Europe Trip: Getting There

I flew Sacramento to Utah, then Utah to London.  

I'm glad I watched a few travel videos before I went, because I knew that there was an express train from the airport to Paddington station.  

And sure enough, I found it, and the iconic "Mind the gap" instructions.

I enjoyed the almost empty train car of the "15 minutes every 15 minutes" express, and the purple interior matched my luggage.  

Soon, I was at Paddington station, with it's recognizable ceiling.  

I do regret not asking someone where to find the Paddington statue and getting a picture of it.  But at the time, I'd been in transit for about 15 hours, and I just. didn't. care.  I looked around, didn't see it, and asked for the line to Trafalgar Square instead.  

One more train ride, a stop at Charing Cross, and then I lugged my suitcase up a staircase... 

...well, this staircase, actually, to find myself stepping out into the heart of London, on an absolutely gorgeous day.  

This was literally my first sight.

Behind the fountain is the National Gallery.  

That's Nelson's column, which is over 150 years old.  

I gazed around a bit, got my bearings, crossed a street, and walked down less than a block to find my hotel.  

I set the stopwatch as we were pulling out of our neighborhood on the way to the airport, so I was in transit for 17 hours on the way there.  

Checking into my hotel and setting all my stuff down for a while felt good.  

This was "home base" for the next 3 nights.

Quiet and comfortable.

 Soon, I was ready to go back out and explore a bit.  

This was my view from the hotel window.  Which was fine; I was rarely there except to sleep.

Some cash I picked up at the train station.  The ten pound note has Jane Austen on the back.  

Once I'd rested a little and pulled out my small backpack and put the essentials in it, I wandered out for a bit.  

This was a big disappointment, as I really, really wanted to see the National Portrait Gallery.  This will be on my list for next time.  

I feel like I picked the perfect time to visit.  The crowds from the Jubilee were gone, but London was still all dressed up. 

I found Chinese food for dinner.

And explored Chinatown briefly.  

There's the weary traveler in front of an iconic red phone box.  

I saw flags from so many different countries in London!  There are embassies everywhere.  One just down the street from my hotel had a long line outside it every morning.

The plinth on the left showcases a variety of modern art pieces, changed every so often.  Behind Nelson's column, you can catch a glimpse of the London Eye.  I was surprised at how compact London seemed.  All the highlights are fairly close together.