This is a re-run of the entry that I stupidly deleted. How do you accidently delete an entry you may ask? well…I am using my phone camera for the photos in this blog, so I have the Travel Pod app on my phone as well as here on the ipad.  
 When I take photos, I upload them through the phone app, then finish the entry on the iPad. Uploading the video of Big ben caused the phone app to crash and when I reset the app, it deleted the entry from the day before because I had not synced to save it 🙁 ….Now I know the importance of syncing 🙂

Anyway……Abu Dhabi to London.After a very pleasant stay in the superbly appointed lounge in Abu Dhabi I I boarded the last leg of my journey.   Settling in (and having that almost obligatory glass of Champagne), the cabin crew came around to take our breakfast orders . My plan for this flight was to have a drink than settle down for a good sleep – breakfast – then arrive in London at 7:00am.

Not long after we boarded, the Captain announced that we were to be delayed approx 45mins as the baggage handlers had been a bit rough and had damaged a wall in the cargo bay and they were awaiting an engineer to came to make repairs. Given that it was now 2:00am, I am sure somebody was NOT happy :). 

While I was waiting, I watched some TV shows on my iPad and had another Champagne (well it would be rude to refuse 🙂 )  Soon enough we took off and my sleep/breakfast plan worked perfectly. I woke up at just before 5:00am London time, went and freshened up and my breakfast arrived.

I had ordered the Full English breakfast (sausage, egg, tomato, potato, mushroom, baked beans, toast and croissants) and a cup of tea. YUMM I was hungry so asked if I could have just another sausage and scrambled egg. Of course it was no trouble.

With the take off delay, we arrived at Heathrow at around 8:00am. The airport was very quiet, and I breezed through customs, collected my suitcase and made my way to the Etihad desk where my driver was waiting.

A 40min drive and I arrived at the Hyde Park Suites which was to be home for the next 3 nights. as I couldn’t get into the room until 2:00, the reception lady checked me in and showed me where I could leave my luggage, and I headed out to discover the neighbourhood.

You may guess the “Hyde Park Suites” is very close by Hyde Park. I had a walk through the park and had a good look through Kensington Palace. I got there just in time to tag along on a guided tour with an “explainer” after the house tour, I had a look around the current display they have of Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret and Princess Diana’s fashion from the past 50 years.  

Heading back to the Hotel, I got to my room and unpacked. The Hyde Park Suites is a series of terrace houses that have been made into apartments.

The reception is in building 55 ad my apartment is in building 32 the apartment is perfectly adequate for my night stay, with a small kitchen, comfy bed, free wifi, and a great shower.

After unpacking, I went out again to stock up on the basics (bacon, eggs, tea bags, milk, some meat and veges)

I had read the reviews on Tripadvisor and thought it looked OK.   Honestly, some people must live in 5star mansions if they think this is not fine. I often wonder why people complain, we they have obviously gone the budget route for a hotel. If they wanted 5 star, they should have booked the Hilton or the Savoy. (both within walking distance from here)   

I got back, watched some TV made dinner and settled in for a reasonably early night.

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