All the penguins!

Posted on by Ian C.

We returned to Seaworld today for the last time before our pass runs out; we don’t do big roller coasters which seems to be most of Seaworld these days – and a number of things we might do, like Atlantis and Shamu, were closed … but we did get almost private access to the penguins, arriving soon after the park opened and with only two other people viewing them!

Later in the day we had an even closer penguin experience (a paid for VIP event) where we were allowed to stroke the penguins; again we got really lucky with a very small group so lots of penguin interaction!

London at Christmas

Posted on by Ian C.

Unexpectedly we were back in England recently, and spent a few days in London. We did lots of touristy stuff, starting with an evening walk along the River Thames past the Houses of Parliament and as far as the London Eye, when we first arrived …

The next morning we took the same walk back to the London Eye, and rode it for great views over London:

We also walked to Buckingham Palace (it’s not open for visiting at this time of year!):

In the evening we toured Regent Street and nearby, checking out the Christmas lights (we also took of tour bus but the views from that were not great) …

Our last day in London, we visited the recently converted Battersea Power Station, now a big indoor shopping mall, with a lift ride up one of the chimneys for another set of great views over the city! Growing up about ten miles away this building was iconic – fascinating to learn that for the early years it had only two chimneys!