Amy's European Adventure Part One

I've been gone 2-3 days of my 13 day trip -

This pic was Thursday a.m. right before Matt took me to the airport.  On my long flight from Atlanta to Munich, Germany, I was seated next to a 9 year old girl whose family was on the plane.  The parents looked to be about my age and had 4 kids - with one on the way.  They were a sweet family and are missionaries to Turkey.  I had said a little prayer that I would get a good seatmate, and the prayer was definitely answered!

Hampton Court Palace

A Sideview of the Palace

These pictures are NOT in chronological order.

I blame that on the fact that I have had 11 hours of sleep in the last 2-3 days ...

Right after I flew into Munich, Sarah met me and we had a very disjointed conversation over coffee in the airport!  She's brought me a chocolate croissant from Edeka that was amazing!  Conversation was disjointed as far as lots of ground being covered at once.   Then we caught a flight to London England where we've been the last two nights.

Um, I don't have the typical tourist pic.  We walked by Buckingham Palace and yet I post this pic.  I was delivering a wedding gift to a couple in London that I had brought with me from Texas.

Package on the Tube

Sarah illustrating that in her opinion the Tube is the hottest place in the world .... !

Here is a more typical tourist picture:

Outside Tower Bridge on the South Bank on the Thames.

Waiting outside our hotel -- Glenn was picking up our luggage for us and he had arranged for us to have two bicycles delivered there for us to use yesterday.  This is not all my luggage.  Sarah's is in there, too.

Funny story and I am so sad I didn't take a pic for the FAIL blog:  In the Costa coffeeshop that morning, there was a sign on the door to the bathroom:  "PLEASE USE DISABLED TOILET"

In Richmond Park I dismounted from my bike to take this pic.  I thought Simon would enjoy it!

It was a fun and adventurous day.  We rode bikes through London, took them on the train with us to Richmond.  Then the bikes carried us through Richmond and along the Thames.

Glenn is an avid cycler, and I know we held him back.

Nonetheless, Sarah and I were proud of the 30-35 miles we performed quite effortlessly.

Well, minus the last hill...

Stopping mid-way to have lunch at an English pub that bordered the Thames.

This pic was before we went inside to eat (because it started raining)

So, I asked Sarah what the weather would be like on my trip.  She said it was really hot.  So, I was going to wear/pack what I wear at home.  Since it is summer, that's pretty much only skirts and dresses.  Um, thankfully Matt looked it up online and Sarah's definition of hot differs from us Texans, and I showed up with more climate-appropriate clothes.  It hasn't hit the 80s, and maybe it hasn't even been 75.  So, this is a nice change for me!!!!  

Passing a cricket game while we cycled.

We also passed an informal rowing competition and stopped for a bit.

Overlooking the hill and Thames before we reached Richmond Gate where the park begins.

I am so sorry this pic turned out blurry - it really was a pretty shot.

Here's my clever-sleep-deprived caption ....

"Two roads diverged in an English Wood

And sorry I could not travel both ...

But be one traveler long I stood and looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other as just as fair ...

No, WAIT, there is RUBBISH there .... "

Too bad Frost didn't have his decision made so easily ...