathrow around 3pm. It was easy going through the customs area. The line was short and they didn't ask me many questions. Then we took the Tube from Heathrow on the Piccadilly line and changed at Green Park for the Jubilee line (more info than needed I know). We were staying at my friend's friend's flat in Bermondsey which is a little area south of the river Thames east of the Tower Bridge. It was a very nice place and this is the view from outside his window. The brige in the background is the Tower Bridge.

[image=http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/ksr3959/070919%20London%20Album%201/DSC01169.jpg]

After we sat down and rested a bit we went to the grocery store because we were going to try and save a little money eating at home. So off on the tube again one stop east called Canada Water to go to the mall where there was a Tesco which is the same as Ralph's. The prices weren't all that bad. I was shocked to see that cereal was only a pound (about $2) a box when they can be $5 here. Other food things I noticed was that the milk containers were all shaped different and you could get various sizes other than gallon and half gallon. Also they don't have twist ties on thier bread but sticky tape that they wrap around to close it.

Since it was our first night there we wanted to eat out so after dropping off the groceries we walked along the river checking out all these new restaurants along the warf. The place we were staying was actually an old warehouse that they turned into expensive flats. The whole area south of the river is going through a redevelopment stage and they are turning old run down buildings into upscale shopping, eating, and living spaces. We chose this Italian place because of price and the fact that we were tired and couldn't take another step. It was good but the best part was the fireworks. While we were waiting for our check to come there was a barge in the river that started shooting off fireworks. They were very nice and everyone left their tables to go out on the river and look at them. Then after dinner it was back to the flat for a good rest.

Friday 21st: My first full day, we got up and took the tube to London Bridge. This dropped us off right near the London Eye (the big ferris wheel thing), Parliment and Big Ben, and County Hall where the SW exhibit is housed. I took a picture in front of the Eye but it was overcast that morning so we thought we would wait until the weather was nicer before going up in it (we never went back). I walked in front of County Hall taking pictures of the Stormtroopers but we didn't want to pay to go inside and my friend really isn't that big on SW so I wasn't going to make him do that.

[image=http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/ksr3959/070919%20London%20Album%201/dsc01186.jpg] [image=http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/ksr3959/070919%20London%20Album%201/DSC01187.jpg]

From there we went to Trafalger Square [image=http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/ksr3959/070919%20London%20Album%201/DSC01190.jpg] then to Piccadilly Circus London's Times Square [image=http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/ksr3959/070919%20London%20Album%201/DSC01191.jpg] and then to Leicester Square to pick up theate

 

SR, I feel as though I was there with you! I really like your narrative and your pictures are great! I want SR to journal my trips.

I'm so glad you are back SR! I really missed you.

 

Excellent description SR! I feel almost as though I'd gone too -- and that the whole trip flew by really fast... Did the Tate have art by the pre-Rafaelites, or is that a different Tate? I really wanna go!