Day Nine: Tottenham Bound

We had a big decision to make about the Changing of the Guards; do we go today or do we try to make it on Friday? After all, we only had one thing on our itinerary for the entire day: Tottenham versus Chelsea football match at 8pm.

While we were planning our trip over the last year, we put many things on our itinerary and then took many things off. As we've been here we have tried to leave some open time for shopping and for discovery. One of the things we had on our agenda previous to coming here, was going to Stonehenge. We took it off of our list after reading several travel blogs and getting some opinions that it isn't worth the trip out to "the rocks". We didn't necessarily agree that Stonehenge would be just a pile of rocks; we had other reasons for taking it off the list: mainly, getting there.

After some consternation, and James' eagerness to drive on the opposite side of the road, we decided to put Stonehenge back on our agenda for today. Well, anyway, we thought: "the rocks" won't be changing their schedule on us like the guards did, so let's go rent a car.

First, walk to Budget rental car shop and get a little lost on the way (do not think this is an omen for the rest of your trip to Stonehenge).

The IMax tunnel; not the Budget Rental Car Tunnel, London, 2017

Think about renting a regular sedan for the city rate of 112 pounds, and then go for the BMW I-1 for 150 pounds instead (what the hey). **Note, if you rent a car at the airport it will be much cheaper, but then remember, you didn't plan for this, and the tour bus for a family of five is only slightly more affordable than the BMW.

Driving in England on the Opposite Side of the Road 2017

Try not to freak out as your husband navigates the opposite side of the road (just gently point to his side of the road repeatedly to get him to lean the other way so you don't feel so snug on the cars coming at you on the passenger side). Travel Tip: All the cars are manual. Luckily, we both drive manual, and we watch The Amazing Race so we were prepared for this. Also, navigation is not available in this car, but they give you a mobile hotspot so you can use your GPS. Have a back up battery since GPS uses up your cell battery fast. Getting out of the city and getting back in will be the most challenging part of your journey (roundabouts and all). The streets can be very confusing. But, once you get out of the city, the roads are very easy to navigate.

James feeling like he's mastered driving in England, 2017

Sit back, relax and find interesting things along your route:

"If I agreed with you...we'd both be wrong!"

Tank Girl Van, England 2017

The clouds are beautiful and set the mood for seeing Stonehenge which will appear suddenly out of nowhere after nearly two hours on the road:

Clouds near Stonehenge, 2017

Stonehenge from the freeway, England 2017

The Stonehenge tour is worthwhile. It also breaks up your trip if you are staying in England for more than four days. It may not be another country, but it might as well be since it is so far out. Noteworthy: If you go to Stonehenge, realize for a moment, that you are going somewhere many Londoners have never been, as we learned later. Also, do not feel guilty about renting a car, there aren't many buses headed this way with tour groups; maybe because it is winter time. Travel Tip: You have to reserve your time at Stonehenge in advance (they want to know about what time you'll be up there, so buy tickets online. If you are traveling with a family, buy the family pack, it comes with the audio guide). Do the Exhibit after your tour to the "the rocks" (part of the exhibit helps you feel like you are standing in the center of Stonehenge through time as it was being constructed, as it was being destructed, and as it stands now. It's fantastic, the kids really enjoyed it). Basically, you arrive, and then you get on a bus that takes you to the rocks. There is more to this site than the rocks so read along the way and listen to your audio guide. My favorite: #42 on the audio guide, it illustrates what their society may have been like to achieve this feat.

Walking along the path to Stonehenge, 2017

Get selfies, but also have others take your pictures. You'll meet so many people by offering to take their picture and getting them to take your picture. We met a group of Berkeley college students two of which are from Southern California (Cerritos and San Bernardino).

Fischer and Stonehenge, 2017

The McGehee's Abroad at Stonehenge 2017

See a face in one of the rocks, note that you can see this but it doesn't seem spectacular to anyone else. See the eye on the (middle) stone follow you wherever you walk; feel relieved when your daughter says she see a face in that rock.

We see an eye, a nose, a mouth in the middle stone

Travel Challenge: Try not freezing to death out here in all your winter clothes. And then imagine what the builders were wearing in 3,000 BC while building this wonder. Also, try your best to get some perspective photos; realize just how challenging this feat is.

James' very cold hand; after only two minutes exposed he gave up on the perspective pictures

Check your watch, and realize it will take about two and a half hours to return to London, which won't give you much time to get ready for the football match at 8pm. But, be happy that the kids have found a way to relax on the way back:

Look, they fit just fine, maybe we should get one of these cars back home

You scarf down some food while refitting yourself for the football match. Travel Tip: Do not imagine you will get some nachos, a hot dog and a drink at the match; eat before you get there.

Realize, you are headed to a rival game, sitting on the side of the underdog, against a team who has been winning so far all season. Say a little prayer for the team whose side you are sitting on, and then get comfortable, you stick out like a sore thumb because all 30,000 seats in the stadium are season ticket seats and you're a stranger here. Travel Note: This is a plan-well-in-advance event. Also, it is an arm and a leg event (but it's worth the cost). You are paying for the experience, and the crowd will not let you down. If the team your sitting for wins, you will have one of the best experiences of your trip. Even your teenage daughter (who has no appreciation for sports) will be saying, "That was the best experience. I'm so glad we came to this game."

Starting out, you have to decide if you are taking the tube (subway--yikes, don't use that word in England, it's the tube/underground/overground); or, are you flagging a taxi? Check your GPS, see that 8 miles to the match will cost you 53 minutes of your life either way, and go for the taxi. Travel Note: Taxis in London are not like Taxis in the states. They can drive in the Bus Lane. They also, according to our taxi driver, could have spent three years or more getting their license because they have to know every street and every landmark this is called "The Knowledge" and they are happy to get you where you need to go as fast as possible. If you are headed to Tottenham White Heart Lane (the stadium), they are even more eager to get you there. When you stepped into the cab you would have been there just past kick-off; but your taxi driver gets you there ten minutes before kick-off. Tip him generously and join the thousands headed into the stadium. Travel Tip: The doorman at the hotel will tell you the taxi to Tottenham is going to cost you 25 pounds; it will cost you almost twice that, be prepared.

Fischer & James Tottenham White Lane 2017

The Football Experience Compared: Recall, football in England is soccer. Note, that football in America is Rugby in England. You will soon realize American's do not know how to properly root for any sport by any name and that we should all take lessons from the British. They sing and chant, they respond to each other. They do not need entertainment, or crowd prompting, or announcements--the crowd is its own entertainment. You will not be able to understand the words of the chants or catch on to the songs they are singing; no matter, they don't expect you to join them--they just expect you to root for their team.

"The Game Is About Glory. Tottenham Hotspur"

Expect: If your team is winning, a lot of F*ckin' words are shouted out; and if your team is losing, expect even more F-bombs. It works though. It does not seem offensive in the least. And, if you're not a true football fan (soccer), and you've thought maybe the players make a big fuss about being fouled or falling, don't worry, when you get here, you see the crowd agrees with you. They have nothing good to say about the players on the ground unless a medic is flagged, which is actually only for a band-aid most of the time, we realized.

"Well done Victor, well done!" "This f*ckin' bloody referee!"

Scoring: Pray for a score or two. This is the only way the crowd will interact with you. You cannot become one of them unless their team scores and then they will be happy to give you high-five, embrace you, chat with you in a dialect you barely understand.

Tottenham 2; Chelsea 0

The Loo: Recall, the loo is the bathroom. Football is a boy's club. There are approximately 50-100 men to every one woman/girl in the place. They have a long line to the loo. You are really only in line with twenty women for a spot in the loo, but, there are only two spots. So, by the time you get out of the loo, half time is over, your boys have already been to the loo, purchased candy and drinks, and are in their seats watching the game. Travel Tip: Speak to the girls in line with you. And then watch them meet each other formally for the first time even though they see each other every match.

Winning: If you have been blessed to see your team win, you have been automatically entered into the most memorable parade of your life. Basically, your team wins, the singing follows you out of the stadium and into the streets--there's no other choice.

The Tottenham Parade out of the Stadium onto the main road

It's after 10pm. The police are blocking the main roads and forcing 30,000 people down neighborhood streets. The residents, if they aren't with you, are hanging out of their windows watching this crowd saunter in song down their street. You eventually get dumped out into the main road and then find even more people watching from balconies, cars, and buses as your singing crowd continues at their pace down the road. (By now you wish you knew the chants, but you don't and that's okay).

***The crowd will thin out and when it does, you will need to find a way back to your hotel soon. Either take the tube, if you know how, or flag a taxi. You are not necessarily in a tourist friendly area by this time. Enjoy the fact that you've just been to a fantastic game against two rival teams. Enjoy the stories from your taxi driver about his wife's family being divided over teams (he is an Tottenham fan; his wife is an Arsenal fan--his two sons are divided and don't speak during one month of the year). Note: You can relate. Fischer is a Chelsea fan and we cheered for Tottenham tonight, so he cried and wouldn't speak to us until after half time.

We hope the videos work for our readers, they really are spectacular.