It's windy at the top.

The morning started earlier as we wanted to be at St. Paul's at opening. Breakfast was great once again and we then became part of the commuter traffic as we used the underground to get to St. Paul's. A quick look around to see which direction, past the reinstated Temple Bar and we paid the £18 to visit the cathedral. This gave us an audio guided tour with pictures to match. An excellent solution to having thousands of guides and groups wandering around. We did the main sections and then it was time to ascend into the heavens. First stop was the whispering gallery which really worked as Stephanie can attest. Steps up to that level were easy to climb as the staircase was very wide. 

Next set of narrow stairs took us up to Stone Gallery which is outside and around the edge of the dome. Great views but the wind could have taken Mary Poppins out for a ride. Up the final set of iron circular stairs to the Golden Gallery which is just below the very top of the building, this would be about 350 ft high. Excellent view all around but the wind once again was ferocious. Great selfies at this level. 

Once down on the cathedral floor, we took advantage of the guided tour and explored the myriad of famous people that are buried or immortalised in the crypt. A final visit to the cathedral shop, with no bargains to be had and we departed for a Starbucks coffee. Snacks, courtesy of the Crowne Plaza, eaten we decided to head back to hotel to meet up with David Lithgow.  We had a quick look around Covent Garden, before the taking the tube to hotel and receiving a message that David was on his way. Pit stop to off load shopping at hotel and we piled into the very nice vehicle David was driving. A short drive and the Westfield shopping centre with accompanying building works was our destination. David knew the place so parking was easy and off to the restaurant row. The Italian place was gone so Wahaca (Mexican) chosen. Fairly ho hum service, we ordered drinks and meals. This place advertises that it's spoons go missing so some how David ordered dessert which meant that three or four more spoons have been taken on adventures. Great spoons but decided that it would be difficult to eat cereal with. 

After leaving David we travelled by bus back to Trafalgar Square to the Portrait Gallery. Lots of famous and some not so famous faces were on display (ours not amongst them) we were chased out at 6 pm. Leicester Square beckoned and there was a premiere of Creed happening so we chose to avoid the crowd and attended the movie "Joy". Great movie and interesting story about the start of tv shopping channels. Another tube ride with a garfunkels dinner and a long busy day is over.

Yet another fine day. 

 Three of the four spoons which may have disappeared from restaurant!

What Sale!

Leisurely start to the day, with a great breakfast at the Crowne Plaza. Definitely recommend hotel it is a great location oh and breakfast is pretty good too!

Walked to natural history museum as Virginia wanted to see if the exhibition had been changed so she could take photo for kids. But alas no, so it was a quick trip via the gift shop and out to catch the bus to Piccadilly Circus.

We walked up Regent Street stopping off at various shops to see what they had to

offer. Like yesterday the quality of sale items was limited but we did get some good food samples which previously had been unheard of in London!

Had a stop for tea and tea cakes at Liberty and Diane may have purchased some fabric.

A wander along Oxford street which saw us done for shopping. Caught bus back to hotel where Virginia collected her luggage, now in a Buckingham Palace bag (upgraded from tescos) and headed to Victoria station to catch train back to Canterbury. 

We had a cuppa and then headed off to the Devonshire Arms which was just 800m up the road to have dinner with Diane's friends Tina and Duncan.

Another day done and dusted in London.

Wet but regal!

Unfortunately the weather wasn't as nice as when Elizabeth visited the Peak District, but we still enjoyed ourselves.

Stopped off at an embroidery shop just outside Matlock, it turned out to be owned by a New Zealander and would say she will be pleased Diane dropped by!

Visited Bakewell and purchase the famous Bakewell tarts.

Then onto Chatsworth. Even though the weather wasn't great, we still got to experience the grandeur of the place. At this time of the year, Chatsworth is decorated for Christmas. This year the theme is "The wind in the willows". There was so much going on it was a case of not knowing where to look first. A magnificent house, words can't describe.

 By the time we went through the house the rain had set in, but that didn't stop us doing a small wander around the grounds, to check out the cascade waterfall and to the stables. It was back to the car to have a coffee and Bakewell tart. Popped into the Chatsworth farm shop just for a final look around before heading to our B&B at Eyam. Difficult to find a place for dinner but we are booked into the local 15 minutes walk away. Off to the pub!

Magical Mystery Tour

Today being another holiday it was a late start and a decision to take the family on a magical mystery tour. With thermos packed and all loaded into the car we took off, going right out of the gateway and past Luke’s school and Canterbury rugby club. Driving down country lanes the guessing of where we were going were from the sublime – Leeds Castle (we went there last time Diane visited), Badgers Hill to the ridiculous (France on the Eurostar-Diane’s guess, as we started to see signs for Ashford International Station). Eventually we ended up at the Ashford Designer Outlet centre where Mark and the children headed for the playground and the ladies wandered the shops browsing, observing bargains and making a few purchases along the way. When we finished the tour we were advised that the younger members of the party had already eaten at a non sandwich venue, so a trip around ASDA to find lunch items for the adults ensued. As well as these we purchased wrapping paper which was marked £1, but we paid 50p so a bargain all around.

All aboard for stage two of our tour and we were looking for a windmill to find out lunch spot. The village of Woodchurch was our stop and we found a seat to put our lunch on, the kids had a play area and a cuppa later we set off for a walk around the church – some of which was 14^th century and up the muddy path to the windmill (much later construction). Next stop was a drive through of the village Hamstreet to see if we could find the church mentioned in Wikipedia but we think it must have been amalgamated or something as we could not find it.

Driving home again we ended up coming in the back way and doing almost a loop of the Kent countryside. A great day out, quite warm but breezy at times and entertaining for the most part. A roast dinner was the climax of the day with the kids early to bed and us starting to pack for our road trip tomorrow.

   

On our way!!

We have had an interesting start to our holiday. Had it all planned we would basically arrive at the airport within minutes, but you know what they say about best laid plans!

Stephanie's shuttle arrived15 minutes early and Diane's plane left 2 hours late!!!! At one stage we weren't too sure if Diane would actually make it to Auckland today. But it an answer to prayer, the plane took off and Diane finally touched down in Auckland at 8pm.

By that time Stephanie had made herself comfortable in the lounge and had a much needed welcome drink waiting for Diane.

 

Waiting for Diane

Finally arrived 

It's a Wrap

Well, the gifts for those at home are nearly all wrapped and some are even chosen for the Canterbury house.

It is too early to be excited about wrapping presents!

Only four weekends to go, fairly sure that the time will pass quickly for us both.

Diane has a trip to Dunedin planned for Alice's graduation as a doctor (after six years of hard work and study)
Stephanie has a final trip planned to visit Stratford to collect Christmas presents and to do the final Christmas online shopping. What did we do before the power of the online shop??

We are still watching the weather and although snow would be nice, we are driving so don't really want too much of it.

Seven Weeks to go

Winter here we come!!