Day Eleven: One Last Look Around England Before We Go

On the final tourist day of your European vacation you might want to consider checking off some items you failed to achieve in the previous days (if you've managed to check off everything on your list before the last day, kudos to you, or, not, maybe you should have considered straying from your guidebooks, recommendations, and previously created itinerary every now and then). If you're using our brilliant (note the British word here) guide to planning your next European family vacation, then...Travel Tip: Leave the last tourist day of your trip fairly open to get back on track with your itinerary. Note: Use the night before this day to pack...trust me, if you've been following along, one of us said not to start packing because there were still two days left, meanwhile, everyone is rushing to get packed up before bedtime the night before our early flight. 

So, you've packed all but the essentials two nights before you leave town (I'm so jealous); it's your final tourist day, what's on the schedule?

1. You didn't get to see the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace (because they flaked...there...I said it...the Queen's guards flaked on us the first time and we've been trying to check this off our list all week).  

Changing of the Guards: The guidebook says to get a place at the fence by 10:30am. But, because their scheduling was wonky, and because it is now a Friday (more crowds), you show up at about this recommended time and join more than a few onlookers:

Travel Tip:  I don't want to say get there earlier because, it really isn't necessary. But don't get there any later than 10:30am. You have to stand around for about an hour and then the whole process lasts for 45 minutes to 1-hour. Best place to stand, by far, is nowhere near where we stood. We took a spot at the fence facing the palace to the right. You'll want to take a spot at the gates off to the side of the palace. It will make sense when you get here. However, if you took the spot we took, do your best to see what you can see, and then after the guard on your side has changed out, then find a spot along the road, you will be able to see the marching band leaving (there are two marching bands that go each direction away from the palace so it doesn't matter which place you go to near the road). This also means that if you were at the gate feeling like you missed the marching band and you can hardly see what's going on, don't fret, you can see the marching band leave. You cannot be in both places at once so see one thing and then go see the other.

Note: The kids didn't enjoy being smashed up against the gates at all. And, if you try to stand up on the gates, the guards will yell at you to get down. I would put this event down as a see it if you can but if you don't, it's okay. Maybe just go for the marching band, they are far more entertaining: they played many songs including Thriller by Michael Jackson and Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars. 

Move on from here, you still have more to see and do and one last scheduled event this evening. 

2. You pre-bought fast track passes to The London Eye; better go use them. 

Travel Tip: You might think, should we buy the fast track passes? They cost more money. Well, the line is really long, so it's really up to how you enjoy spending your time in Europe. If you still aren't sure if you should go for the pricier ticket consider this: you can use it any day and time of your trip to England. 

Travel Challenge: Get at least one more perspective photo before leaving town.

Big Ben from London Eye

3. Remember that you promised yourself to take an iconic type of photo of each kid in each country and that one child still needs his picture taken. You waited until now because you planned on getting a good image of this child at the phone booth with something great in the background:

4. You didn't get to go inside Big Ben or inside Westminster Abbey, so you'll have to settle for photos outside (remember you have a deadline for an event this evening). Travel Tip: Once you set yourself to a dwindling clock, you can't help but feel rushed to get everything done in a hurry. So, when your husband says, "There's Westminster Abbey," and takes you to the corner for what you all think will be a great photo; he is taking a picture of the monument while you and the kids are organizing yourself for the picture. You only realize he didn't want everyone in the picture when he says, "Got it, let's go." If that happens, just say, "Okay, now should we get one with all of us in it?" Then he'll say,"Oh yeah, sorry about that." 

5. You keep saying you will eat fish and chips in a pub. New Plan: You think it will be a good idea to eat lunch, do last minute shopping, and then go back to the hotel and pack before going to the last event (which won't get you back to the hotel until 10pm)--be certain, you won't have time to pack even with the new plan. Travel Tip: The pubs do cater to families. You want to try to get out to at least one of these because they are historic and traditional. Note: If you have a family of five and it's a Friday and you're rushed, good luck getting a seat for lunch at the pub. You may be turned away or just walk away from one or two pubs before settling on the one that's been right next to your hotel all along: Punch & Judy (established in 1787). Eat here and then have fun making the sign politically incorrect:

6. Get rid of:

Enjoy British humor for one last night

7. Find one last unique trinket to take home (this is just a disposable cup; don't go looking around for this trinket. But do make your unique thing better than a blank cup): 

8. Go to your final event: Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour. Travel Tip: If you are traveling with kids who are Harry Potter fans; or, you are a Harry Potter fan, then this is a must see. 

Note: This is actually really far away from London considering most everything you've done so far is fairly close or within walking distance from your hotel. From The Strand Palace hotel you will need to walk a quarter mile to the Underground, take it to Euston, get off and then get onto the Overground, take it to Watford which is about a fifteen minute long ride, then get off and run to the Harry Potter bus (literally a bus that goes to the event) which is another fifteen minute ride to the location. Recap: Travel is by feet, two subways (under and over ground), and a bus and then in reverse. 

This is the official bus to the Harry Potter Tour

Travel Challenge: Don't get caught sleeping on The McGehee's Abroad European vacation:

Keep in Mind: The tour is no less than 3 hours long. There are interactive things to do they may take longer depending on the length of the line; the tube stops running at a certain time of night and you have to catch the bus to the tube station so you may have to spend less time than you want to if you book a late night ticket. 

Nolan & James at Harry Potter Tour 2017

Best Time: Our tickets were for 6pm because we didn't realize how exhausted we would be by this point in our trip; or, how long the journey would be out of London; or, the length of the tour. However, it was dark and raining so it added to the mystique of the experience especially in the outdoor section.

The kids hanging off the back of the Knight Bus, England 2017

Giggle: When the British children attending the event are speaking around you with what we perceive are accents; they make you feel like you're in the movie even though they are just visitors to this event too. Photos: Warner Bros. wants you to take a lot of photos and to check-in at the event in different areas. Have fun with it. 

Travel Tip: Halfway through the tour you get dumped into the restaurant/cafe. This is where you get your Butter Beer (it's worth it). The hot food is good but keep in mind: you will think you need to get into two lines: one for food and one for Butter Beer; this is not true. Get in the food line because everyone else thinks they can't get Butter Beer in this line. Get food. You'll be hungry by now. You started your journey to Harry Potter at 4pm and now it is 7:30pm. The hot food is really good and it doesn't take much time for them to call your name when it's ready (stand nearby and send your family to snag a table). 

Butter Beer

Travel Note: The bag check is very thorough, they go through every pocket and unzip everything and then thoroughly wand you afterwards. It's more detailed than the Louvre without exaggeration. 

 

Hopefully you didn't spend all your money, you'll also get dumped into the big store at the end of the tour and it's really fun!!!

Make your way back to your hotel on the very last trains of the night and of your trip...

Last ride up from the Underground, London 2017

...you've got some packing to do!!!

Wishing we had packed the night before the night before we leave

Day Ten: Getting a Late Start

By now, you feel like you should sleep in for the first time in ten days (even though you've accidentally done it once before, two countries ago); doing so will make you the last of the hotel's breakfast customers. You will have literally plated your food and then they are cleaning up the buffet. If that isn't a sign that your trip is almost over; going back upstairs to watch TV definitely will be. You'll even say out loud, "Should we start packing now?" And you won't be kidding. Your husband will say, "Nah, we still have a couple of days." That's when you decide it's time to go outside.

At least you know about where your headed if you just want to get out and stroll around before your next scheduled event. Trafalgar Square is one of the best places to go if you have amassed some coins and want to see street performers.

"You have been looking for a sign...you have found it!"

Find the guy who is chalking out all the flags of the world, and place a coin on your country and every country you have either visited, set foot in, and/or had your passport stamped in (during this trip) as homage and respect.

After such a fantastic day, yesterday, James wants everyone to know he is feeling thumbs up:

Thumb's Up!

Travel Challenge: Once you've gotten the hang of perspective photography, try to see how many more of these types of photos you can create. Have fun with it!

Now, make your way to Her Majesty's Theatre for your next appointment. Travel Tip: If you haven't planned on seeing a musical while your in London, you might feel you're missing out. London is a haven for theatrical performances rivaling Time Square in New York. Go for a play or see a musical. Our family enjoys the theatre so we were never concerned about taking three children to see a musical. We chose Phantom of the Opera being shown in Her Majesty's Theatre because this is the original location Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera was first introduced in 1986. Travel Note: Since the theater is 100% owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber's company now, odds are pretty good you will still be able to see this musical whenever you decide to travel here.

Her Majesty's Theatre, London, 2017

Madeline was eager to see this performance, as were James and I (who have both seen it before), but we were happy the boys were really into it as well.

Phantom of the Opera

I finally managed to get out to a theater and order some popcorn:

Me and Nolan sharing popcorn at Her Majesty's Theatre 2017

Travel Tip: For Phantom of the Opera consider getting tickets on the Grand Circle level to enhance your viewing pleasure. Also, carry a pound with you so you can use the binoculars (even if you don't need them from this particular level--they make the boys feel important).

Madeline and her binoculars with a view of the ceiling

Travel Note: If the ushers catch you taking photographs, they will come and yell at you. We did not get yelled at, and we didn't realize you couldn't photograph in the facility, so we have a couple of pics from before the show started. However, you can take food and drink to your seats. In fact, during intermission, there are ice cream concessions set up near the front of this balcony. So, photos are a no, but ice cream, sodas, and popcorn are a yes.

Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre 2017

Travel Tip: Choose from a variety of showings but consider the 2:30pm time; Phantom of the Opera is two-and-a-half hours long. You go in when it's light out and come out into the dark and your children say, "Is it time for lunch?" And you remember, you ate breakfast late and bypassed lunch altogether. So, you go looking for a restaurant.

Nolan is telling me a story at dinner in London 2017

Enjoy the conversations you've been able to have with your children about their experiences on their vacation so far. There's no WiFi most of the time, there's no electronics getting in the way; all anyone has to do is talk to each other.

Head to the Underground so you can finally make it out to Abbey Road like you planned to do all along:

On your way there, get a picture of the ad on the bus you've been trying to get since you saw it the first time:

"Eating doesn't kill you, sofas do."

Travel Tip: From Piccadilly Circus you will need to take two tubes to get to Abbey Road. The tube is challenging to navigate (more challenging than both France and Belgium), be patient, look around for an Underground employee and ask for help.

James, Madeline, Patty on the Tube in England 2017

Get to Abbey Road and realize you wish you had done this in the day time; there are few tourists to help you snap that ideal picture. Call a relative back at home from this point (splurge on your cell phone bill, it's the only call off of WiFi you're going to make). Abbey Road has a live webcam that captures you going across the street. Your relative back in the states can watch you and post your image onto Facebook for you. However, since it's night time, your likeness cannot really be made out so well. Be happy there is one couple there doing the same thing as you and make nice with them. They will take your picture going across Abbey Road. Travel Note: Abbey Road is a very busy road, especially in the evening. There is not much time to stop and take pictures and be all cute about it. This means that you may not get the clearest pictures, but you are tired, your teenager is getting embarrassed walking back and forth, and you'll take whatever you get at this point. Return the favor and then head back to the Underground, you need to get more rest, you have a big final tourist day tomorrow.

Right to Left: Fischer, James, Nolan, Madeline, Patty, Abbey Road 2017

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.