324: London Calling

So we’re headed to Ireland by way of London, but the booking guy (frequent flyer tickets–a begger-chooser issue) takes us into Heathrow and out of London City. Heathrow is on the west end of London. London City is on the east side. Clear immigration, pick up bags, clear customs, trek across city, check in again. In three hours. Um. No.

So I decide (because my research shows that I will have to take the train, the tube, four buses, a rickshaw, and three short walks on cobblestone) to hire a car and driver. This is the conversation I have with the immigration agent:
Agent: How long are you in London?
Jen: Three hours.
Agent: Why?
Jen: < Explaining transfer between airports >
Agent: Are you bent?
Jen: Yes. Isn’t that evident?
Agent: I could have told you how to get across to London City.
Jen: Great . . . but that’s information I could have used three weeks ago. I’ve hired a car.
Agent: You must be made of money.

Well, not really, though it was a little spendy (definitely more than the combo of train/tube/rickshaw/bus).

Our driver was great. He decided (it’s 7:30 in the morning — it’s rush hour in a major city) to drive straight through the heart of the city. We saw EVERYTHING. We went past Buckingham Palace, Harrod’s, the Ritz, around Trafalgar Square, through the theatre district, past the Victoria and Albert museum (hello, Rosetta Stone!), Big Ben, the Tower, the Queen’s “other” house, the London Eye . . . seriously–EVERYTHING.

He was worried we wouldn’t make it in time, but we made great time, made our flight, and had a pleasant and enjoyable tour of London. It was great. If you have to trek across London in a jiffy, do at least consider Easy Airport Cars.

I haven’t any pictures of the whirlwind tour . . . Michael had the camera with him and was already in Dublin.
Seriously, though . . . EVERYTHING.

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