Walking off the Jet Lag
Day 2 – The Big Walk Through Rain & Shine
The day started with bucketing rain, looking out my window across Green Park it was very bleak. I busied myself inside until about midday when it suddenly started to clear. I set off on the walk I had planned to do yesterday, but jet lag slowed me down too much!
Walking down St James’s St, I stopped in to have a quick look at Pickering Place, London’s smallest public square.
I will write more about some of these places in longer articles with more photos when I get home. I am trying to keep the Postcards brief….
I then continued across Pall Mall, past St James’s Palace and into St James’s Park – amazingly the sun came out and I had to dig out my sunglasses!
St James’s Park has the best views from both sides of the bridge over the lake, Buckingham Palace on one side, and Royal Horseguards and Whitechapel on the other. From the park I went up through Royal Horseguards and then turned right on to Whitechapel. Passing Downing St, I could see he top of the newly refurbished Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) gleaming in the sun. Then getting to the end of Whitechapel, there it was in all it’s glory, giving the perfect photo op with a London Bus and a few Black Cabs.
It was particularly crowded here so I continued over Westminster Bridge, in some parts I notice the locals walk in the bike lane to get past the crowds.
I was able to get through the crowds to get this photo of one of the old bridge lights with the London Eye behind it.
By the time I got to the other side of the Thames, the rain came back. Londoners don’t use umbrellas, it’s too crowded, so a good rain coat with a hood is essential. But the rain stopped again as quickly as it started….
After sheltering under the bridge for a while I continued along the Thames nd had a quick look at the Southbank Christmas Market, which I’m sure would be packed out in the evenings. I went up the steps and crossed back over the Thames on Jubilee Bridge.
After walking through Charing Cross Station, and carried on up The Strand to Trafalgar Square, then up Regent St, all the way up to Liberty of London, down Oxford St, then as I walked down South Molton Lane the rain really picked up, I had to relent and break out the umbrella and head for home. Fortunately the temperature is quite mild, so very wet, but not cold.
The Christmas street lights were all starting to come on, but hopefully tomorrow I will get out after dark, with no rain, to see all the lights as they are meant to be seen.
Meanwhile, to read more of my stories about previous Trips Over to London click here
I flew from Sydney to London with Qatar Airways