What's She Up to Now? Jody's Life Blog

August 29--London, England

Howdy Fellow Travelers and Other Readers!

Well, one again, the prompt is in blue and my response in is red.

August 29--London, England

You're booked on one of the hop on, hop off buses today. Enjoy whatever appeals to you.

Explore the best of historic London– seat of the British Royalty– by bus on a lively tour of the city’s key attractions and landmarks. Hop aboard the Big Bus at Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus or any of the other stops on the route, and grab a comfortable seat in the enclosed lower deck or on the open-air upper deck for the best views. Enjoy the flexibility of choosing your own itinerary and pace with the structure of strategically placed stops and informative onboard commentary from a professional guide.

When purchasing your ticket, choose the Red Route or Night Tour – both 2.5-hour full-route journeys – or the 3.5 hour Blue Route tour. With your 1-day, 24 hour or 48 hour pass, hop on and off the double-decker bus at any of the route’s many locations (tour stops listed below), or stay onboard for a relaxing ride through buzzing London. As you ride, learn about London’s history and interesting anecdotes about locals sites such as Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Marble Arch and more. Hop off to explore the eclectic shops in Covent Garden, snap photos of the lavish Buckingham Palace or experience the bustle of Oxford Circle. Between stops, stroll through gorgeous Hyde Park and view Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square. Your hop-on hop-off pass includes a Reward Voucher booklet for discounts around town, many daily activities (listed in the itinerary) and a 30-minute cruise along the River Thames! To end your London City adventure, disembark at any stop along the route, any time you like.

Tour Stops ▼
Red Route: Stop 1: Green Park Underground. Stop 2: Hyde Park Corner. Stop 3: Queen Mother Gates. Stop 4: Marble Arch. Stop 7: Regent Street. Stop 8: Piccadilly Circus. Stop 9: Haymarket. Stop 10: Trafalgar Square. Stop 11: Craig's Court. Stop 12: Whitehall. Stop 13: Westminster Bridge. Stop 14: London Eye. Stop 15: Covent Garden. Stop 17: St. Paul's. Stop 18: London Bridge. Stop 19: Tower of London. Stop 20: Embankment Pier. Stop 21: Westminster Pier. Stop 22: Westminster Bridge. Stop 23: Lambeth Palace. Stop 24: Parliament Square. Stop 25: Westminster Abbey. Stop 26: Buckingham Palace. Stop 27: Royal Mews. Stop 28: Victoria. Stop 29: Victoria Station. Stop 31: Mayfair.

Blue Route: Stop 1: Green Park Underground. Stop 2: Hyde Park Corner. Stop 3: Queen Mother Gates. Stop 4: Marble Arch. Stop 5: Madame Tussaud's. Stop 6: Oxford Circus. Stop 7: Regent Street. Stop 8: Piccadilly Circus. Stop 9: Haymarket. Stop 10: Trafalgar Square. Stop 11: Craig's Court. Stop 12: Whitehall. Stop 13: Westminster Bridge. Stop 14: London Eye. Stop 15: Covent Garden. Stop 17: St. Paul's. Stop 18: London Bridge. Stop 19: Tower of London. Stop 20: Embankment Pier. Stop 21: Westminster Pier. Stop 22: Westminster Bridge. Stop 23: Lambeth Palace. Stop 24: Parliament Square. Stop 25: Westminster Abbey. Stop 26: Buckingham Palace. Stop 27: Royal Mews. Stop 28: Vipposite Hard Rock Cafe. Stop 34: Hyde Park Corner (outside Lanesborough Hotel). Stop 35: Harrods. Stop 36: South Kensington. Stop 37: Gloucester Road. Stop 38: Kensington Palace. Stop 39: Notting Hill. Stop 40: Kensington Gardens. Stop 41: Thistle Hotel Kensington Gardens. Stop 42: Bayswater. Stop 43: Paddington Station

Read more about Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour - London | Viator at: https://www.viator.com/tours/London/Big-Bus-London-Hop-On-Hop-Off-Tour/d737-6506...

I'm so excited about this hope on and off bus thing! I think it's great! We get to see so many things and I don't have to read anything to learn. lol At one point, a number of people hopped off and I was torn between going to the museum with SB Musing who would impart all kinds of amazing knowledge without me having to read or on the tour of Harry Potter filming locations. I ultimately let my educational side win out and I hop off with WakeUpAndLive~"HoHoHo", SB Musing, Sally, Elfycia Lee ☮, and SandraLynnSprinkles Slingin'. I knew this would be super fun...and it was! What a great bunch of ladies, though I was glad I wasn't the only one who wanted SB to just give us the rundown while we looked at the items rather than reading every single thing. lol Whew! Our tour guide, SB, did a wonderful job! HAHAHA

Party into the early hours on this fun pub crawl of central London and experience the city’s legendary nightlife even on a tight budget. With free skip-the-line entry to five bars and nightclubs, five free shots and exclusive drink discounts all night long, it’s excellent value and a great choice for individual travelers or couples wanting to meet like-minded party-goers. There’s even a professional photographer on hand to capture the night’s most memorable moments.

Highlights: Excellent value for money; All entrance fees included; Informative, friendly and professional guide; Perfect introduction for first-time visitors. Skip the line! What You Can Expect: The night kicks off at Piccadilly Institute– a bit of a schizophrenic giant of a club with its multiple themed rooms and discounted drinks. Your guide will be waiting for you right at the door and once you’ve gotten your wristband and first free shot token you will be taken inside to meet the other crawlers. The night is all about meeting new people and partying until the early hours so let your guide introduce you to everyone right from the get-go. Keep your wristband easy to see and new friends will be made quickly.

Next up is Bar Soho on Old Compton Street, which is right in the middle of the diverse and celebrated area of Soho. The short walk there takes you along Shaftesbury Avenue and right past all the huge West End theatres. Then it’s off to the bars and clubs of Leicester Square, which is without a doubt the epicentre of London nightlife! At each bar and club you get a free shot as well as discounted drinks such as bottles of beer or single vodka mixers for around £3! The majority of bars and clubs in London charge heavy admission prices but with us you don’t have to worry about any of that just as long as you are with us. Come, save money, make friends, have a few drinks and have a brilliant time in the centre of London on our #1 rated London Bar Crawl!

Read more about Pub Crawl of Central London - London | Viator at: https://www.viator.com/tours/London/Pub-Crawl-of-Central-London/d737-9075P1?pub=...

Well, this was an interesting experience. I've never done a pub crawl and really, if I'm not with Sally, I'm not even a drinker. But I figured whatever, it might be fun. I have to say, it's a good thing I've been hanging out with Sally, building my tolerance. Otherwise, I wouldn't have lasted through the first place. Admittedly, I was done for by the third of five. It was getting late anyway. I ended up getting a cab back to the hotel and sleeping it off.

But one of the highlights of the night is when Sally FINALLY talked the bartender into letting us make a drink for our group. She was so funny. She used this fake American accent (been hanging out with us too long) and I think she might have shown some cleavage. Well, hey, if you've got it, flaunt it. Not that I've been looking, but Sally is nicely proportioned, so I certainly don't mind her using whatever feminine wiles she can to get us a chance to practice our bartending. We're getting a lot of mileage out of that one class. lol

I asked Jellyfish-Flying Away 4 Xmas! what she wanted to drink and she teased me by asking for three different drinks she knew I didn't know how to make, then "complaining" that she needed a new bartender. Eventually, she ordered a mojito, though. I've gotten pretty good at those, so I was happy to oblige. Admittedly, we should probably expand our knowledge. Sally asked for help from the bartender when one of her "customers" asked for something she didn't know how to make. Darn that smart Sally! I just made mine order something else. Sally got to learn a new drink AND she got a bit of attention from the hot bartender. Very smart woman. We finally got shooed out from behind the bar when she accidentally dropped her fake American accent and the bartender discovered it was all a ruse. HAHAHA!