London redux

London turned on some unexpected good weather today. It's been wet and miserable since our arrival, with more rain predicted tomorrow. I decided to make the most of the sunshine and enjoy a walking tour of inner London's most iconic sights. Garry is still feeling less than 100 per cent, so he joined me briefly for a walk to Sainsbury's before returning to our hotel. 

But first, we dropped into Duck World. I'd heard about this store on Instagram. It specialises in selling nothing more than rubber ducks. I couldn't resist temptation and bought myself an Admiral Nelson duck, served by a quirky Michael Jackson Wannabe behind the counter. Garry just laughed.

I carried on down Charing Cross Road to Trafalgar Square, where the crowds were out enjoying the sun. I then turned toward Buckingham Palace. I reached the Mall in time to catch the Horse Guard rehearsing for a forthcoming parade. Once again, the crowd was out in force outside the palace.  I decided to head for St James Park to enjoy one of my favourite views of the palace from the Blue Bridge. 

Next on my itinerary was Parliament Square, the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben. I crossed the Thames via Westminster Bridge, stopping long enough to capture another iconic photo of a red double-decker bus passing the famous clock tower.  I walked as far as the London Eye in the hope that I'd encounter Luke Silva, a popular busker with more than 1.2 million Instagram followers.  He regularly performs in Covent Garden and outside the Eye.  Sadly, I wasn't in luck.

I consoled myself with a walk through the infamous Graffiti Tunnel under Waterloo Station. This throughfare has become a haven for some spectacular street art. The tunnel didn't disappoint.  

I completed my circuit back to Charing Cross Road via Somerset House.  I had hoped to see its picturesque seasonal ice skating rink.  However, this was packed up and removed immediately after the New Year. My afternoon finished with a matinee performance at the Wyndham Theatre.  You read about this here.

This evening we caught up with Martin and Jonny for dinner.  It was lovely to see both of them again.  How quickly a year flies by!  This is our final night in London.  Tomorrow evening we'll head to Heathrow for a flight to Singapore. We're finally on the homeward leg of our round-the-world journey.