Day 3 - Westminster

By Mark Fitzgerald

• Get up and get ready about 8:00 AM 
• Breakfast (eggs at apartment)
• Get out the door and head for the Circle Line by 9:15
• Arrive at the Banqueting House by it's opening at 10 AM
• Be out to the Horse Guard Parade and the Changing of the horse guard at 10:45.
• Afterwards head to Lunch at Whimpy's for a burger. Along the way stop in and see 10 Downing Street
• By 12:45 head to the Churchill War Rooms
• By 3:15 go over to Westminster Abbey. Stick around for the Evensong
• After the Abbey walk down to Buckingham Palace through St. James's Park
• Take the number 36 Bus back to the apartment
• Have sausage for dinner at apartment
• At 9 PM head-out to the Bakerloo Tube and go to the Tower of London
• Be there at 9:45 for the Keys Ceremony and then head back home for the evening

Detailed Itinerary 

Activity	Arrive	Time at Destination	Depart	Travel Time to Next Dest
Get up and get ready	8:15:00	0:30:00	8:42:00	0:00:00
Breakfast (eggs at apartment)	8:42:00	0:30:00	9:12:00	0:05:00
Purchase Tickets and Wait for Tube	9:17:00	0:04:00	9:27:00	0:04:00
Tube (Circle Line)	9:28:00	0:19:00	9:50:00	0:12:00
Banqueting House	9:59:00	0:35:00	10:35:00	0:00:00
Bathroom break	10:35:00	0:05:00	10:40:00	0:05:00
Changing of the horse guard	10:45:00	0:45:00	11:30:00	0:04:00
10 Downing Street	11:34:00	0:10:00	11:44:00	0:05:00
Lunch (whimpys - burgers)	11:49:00	0:40:00	12:29:00	0:00:00
Bathroom break	12:29:00	0:05:00	12:34:00	0:05:00
Purchase Tickets for Churchill War Rooms	12:39:00	0:05:00	12:44:00	0:03:00
CWR: Cabinet and Telephone Rooms	12:47:00	0:20:00	13:07:00	0:03:00
CWR: Museum	13:10:00	0:40:00	13:50:00	0:03:00
CWR: Kitchen and Staff Rooms	13:53:00	0:20:00	14:13:00	0:03:00
CWR: Broadcast Room	14:16:00	0:20:00	14:36:00	0:03:00
CWR: Map and Bedroom	14:39:00	0:20:00	14:59:00	0:07:00
Purchase Tickets for Westminster	15:06:00	0:05:00	15:11:00	0:05:00
WA: Westminster Abbey	15:16:00	1:00:00	16:16:00	0:00:00
Bathroom break	16:16:00	0:05:00	16:21:00	0:05:00
WA: Cloisters	16:26:00	0:17:00	16:43:00	0:07:00
WA: Evensong	16:50:00	1:10:00	18:00:00	0:11:00
Walk down to Buckingham	18:11:00	0:18:00	18:29:00	0:13:00
Bus (36)	18:42:00	0:12:00	18:54:00	0:05:00
Dinner (sausage at apartment)	18:59:00	1:40:00	20:39:00	0:13:00
Purchase Tickets and Wait for Tube	20:52:00	0:06:00	20:58:00	0:04:00
Tube (Bakerloo and District)	21:02:00	0:29:00	21:31:00	0:14:00
Keys Ceremony	21:45:00	0:45:00	22:30:00	0:00:00
Purchase Tickets and Wait for Tube	22:30:00	0:04:00	22:34:00	0:04:00
Tube (Bakerloo and District)	22:38:00	0:28:00	23:06:00	0:14:00
Get ready for bed	23:20:00	0:30:00	23:50:00	0:00:00
Sleep	23:50:00	8:00:00	7:50:00	0:00:00

Day 2 - Tower of London and St. Pauls

By Mark Fitzgerald

• Get up and get ready at 7:00 AM
• Have cereal at apartment at 7:30 AM
• Head out of the apartment at 8:00 AM and Purchase Tickets and Wait for Tube
• Take the 8:15 AM Tube Bakerloo to Jubilee at Baker St
• Walk to the Shakespeare's Globe Theater and look around
• Around 9:30 walk across the Millennium Bridge.  Then walk up to St. Pauls.
• At 9:45 purchase Tickets for St Paul's Cathedral
• Head out about 11:45 for lunch and window shopping at Leadenhall Market
• On  your walk to the Tower of London walk by Monument of the Fire of London
• Enter the Tower of London at 1:20 and grab the 1:30 Yeoman Warder Tour.
• By 5:00 PM go an purchase tickets and wait for District Line Tube 
• Grab some dinner before a 7:00 pm soccer game at Chelsea
• Head home and call it a night

Detailed Itinerary:

Activity	Arrive	Time at Destination	Depart	Travel Time to Next Dest
Get up and get ready	7:00:00	12:30:00	7:30:00	0:00:00
Breakfast (cereal at apartment)	7:30:00	12:30:00	8:00:00	0:09:00
Purchase Tickets and Wait for Tube	8:09:00	0:02:00	8:11:00	0:04:00
Tube (Bakerloo to Jubilee at Baker St)	8:15:00	0:18:00	8:33:00	0:20:00
Globe Theater	8:53:00	0:20:00	9:13:00	0:15:00
Millenium Bridge	9:28:00	0:12:00	9:40:00	0:07:00
Purchase Tickets for St Paul's Cathedral	9:47:00	0:05:00	9:52:00	0:00:00
Bathroom break	9:52:00	12:05:00	9:57:00	0:00:00
SP: Nave	9:57:00	0:30:00	10:27:00	0:00:00
SP: Dome	10:27:00	12:40:00	11:07:00	0:05:00
SP: Crypt	11:12:00	12:35:00	11:47:00	0:15:00
Lunch (Leadenhall Market)	12:02:00	12:40:00	12:42:00	0:00:00
Bathroom break	12:42:00	12:05:00	12:47:00	0:09:00
Walk by Roman Wall	12:56:00	12:10:00	13:06:00	0:13:00
Purchase Tickets for Tower of London	13:19:00	12:06:00	13:25:00	0:05:00
TOL: Yeoman Warder	13:30:00	1:00:00	14:30:00	0:04:00
TOL: Crown Jewels	14:34:00	12:30:00	15:04:00	0:04:00
TOL: White Tower	15:08:00	12:40:00	15:48:00	0:04:00
TOL: Ravens	15:52:00	0:10:00	16:02:00	0:04:00
TOL: East Wall	16:06:00	0:40:00	16:46:00	0:04:00
Bathroom break	16:50:00	0:05:00	16:55:00	0:09:00
Purchase Tickets and Wait for Tube	17:04:00	0:08:00	17:12:00	0:05:00
Tube (District)	17:17:00	0:29:00	17:46:00	0:12:00
Dinner (fast food)	17:58:00	0:41:00	18:39:00	0:06:00
Soccer Game (Chelsea)	18:45:00	3:00:00	21:45:00	0:07:00
Purchase Tickets and Wait for Tube	21:52:00	0:05:00	21:57:00	0:05:00
Tube (Piccadilly Line)	22:02:00	0:08:00	22:10:00	0:10:00
Get ready for bed	22:20:00	0:52:00	23:12:00	0:00:00
Sleep	23:12:00	9:00:00	20:12:00	0:00:00

Taking the train to Windsor Castle

Tips for taking the train to Windsor Castle

By Mark Fitzgerald

It is always nice to find a cheap rail ticket, but there are so many options to buy rail tickets to Windsor Castle that it can be very confusing. Train fares are determined by route, by how far in advance you purchase tickets and by class of service. Add in the fact that there are so many rail companies and you can quickly become overwhelmed.

First of all, each of the British Rail companies sell tickets for each other. For the most part it will all be on one ticket - so it appears as one unified system. To see all of the price options look online and consider purchasing in advance.

In our case we want to leave from our home base of Paddington Station. This gives us the fastest route to Windsor, but it does require a transfer at Slough Station, platform 1, and will arrive at Windsor and Eton Central. Afterwards we leave from a different station called Windsor and Eton Riverside, and take a direct train to London's Waterloo Station.

The cheapest way to do this is a little odd. Do a search for London Paddington to London Waterloo via Windsor All Stations. This ends up being a 1 way ticket.  In the past has been much cheaper than buying tickets to Windsor with a return. National Rail train journey planner will come up with the route, but not all of the rail websites will. Try using http://grandcentralrail.co.ukor http://southwesttrains.co.uk.

Ticket Kiosks in Paddington Station

The resulting ticket will be a first class anytime ticket.  The anytime ticket does not put any time restrictions on the use of the ticket.  You can travel on any train, without changing your ticket.

Normally I wouldn't go for a first class ticket but if it is cheaper I will go for it.  On the way there on First Great Western, "Customers travelling first class can enjoy a range of complimentary light refreshments, served at your seat." - though my guess is this is for cross country trains and not for the 16 minutes from Paddington to Slough.  It should be enough to gain you entrance to the first class lounge at Paddington for a bottle of water and a quick snack.  The train back on  South West does not have a first class section.

First Class Lounge

At one time FGW had an activity pack for young kids.  You can check the Express Cafe, but it looks like they have replaced it with coloring pages you can print off their website before leaving.  They are in the process of installing wireless internet on their trains.  Look for a sticker on the train that says Free WiFi.  First Great Western's website says Free WiFi while other stay that standard class has to pay as you go.  First Class has power at the seats and standard class has it at the table.

When you buy it online you can go to a self service ticket machine in Paddington and print it out. You need to use the same credit card that you bought it with online. The self service Ticket kiosk is located on the main concourse in front of the ticket office.

The train 8:55 am train at Paddington will likely depart from platform 14, which is on the far side of the station from the ticket counter, but make sure you look at the departure board. There is a 8:51 train on platform 1 that will put you in Windsor before the castle opens, but may be worth taking and it a whole lot easier.

While at the station take time to go find Paddington Bear! He located in "the lawn".  We have a post to help you find out more about Paddington and where to find him.  When at Slough Station make sure to find Station Jim, another landmark along the way.

Though the London Pass does include entrance into Windsor Castle, the pass doesn't help you all that much in getting out to Windsor itself.  London Pass with Transport only works with options on London Transport and this does not get you all the way there.  You could go all the way to Uxbridge or Heathrow on the London Tube and the take a bus, though this will not likely save you time or money.  

Sandwich shopping in London

Lunch from Tesco

Tips for saving on lunch for your family in London
By Mark Fitzgerald

Instead of going fast food for lunch consider finding a grocery store instead. The ubiquitous Tesco, for example, has sandwiches for under £2. Combine that with a big family bag of chips (crisps) and a couple of bottles of water you will beat what it costs to get a hamburger.  Also look for a meal deal that they sometimes offer.

There are Tesco Express or Sainsburys right next to Charing Cross, St. Pauls, and HMS Belfast. It is certainly an alternative we will be exploring at least one of the days.

For a pound or two more is Pret a Manger. This seems to be as common as Subway is in the US, though it appears to be a little bit more upscale, yet prepackaged sandwich. Of course there is always Subway. They seem to have £3 sandwich specials just like we have $5 ones here in the States.

Making the most of your family visit to Westminster Abbey

Tips for Visiting Westminster Abbey
By Mark Fitzgerald

Though it is likely to be a busy time we plan on visiting Westminster Abbey on a Tuesday afternoon.  We will need to check the website before going as times vary day by day.  Most Tuesdays the last entrance for tour groups is 3:00 and the last personal entrances are at 3:30.  You should have until 4:30 when you will need to exit.

Westminster Abbey

There are over 600 memorials and thousands of people buried in the church, so there is plenty to see. The best way is to follow the church's laid out path which is the provided map. Group tours start out in the cloister area and head towards the nave.  Individuals and families start out at the great North Door. Walk around in a clockwise pattern.  You should also consider picking up the audio-guide that is included in admissions.

There is so much to see at this London attraction.  While in the abbey we would like see, among other things, the tombs of Robert Baden-Powell and Winston Churchill, the Coronation Chair and the Shrine of St Edward the Confessor.  These are all people and things that are important to our family.  Take the time beforehand to see who is there and make a list of what you want to see.  Unfortunately you cannot take pictures in the Abbey, though they do allow photos in the Cloisters and College Garden.

After you you have toured the main abbey go over to what is known as Chapter House.  It has different hours than the Abbey.  It is usually open 30 minutes longer, so again check the website, but you can likely stay longer by leaving this to the end.  From there proceed to the cloisters, which normally stay open the latest.

Cloisters at Westminster Abbey

We would like to time everything so that by 4:50 we have exited the abbey and are turning right around to go back in for the Evensong. Evensong is a church service of prayers, psalms and canticles. Wednesday nights are a spoken vesper, but the other nights it should have a choir.

Bathrooms, if you need them, are near Poets' Corner, by the exit heading towards Chapter House. People complain about the extremely high cost of getting into Westminster. At £18.00 it is steep.  There is a family pass to consider.  This essentially gets you in 1 child for free.  If you are going with the London Pass, it is included.

This YouTube video of the Queen's 85th birthday will give you an idea on the acoustics of the Abbey.

Map of Westminster Abbey:

How to get to Westminster Abbey:

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