A British vacation (but I'm also going to Japan)

The elevated walkway leads directly to Barbican estate.
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Brutalist architecture might not be everyone's cup of tea...
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But I find it fascinating...(does not mean I want to live here 🤣)
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As I was leaving Barbican it started raining...I had a waterproof jacket but forgot to put on my hiking boots!

So I gave up exploring some places nearby, went straight to London Mithraeum.
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Mithras
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The actual ruins....here is when you really need some imagination!
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Next door was Bank Station, so I quickly dived in....shoes were very wet by that stage and I didn't want to walk in the rain anymore, even though Elizabeth line via Liverpool St would be a much better ride.

Back to hotel, checked out. I thought we could do a leisurely stroll in Little Venice and stop in some place nearby for lunch.
Ah but no. Mother wanted to go to Buckingham Palace!
During the planning stage I asked her maybe 100 times if there's anything in particular she wanted to see, the answer was always "nope I'll just follow you". And now at the last possible minute she wanted to see something 😡😡

I don't think she's doing it to annoy me ofc. That's the problem with people who doesn't plan though, they had no idea! Then last minute they were like "Oh isn't there something famous like xx_x we haven't seen?" But honestly it's equally infuriating....

Anyways we were off to see Buckingham Palace.....yeah I don't see the appeal, like AT ALL.
So I had one picture.
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Oh there's another one from St James' Park.
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Back to Paddington, looked like there might be some time left....so I went to Little Venice myself - mother was not interested, you might have guessed....

I thought this was very much more Amsterdam than Venice though!

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Going towards LHR..
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There are quite a few Star Alliance lounges in T2, if it's just me I'd probably visit them all (okay maybe 2 or 3🤣).....but with mother that's obviously not a good idea....decided on Silver Kris.

Many different types of seating but this was by far my favourite.
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Loved the laksa!
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Seats were obviously the same...Damn I love it so much.
Apparently they have a different version of The Room planned for 789s, can't wait....
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I got to the seats earlier than people in row 5 so took this one.
Idk, in theory it's probably the same especially for the centre ones. But I just don't like the idea of facing backwards!
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Even the toilet was Japanese!
Honestly, we should all have bidgets at home. I will die on this hill!
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Slept for some solid hours, woke up and we were above China already.
Oh and you can have the flight map on the small controller screen while watching movies on the big one, very handy.
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Ordered ramen and salad.
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Final service before landing.
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Haneda here we come!!
 
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