It’s only Autumn yet the sun didn’t rise until 8.25am…much later than we’re used to! We had breakfast down the road in the aptly named Eiffel cafe and then decided to brave the tower again. What a difference a day makes…..there were no where near the crowds from yesterday so we joined a queue at 9am, the tower opened at 9.30 and we reached the top of the tower on the east elevator by 9.45. We initially thought that we joined the walk up the stairs line but it was the elevator only line which ended up being the better option. Needless to say it is worth the time and effort to reach the top, the views are endless and awesome!
We then set off to see the other sights of Paris and decided to take a boat ride on the Seine. It was a good way to get a perspective of the city and where we would like to walk to next. We cruised past the Louvre, Notre Dame and a whole lot of other places that we would have known if the commentary was in English (although they seemed to be using a range of languages like Spanish, Chinese, Russian and French).
We got off the boat and headed towards the Louvre on foot and experienced some more attempted scams……this one involved a somebody spotting a ‘gold’ ring on the footpath and giving it to you but asking for money as well……Google it……it’s a common scam and Michele picked it well! This happened twice in a matter of minutes.
We admired the Louvre and surrounding buildings from outside as the crowds and queues were very very very long.
The buildings in Paris are large and imposing, they command your attention and seem to say ‘look at me, look at me, LOOK AT ME – I am successful and powerful’! Yet the architecture is so detailed and creative that it is a pleasure to view them.
Lucky that we live near the Eiffel Tower as it is easy for us to navigate back to home on foot. We probably walked at least 10 km today and decided to have some cheese, olives, salami and wine for dinner.
As the night fell, the tower lit up but then………..surprise……….it sparkled like glitter for about 5 minutes at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm. The skies were still clear and stars could be seen as well.
The weather forecast is not as good for tomorrow because of the effects of Hurricane Gonzalo moving north after hitting Bermuda!

Goodbye to our little room in Mayfair and off to Kings Cross St Pancras station for international rail travel……passports checked, bags scanned but no restrictions on transporting liquids so our Liquor was safe! Michele got the pat down instead of Teresa for once ( it was the most action she has had in a long time)!
We found our seats which happened to be the ones without a direct window. Thank goodness for the catering cart where we were able to buy French wine, olives and snacks while standing at a table and watching the countryside unfold.
Nord train station is a very busy place and can be confusing and overwhelming for someone who doesn’t read or speak French. Trying to buy tickets on the Paris metro is not clear and we were nearly scammed by some young boy who offered to help us (since when do 12 year olds go out of their way to help anyone?)
Finally we worked it out and dragged our luggage onto two train changes and easily found our airBnB apartment just down from bir-Hakeim station (the Eiffel Tower station). Our host, Betty, was very helpful with information to make our stay a pleasurable and comfortable one. The apartment is very small (about the same as London) but with a much better view…….pity about the giant antenna in the way!
We have absolutely been blessed with the weather (in London above average temps) and now in Paris it was 23 degrees in Autumn.
Since we are only an eight minute walk to the giant antenna, we took ourselves down to become part of a sea of people as far as the eye could see…….everyone from the world was there! It was like an ant farm….people up the tower, people below, people on the green parks, people on the monument in the distance……so NO……..not today, let’s try tomorrow and find somewhere for a bite! We realised then, that we were absolutely exhausted…..with the dragging of bags, avoiding scams, travel and everything else that we decided to lie low until tomorrow.
After a Japanese meal (restaurant down the road) we retired for a great night’s sleep!

Scott met us at our apartment and we caught the train from Oxford Circus to Victoria where we hopped off for a walk to the river and Westminster. As it turned out we took the long long way but had a wonderful walk past Sloane and then along the Thames, seeing Vauxhall and many new developments with impressive architecture. The Houses of Parliament are overwhelming! We then hopped on a boat to Greenwich. This was a really great way to see Tower Bridge and the Tower of London from the water along with commentary about historical sights plus the new financial district in Greenwich.
Lunch was in a tiny pub in Greenwich with typical pommy food such as fish and chips and ciders. We visited the Greenwich markets and then walked around some parts but apparently they now charge to stand on the Meridian so we just looked at the long queues and moved on. We then caught the driverless train back to Bank for a coffee. We walked down to Russell Square where there were more squirrels and beautiful autumn leaves and old style English buildings……very pretty!
On the way home we stopped into the Vodka Shop where the owner obviously remembered us……he greeted us with a customary eye roll. After stocking up again it was time to spruce up ready for dinner at Sketch.
What an amazing place…….It was all decked out in pink ( the owner likes to decorate with themes on a regular basis). They make awesome Martinis and the vodka is a decent drop! The food and company were superb as we met Scott’s friend, Sarah for the first time, who is delightful. The toilets in Sketch were another unique experience…..they are basically individual pods (felt like you were entering a cocoon).
What a great way to spend our last night in London!

g

This was the day that we got to catch up with Scott again…..he’s been very busy with work and finally it’s time to play!
We found a cafe called Pontis where Michele and I could use some free wifi and then discovered that they had Bloody Mary’s on the menu. Coffee and BMs were thoroughly enjoyed while we blogged and the waiter (cute) explained about the free Cloud wifi in London. They actually have red telephone booths in various areas of London (e.g. Bermondsey) where you can access the cloud wifi.
Then we braved Primark – a department store like our K-mart but with more people and lots of accents and languages. People were filling their baskets with clothing like we fill ours with food in Coles.
We decided to find a city tour bus to see other sights but found it was too expensive for what we wanted to do – £25 each for a 2 hour tour. But there was this lovely big park next to the bus station so we wandered into the vast open space that turned out to be Hyde Park. It was so green and the walking tracks are well defined and easy to negotiate with delightful squirrels, magnificent ducks and elegant swans. On the other side was Knightsbridge – the home to Harrods! So we took the chance and entered a foreign land – consumerism at its best! There were handbags and diamonds, snooty staff and lots of hijabs and full burkas but definitely out of our league! Some chocolate tasting in the food court plus takeaway lunch from the multicultural offerings gave us the refuel needed for the rest of the day!
Off to meet Scott in Fenchurch street…..catch the Tube to Bank (says it all) and emerge into a world of old architecture and the first banks and monuments! You could smell the money! Scott works in a building called Plantation Place which is next to the ‘Walky Scorchy’ building famous for melting cars parked in the street because of its glass facade, sun and angles. The glass face has been modified with sun deflecting panels but its still an impressive design.
So up we go to the Accenture foyer of the Plantation Place building to wait for Scott. There are interactive glass panels on the wall which visitors are invited to try……It felt like the future of the classroom. Very much like a computer on the wall….cool!
We need to use the bathrooms once Scott finished work and Michele managed to activate the emergency alarm in the toilet which sent the security guard running in to check if she’s OK…….too funny! Scott particularly enjoyed her embarrassment……but…..there is more!
So now we are three and follow Scott to the Shard. Up we go to the 32nd floor. London is laid out before us…..the Tower of London has a carpet of red poppies along its wall to commemorate 100 years since WW1. We missed Lizzy and Phil yesterday who were visiting the poppies and they forgot to tweet us!
So with the Tower of London and Tower Bridge as our backdrop it was time to sample the cocktails and finger foods on offer……yummo! The drinks even came with ‘shards’ of glass from a large block of ice behind the bar. Sharon Stone would be in her element! So back down to earth where Scott manages to activate the alarm in the elevator and Michele delighted in his embarrassment. Teresa just thought about how ‘special’ her children are! Despite this she is still proud of them!
Time to move on, so Scott takes us to Trafalgar Square…..whoa what a place! People everywhere, statues dominate the scenery and buskers are very busy trying to earn a living. Another journey on foot continues through the various areas of London, London Bridge, the Monument built in 1667 to commemorate the Great Fire of London 1666.
Dinner at Covent Garden was superb. The Mussels and Pork were delicious.
We then walked through back streets past pubs and bars with people spilling out onto the footpaths. Scott took us to a Vodka Shop (heaven?) in Soho. We are immediately offered shots of Polish vodka which was a product made by one of the men in the store called ‘Konik’s Tail’. It was smooth and we bought 2 bottles which were autographed by the maker himself. They then topped up our shot glasses and we realised that the place was closed when others tried to enter. We were then allowed behind the counter to have photos with these crazy characters. We couldn’t stop laughing about how we always seem to end up in these crazy situations. Pleurat (the maker) also advised us that in Poland we should not buy any commercial vodka because the locals make much better products!
It was a great day!

We awoke early to find clear skies and the beginnings of a beautiful sunny day. We went down for breakfast and then headed off to the shops to find some wifi and so Teresa could get her blow dry (one must get the London look!). Next stop was M&M’s World, which you could smell before you could see it. M&M’s everywhere! You can get them in containers of all different shapes and sizes, or create your own custom mix from gigantic canisters attached to the walls. You can even order personalised M&M’s! We did not spend too much time in here, however, we were just here to pick up a bucket of M&M’s to deliver to Mikayla in Oxford (one of Teresa’s ex-students) which was to be our next destination.
Pints and pasties were our lunch at Paddington Station while we watched a number of trains to Oxford get cancelled. Once we boarded a train that was Oxford-bound it was a beautiful hour-long journey through the lush, green countryside, with views of quaint little houses and boats. Mikayla met us at Oxford Station and we caught up over coffee before embarking on a tour of the oldest university in the world. Oxford University was magnificent in every way, from the brilliant architecture to the beautifully manicured lawns. You got a real feel for the history and depth of time while walking around the grounds. It was really nice to catch up with (and meet) Mikayla, who was a wonderful host, sharing her knowledge of the local area. We stayed for a couple of hours before heading back to the maddening crowd that is London, but not before stumbling upon the local Ben & Jerry’s icecream outlet. Needless to say, Michele had to sample the wares!

We woke up to a typical cloudy London day and had our first decent shower since we left home (great water pressure for weary travellers). A continental breakfast was first up on Wednesday at the Pizzeria across the road from our room. It is part of the great deal we found for our stay here. The Mermaid Suites are small but comfortable however the best part is the location!!

Having no refrigerator means that we have had to get creative with our morning coffee – the duty free Biscotti Baileys has come in very handy as a milk substitute ( well it is evening in Coffs after all!)

Time to explore London – 4 hours of walking meant visits to Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the Thames. The architecture is breath taking and so intricate that is hard to believe that they were constructed so long ago. Of course, this part of London has a plethora of tourists (bloody foreigners…..;p) and eventually it was time to escape the crowds.

We then hopped on the Tube for an adventure and found that we were on the line to Bermondsey where Scott used to live. After a walk through a park where a couple of squirrels were frolicking in the trees much to our delight, we found a lovely little pub (the Angel) on the Thames overlooking the Tower Bridge, the Gherkin and the Shard. A well deserved Cider was consumed before tackling the Tube again and braving the crowds on Oxford street during peak hour! Everyone is very polite, including the seagulls who have a soft ‘peep’ sound compared to the squawk of Aussie seagulls!

Dinner was at a small pub around the corner from our accommodation called Bonds Mayfair where there was a 2 for £11 meal special. The Cajun Chicken Salad and Chile Sav Blanc wine went down well after all the tourism partaken on the day!

After a long flight we finally touched down at Heathrow. We tried to go to the something to declare line but the office was empty and we found ourselves joining the nothing to declare line. We were then quickly reunited with Scott. We took a train on the Tube to Piccadilly Circus and then we enjoyed the walk to the hotel (about 15 mins). This was a fantastic idea as we experienced the nightlife occurring in the heart of London. On the walk to our hotel we walked past all of the big names including Prada, Chanel, Mulberry, Ralph Lauren and Sotheby’s, to name a few, and nestled in amongst this enormous display of wealth was the lane way to our little hotel. Lucky Scott was with us to act as our bellboy because our cosy little room was up about 4 flights of stairs. We enjoyed a lovely family dinner at the Italian restaurant downstairs before parting ways to sleep off our exhaustion.

Flying out of Korea we noticed that there are a lot of lovely islands and noted the stark contrast between the infrastructure of South and North Korea as we were afforded views of both places during our flight.

China was quite an experience as there was not a cloud in the sky. Instead we were treated with an unadulterated bird’s eye view of the country for as far as the eye can see. We also noticed enormous wind farms throughout the country.
For lunch on the plane we requested the traditional Korean meal and had some dishes consisting of rice, fermented vegetables, beef and spicy sauce which you mix together yourself. After we ate we were instructed, much to our dismay, to close our window blinds, thus ending our admiration of the world below. It was a timely occurrence however, as the clouds set in just as we approached the Russian border. We were also lucky enough to be able to keep a track of where we were via cameras situated on both the front and the undercarriage of the plane, which were live-streamed through our personal monitors. On occasion when we opened the blind we were able to view the icy lands of Russia as we flew overhead.

The night markets were fascinating and also a great opportunity to stretch our legs after 12 hours of sitting down. The photos really do not reflect the colour and vibrance of the bustling streets. We kind of regretted our hotel westernised dinner as we walked past the many street vendors selling delicious food.

Back in our hotel room, we needed a drivers license just to work the toilet!

But the beds were comfy and the city was surprisingly quiet outside our window. The next morning we woke up the coldest morning Seoul has seen this year (9 degrees) and went down to breakfast expecting another mediocre westernised meal, but instead were pleasantly surprised by a buffet full of Asian delights! There were cooked and pickled vegetables, fish and lots of fresh fruit. Teresa fell in love with the salted plums. What a great way to start the day!

Some more photos of the streets of Seoul.

The Hair Lounge…. or is it?

We giggled at the slogan for this icecream shop

We were also able to see the Seoul in daylight on the way to the airport. We were blessed with stunning weather.

Next stop Heathrow airport, see you soon Scotty!!

It was a long plane ride but current technology makes it a lot more bearable (we got to watch “How To Train Your Dragon II). Teresa spent a large amount of time on the trip-tracking channel or looking out the window. Flying into Korea was actuallyan amazing experience, oh the humanity! And the infrastructure! Thousands of perfectly aligned high-rise buildings and incredibly long bridges peppered the landscape, it was actually quite breathtaking.

Once we touched down at Incheon airport we managed to dodge the paparazzi (who possibly were there to welcome a bigger celebrity but we would prefer to think it was for us).

After an incredibly long bus ride from the airport into Seoul we finally arrived at our first foreign accommodation. While looking for something to mix with our duty free vodka we opened a bottle that we thought was soda water and stumbled upon Soju, which is pretty much alcohol and water in a bottle… Heaven!

Just had a lovely dinner in our hotel in Seoul, now off to explore the night markets!