HAPPY NEW YEAR!

... and the very best to you for 2015. Hope it is good in every way.

I have been up in London (as you can see from the image) without my laptop, and got back to the Lodge around 10pm on NYD. It is now nearly the 2nd. I just wanted to post my last blip for 2014 and wish you. Will come back tomorrow to write more and also do my first blip for 2015. I've had a GREAT start to a new year. Hope you did too. :D

2.1.15
OK! Able to finish this properly now...

Well, the day started quite leisurely. G's friend Catherine who was with her the past few days while I've been up in Bromley was leaving to spend New Year with family in the North. We drove with her up to the Motorway and then got back to do a quick pack to leave ourselves... heading to LONDON to experience New Years Eve with the thousands of others who brave whatever weather to see in a year.

Got to Bromley to drop the car off with no traffic delays on the M25; a bus to get us to Bromley South came within minutes, and again, within minutes of arriving at the station, the next train was the fast train to Victoria. How about that?? All without any planning whatsoever.

I had made a very late booking but managed to get a well located hotel. I didn't realise though that it was right off the station! Incredible. No time lost walking to it and checking in then. We weren't there long as an Afternoon Tea had already been booked and we had to make our way to it. Got informed a bit late about all the road closures and delays that would be experienced. No problem... it just meant the Tube instead of a London bus. Another perfectly chosen venue as it was right next to the Underground station with a bus stop right in front!

Great afternoon tea - probably one of the best thought out I've experienced. A really good balance of sweet and savoury so I didn't feel like I couldn't face anything sweet for a while. We then jumped on a 94 to Oxford Street to see the lights. The bus terminated abruptly half way along the street, so we got off and walked down to Regents Street, and on to Trafalgar Square which is where G wanted to be to see in 2015. It was only 8:15 and the thought of standing around for a few hours didn't appeal so we walked down the Mall to Buckingham Palace!

There weren't too many people there yet so we managed to get a spot on the fountain to wait it out. Met a French lady who was on her own and chatted with her waiting for the fireworks. What a shame that the year that we chose to do this, is when they decided to sell tickets - which I had no idea about until after I had booked the hotel. No matter, it was still so worth coming down - and not only because it has been so good weather-wise this holiday with nice sunny dry days.

The fireworks were fantastic when they finally came (after a three hour wait). I can't believe how many people venture out, braving the cold to see them. There were people from all over the world, even families with young children... Totally impressed with how orderly people were during the wait and also walking back to wherever they needed to be. Fortunately by this stage, we were within a kilometre of our hotel so were back in no time. I suggested to head straight to the Champagne lounge. We flopped into our seats to thaw out, drink our champagne - which we did a bit too quickly - and enjoy the view from the window of passengers going through London Victoria! Bet the Metropolitan Police breathed a huge sigh of relief that it all went off with no incident... only to have to be out in force again for the Parade in the morning!

One more thing ticked off G's bucket list! :)