We didn't wait very long before our packs showed up and we got a bus to Scarborough about 2:30. We found our B&B abd settled in and then I went to get my hair cut. We tried to do laundry but everything closes so early that we were too late to get it done. Richard treated Shari and me to a fish and chips dinner and then there was nohing else to do so we all went to read our books and go to bed early.
7/11: We had a great English breakfast at the B&B and then got our 8AM bus to London. It was a 7 hour bus ride but it wasn't bad. I read, listened to music and slept. We got to Kevin's by 4PM and it was a good thing Kevin was out when we got there because we spread out our gear all over the place. We dried our tents and other struff on the patio, washed our pot, cups, etc., got clothes ready for the laundry and used the internet. We walked up to the pizza place, ordered pizza and then stopped and bought some food for breakfast.
Susan called me to let me know there was a major problem with my Citibank charge account. Apparently my number got stolen somehow when I purchased a picture on my last day in Nepal, and lots of spurious charges are appearing on my account. Susan told me how to contact Citibank and I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with them closing my existing account, finding out how to reject the bad charges and making arrangements to get a new card. What a nightmare, but thank goodness Susan is so organiozed and thorough in taking care of my affairs at home.
After I finished my banking business I got to watch "Law and Order." A nice treat after dealing with depressing financial business.
7/12: A productive day. Laundry, grocery store and miscellaneous errands. We bought weekend tube passes so we could get around on the tube today and tomorrow. It's a good buy at 6.10 pounds because just a one way ride costs 2 pounds.
I bought a new battery for my camera and it seems to be working a little better but it still doesn't seem right. Even with the other battery (which isn't very old) it would work on and off. I'm just disappointed that I didn''t get to take hardly any pictures on our hike.
We came back to Kevin's to find Kevin, Graham and Amy there. It was nice to see them and catch up on Kevin's life since we last saw him. They were cooking dinner and then they were off to a bar and party for the evening. Shari used the internet to check some sightseeing for tomorrow, information on Costa Rica and information on rental cars for when we meet Eva and Mary Ann in Geneva in August. Shari and I both slept outside on Kevin's deck in our sleeping bags. It was a beautiful evening, breezy, cool and with a fiull moon.
7/13 We left Kevin's about 9:30 to go over to watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. It was very crowded and very hot and we stood around for a long time because the ceremony doesn't start until 11:30. Afterwards Shari, Richard and I walked through the park to Picadilly Circus, then to Trafalgar Square and then to Victoria bus station so Shari and I could get tickets for our bus ride to Stansted Airport tomorrow morning.
After we got our tickets, Richard decided to stay in town and walk around, and Shari and I took the tube to the grocery store and then to Kevin's. I've just finished organizing my gear and pack and I'm ready to head to Oslo tomorrow. Now we are sitting with Kevin in the apartment, enjoying the beeeze through the open patio door, watchoing TV and Shari is checking out travel places on the interent.
As always, I'm a little nervous heading off to a new place, but excited too for the opportunity to visit so many countries in Europe. I'm also sad to leave Kevin. It has been wonderful staying at his apartment and he is such a fun person to visit. He made us feel so welcome and we all felt like his apartment was our "home away from home" while we were in London.
NORWAY JOURNAL
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