Day 20 - 22

Day 20 – 22 (Friday to Sunday)

We spent a very relaxing morning just getting our blogs up to date, before being picked up for the airport. It was a 44km drive to the international airport. It took 1hr 20mins to get there and we both snoozed some of the way there!!

Once there we had to self check in...we tried 4 machines and couldn’t seem to get my passport swiped in...no one around to help us and both getting a bit annoyed! Finally on the fourth machine it went through and we could proceed...I was starting to think that I was on a wanted list. Checked the bags in and went upstairs to get some of our spending money back. Something is better than nothing when you buy half of the countries shops!! lol

We had 3 hours to kill and it didn’t help that the plane was delayed by 15 min. We saw Carol and Ralph from our Arctic cruise, they were on their way back home to sunny England. Chatted with them until our flight was called and we could board. It was only a 3 hour flight. We were about to land on the runway when all of sudden we were rushing back up in the air again. Apparently a plane was still on the runway so we had to do a loop around and try again!! Never had that before. Got in about 8.30 but by the time we had to walk through the terminal (which never seemed to end) got our bags and then proceeded to customs. We found out where to go to pick up our hire car. Got on the shuttle bus and went to the pick up area. It took awhile to work out the car....blinkers on the other side and so were the wipers....this is going to be fun. Finally found the dial for turning on the lights. And about 10 mins later found the switch for turning off the back wiper that someone had left on!! So we head off with me the driver ( god help us) and Evan being map boy!! But he didn’t like the directions I had printed off from Google maps as it wasn’t a map....he needs visual not printed. Noted for next time:)

We finally got to the Premier Inn in Tring about 10.30, so not really that long to travel. Booked in and boy are we ready for some sleep.

Saturday

After breakfast we headed off to the train station to pick up Jason. Big hugs all around.

Next stop was food for Jason as he hadn’t had breakfast. Coffee shop in Tring and Jason's shout for a hot drink also we had some time to wait for the information shop to open so we could get a map for Evan. We arrived at Paul and Tracey's house about 10.30 and interrupting his Ironing.

The girls were showering after having been to swimming training.. what seemed like forever of listening to the hair-dryer and giggling we saw them!! Still a bit shy but two very beautiful and tall girls. Chatted for an hour or so, helped Paul get the washing off the line and then we walked into Tring for some lunch at a Italian restaurant. Very yummy. Paul and Tracey shouted us and used some vouchers they get from shopping at their local supermarket. Great idea!!

A bit of a walk through Tring and then back to their house. Aliesha and Tracey had left before us so that Aliesha could get on the internet to purchase some concert tickets for One Direction....she just about needed hospitalisation after doing this as she was so over whelmed...hate to think what she will be like on the night!!! lol

Next off to Harry Potter Studio Tour!!!! Yeah. So excited. This was where some of the scenes were filmed and we saw so many of the props and costumes. There was everything from Production, design, make up, hair, models...you name it it was here. It took us over 3 hours but you could spend more time than that walking around and trying to take it all in!! This was a fantastic tour and since it had been a big thing for our family for over 12 years it was like ending an era. But a very magical one. My favourite was riding a Quidditch broom, walking through Diagon alley and seeing Hogwarts castle. It was just so amazing. Trying butter beer was very yummy, we think it was ginger ale with ice-cream on top. A bit like a spider. A lot of the scenes in the movies I thought were digitally done like the moving lock at Gringots and the snake head lock on Chamber of Secrets had all had been created out of resin with servos to run all the movements the detail is just amazing. I always wondered how they had done Hagrid being a half cast giant now I know. They used an ex rugby player that was 6' 10” and made an animatronics Robbie Coltrane head that he put over his head to give the illusion of Hagrid being so large. When Hagrid was on his side-car they produced a scale down version of the motor bike.

We wandered through to the gift shop and you could really go mad in there. Tempting to buy so much and have the container shipped back to Perth!! But I restrained myself and bought a Gryfindor scarf to add to our movie memorabilia for our TV room.

We said goodnight to Tracey and Paul here. Made plans to see them on Sunday and then headed back to the Premier Inn with Jason for some dinner. Afterwards we drove Jason to the train station so he could head back home. We will see him every night next week while we are in London.

Night night!!

Sunday

After breakfast we headed off to the local supermarket (Tesco) to get some things and then headed off to Paul and Tracey's. Chatted while Tracey did things around the house and Aliesha did homework. We went off about 1pm for lunch at a lovely pub outside of Tring the food was wonderful. Evan had a vegetarian roly poly with veg , yorkshire pudding and gravy. I had the biggest chicken ham and leek pie I have ever seen ( not that I could eat much of it!!) with chips and peas. Managed to scrape in dessert.....Brownie with chocolate sauce and ice-cream!! Evan ate the last quarter:)

Drove back to Pauls so they could all get ready to go to Brianna's Swimming gala. We left about 4pm. It took about an hour to get there. I so don’t have any sense of direction here. Thank god for the nat sav in the car and Paul's directions!! I think if I lived here I would have to use one for the local area for about 6months!!!! lol

Paul was the official starter. Brianna was in 5 races. 50M freestyle (time 35.53) a Personal best. 50m Breaststroke ( time 50.05) Personal best, 100 meter all strokes (time 136.35) a personal best and 50m backstroke ( time 44.26) Brianna was very tired by this stage and missed out on another PB. We left with Aliesha after this race as I was getting tired and so was Aliesha. Dropped her off at home and made sure she was alright before heading back to the Inn. Going to drop in and see them all before they go to work/school. It was lovely catching up with them after 4 years.

Good bye Tring until next time.