By That’s it, vacation is done. Everyone is tired, happy, and a little bit homesick. I miss my dog, my husband, and my son. Not necessary in that order.
My brain has also already switched back towards the things I have to do when I get home. Work on Monday, I predict 173 unread emails, all urgent. Monday will strictly be about figuring out the email threads.
So, last night we made a list of the things we wanted to do before leaving the city and this morning we checked out, left our bags with the B&B owner and headed out for one last adventure.
Stop #1 Abbey Road Studios. Do I even have to explain why? My daughter is a huge HUGE Beatles fan, she’s even been to see Paul McCartney play twice, which is uncommon considering her age. Surprisingly easy to get to in a quiet, otherwise residential neighbourhood. We DID NOT take a photo of the crossing….because it’s not the original crossing. My daughter the encyclopaedia informed me that it has been moved from the original spot. Still tons of people there though.
You can however take photos of the studio itself and visit their gift shop. Someone was recording something today, there was lots of activity in and out of the doors. No celebrities though.
The shop had some good stuff, with a heavy dose of nostalgia. My fave was a tin shaped like an old cassette recorder and a pile of similar tins that looked like mix tapes. It reminded me of when I would use my recorder to tape Solid Gold off the tv on Saturday nights and then listen to it all week. Men at Work, America, REO Speedwagon, Air Supply. Hello, 1983 just called apparently my nostalgia is overrated and I need to let it go.
After Abbey Road and all the good musical memories we headed to stop #3: Leadenhall Market.
Leadenhall Market was the inspiration for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter world and the Leaky Cauldron is actually an optometrists shop. I got my photo and we ate lunch there (not the Leaky Cauldron, but close). Sadly I did not see a single wizard.
Stop #3 was sadly a goose chase. When we were at Harrod’s there was this adorable set of kitchen linens I really loved but did not buy because I figured they’d turn up elsewhere. The company was local and the internet said they had product in a few other stores like Fortnum & Mason, so I waited.
Well they didn’t have the product there yesterday and today I wanted go to the store shop itself, so stop #3 was to be the Thornback & Peel shop. Except it’s not a shop, it’s an office with no stock. I WAS NOT trekking across town to Harrod’s, so the Blackbird & Bramble apron and tea towel will henceforth be “the ones that got away”.
As an aside we did get to walk through Camden which we wouldn’t have otherwise. We discovered the children’s hospital and the London counterpart to my workplace. You gotta make lemonade people.
We pretty much headed back to get our luggage and took the train to our airport hotel. Tomorrow’s flight is an early one.
Thanks for reading about our adventures. Super thankful to share this one with my daughter, couldn’t imagine a better travel companion. Love you kiddo. (I know she will read this)
contentedkitchen 