🇬🇧 London I – Earls Court

Well it was hard to say goodbye to our red Beauty!! She had been with us for over 5 months and with Rob’s hands at the wheel Beauty had helped to navigate us safely through 13 countries. We clocked up over 15 000 kilometres. In the last 8 months we have travelled through 20 amazing countries and we have both loved every minute. Well there has been some white knuckle driving but we made it through safely. Some places where we would use other words than enjoyable!

We were both excited for the next leg of our journey together. We boarded an Easy Jet flight from Marseille Airport in France and we were away. Easy Jet for us lived up to its name. It was one of the best hassle free flights we have been on. Friendly caring professional staff all the way from check in, priority boarding to an amazing happy cabin crew. We watched on as the cabin crew cared for a child with a disability travelling alone and they were brilliant. The plane was also on time.

As the plane flew low over the English passage we could instantly see many green trees and rolling hills come into view. This was the England we knew. Poor France in comparison had been burnt dry by the harsh heat wave. Touching down we were instantly excited to be back in London as we both have a soft spot for this country.

We knew we were back in London when we immediately saw many big red double buses, the black elegant taxis, the red royal post box, Dr Who’s telephone box and of course the many signs to the Underground.

Our apartment was in beautiful Earl’s Court in inner London near Chelsea. We stayed in a cute heritage listed terrace apartment in a shady green tree line street which was just so typically English. The only downside was that England was experiencing a heatwave. The hottest weather in over 60 years and our apartment being a listed heritage building like most in inner London didn’t have air conditioning. All buildings here are built to hold the heat in with double glazed glass and no fans. Everything is built for the cold weather as the usual summer temperature is around 24 degrees not 38. As Australians who are used to hot temperatures we were sweltering in a heatwave here. Maybe the only difference was that we knew to keep ourselves constantly hydrated and to stay out of the sun. The newspaper headlines here were that trains here are expecting to get air conditioning in 2030.  Some trains were cancelled as the rail lines had buckled in the heat.

Our second apartment in London was only 7 minutes walk away from our first apartment in Chelsea.

We both needed some medical checkups. We found the British user pay Private Medical system to be very professional and extremely efficient. We both got a private doctor’s appointment the day after we landed and after seeing a doctor Rob was able to walk straight in for an ultrasound. My medical experience lead to surgery in The Portland Hospital for women and Children in the centre of London where I was well looked after. We were both shocked at how well I was fed during my stay. I ate like a Queen and I am not kidding. I ordered an array of wholesome food from the menu. It was really hard to make a decision but I was feeling quite peckish after surgery – here is what I ordered which sent up to my room half an order after ordering!!

Entree

Homemade spicy tomato soup

A sourdough bread basket

Main Meal

Roast beet and coloured summer carrot salad with halloumi

Smoked honey ham and English mustard sandwich

Dessert

Cheese & fruit

And the to die for hot chocolate just topped it all off.

Well this is the Private Hospital that the Duchess of York had her babies along with Victoria Beckham.

A five star lunch and surgery what more could a girl ask for. The bathroom was also stocked with nice scented toiletries.