The new tour. London/Geneva 2018

Preparations begin. Departure on 6 March 2018.

Bye Bye London

The last day in the UK and the the full scope of Mrs Reid's retail assault became clear. Ably assisted by her mother we now have reached the very limit of our combined baggage allowance - 160kg! The purchase of two additional large bags (I got them for 10 quid each at a north London market so they will probably explode in transit) have allowed us to accommodate the multiple garments and pieces of fabric siphoned out of the London shopping precincts. Uncle Barry joined us for a farewell lunch at the Orangery restaurant at Kensington Palace, probably one of my favourite places in London. It combines massive open light spaces and minimalist finishes with classical details like ornate Corinthian columns to just spell opulence while not being over the top rococo. For the first time in several weeks the rain came out of nowhere so we were rather damp by the time we'd walked from our flat to the palace grounds and the restaurant. As soon as we were seated the sun, predictably, emerged.

After lunch the car picked us up and all praise to the driver who managed to squeeze our 10 items of luggage into his vehicle. In about an hour from now, as I write, we will board the flight to home. Mrs Reid has been exploiting all the benefits of the business class lounge with a massage and a la carrye dining. It has been a marvellous trip and we owe a tremendous debt to Mrs Reid's mother who underwrote most of the cost of the trip as an antemortem bequest to her family. Her generosity has given the whole family a memory to last the rest of our lives. Good on you Ma.

Off to London to see the Queen!

Last full day in London today so with Uncle Barry the family headed off to St James Park. As luck would have it our arrival coincided with the royal procession for the Queen's opening of Parliament and we wandered up to Pall Mall just in time for all the action. Situated opposite the band we were treated to James Bond theme tunes while we waited for the Queen - it couldn't have been better. This year was the first where the Prince of Wales joined the Queen at the opening so we saw Charles and Camilla cruise by too. Master Reid had the park's squirrels well trained to eat out of his hand on the way back. We also caught the tail end of a 41 gun salute in the park as well. the boy was in heaven given his fasciation with the Household cavalry and artillery. He and his grandmother then headed off to view the Churchill War rooms while Mrs Reid and I enjoyed lunch near Charing Cross before heading home. This was a great day given the parade, music and cannons were a completely unexpected bonus which we wandered into at precisely the right time. To think we had been considering foregoing the trip in case the Queen's procession caused too many crowds.

Wallace Collection

A very pleasant day spent wondering along Marylebone High street including a fantastic bookshop (see the photo), lunch at nice organic market cum restaurant and finally a trip to the Wallace Collection which I had visited in more than 20 years but it was great to see it through Master Reid's eyes. All the armour there made it one of his high points.

Bank Holiday

Monday was a bank holiday and the weather suited it, reaching a sunny 23 degrees. The family Reid headed off to an organic cafe on Kensington High Street for a late breakfast followed by a mooch around the nearby bookshop where I picked up Peter Ackroyd's work on underground London and Master Reid yet another Tintin volume (that's seven on this trip so far). The afternoon was spent with Auntie Vikie and her glorious greyhound Queenie for a stroll in Kensington Park and afternoon tea. Top Gear, and then Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi in 'Vicious' on the box to round out the day nicely.

To market

A lazy Sunday so off to the markets. Brick Lane first, then Spitalfields and finally Bayswater Road for the art. Five hours sped by pretty quickly. Wrapped up with a nice stroll through Kensington Gardens.

Boys day out

While Mrs Reid and her mother targeted a range of fabric emporia, Master Reid and I went for an aimless wander around London. A trip to Camden to a specialist spectacle supplier was the first order of the day to secure me a new set of frames for my next pair of specs. We headed off then to Westminster to give the son and heir a glimpse of Big Ben's clock tower (I will need to explain Pugin - God's own architect - to him at a future juncture). The weather changed from showers to sunshine every five minutes which was a little frustrating. By this time stomaches were rumbling so we headed toward Trafalgar Square, past 10 Downing Street, with the restaurant within the National Gallery being our objective. While Master Reid hoovered down a burger and chips to great reports, I consumed one of the best lamb chops I have every had, swimming with garlic and fantastic potatoes and spinach, nicely rounded off with half a litre of Spanish white. There followed a quick tour of the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery (where I showed the boy the portrait of his cousin) and a nice ride home on the Tube. He has professed an appreciation of the Impressionists so perhaps the fruit has not fallen too far from the tree. This time next week we'll be back in the bosom of Brisbane.