After close to 10 months away, this week we were in the final few days countdown to Roslyn's family arriving from Australia.
Brendan used his remaining holiday leave from the 21st to 24th, while Roslyn wound up at work, with a Christmas party at City Hall (the Mayoral office) and delivering a Christmas card to mayor Boris Johnson.
On Tuesday evening we visited Winter at Southbank Centre, hosting twinkling lights, market stalls, a roller disco and the Scandinavian-inspired Rekorderlig Cider Lodge.
Twas the night before Christmas on Thursday eve,
We went to Heathrow airport, Roslyn's family we were to receive.
To see them in the terminal was quite surreal,
A near 10 months apart, it was the real deal.
Onto the tube and back to our home,
For a few days in London, before Europe we roam.
We awoke on Christmas Day, sadly not to snow :( Upon opening of the presents, a range of wonderfully awful British Christmas jumpers were revealed. Following a champagne breakfast and quick Skype with Brendan's family, we donned our Christmas jumpers and headed down to The Falcon for a Christmas pub lunch.
Not sure if it was the richness of the traditional figgy pudding or simply the disappointment of our "white Christmas" being a mere shade of grey, but Brendan became unwell during the night, affecting his appetite for several days after.
On Boxing Day we took Brad, Suella and Adam across to the London Eye, giving them a birds eye view across the city and quick introduction to the London landmarks. From there we got back onto the tube and headed across to Oxford Street.
Once we'd elbowed our way through the typical Oxford Street crowds, we made it to Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park. As we will not be visiting Germany on #PenningsFirstEuroTrip, we went into the Bavarian Village area for a sample of Germany - pork knuckle.
At 2pm, Adam and us went ice skating. For a place that sometimes actually snows for Christmas, and is in such close proximity to other winter sports countries, it was a little surprising for us to be accompanied by every other person in London who didn't know how to ice skate. Adam at least made it off the wall for a few proper laps around the rink. After skating, we walked across to the shopping experience that is Harrods.
Rising early on Sunday, we caught an Uber (you may remember we explained this concept back in Week 16) to South Kensington. Although one of the key points of Uber is that you link your account to your credit card thereby meaning there is no requirement for cash, Brad still tried to pay the driver with cash... Brad wasn't convinced by Uber prior to coming over, but we think we have converted him now.
From there, it was onto a train back out to Heathrow and on to Barcelona, Spain.
Highlights for the week:
- Brendan on holidays from work
- Roslyn's Christmas party at City Hall (Mayoral office)
- Rekorderlig Cider Lodge
- Penning family arrived on Christmas Eve #penningsfirsteurotrip
- Christmas lunch at The Falcon
- London Eye
- Oxford Street
- Winter Wonderland
- Ice skating
- Harrods
- Brad attempts to pay for an Uber with cash
- Departed for Barcelona
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