Hilary and Stan in Europe 2011 - Day 20 - Manchester to London

Today is our last full day in Britain, and the end of our holiday. Despite the late night at Laura and David's, I was up early to upload photos and get some last-minute email correspondence done. About eight AM, Harry appeared downstairs, just as workmen arrived at their home with scaffolding to begin work on a long-anticipated exterior renovation.  It's a pretty exciting project. I took some photos of their home so that we can see what they do over the next few months.

Our train from Manchester to London

Harry and Racquelle took us to the Manchester train station around noon. We were in the heart of London by 3:30 in the afternoon. Hilary and I have become pros at getting around the London subway now. We parked our luggage at Euston Station, then, knowing we had the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening to enjoy, we set out to find the National Art Gallery.

The National Art Gallery

The gallery, with masterful art dating back to the 12th century, is truly vast - we could have spent days there, but had to make do with a couple of hours.

After dinner in a nearby Italian restaurant, we saw a hilarious, highly original comedy, "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" at the  Haymarket Royal Theatre in London. The play, which retells Shakespeare's Hamlet, is seen through the eyes of what were two minor characters in the Bard's play, Hamlet's witless, but treacherous two friends.

Water fountain outside the gallery

The play finished at 10:10 PM, a fair distance from Euston station where our luggage was stored. Somehow, we made it back with fifteen minutes to spare before the luggage office closed for the night. Thank God.  I'd have had to go all the way back into London to retrieve our luggage in the morning, then rush like crazy back to Heathrow in order to catch my plane.

Happily, with bags in hand, we  took the underground Tube for the last time to catch an express train to Gatwick Airport, a thirty minute ride from downtown. Our last night in London, at the Premeir Inn, a very clean but low cost hotel located a short taxi ride from the airport. Turning in at close to 1:00 AM, I set the alarm for 5:00 AM and prayed we'd hear it.  Hilary has to be at Gatwick by 7:00 AM... and I have to be on the way to Heathrow, on the other side of London, in order to catch my flight at 10:25.