A month in Europe (with a Scenic tour thrown in)

[petercr]

Sitting at Gate 57 at T1 SYD and I thought I'd write up a travel blog which covers a week in the UK and then a 15 day cruise on the Rhine and Moselle with my wife to celebrate her 50th. I'm not renowned for writing so bear with me...

Travel courtesy of SQ and VA (because SQ don't do PE from BNE...


Checked in at BNE for VA935 and was asked if we wanted emergency exit row seating? YES PLEASE... We had a shadow next to us so extra bonus...

Coming into SYD... So far out over the water, I thought we were going to NZ, but land came into view...

Cleared through the VA transfer lounge and then took the scenic route to T1...

Stopped off at Amex lounge which we both thought was a bit average and a bit warm but was a free feed thanks to my black card then headed to the gate to wait to board this...

More to come when we arrive in Singapore...

 

[RB]

Loved our time on the Mosel so looking forward to reading about your experiences. If you get time in Cochem be sure to drop into the Toff Toff bar

 

[petercr]

Loved our time on the Mosel so looking forward to reading about your experiences. If you get time in Cochem be sure to drop into the Toff Toff bar

Thanks for the suggestion...

 

[petercr]

Now waiting in T3 @ Changi... Purchased discount vouchers for the Ambassador lounge but stupid me packed the print-outs in the luggage that was checked in. At least we can use them on the return leg.

Also made sure that my wife and I picked up our Changi Bucks while we wait.

Spotted the ANA Artoo Dreamliner parked as we taxied for take-off in SYD

 

[Major]

Looks like a great trip

 

[ellen10]

Sounds like a great trip.
What did you think of SQ PE?
Also interested in hearing about your Scenic river cruise.
We spent a week using Cochem as a base on the Mosel. Loved it!

Enjoy your trip!

 

[petercr]

Sounds like a great trip.
What did you think of SQ PE?

Enjoy your trip!

A380PE >> B777PE... sitting in H&K seats on both and the A380PE seems to have heaps more room.

Now ensconced in the Mercure London Bridge for the next two days after catching the Heathrow Express to Paddington and then the Tube to Waterloo (never going to complain about Aussie train fares again... £4.90ea on the Tube).

Went to the Tate Modern which was close-by and went up to the 10th floor to the observation level(FREE)...

More to come... It's 5pm and wife says she needs to eat and then crash for the night. Tomorrow sees the local streets blocked for a memorial service for the police officer killed recently at Parliament...

 

[petercr]

Well, jetlag finally kicked in and we both crashed out at about 6pm (after having been awake since about 7am Saturday (AEST)...

Before that and after the Tate, we walked down to the Thames and saw Shakespeare's Globe Theatre;
- unfortunately you have to book a tour to see any closer..

We then crossed the Millennium Bridge where there was a photo op of St Paul's Cathedral (designed by the famous architecture firm of Christopher Wren and Co - more on him later) ;


After a comfort stop for me and a coffee infusion for my wife, we found the City of London tourist centre where we found we could take a walking tour of historic sites in the City (also known as the Square Mile).

We saw the Old Bailey


A whole heap of small churches of which our guide Jill said that up until the early 1700's that there were around 50 of them with a number of them designed by Christopher Wren.

The Bank of England

and the Monument (to the Great Fire) also designed by Wren...


(looks like I'm going to have to work out somewhere to upload and link images to as I'm having problems uploading some)

 

[petercr]

Monday (the 10th) saw us coping with the crazy weather - was 25 yesterday and would only be a max of 14 today. It was also the day of the funeral for PC Keith Palmer (who was killed in the attack on the Houses of Parliament) so a lot of places were locked down and security was very high.

We decided to take a hop on /off bus tour and these are some of the photos I took:

We decided to get off at the Tower of London for lunch and the to stretch our legs.
HMS Belfast...

 

[petercr]

After the tour, we got off and walked to the London Eye as I'd been given tickets for Xmas from my wife - the Champagne Experience (about £15 extra over a standard ticket but much better as it allows you to jump the huge queues).


At 135m, it's the second tallest wheel in the world.

 

[petercr]

Day 4 sees us leaving London to head north for 6 days in North Yorkshire (where my mum and dad and brother and elder sister came from). Caught the Tube from Southwark to King's Cross where my wife took a photo of Platform 9&3/4 for our Harry Potter fans back home.

Just to keep it semi flying related, we spent 90 min in the Virgin (Trains) First Class lounge where this was the view... Before boarding the F class carriage of the 13:08 to York.

Leaving King's Cross / St Pancras (or St Pancreas as I inadvertently called it)

Writing this as we're heading north from Peterborough through the countryside and the GPS app on my phone says we're doing 200kmh.

 

[petercr]

Day 5 saw us head to Whitby (which is on the north east coast of England in Yorkshire).


Apart from having been the location for 2 episodes of The Grand Tour (with Clarkson, May and Hammond) , it was also where Captain Cook spent his apprenticeship as a sailor. Unfortunately I couldn't take photos as many of the items on display were originals. Whitby was also home to Bram Stoker for a number of years and provided inspiration for his novel Dracula...
.

Later, after we'd returned, we caught up with my uncle who was a former mayor of the city of Ripon where every night the have had a ceremony that has taken place since 886. It involves the Hornblower blowing his horn to advise all was safe and well.

 

[petercr]

Day 6 started out with a wander around the market square where the weekly market which originated in 1108 was being held, purchased dinner which ended up being local sausages, bacon and eggs. We met up with my uncle at the Town Hall for a behind-the-scenes look at some of the ceremonial pieces including the Mayoral Chains (which we were told were valued in excess of £100k):shock:

After that, we visited Ripon Cathedral which has existed in one form or another since the late 7th century...

Being Easter Thursday and with preparations for Easter Sunday, we were requested not to take photos inside so I wasn't able take photos inside but it was an interesting mix of Saxon and Norman architecture.

In the afternoon, we decided to take a walk in the local countryside, past a typically English stream (where my wife made a Facebook video for our kids telling them that Mr Toad lived there)


Where we finished our walk with a drink at another pub...

(there's only 19 pubs in Ripon so we have a few more to visit)

 

[petercr]

(Finally got myself a USB stick with a micro USB connector so I can transfer photos from my phone to my tablet)

Day 7 saw us out for a drive through the North Yorkshire countryside (we'd booked a 'small' car through Hertz in Leeds but all they had was a Mitsubishi Shogun - a Pajero to us - thankfully at the same rate) so it got a bit interesting driving along some of the narrow back roads...

We stopped off at White Scar Cave near Ingleton and decided to go have a look... (as anything would be better than what it looked like out)


The sign said the temperature inside was only 8 degrees but it was about the same outside and the windchill factor made it even lower

(my wife hiking on in front of me)

We reached a point about 3/4 of the way in where our guide said the ceiling was only about 1.5m high (I'm about 1.9m) and there was a section with 90-odd steps ahead at that ceiling height :shock: so I decided to wait it out and took some pictures while waiting for our party to return...



My photos don't do justice so here's a link to their website...

The Longest Show Cave in England and the UK | White Scar Cave

The day ended with us driving up to Penrith (in coughbria) to send a picture to my sister who lives close to its namesake in Sydney and then back across the Pennines and down to home base in Ripon where we had dinner at the pub 2 doors up with a few pints for me and a double G&T for my wife. Needless to say we were exhausted that night.

 

[petercr]

Day 8 had us traveling to Fountains Abbey which was set up by a group of 13 monks from York in the year 1132 and operated until the 1530's when Henry 8th ordered it disbanded and it was abandoned. Much of the stonework was the reappropriated by locals for other buildings.

 

[petercr]

The Abbey grounds also features the Studley Royal water garden, all of which became a UNESCO listed site in 1986


And has a range of wildlife throughout the park including pheasants, swans and a deer park.



More info on Fountains Abbey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountains_Abbey?wprov=sfla1

 

[petercr]

Day 9 (Sunday) saw us head to the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway - a 5.5 mile restored spur line in West Yorkshire.




It was an excellent but cold and damp day...

 

[petercr]

Day 10 (Easter Monday) saw us leave Ripon and head to Manchester to catch KL1084 to Amsterdam.

Leaving Manchester


Our snack on board (an omlette sandwich, a cookie and a Heineken at no charge)... move over Virgin!!

Goodbye UK


And hello Schipol..


Total flight time about 45 mins

 

[petercr]

End of Day 10...

Leaving Amsterdam...

Cruise through the night down canals, room is about the size of a small hotel room. Supposed to be a Queen bed but actually 2x single beds pushed together... (and separate doonas). Food = buffet style, slightly above what you'd get at Sizzler (although room service is complimentary and may be tried)... rating so far =5/10.

Bridge number... I lost count already

 

[petercr]

Day 11... Wake up cruising through the port of Antwerp... (largest in Belgium and second-largest in Europe), goes for miles...

(in a lock, waiting to enter the Scheldt River) before arriving in Antwerp city 2hrs ahead of schedule...