Day 1: The first moments (part1)

I was tired and excited and it just felt like home.

When I first set foot on London ground (the airport) I headed immediately for the bathrooms (that's even before checking in). I hadn't had a chance to go when we were flying above the sea so I HAD to go. Once you get off the plain, you get to travel around the airport following signs that leads you to the check in point, but it does takes a few minutes of walking to get there, but basically you just follow the flow. As I walked I care to take out my passport, to be ready for the 'douane' and its questionnaire. It was quite early in the morning, so there wasn't that many people waiting in line. I think it was something like 5.00, if not a little bit earlier. So I went to a booth when it was my time and there was a cute blond guy (english guy of course) And basically I just couldn't understand a word he said...I didn't get why my english was so rusted and I don't get to laugh with that kind of guy...but he eventually let me out -in- (lol, it didn't lasted too long anyway) Once that step is done, we get to search for our bags. Luckily for me mine was already waiting, slowly going round on the metallic carrousel, calling for me. So I basically passed everyone, which in this case nobody minds. Gatwick is a big airport, but everything is well indicated so you can't really lose yourself. AND I did remember some of it, since I had been there 2 years before. It brought a couple of memories back then, from my earlier trip with Sam.

There I was, watching out for the train label to Victoria. Easily spotted, I followed the direction to the ticketing booth. Not easy to move around with the heavy bag that I had, though I am a bit more mobile with that on than with a regular luggage *at least when you are in the streets* I waiting shortly in line to buy my train ticket for Victoria (regular one way 14pounds). Got down the stairs to the platform (open air) and waited for my train. It was still very early in the day, so I was cold. The platform was for two different trains to Victoria, one straight through (more expensive) and the other one that takes you through different parts of the suburbs of London before reaching Victoria Station -the one I took-. No one checks out the ticket, at least not in my train...would make some sense (if they check out in the other trainline) Anyway, so many people got it, going to work I guess. It was such a bad trainwagon, don't think of vietnamese's one but more like old Montreal ones let's say. But it got me to Victoria so I guess that's what's important AND I did save some money there!

...

Looking back, just tripping Days up to 1 (not completed)

Wow! It's done! At one point, I thought I wouldn't even be able to leave in the first place, but it's done and it was wonderful, and somewhat painful too.
Alright Day -1 Week-End
Over the week-end, I left for MTL to surprise my brother for his birthday! It was genuine! We passed Sunday; breakfast, laser gun (2 games) and Wii. It was really fun and my brother was very happy of seeing me and my parents there. So Monday was with my friend Mary, always fun to be with her, it was relax and I got to travel around MTL/LAVAL/Her place. Monday night was at my bro's because I had to leave around 12.00 to get to the bus station (to the airport) ((So that night we got to play a wee-bit more Wii))
Day 0 Tuesday (MTL)
I woke up early to see my brother leave for work, I stayed at his place with his girlfriend. I was to 'check' out around 12.00 to get to Berry where there is a coach station. I wanted to get on time at the airport, and we never know what might happened, so better be early than sorry (I say!) So, I got to Berry, bought myself a coach ticket to get to YUL (15$) 20mins later (or slightly more) I arrived at YUL, with my huge backpack. It must have been around 1.30, probably a bit earlier than that. I went immediatly to check in, I didn't want to carry on my bag too long...Zoomairlines booth were empty, so we had to wait....and I wasn't the first in line, people got there earlier than me?!?! ;o) 30min later, all was done, but boarding time was only around 15.30; I got myself a lunch at St-Hubert. Airports's restaurents are so much more expensive than the real thing, horrible! And there was taxes since I hadn't been to the second check point...bummer. After meal, a little tour around the airport and I sat down to write some stuff (which will be re-transcripted here someday) and finally time closing on 3.00 or so, I decided to give it a try and I actually passed, so I didn't get the time on my ticket...oh well...so some more time waiting before getting on the plane, but waiting lounge is quite comfy with TVs to entertain ourselves (actually, what was shown was bits of shows and it was constantly on re-run), I wrote some more stuff, and took out my London guide to check out what I would do on my very first day there. Time passed and we were called to get on the plane, we were only a few. On board, we were told that more people would come in at Halifax. I had taken a seat next to the window to check out the view, which was breath-taking all along (even if most of the flight was at night, I got to see a couple of cities ((of lights)) around Halifax and London) The airplane had change so instead of having only one person next to me I had 2, luckily I didn't have to get to the bathroom, I would have gone, but I would have felt so bad about it. Movies shown: Harry Potter, Mr Bean. Flight was good, 6 hours after we touched ground at Gatwick.

...

Quick flow of Info (approching ET)

Countdown: 77 days

So here's some stuff that I wrote down for LT (or ET). It is quite important so I put it in here.

Train Fares (to be rechecked with real dates)

All are Return

London- Cambridge = 18 L

London- Oxford = 17.5 L

London- Portsmouth = 18 L

London- Dover = 23.1 L

London-Stratford = 15 L

London-Peterborough = 19 L

London-March = 33.5 L

Things to see in Dover:

Dover Museum:

Hours: 10-17.30. Monday -Saturday
12- 17 Sunday (Not opened in OCT-NOV)

$: 2.5 L

From RailWay Station; 7 min walk

Whitecliffs:

Hours: 11-16. Monday-Sunday

$: Free

Things to see in Portsmouth

Spinnaker Tower

Hours: 10-17. Sunday-Friday

10-10. Saturday

$: 6.2 L

From RailWay Station 5 min walk (With Tower Café)

Wymering Manor (Privately Owned)

Charles Dickens Birthplace (closed)

From RailWay Station 5 min walk

City Museum

Hours: 10-17. Daily

$: Free

From RailWay Station 5-10 min walk

Things to see in Cambridge

Sedwick Museum of Earth Science

Hours: 10-13. 14-17. Monday-Friday

10-16. Saturday

University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

Things to see in Peterborough

Flag Fen Bronze Age Centre

Hours: 10-17. Daily. Closed on Mondays, Until Nov 2nd

$: 5.5 L

Peterborough Cathedrale

Elton Hall

Things to see in March

Parachuting: 190 L . 10 min Taxi Ride from RailWay Station

Things I want to see (or do ) 16- The Ritz

I long to be in London!!

Countdown: 91 days (3 months!!!)

Yep, I have faith in my LT and I think that everything will be fine AND I will have enough in my pockets to buy me glasses...with the help of my dad, or so I heard (which is really good!) I will post another schedule thing and see with what it would cost me. I am waiting to call for my credit card, but in less than 2 weeks it should be taken cared of... I rectifie that... in the middle of september! oups...but still it should happen.. ;o) I never thought summer would have pass on so quickly...I have been counting my paydays, to know what I would put on my credit card and I am 500$ short to finally clear it. I need a little push, I feel a bit too confident about my LT so I often spend too much on stuff that is needless to say, not so important! Help me!! I need to hold on 3 more months and this will be it!

Things I need to buy:

-Ipod plug

-Quickpod

-jeans

- short and an cotton knee-lenght vest (pyjamas clothing for trip)

-glasses

Souvenirs:

Fede's mom: tea!

Things I want to see (or do) 15- St-James's Park (hopefully, this is what I

will see in November, magnificient view!)

Next: Gift list (call sisters!, ask mom and dad) Other things (maybe be put in souvenir list) that i'll have to buy, like postcards and stuff...

my faith is wobbly (just talking)

Countdown: 110 days

Alrighty! 110 days... that seems like almost less than 3 months...WOUHOU! Still haven't bought my plane ticket...but that shall be very soon...

I have to ask my sisters and my parents what they want.
I have to check up my schedules and re-see what I will do or not...Bournmouth is pretty certain but if I don't get enough money, it won't happened..and you see now, my problem is getting the $$ in my credit card...I don't feel as motivated as much, and I always get new stuff (not important, may I add) to buy...seems like I am on the edge of almost not going...well... once the tickets will be bought, this LT will seems more legit hence more real... hopefully... and I'll be more minded into it... *crosses fingers*.

See I use to write up some many things in here, and I don't... though outside of this blog I do talk about LT a lot...and maybe i jinxed it...ARGGG I hope not! Anyway we will see!....

MC

Thing I want to see (or do) 14- Shepherd Market (i skipped 13, sorry)

this blog needs an update! Quicky on what\s happening.

Countdown: 115 days

Alright now, sorry for the lack of updates...I went through a phase of England Trip instead of London Trip...and well, with calculating the money, it just didn't work out..BUT I did add (if everything goes on well) a visit to Southampton-upon-Avon...birthplace to famous Shakespeare...this city (or village) is fill with 18th century memorabilia, so I am going to like it!

I am down to 850 to put on my credit card... (AND I am paying Sam! Big deal to me!!) So... I guess by the end of this summer I will have 50 to put and I'll be fine... hopefully the will add some more money of my card...but nevertheless, I will be able to go to London... I'll put away Southampton and Bournemouth! that easy!

Things I want to do (or see) 13 - Green Park

Next: Revisiting the budget with newest addition, checking out how much I will have, gift's list, what to buy (for trip)

I'll be making another blog about the next trip France 09.

101 things to do in London (down to 8)

Countdown: 132 days

Alright I found a list of things to do before leaving the capital city so here it lay (I will take off some of those ((upcoming)) things off, some will have already been done, or are impossible to do)





1) St-Martin-in-the-field: classical music by candlelight (check out time and price, later this summer)


2) Walk by night


3) Westminster Cathedral: hear the young boy choir (at 10.30 every day)


4) Eat a bagel at Daniel's Bagel bakery (12-13 Hallswelle Parade, Finchley Rd, NW11 Golders Green tube. Near Hampstead)


5) Pollock's Toy Museum (Pollock’s Toy Museum, 1 Scala St (entrance Whitfield St), W1 (/http://www.timeout.com/external_link/?http://www.pollockstoymuseum.com) Goodge St tube.


6)Hunterian Musem (Hunterian Museum, Royal College of Surgeons, 35-43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2 (020 7869 6560/ http://www.timeout.com/external_link/?http://www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums) Holborn tube.)


7) Japanese Peace Pagoda (Battersea park)


8) Do the monopoly pub crawl: 26 pubs in a day... won't happened to me but I guess I could taste the ale in a couple of these pubs (http://www.monopolypubcrawl.org.uk./)





Things I want to see (or do) 12 - Soho Square

Next: check out our way back to the airport, gift list, maps