Last Day in London ... and Miming

Saturday, June 25

Stayed late in our apartment as check out wasn’t until 11 o’clock.  Packed up, did some internet research on where to leave our bags (note: Paddington Station).  Bought our Heathrow Express tickets on my mobile ... the reason I record this is because they have the facility to send the ticket to your phone and it gets scanned on the train – AWESOME.  The Russian cleaners were very keen to get us out ... so we dawdled until the appropriate time.

Only two stops on the agenda today as that was about all we were going to fit in.  Went to visit the Templar’s Church (from the DaVinci Code).  Not a particularly beautiful church but interesting all the same as the Knight’s Templar built the circular part back around 1100.  The Knight’s effigies were interesting despite the damage they had suffered during WWII when a bomb hit the church. 

Then off to Portobello Road Markets.  OH MY GOSH ... those markets are HUGE.   Can’t comprehend why anybody would shop anywhere else because there was everything from clothing, to antiques, to food, to junk and jewellery and vintage gear.  We only did a small portion of it owing to time constraints but would love to go back sometime and see more.

Once safely checked in at Heathrow it was time to eat again ... wow, you do a lot of that on holidays.  Lucky they only weigh the bags huh?  Bobbie had a pint of beer and a bottle of wine (500ml) and was suitably chilled to say the least.  Was not the least bit concerned that there was some point in time that we needed to be at the gate.  I of course was not suitably chilled ... but stressing – the planes will leave without you!  Finally dragged the reluctant hurry’er and got to the gate as they were opening it for boarding.

Sat next to a lovely older Italian lady who was very nervous on take off so I had to comfort her despite the language barrier.  What did Bobbie do?  Made aeroplane flying actions (not really sure that flapping wings was the right thing to mime) and saying OK.  It was a good thing the woman closed her eyes when Bobbie mimed the plane going down!  Through the course of the flight we managed to find out her name was Rosa and that she had two children; a son and daughter, one of whom lives in Rome, the other in London.  Oh, and she did have a husband but he died.  The mime for that was almost comical.  Imagine; eyes closed and arms and legs extended straight out in front.  Language barrier?  Never.  I don’t hold much hope for Bobbie’s translation skills.  We’re in trouble. With the little Italian I could remember and deciphered from Rosa, we told her we each had 3 children.  We told her we were sisters, from Australia, and holidaying in Italy.  She said we were very beautiful ... lucky her opinion of us was not affected by Bobbie’s miming!    Kept her happy during landing and she wished us a Happy Holiday and I thanked her for the lesson in Italian.  See Italian is not so hard to figure out ... just bring Marcel Marceau with you. 

Customs was interesting ... take your passport, stamp it and throw it back at you.  Not a welcome to Italy or a warning not to mime ... nothing.  Met our transfer driver and as we exited the building, saw Rosa and her son.  She grabbed both of us and gave us a good Italian smooch on both cheeks.  Too bad we couldn’t get to inviting ourselves for dinner!