And I don’t mean in a good way!
We have spent the weekend in London, (a hubby’s works thing).
And should have realised it wasn’t going to go to well from the minute we got to London.
We got on the Coach at 7.30 and arrived at 11.10, we were all under the impression that we would be dropped of at Oxford Street and the coach would then take our cases to the hotel and the day would be ours to do as we please, sight seeing, booking into the hotel when we were ready. This was the first hiccup, no this was not what the coach driver had been told, he had been told to drop us in Oxford Street then pick us up again at 5. This lead to a few heated conversations from people who had booked early evening meals and theatre tickets, so he agreed to pick us up at 4.
So off we went. We brought a couple of tickets for The Original Tour London Sight Seeing bus £22 each, which were well worth the money, (your tickets are valid for 48 hours in the winter). Which gave us unlimited use of their tour buses, (six routes) a free London walking tour worth £5 and a boat trip on the Thames (worth £10). You could also buy your tickets for the big attractions from them for a little bit cheaper. After we did the biggest tour which had a live commentary and was very good, both informative and funny we then headed for Hyde Park. This is a nice park, lots of green with very friendly wildlife. By this time we were frozen so we found a lovely little café in the park and had a cuppa. Then of to Oxford Street, we didn’t get very far, the amount of people put me right off. So we went back to the park, by this time we were frozen and still had half an hour or more to fill in, so we had a wonder around the park the other way, then back on the coach and to the hotel.
The Grosvenor Vicotoria Please take a moment to look at their web pages, and go ‘oooh nice’ Then let me tell you, this is not the case, yes the entrance and dinning room are impressive, and the staff on the door and reception very smart and have that way of looking down their noses at you when you walk in, but believe me they have no reason too. The first room we were given greet us with an unpleasant smell when we opened the door, as we walked in the first thing I notice was there was not a valance sheets on the divan beds, as I turned to comment to hubby I was confronted with wall paper coming off the wall, the hand basin in the bathroom was a disgrace, it had deep cracks and chips in it that were full of dirt. Hubby went to complain and we were offered another room, (the last double room they had), while hubby was complaining about our room. Another man was complaining about his, saying it was so small that they had to climb over each other to get in and out of bed. Anyway we went to our new room and it was freezing cold and stank of paint, the extractor fan didn’t work either. Well we were only there for one night and given that we were on a coach we didn’t have a lot of choice but stay, if we had have been under our own steam we would had gone else where. So we went down to reception and complained again and they said they would send someone to look at the heating. So still freezing cold we headed back out to go and look at the Christmas lights in Oxford street, we asked directions and walked to Chelsea, yes I known no where near Oxford street, by the time we had found our way back, my back was killing me and the thought of fighting my way through crowds of people was just too much, so we found a little pizza place and had a bowl of pasta, then back to the hotel, and the room still wasn’t very warm.
Sunday we got up early and went for the first sitting of breakfast 7am which was cold, we then went back to our room to pack, the bags had to be back on the coach by 9.30, so bags packed we then found that there was only one lift working, which after stopping at our floor several times full, and having a very nice chat with two women who were on their way home and also waiting for the lift they too didn’t have a nice word to say about the hotel, they had booked a double room and been given singles, the one woman had had her room changed three times and another member of her party’s room smelt like pee. We gave up and walked down, hubby checked us out and they asked if he had enjoyed his stay! When he pointed out he hadn’t they said ‘next time’ but before they could get any further hubby had said ‘There won’t be a next time’
So bags on the coach we were the dropped off in Covent Garden, the snow had turned to rain, so we jumped back on the tour bus to Tower bridge and took the boat ride, there should have been a taped commentary but it was broken, so a member of staff gave us his version, and I have to admit I am glad we didn’t get the real one, he was so funny. By the time we got of the boat the rain had become torrential, it was coming down the steps that we had to go up like a waterfall, People were taking photos of it! The roads and pavement were like rivers. It showed no signs of stopping so we headed out it only took a few minutes for the rain to go through my hat, gloves, coat, jumper, thermal vest, under cloths and too my skin, we jumper on another bus but there was no heating on, so we got off and found a coffee shop and went for a drink. By now the rain had stopped but it had turned very very cold, and wet cloths and very cold weather are not a good combination, we couldn’t get into any of the museums we wanted to see, because of the rain they were all packed with people queuing out side. I was really cold by now, the type of cold that hurts when you breath, and it had got well past the point when you can just shrug it off, I just wanted to sit down and cry, we headed back to the cafe in Hyde park and had hot soup and hot chocolate made with cream and marshmallows, then we got back on the tour bus and had a ride round until we were a little bit warmer and near to where we had to pick up the coach to come home, we then sat in another café drinking hot tea until it was time to board.
I have been to London a few times now and all I can say is, it doesn’t get any better, the people are rude and don’t have a minute for anyone. I could not believe what I saw at one point, we were waiting to cross on a crossing and the traffic was at grid lock, so a young man in front of us stepped out to cross between the traffic, a bus driver saw him then pulled the bus right up to the car in front nearly knocking him over, the lights change then so that we could cross, but we couldn’t because the stupid, rude bus driver had pulled the bus across the crossing. There are people pushing everywhere and car horns are constantly being used, and this goes on 24 hours a day, there’s just no let up, it’s pointless asking anyone for directions because they just don’t want to take a minute out of there day. Every available space in London has a building crammed into it, it doesn’t matter how small or what shape that space is, they will stick a building in it. Why anyone would want to live there is beyond me. My idea of Hell is London.
Come to Birmingham we have old building and sites to see, and the people are a lot friendlier.
If anything I have learnt three lessons from this weekend,
1, I am never going on another coach holiday,
2, I am never letting anyone else book my hotel
And
3, if I ever return to London it will be by train.
On the upside, (you should always look for an upside), What with all the walking and my body having to work so hard to stop me from freezing to death, I must have lost some weight!
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Your Christmas Sprit Level: 75%
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Your Christmas spirit is almost as big as Christmas itself. Christmas is definitely your thing.
You celebrate Christmas with enthusiasm. You love every minute of the holidays.Your Christmas spirit is inspiring to everyone who runs into you during the holidays.
You make everyone’s day just a little bit brighter. And that’s what the holidays are all about!
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It’s on it’s way
Be Happy
