Battles & Cliff Tops

Well, we made it! We breezed through luggage check-in, security, a couple pages of homework at the gate, our transatlantic flight, & customs before hitting our first snag. We had found an internet special for commission-free money exchange at AMEX. Only problem was it was in Heathrow's terminal 2 and we were in terminal 4. We walked all the way, exchanged our money (it was a good thing we had the promotion printed...) and then realized we had to walk back where we came from to get to the Heathrow Express to start our train journeys. OOOPS! As we tried to wind our way back 2 terminals, we found ourselves stuck going in a circle. We asked directions and finally got on our way.

The train connections were flawless. The attendant in the Paddington station restroom even let Megan in for free (saving 20 pence). We made an earlier train to Hastings than we planned, the only hitch being that the train stopped briefly to clear sheep off the line...

Pat and Chris, the owners of the Hastings guest house, picked us up at the station and showed us around our home for the next three days. Lovely blue and white rooms with a kitchen, living area, and private bath. Ian loves the Mr. Bean videos that were included in the room rental. I think Kurt and I may check out the Black Adder videos tonight.


We toured Battle Abbey and the Battle of Hastings battleground today. Fascinating. Ian loved scrambling up every staircase available. Megan thought the garderobes were sick (confused? wikipedia). We almost made it out of the gift shop without incident, until Ian found a toy crossbow complete with suction cup arrows. He wouldn't go for a working mini-catapult/pencil sharpener so we had to compromise on a wooden dagger. Megan got a pewter ring with green stone.


In trying to find the railway up to the Hastings Castle ruins, we managed to climb the entire hill and ended up right at the gate...which was locked shut. We missed it by 50 minutes. The silver lining was finding a hidden staircase which led up to an open grassy cliff top from which we took in the misty landscape of coastal Hastings Old Town & Docks. We went down a paved way which wound around narrow back alleys and dumped us onto George Street - where Ian found an arcade (his highlight of the day for sure).

We finished the day at The Italian Way Pizzeria, run by Italians that were much more relaxed than the Italian restaurant in London that Kurt and I previously visited. And now we are at Web Frenzy, and Ian says I must finish soon so he can play computer games with the 43 minutes left on my £2 internet hour.

More with pictures on Sunday,
Jessi

Quotes of the Day:

Megan, after hearing the train announcement "Next stop - London Bridge":
"But it isn't falling down!"

Ian, after finishing off a fine piece of garlic bread with mozzarella:
"A small town = a great vacation spot!"

Preparing for Spring Break '07

Less than 72 hours to go before we launch again. Where? England - with the whole family!

While England isn't most people's idea of a desirable Spring Break location, there's no where else I'd rather go: the cool weather & overcast skies (i.e. no heat/sun-induced migraines), the train travel (i.e. no stress-induced migraines), the historical treasures (i.e. photographic & literary subjects)... I'm hoping to infect the kids with my Anglophilia and yet still manage to give Kurt the vacation he desperately needs.


We've been preparing since September 2006: tickets and reservations, passports for the kids, new rolling luggage, books (including a guide to British wildlife - sorely needed last trip), camera repairs, waterproof moccasins, sturdy travel umbrellas, and lots of English food (the kids needed to practice/be desensitized).
I've looked up the location of the internet cafes near our hotels, so I will try to post at least every other day. Once we reach Reading, I may even be able to post pictures. No promises, though. If there's anything I've learned in traveling with our kiddos, it's BE FLEXIBLE;-)