Day Eight - Jun 19, 2014

Reykjavik, ISL to London, ENG

High Point: Seeing Jerome, Lili, Jack and Colette again

Low Point: Not being sure if it was us or the London Underground with the issue. Turns out both, but mostly them.

Miles By Foot: 3

Miles By Train: 33

Today's Weather: Rainy and overcast. A little windy. In the mid 60's.

Tonight's Lodging: Lili & Jerome's

Touristic Events: The London Underground (Tube), walking on the Thames

Travel Tip: Ask for help, but be prepared for that help to be equally confused.

Daily Didactic

Today was primarily a travel day and low on photo documentation. We arose at the unreasonable hour of 4:30ish, packed, and exited Arnar's excellent digs. It was a short 15 minute walk to the BSI terminal, where we caught the Flybus back to Keflavik airport. After an uneventful flight we stepped onto British soil for our first time a little after 11:00am. After our requisite level of confusion, we managed to get on the wrong train into London. It was only wrong in the sense that it was an express and we were supposed to get off a stop before the Victoria station. So, instead, we navigated Victoria station, picked up Oyster Cards (sadly for discounted public transit, not oysters), and started searching for the train to Richmond. Richmond was one stop beyond our real destination, Kew Gardens. We (with the help of others) found the platform and started waiting for the train, which was supposed to come every 8-11 minutes. Long story short, the London Tube is not what you'd expect from an efficiency or efficacy perspective. After about an hour and with a new friend from New York (who knew just enough to let us know things weren't working correctly and to help us get where we were going), we found our friends Jerome and Lili's flat. Other than a short walk along the Thames just outside of Richmond while Jack was in swimming lessons, the rest of the afternoon and evening was spent catching up and relaxing. A lovely end to a long and confusing morning and early afternoon.