Rain, storm, bad, bad weather! (Long Post!)

Rain, storm, bad, bad weather! 

The weather reports warned for floods in the north of Holland, so much water fell down these last weeks, rain, rain and lots of wind. Gotta love it, Roll on April or May. I didn't work today, I called in sick this morning. I had my Boss on the phone and she wished me a happy New Year. I just didn't fell like working, I was still tired and felt not myself. Tomorrow I will be working again, I kinda looking forward again. I didn't do that much today, did one last load of laundry and again I rested.


Last night my Aunt called, and it wasn't that a pleasant call. With such calls from her I get a bad feeling, she told me that I should visit my Dad more often. She went on and on talking and nagging about it, I know I should visit my Dad more often, it gives me already a bad feeling I don't visit him that often, but it ain't that easy. My Aunt seems to not understand it, she says she does but, she keeps bothering me with it so now and then. Last night aswell, 

"I see you all the time online, if you have time for being online you can aswell visit your Dad." Or, "Your Dad is really sad about it that your not comming," (Hmm, weird, if I visit him I don't hear him about it.) Or "Your Dad and you were never that close." Or, "Did you know that they write it down when your Dad gets people over for a visit? We are always on the list, but I don't see you you on there." (It's so much easier when you live so much closer to my Dad and you own a car)

So now and then when my Aunt calls me or speaks to me she makes me feel that I can't take care of myself, she wants to keep me under her thumb it seems. "Your not able to do this or that, you need most of the time help." Nag, nag, nag, I'm actually done with her. I will try to visit my Dad now once a week, not only for myself and for my Dad, but aswell to please my Aunt. I will buy a little calendar aswell, just so that I can write once a week on the calendar, "Sjon was here." Sigh!! I'm glad I'm working tomorrow, it will keep my mind of the Aunt subject.

Day two London. 

I slept so much, better then last night, oh yes!! I slept ten hours without waking up, that feels so good! I would love to take this bed with me, it's so much better then just sleeping on a matras with a few blankets. Though last night I asked for a blanket more, cause these blankets they have are so thin. When they came to bring a extra blanket they brought two, nice! Well, here we are the last day of the year, and I'm in London. It doesn't feel unreal but only knowing it's almost New Year's feels weird, I don't even notice it. Must be that I never went for a long travel with a day like this, usually I'm at home and preparing for the New Years. Now I'm here in London doing totally other things. I woke up at 7:30 am, and putted everything ready for today. I had a nice buffet breakfast, they have such a nice food at the buffet, lots of bread and toasts plus fruit and juices, to much to write it all down. One thing I noticed when I opened the curtains this morning, every two minutes a plane is passing by my window quit low. Every two minutes! Our busdriver told us already last night that planes will be flying over every two minutes, but you can't hear them cause the hotel is perfectly isolated. 

British Airways!!

Yep, this hotel is neighbors with Heathrow Airport, I love it. I even went outside to have a look at the planes after my breakfast, just to see them even closer when there passing by so low, wow! At 10:00 am we all gathered around in the hotel lobby, we had to deliver the papers from last night  that we recieved with all the atractions we will do these following days, this paper has to be filled in with a yes or a no behind every atraction. With the delivering you needed to pay right away  for the atractions, if it was possible. I filled in a yes after every atractions so, I had to pay the whole amount, 80 Pound. It wasn't that much tough, cause when you see all the things were gonna do and all the visits they have planned, it's sure a good price. But I hadn't enough Pounds on me, I should have taken more with the exchange last night. The busdriver adviced me to get some Pounds in the centre of London, I could get cash here in the hotel, cause they have a bankmachine here aswell but this morning it gave an error. One of the passengers adviced me to go to Heathrow Airport, they have a bankmachine. The lady even came with me, it was only a five minute walk. While we walked towards Heathrow we both had a nice talk, very talkative friendly lady, made me feel good.

The passengers talk more and more with each other, it's nice to see that. I tried to talk more aswell with them, and I must say it's easier then I though. I'm not a talker though but lately I'm much more opener or how you call it, I aproach people easier for a talk. I love it! Every one was open and friendly towards each other, I see alot of couples and friends with the passengers, there's no one alone, I noticed I'm the only one alone. Weird feeling? Hmm, yes and no, it's okay, I'm enjoyning my vacation and the passengers are friendly, I'm not worried. At 10:00 am the bus took of for our first atraction, we are going to the centre of London for a city tour. From Heathrow to the centre of london will take us a hour, it's gonna be a long day. Kinda akward to imagine that it's almost New Years, I don't even notice it. With New Years every parkinglot and almost every street or road will be closed for traffic, the closing will slowly start after 2:00 pm. When we arrive in the centre after our city tour, we will have to stay there aswell, there's no way back. Meaning, the bus will stay on a certain place outside the centre and will leave again at 1:30 am after the fireworks. After the city tour we have a free afternoon to do what we want, the bus will leave again at 1:30 am.
 

This bird stood still as I came closer and closer.

It's gonna be a long afternoon for sure, spending a whole afternoon and evening in the centre of London. But I felt good, I was excited, I slept good too, so, bring it on! It was quit a drive from Heathrow to the centre, we passed Houndslow, Hammersmith, Kensington and then London, there was alot to see though while we were driving. Very nice to see how these English people live, and the centre's of Kensington and Hammersmith were so nice to watch at. When we arrived in the Centre of London the city tour started right away, and we passed the ussual things, like the Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the House of Lords, ect, ect. Pity though that we couldn't get out of the bus to take pictures, it felt more like going on a Safari this way. But it was great anyway, our busdriver had alot to tell about the sightseeings. At 4:00n pm we parked our bus at the Citybank, this will be our spot until 1:30 am, the bus will stay here and we are free to go anywhere we want. "But be back at 1:30 cause I'm not waiting," said the busdriver. I waited a while just to see what the other passengers would do, are we gonna stick together? Or, our we going our own way? Or perhaps in small groups? Everyone was going there own way, and so did I. 


I was excited to explore the city, walking around and flaunting, lol. I hadn't had lunch yet so I decided to do that first. I saw already a spot where I can have my lunch, a fancy modern pizza restaurant. I ordered a pizza just below 10 Pounds, that's my goal too these five days, trying to have dinner or lunch below 10 pounds. After my huge Pizza I went on my way to explore the city, camera ready. I walked everywhere, Piccadilly Circus, Trafel Square, Buckingham Palace, ect. While I was walking I saw the centre of the city getting bussier and bussier, ofcource cause of the fireworks tonight. As the time past my legs and hips began starting to hurt, I guess I walked to much. London is so nice, there is so much to see. It was 5:00 pm and the city still went bussier and bussier,still people were gathering around for the fireworks event. I was looking for a place to eat, but that was hard to find, McDonalds was packed and most of the other eating places were already closed. I decided to go back to the fancy pizza restaurant where I went for lunch, my feet began to hurt, it was such a long walk back to the pizza place. But I wanted to have dinner, no matter what. Bussier and bussier it went, the fireworks will be hold near the Big Ben and London Eye.

The place you had to be with the fireworks!

Back at the pizza place the staff there told me they changed the menu, like they always do in the evening. Dinners from 19 until 30 Pounds, no thank you, sigh! I went all the way back to the Big Ben to see if there's a place to eat. My poor feet, lol. I also wanted a nice spot to see the fireworks, the Big Ben was in my eyes the best spot. I looked and saw it was only 6:00 pm, still six hours till 00:00. It was hard to find a place to eat, I didn't wanna bother myself too with walking miles and miles for a place to eat. Finally I saw a little shop called Tesco, it was such a small shop and inside were all crazy people, all looking and grabbing for something to eat. I stood in line and next to me was another line, and that was it, the shop wasn't wider then that, only longer. The Tesco crew were demanding people to walk on, grab what you need and go to the cassier, it was insane, lol. I grabbed a little plate of pasta-salade, a yogurth, some fruit and a juice. I thought, "How on earth I'm gonna eat this all, I don't even have a fork or spoon." I payed for my stuff and went outside, Tesco was just beside the Big Ben, it was packed and still people were comming. I ated my pasta with a tiny fork, (the fork was hiddding inside the pasta) the yogurth? Lol, I took the lid of and used that as a spoon, what do you mean not a pleasant way to eat? It was cold aswell. 


There were more people eating outside, it was all good. I was feeling a tiny bit worried aswell, cause I had to be back at the bus at 1:30 am, otherwise the bus will take off. And there's no way I'm going back with the subway. More people were comming and police men started with closing some of the roads, London has it all good organized with closing these roads. I was at the Big Ben and saw just a glimp of the London Eye, I'm good here I thought. I sat down on the side of the road where the police placed those metal benches, there were tons of them and more people were sitting on it. As I sat there I saw 1000's of people passing by, all looking for the perfect spot. I had my dinner and I had a good spot I felt good, only a tiny bit cold and tired, no wonder. It was still early, 7:15 pm. Around 8:00 I wanted a coffee, cause I was cold. I saw already a few coffee shops across the street, the shops had huge line ups but I didn't mind. The coffee will do me good and standing in line with other people will kill some time aswell. 4 and a half hours to go, gosh! I stood in line and saw that the coffee sellers were so busy to help people, for sure this store is making money big time! I stood in line for more then a hour untill it was my time, I ordered a large cappucino and went back to the metal bench. 
 

The police were gathering around for the big fire-work event!

My seat was still free, lol. The coffee did me good, just next time I need to grab white sugar instead of brown sugar, lol! I was ready for the fireworks and observed the crazy people passing by, I saw there from everywhere, Italians, Germans, China or Japan, ect, ect. Some were walking in just t-shirts and I saw girls walking in gala-dresses, madness! Way to cold! Although it was cold, it was certainly not cold for the time of year, it could have been a lot worser, with frost and snow. Now it was 12 degrees above zero. I was getting a bit more worried cause there were really alot of people in this area, worried that I wouldn't be back on time at the bus. It's normally a 20 min. walk but with this crowd. Even the people passing by stopped walking cause they couldn't go further, it was full, packed! It seemed whole London was here. I turned around and looked at the Big Ben, 8:30 pm, what to do, stay here? Or go to spot nearer to the bus? Doubts, doubts. This was ofcource the best spot, but missing the bus would be a disaster, and still people were comming. I decided to go back to the bus and find myself a spot there, bye bye perfect spot. I was thinking for a spot on the Thames bridge, it's near the bus. While I struggled my way back I saw less and less people, I could breath again, lol. 

Happy 2012! The fire works were great!

While I was walking back I bumped into a Family who were in the bus too, they are a Mother and a Father and three Daughters, very nice people. I knew them already cause I already said a few times 'hi'  in the bus and in the hotel, we talked for a few minutes and the Mother asked me to join them, they were going to the Thames Bridge aswell. Perfect, but first we went back to the bus to warm our selves up, and perhaps a small snack. We left our bags in the bus aswell and after thirty minutes we all took off to the bridge, it was nice being with them. Lots of talks and the daughters were being jolly. The Thames bridge was a nice spot aswell for the fireworks, the Big Ben was better but that spot is full. It was 10:00 pm, still two hours to go, I realized that I was already waiting for more then six hours, it's crazy, lol. But I really had a good time. This is such an experience to be here, almost unbelievable, you have to see or feel it to believe it. At 11:00 me and the Family celebrated our own Dutch New years for a small minutes, lol. Cause it was already 12:00 in Holand, Happy New Year! Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar!  The Father popped  a bottle of red wine and we drank a few glasses. Then at 11:45 pm the crowd around us were getting more and more excited, it's almost 12:00, some were singing and some were dancing. And then.... 

Kaboom! The fireworks started, wow, amazing, I had my camera ready, but first we shook hands and wished everyone a Happy New Year, again. We drank another glas of wine, good times for sure! After 20 Minutes the firework was done and over, and we slowly walked towards the bus, exhausted but so satisfied. We still had to wait for the other passengers while we were waiting in the bus. It was 1:40 am, what a long day, the bus took of and still it's an hour drive to our hotel, but what the heck! It's been a awesome day! I layed my head to rest at 2:35 am, I crowled deep under my three blankets and slept like a rose. Tomorrow morning we can sleep in, 11:30 am we have to be in the lobby again for our next destination. Goodnight!