We have been going to see productions of Shakespeare's plays in the Boston area for a couple of years. I'm not a Shakespeare scholar - I can't tell you the names of the characters nor all the twists and turns of the plays - but I love the humor and human insight - and I especially love when we have sat up on the stage and have been part of the production.
So after another wonderful play last winter, I emailed that question about the Globe Theatre to Jody. And she agreed! So we started planning. Well, planning is a mild word. One thing you might know about me is that I research any destination where I travel to get the most out of it. It appears Jody also has this bug. Once we decided when to go, the research began. Jody decided to go for a week. I decided to fly from London to Ireland for a quick visit to family and friends. So Jody arrives at Heathrow on Wednesday, September 28 at 7:30 am, and I arrive at 8 am.
Next Jody bought tickets for 2 plays at the Globe and tickets for a play in Stratford-upon-Avon.
I researched Stratford and booked a room at the White Swan for Saturday October 1.
Then we looked around for a hotel. We found Park Plaza Riverbend overlooking the Thames, and Jody made reservations - it is on the Albert Embankment - the room has a view of the Thames. Imagine having a cup of tea in your pajamas while looking out at Big Ben!!
My sister Christine works in the schools so she could not get the time off to come on our adventure, but my sister Patty and my brother Jimmy expressed some interest. So Jody and I started talking about renting an apartment - big enough for 4 people. Sometimes renting is less expensive than a hotel, but more important is having the extra room. Depending on how many are traveling, you can have your own room - your own space. Even if sharing a bedroom, there is the sitting room and if you are lucky, there is a balcony, a deck or a terrace. You can spread out! I don't know about you, but I like some time to myself - especially at the beginning and end of the day. Don't talk to me until I have at least one cup of tea and an English muffin in the morning. Then let me unwind before I go to bed.
So we ended up renting a whole house in Vauxhall - just in case Patty and Jimmy decided to come. Big Ben is near Westminster bridge - next is Lambeth Bridge and then is Vauxhall Bridge. Vauxhall tube station is 5 minutes away from the house. Just in case it was only the two of us, we also found a smaller place on St. Katherine's docks down near the Tower of London.
Now the real research started. We both want to see Parliament, Imperial War Rooms, Winston Churchill's War Rooms - I would like to see Southwick Cathedral and tour the Globe Theatre. This is my 4th or 5th trip to London so I have already seen some of it.
In August Patty booked a seat on my Aer Lingus flight to London so now there are 3 of us heading to London. I finally contacted Jimmy who said he could not make it. Which is too bad - everyone brings something different to a trip.
So there are several good things about the 3 of us traveling together. We each research before we arrive somewhere. We each can list a couple of places that we really want to see - the rest will be gravy. I think we each have a daily game plan but are flexible enough to grab any opportunity that comes along. Most importantly, I think we can each say we need some space - some time away from each other - without taking it personally.
With Patty coming along, we decided to rent a car and drive to Stratford-upon-Avon - we will stop in Oxford on Saturday October 1 for a 1:30 pm Inspector Morse walking tour. Patty and I love Morse and Inspector Lewis as well as Endeavor on PBS. Sunday we may stop at Blenheim Palace on the way back to London for champagne during National Champagne Week. I love Winston and especially his mother - the American Jennie Jerome - one of the wealthy Americans marrying, and more importantly bringing her fortune/dowry to, a titled British citizen. Unfortunately, Highclere Castle was booked up so we won't see Downtown Abby.
This past week has been hectic - day off from work for doctor's appointments in Brighton - back up to Watertown the next day for computer upgrade training - that meant 5 days work crunched into 3 days - then the computer systems were slow - we had to shut down early twice this week - this all means longer working days to get everything done.
Mike was going to a wedding in Connecticut on the weekend so I rented a car from Enterprise in Falmouth for $9.99/day Friday thru Monday - how can you beat that! Unfortunately, all they had left Friday morning was a Ford 250 truck. I wasn't fazed at first - Johnny Murphy had an old 250 which I liked driving. Then I saw this huge brand new truck - I was laughing as I walked into the office thinking of this young kid looking at me coming to rent a truck!! It was hilarious when I tried to get into it! Johnny's truck had a step up to the frame - this truck was higher and had no step. I was hoping I could lift my left leg waist level because I can't lift my right leg. The young kid was looking at me skeptically - but I made it up and in - probably not too pretty a sight from his perspective. I gave Mike the thumb's up sign and happily drove off.
I had no problem driving the truck - I felt like I was in a plane because I was up so high. Johnny Murphy's mouth dropped as I sped into the driveway. Then I tried to get out - I was dangling about a foot and a half from the ground holding on to the handle on the frame. I had a bit of a hard landing on the driveway. All of a sudden I thought about my bad right hip - I could have shattered it with the hard landing. So I spent all day Saturday using a stool that Danno had made in Middle School - I tied twine around it and pulled it up after me or dropped it down before I got out. Worked fine until the dowel broke and the legs caved in! Must have been the age of the stool - certainly couldn't have been my weight!!
These two pictures are to give an idea of how big this truck is - Johnny Murphy drove landscaping trucks for years and thought the step was high!
Sunday they had a Nissan Rogue for me. I absolutely loved that car/mini SUV!! I drove to Lowell to see Dan and Amanda - Dan was lending me his suitcase and digital camera. The Rogue was great on the highway - I was sitting up high compared to my stinking Corolla.
I ran into TJMax in Falmouth about 6:30 pm before I went home to pack and was checking out when JB called - two flat tires - car had to be towed - he and 3 others stuck in Hanover - over an hour away. So instead of packing my bags, I headed to Hanover. The Rogue was great in the dark. But it was 10:30 by the time we got home after dropping off the J1 Visa kids - such nice guys - all from Eastern Europe.
I went to bed early Sunday night - 11 is very early for me - so I could get up early and do some clicking for work - a mindless, time consuming task. I worked late Monday - was ironing some clothes during the presidential debate - Hillary did okay, not great - but better than Trump. Went to bed at midnight so I could get up early to pack, and do other odds and ends before leaving.
Chirp, chIRP, CHIRP!! 2:30 am and a cricket practicing a solo!! In my bedroom! After coughing from the bug spray fumes, I was wide awake. So I gathered my stuff and started packing. I went back to bed at 4:30 am with a good chug of Nyquil and slept till 8:30. After tea and an english muffin, I started pulling things together. I hate packing in a rush - I had thrown things into my suitcase during the night - intending to pull some out, but now I was rushing and packing everything. Quick trip to Falmouth Library to return Winston Churchill. Quick trip to Stop and Shop except the check out line was crawling. Decided to skip the haircut and throw the last few things together and head out. Mike had offered to drive me to the airport, and we were off after a quick goodbye to Johnny Murphy.
Met Patty at the gate, and we flew out at 6 pm. We were sitting in different sections of the plane. Now we are sitting in Dublin airport waiting for our 6:40 am flight to Heathrow where we will meet Jody somewhere. And then the games will begin!
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