Not that anyone cares... (vacation pics)

After just over 8 months working in Afghanistan, I decided it was high time that I had a vacation. So I headed for England.

Here's some pics I've taken so far.

The fountains at Kensington Gardens (right across from my London hotel)

http://www.shotpix.com/images/89526143140647933294.jpg

"Physical Energy" statue at Kensington Gardens

http://www.shotpix.com/images/40259309457590333756.jpg

SQUIRREL!

http://www.shotpix.com/images/18207472899814343829.jpg

Albert Memorial

http://www.shotpix.com/images/34954404590831834610.jpg

Royal Albert Hall

http://www.shotpix.com/images/51896833343509815504.jpg

Another view of the Albert Memorial

http://www.shotpix.com/images/34764382046399037411.jpg

Isis next to the Serpentine

http://www.shotpix.com/images/32410714011683409036.jpg

A bird.

http://www.shotpix.com/images/06778593821422764623.jpg

Wellington Arch

http://www.shotpix.com/images/14716506983701643317.jpg

Bomber Command memorial. Meaningful to me as I've been a Battle of Britain buff since I was a kid.

http://www.shotpix.com/images/85391918145019545960.jpg

Buckingham Palace

http://www.shotpix.com/images/03313593033200229028.jpg

Didn't know what I was going to do after the palace, then I saw the Eye across the Thames. LOOKS LIKE WALKING DISTANCE TO ME!

http://www.shotpix.com/images/86030748484809839073.jpg

St. James' Park

http://www.shotpix.com/images/13740568458578465983.jpg

Yes, I'm THAT good

http://www.shotpix.com/images/20379354456160039645.jpg

Westminster Abbey (how was abbey formed?)

http://www.shotpix.com/images/03969319856565928723.jpg

Big Ben

http://www.shotpix.com/images/37655247159990667006.jpg

Looks like a large ding dong...

http://www.shotpix.com/images/63359411874491399048.jpg

Another shot

http://www.shotpix.com/images/61115435606011870632.jpg

The Eye

http://www.shotpix.com/images/27301941605210352950.jpg

This was funny... I had no idea exactly where I was going and I passed the hotel where I was going to stay, had they not run out of rooms right before I nailed down my travel dates.

http://www.shotpix.com/images/09164393027677368517.jpg

Tower of London

http://www.shotpix.com/images/08727008039014199435.jpg

The Tower Bridge!

http://www.shotpix.com/images/85023957951517234419.jpg

If this needs an explanation, kill yourself.

http://www.shotpix.com/images/87959949217578241995.jpg

There appears to be a giant Faberge Egg downtown...

http://www.shotpix.com/images/34253443477572964600.jpg

My giant hotel room

http://www.shotpix.com/images/31052324270183200801.jpg

London Natural History Museum

http://www.shotpix.com/images/92624184345700198469.jpg

Afterward, I found a little hole in the wall Italian place and had a pizza, then went to Wimbledon to relax. I walked to Wimbledon Park and found a lake where a bunch of people were sailing:

http://www.shotpix.com/images/91758069679255499015.jpg

and I sat by the lake for a while.

Then went to Portobello Road

http://www.shotpix.com/images/46222586379621613829.jpg

Yes, the one mentioned in the Disney movie "Bedknobs and Broomsticks"

Stones in Bute Park, Cardiff, Wales
http://www.shotpix.com/images/83960950343048864930.jpg

Cardiff Castle in Cardiff, Wales
http://www.shotpix.com/images/28556013445725396381.jpg

Cardiff Castle Apartments
http://www.shotpix.com/images/41907978790446387065.jpg

Cardiff Castle Apartments interior
http://www.shotpix.com/images/64379393528417591554.jpg

Looking across Cardiff Bay, Wales
http://www.shotpix.com/images/49840496036549416142.jpg

View from Carisbrooke Castle, Newport, Isle of Wight
http://www.shotpix.com/images/55370735268725471820.jpg

Dorks hitting each other at Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight
http://www.shotpix.com/images/82139353544300214009.jpg

I didn't know the above was going on until I actually got to the castle. There was a tent set up with goods for sale, and I was given a taste of two different types of mead (traditional and Celtic spiced). Once I tasted the Celtic, I immediately bought a bottle.... this may be my new favorite straight-up drink!

http://www.shotpix.com/images/91038313238610044632.jpg

More Carisbrooke Castle
http://www.shotpix.com/images/97587245392707686542.jpg

Riding the chairlift at Needles Park, Alum Bay, Isle of Wight
http://www.shotpix.com/images/06551305879821240159.jpg

I was chewing foam out of the seat when I crested the hill
http://www.shotpix.com/images/92214861994336898626.jpg

In Soviet Russia, I shoot camera!
http://www.shotpix.com/images/04270346467301858305.jpg

The Needles at Alum Bay
http://www.shotpix.com/images/53243482490194174327.jpg

Another shot
http://www.shotpix.com/images/76729216409878605004.png

That just some of the highlights.

Quick overview so far... landed in London after flying out of Dubai via Qatar. Heathrow Express to my hotel. Walked about 10 miles the next day hitting the big tourist spots. Next day I went to the RAF Museum where I saw a BUNCH of planes I'd never gotten to see in person. The day after, I went to the Natural History museum, Wimbledon and Portobello Road. The 21st I did absolutely nothing, took a true day off and stayed at the hotel. The 22nd (yesterday) I took a train to Cardiff, Wales where I visited Cardiff Castle and the waterfront, then returned. Today I checked out of my hotel in London and took a train to Southampton, then the Red Jet high speed ferry to the Isle of Wight where I went to Carisbrooke Castle and Alum Bay. I'm now back at my Southampton hotel. Probably going shopping tomorrow, and continuing my adventure the following day.

I'll be back in TX on the 8th.

So far on this trip about the only thing I haven't been transported by is a bicycle... I've been on planes, trains, taxis, buses, subways, chairlifts, ferries, you name it. Pretty fun so far!

Awesome, thanks for posting.........now how about the pics from RAF London.
And are you going th make it to Duxford?

I'll try to post some of them eventually.

And no, no Duxford on this trip, but I'd like to take an extended vacation in Europe in the future so that may be in the cards at that time. I want to go to Dunsfold as well to see the Top Gear track :D

Very nice pix!

Awesome. Thanks for sharing. Need vid of driving in circle saying "Big Ben, Parliment, Big Ben.."

Great pics. Looks like a great time.

very nice shots, enjoy

Thanks for sharing.

Great pictures! Looks like a fun trip, and it looks like you’ve had some good weather for it as well.

My mother’s side of the family is based around Portsmouth, so I spent a lot of time as a child in and around Southampton, Portsmouth, and that part of the southern coast. Makes me a little wistful seeing the pictures, since I haven’t been back in over a decade.

Enjoy the rest of the trip, and safe travels back to Texas.

Thanks for the pics! I know the hotels are expensive in London. How much is the room that you have? It is small but in very good location. I like to start saving my pennies! In this case, may be more appropriate, dollars!

I had two hotels across the street from Kensington Gardens in London... both were about $115-120 a night, air conditioned, and had free wifi. Both had bars as well. I didn't have anything to complain about, because wasted space doesn't really do anything for me (bigger is better, but I'm not going to pay more for a little more room). I'm currently in a tiny (10 room) hotel in Southampton that was just under $90 a night if I remember correctly.

The London hotels were in a VERY good location, very close to a Tube station and about a 10 minute walk to Paddington Station.

altiain, the weather has been surprisingly good. It has only rained twice in England and it sprinkled briefly in Wales.

I was shopping all day. I'm about to go have dinner and a pint then re-pack and get ready to head out tomorrow.

Awesome, thanks for sharing, looks like you got to see a bit of history and some nice scenery. The first chairlift pic looks like it just goes out into the ocean. Yikes!

nice images, thanks for the view

Great pics.

Very cool photos Joel.

Makes me want to visit.