London Long Review Part 1

Now for the long overview.

We woke up at 6, showered and were out by 6:30 to catch the train by 7. The train ride was only about an hour long. There were some beautiful, open countrysides that were covered in frost. The whole trip (there and back) no one ever checked to see if we had tickets...and so we arrived in Paddington Station, already hungry and cold and tired, but ready to start our day.

We had considered buying an Oyster Card (like a SmarTrip card) but instead just bought day passes for the tube, only 5.60. They were definitely worth the price we paid and riding the Tube was really, really easy. Other cities take note. Also, we were at first panicked for a minute because the lines to where we wanted to go were closed all day (as well as a couple other lines), but we were easily able to get on another line and transfer.

We rode the subway to Notting Hill, where the Portobello Market. On the way, walking through the streets, several members of our party doubted my ability to read a map despite my impeccable track record with directions and maps (no sarcasm, here), but once we found our destination I was unspokingly deemed the Map Master and Direction Dictator.

Portobello Market did have mushrooms, yes, along with hundreds of others of fruits and vegetables, clothes, knick-knacks, paintings, junk, antiques. Two strange things: the convenience store-esque carts with toothpaste and the egregious number of antique cameras.

Overall, I really liked the Market; it was busy and diverse and full of lots of different people and really cool stuff. We didn't buy much but it was a good first experience in London getting used to the large crowds and reading the map and keeping everyone together.