Up early in Brussels, our final morning of the travelling portion of this adventure. We went across the road to the train station and made the reservations on the 2:00pm Eurostar. We had to think a bit ... As of 2:00am this morning we're on Daylight Savings Time, we arrive in London at 3:05pm local time, London is an hour behind all of continental Europe except Portugal, its a two hour train ride ... Yes, it looks alright.
Then, knowing we have to check out at 12:00 noon, we have to clear UK customs before boarding the Eurostar, its a FULL train, we have to be at the station at least an hour before departure, its a half hour walk at least to the Grand Place in downtown Brussels but a 'must see' destination, do we have the time? Absolutely, we'll run the whole way if we have to, so off we go with cameras in one hand and a map in the other.
Got there without incident, had lots of time in the 'Grand Place' to see and feel and photograph and experience, and buy stuff, then the walk back, check out of the hotel, and into the Eurostar lounge. Eventually through customs, onto the train, and into the countryside, a very high speed run. After stopping at Lille, and blowing by Calais where we started this adventure over two months ago, we were down suddenly into the dark of 'the chunnel'. Twenty minutes later the English countryside slid by outside the windows, two short stops, then finally St. Pancras station in London.
Too much baggage for the tube, even with the girls help, so Jan and I took a London Taxi to Leanne and David's flat in Balham. Pushed, pulled, shoved, and strained the bags up the stairs to their flat, aided by Leanne and David, and we were finally at rest.
That's it, this adventure over and done now. More later, another season, a different place, and this has been fantastic, great from start to end. Regrets? Nothing. The best memory? Everything. But for now, we're going to ground like a harried fox, we just want to relax, and to finish compiling these memories so that we can enjoy them later. If you have followed us this far, thanks for caring, and 'so long' for the moment.
