Plans for Europe proceed apace. I ordered British pounds sterling so I have cash immediately when I land at Heathrow. Going to Thomas Cook right away upon landing is a hassle I don’t want. The currency arrived today. I’ll worry about getting francs probably before I get on Eurostar for the trip to Paris.
I also stopped off for more travel supplies. I picked up a padlock with a retractable cable. Pretty cool. The cable’s of small enough gauge that I can snake it through the metal rings on my luggage. I also got one of those toiletry packs that hangs up in the shower, on a hook. I have a little case for my stuff, but I learned in Boston how unwieldy it is when I’m using a hostel shower.
My itinerary is now set in stone. I’ll post it separately. I cancelled the hostel reservation at City of London. I had to alter the plans anyway and the online booking service I used allows only reservations and cancellations, not alterations. If you change your plans, you can only cancel and make them again. So I decided not to mess with that. Instead, I hooked up with The Generator, a hostel in Russell Square, near Picadilly Circus, Leicester Square, and Bloomsbury.
I was booked in City of London, which is near St. Paul’s Cathedral. The problem there is that the neighborhood is dead at night. Frankly, most of my evenings will probably be spent in the West End anyway, and since my new hostel is right there, it seemed ideal. Plus, you can’t beat an onsite pub.
My hotel reservations are set for Paris. I’m staying at Hôtel Saint Jacques, which is located in the Latin Quarter, near Notre Dame. Cool location, yes, but what’s even better is that Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn were in Hôtel Saint Jacques in 1962, filming Charade, which is among my favorite movies. This is exciting!
Finally, I have my Eurostar reservations now and should receive the tickets soon. Eurostar heads out of London’s Waterloo Station, into Gare Du Nord in Paris. I’m spending two days and part of a third in Paris. I know that’s time enough only to dip my toes in, but that’s okay. I’ll go back some time.
I wish I could get more excited about this, but I’m so busy right now, it’s difficult to do so. But that’s okay, too. With all I have going on, December 11 will arrive before I know it.
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