Walking with family: Green Park to Piccadilly... and beyond

Tuesday April 1, 2014.

With Emma getting in from a night-shift, at about 08:00, she headed straight to bed, while I looked after the kids. Emma then got up, just before lunch, when Lacey arrived to trim Erin's hair and cut Emma's. After a quick-lunch we headed to Watford Metropolitan station and looked forward to our trip around London.

Just as we passed Northwood Hills, Erin decided that she really needed to go to the toilet, so we alighted at Pinner, so that she could make use the conveniences on the platform. With Erin happy again, we boarded the next train and continued on to Finchley Road, where we took the Jubilee line to Green Park. We had never exited Green Park, with a battlewagon before, and found that we had to follow a myriad of tunnels, just to get to a lift that would take us up a level, before following more signs and tunnels that would take us to another lift that would bring us to the ticket hall. Luckily, this brought us out in Green Park itself, where the sun was now shining down on the grassy expanse.

We made our way south, towards Buckingham Palace, where we stopped in the shade for a coffee and a cold drink for the girls. Keeping to the shade, we made our way along The Mall, where Erin took a photo of a guard on Stable Yard Road, outside St. James's Palace.

We then continued along The Mall before turning up and on to Cockspur Street and then Pall Mall. From here we entered Waterloo Place and turned in to Charles II Street, around St. James's Square, up Duke of York Street and through Church Place and on to Piccadilly, where we stopped to look around the small market in the grounds of St. James's Church.

After a good look around we headed off up Sackville Street, turned on to Vigo Street and joined Regent Street. With both girls strapped securely into the battlewagon, they ate some sandwiches and crisps before we approached a toy shop, that I had already told Erin about.

Well, Erin didn't stay strapped in long after we entered Hamleys, as she suddenly realised where we were. She was out and holding my hand, dragging me left and right, before we managed to get to the lift and head up to Level 3, Girls, where everything was pink. I was sure that Erin was going to burst, when the doors opened, as her eyes took in the sheer number of dolls, toys, games, tiaras, dresses and so much more Meanwhile, all I could see was my bank balance nose-diving from black to red, as Erin, and Keilyn, eyed up everything.

Fortunately, Erin understood that she couldn't have everything but she did know that we would buy her and her sister something. We must have gone around level pink three times, before Erin decided that she wanted a Doc McStuffins Book with crayons. We also picked up a pair of Disney Princess sunglasses, for her, as she keeps taking mine and Emma's glasses.

With this placed in a basket, we headed down to level 2, Preschool, to see what we could find for Keilyn. Erin pretty much went into meltdown when she saw what was on this level. Once again I was dragged off around the level, as she pointed out all the things that she recognised, plus some she didn't, while all the while getting more hyper. Keilyn suddenly became a little vocal, when she spotted some giant cuddly bees. (She likes The Hive, on Disney Junior). So, we bought a small bean-bag bee for her.

One thing that I did notice, as we looked at all of the items, were the prices. Some of them were extortionate and it amazed us as to why people would pay such a figure. Some of the items, with high prices, we could buy cheaper at other stores, including the Disney Store, or, if we were so inclined, online.

We bypassed Level 1, Games, and headed back down to the ground floor, Soft Toys, which actually has more than just soft toys. It also has, along with every other level, Hamleys employees trying to sell you the latest craze.

On leaving Hamleys, we headed north passing BBC Broadcasting House, which had camera crews everywhere, due to it being Freedom Live Day. As Keilyn had been cooped up in the battlewagon, for most of the afternoon, we decided to get her out so that she could stretch her legs.

Meanwhile, Erin stayed in the battlewagon trying to fight sleep. We walked up Portland Place to Park Crescent, where we stopped to feed the girls, before making a short walk along Marylebone Road, to Baker Street Station, where we had a good look around The Emporium, before heading down to catch our train home.

We arrived back in Watford just as the sun was setting, so I snapped a quick photograph, before it disappeared out of sight.

We eventually got home at 19:40, which is way passed Erin's bedtime and just after Keilyn's bedtime. Suffice it to say, once they were changed, they were out for the count!

All-in-all it was a great day out with superb weather.

Here's to the next trip to London which, unless an unexpected trip happens before, will be on April 30th, for Keilyn's 1st birthday.

May It Be Well With You.