2023 April-May - London, UK (Day 0 + 1)
Thursday, 27 April 2023 07:45![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elusivekHello from London!
I've got some time to kill right now (just before 7am) and my friend is still lounging around in her pyjamas, and I've got nothing to do.
Day 0 - Hong Kong to London
We used to have a spiffy service where we can take a ferry directly to the Hong Kong Airport and since it drops you off already in the restricted area of the airport, so, technically, you only depart from Macau, but never have to "go into Hong Kong". After Covid-19 they've cut that service to 1 sailing a day, so, instead, we had to take the "Bridge Bus".
They got a similar service that would take you from Macau to the Hong Kong International Airport, but you still had to get off the bus to go through immigration and customs with your bags, then get back on the bus. And at least, on a bus, you don't get sea sick when the sea is unsettled.
So apparently my friend got herself an e-reader, but some China off-brrand. Took out our e-readers to compare. Looks more or less the same, only hers wasn't hook up to Amazon. I might get a China off-brand one in the future when I need to replace it (it's one-third the cost). We'll see when I get there.
Last Asian meal before we fly. Korean stone pot rice.
As I guessed, the in flight food was mediocre. They didn't have tomato juice either. Oh, and I had the relatively most painless flight, I've found out the joys of the absolute middle seat LOL. My friend complained that she got non-stop nudged and pushed when people walked along the aisle, so she couldn't sleep at all. I was able to sleep off around 4 or 5 hours until my butt got numb and I had to turn, and the person behind me was rather decent too. Nobody bothered me to stand up for the toilets LOL.
Okay, got to London, smooth immigration. Apparently the EU passport still had a slight advantage to my friend's SAR passport. Since we were together, the guy told us to go to the "Middle queue" usually for families. If not, my friend would have have to go to the longer queue. Lucky. Got our local SIMS, made our way to drop off the bags at the hotel. (No, we are not staying at the Hyatt)
Then off to the Bank of England. We arrived around 10:15, everything done by 12:30. They didn't exchange coins and I have 7 GBP of 1-pound coins that are dead money. Hm... Guess I'll have to find a donation box and drop them off? Have to be one of those Bank-associated charities, I read somewhere.
Since we got extra time so I swapped the itinerary for a bit. Covent Gardens for lunch.
I don't really know why I bothered with changing the GBP notes now. It really seems that everywhere we go, it's cashless payment only. And you can't even use your old style swipe or stripe credit cards. It has to be those new chipped contactless payments *Shrugs*
And then back to the hotel to officially get our room.
They gave us a high floor (technically 3F but the room number starts with a 2). I liked the room enough. My friend is complaining it's a long climb with her heavy bag.
View out from the room.
So next stop, early dinner. I somehow got mixed up. I don't know why I thought we had to go to The Shard, when we actually had to. go to the Sky Gardens. So we had to walk. I didn't mind the walk, but my friend was silently revolting by dragging her feet.
Past the Monument.
And arrived!
Wasn't really that far away, come on, don't be a baby!
Early dinner.
Here's us. The lady at the entrance said "No Slytherins allowed," my brain was slow and couldn't react. I should have said "But I've got my Potter Glasses on!"
Past Leadenhall Market which was a big let-down!
And then we called it a night and went back to our rooms, given my friend didn't sleep well. Conked off by 10pm. Today is another day!
I forgot the annoying quirks of this friend LOL. More if I feel like writing. I think she's finally ready to go.
I've got some time to kill right now (just before 7am) and my friend is still lounging around in her pyjamas, and I've got nothing to do.
Day 0 - Hong Kong to London
We used to have a spiffy service where we can take a ferry directly to the Hong Kong Airport and since it drops you off already in the restricted area of the airport, so, technically, you only depart from Macau, but never have to "go into Hong Kong". After Covid-19 they've cut that service to 1 sailing a day, so, instead, we had to take the "Bridge Bus".
They got a similar service that would take you from Macau to the Hong Kong International Airport, but you still had to get off the bus to go through immigration and customs with your bags, then get back on the bus. And at least, on a bus, you don't get sea sick when the sea is unsettled.
So apparently my friend got herself an e-reader, but some China off-brrand. Took out our e-readers to compare. Looks more or less the same, only hers wasn't hook up to Amazon. I might get a China off-brand one in the future when I need to replace it (it's one-third the cost). We'll see when I get there.
Last Asian meal before we fly. Korean stone pot rice.
As I guessed, the in flight food was mediocre. They didn't have tomato juice either. Oh, and I had the relatively most painless flight, I've found out the joys of the absolute middle seat LOL. My friend complained that she got non-stop nudged and pushed when people walked along the aisle, so she couldn't sleep at all. I was able to sleep off around 4 or 5 hours until my butt got numb and I had to turn, and the person behind me was rather decent too. Nobody bothered me to stand up for the toilets LOL.
Okay, got to London, smooth immigration. Apparently the EU passport still had a slight advantage to my friend's SAR passport. Since we were together, the guy told us to go to the "Middle queue" usually for families. If not, my friend would have have to go to the longer queue. Lucky. Got our local SIMS, made our way to drop off the bags at the hotel. (No, we are not staying at the Hyatt)
Then off to the Bank of England. We arrived around 10:15, everything done by 12:30. They didn't exchange coins and I have 7 GBP of 1-pound coins that are dead money. Hm... Guess I'll have to find a donation box and drop them off? Have to be one of those Bank-associated charities, I read somewhere.
Since we got extra time so I swapped the itinerary for a bit. Covent Gardens for lunch.
I don't really know why I bothered with changing the GBP notes now. It really seems that everywhere we go, it's cashless payment only. And you can't even use your old style swipe or stripe credit cards. It has to be those new chipped contactless payments *Shrugs*
And then back to the hotel to officially get our room.
They gave us a high floor (technically 3F but the room number starts with a 2). I liked the room enough. My friend is complaining it's a long climb with her heavy bag.
View out from the room.
So next stop, early dinner. I somehow got mixed up. I don't know why I thought we had to go to The Shard, when we actually had to. go to the Sky Gardens. So we had to walk. I didn't mind the walk, but my friend was silently revolting by dragging her feet.
Past the Monument.
And arrived!
Wasn't really that far away, come on, don't be a baby!
Early dinner.
Here's us. The lady at the entrance said "No Slytherins allowed," my brain was slow and couldn't react. I should have said "But I've got my Potter Glasses on!"
Past Leadenhall Market which was a big let-down!
And then we called it a night and went back to our rooms, given my friend didn't sleep well. Conked off by 10pm. Today is another day!
I forgot the annoying quirks of this friend LOL. More if I feel like writing. I think she's finally ready to go.
