A Georgia Girl in Germany

There are several notable ways to get around London, and we had to try several of them. The most efficient, and cheapest, is the London Underground -- the Tube. Zachary quickly became a pro at reading the Underground map, and even factoring in the varying lines that were closed from day to day. Sometimes it got so crowded as the trains came and went, but the kids were awesome about staying together. They never ventured off alone in the crowds and kept an eye on each other (especially Benjamin) and me.

Other times, we seemed to have the stations to ourselves, which made our travels less harried. Zachary and Benjamin took a break to wait for the District Line at the Westminster station and MacKenzie posed in the Waterloo station.

We had to stand for a while after we got on the Tube after visiting Hamley’s Toy Store, but as the car slowly emptied, Zachary and MacKenzie found seats next to each other so they could ham it up for the camera.

This is MacKenzie just a few minutes earlier, when the train had emptied slightly. Fortunately, she wasn’t standing shoulder-to-shoulder with anyone by then.

Benjamin couldn’t stand to keep “London” the polar bear in the bag after we left Hamley’s, and had to pose with him on the Tube. In fact, as we walked to the Underground station, I tried to convince him to leave the bear in the bag (for ease of carrying) by suggesting that he’d be cold outside the bag. Benjamin used his quick wit and replied that he’s a polar bear and therefore likes the cold -- as he yanked him out of the bag in a large sweeping motion. Yup, his point made more sense, and London stayed under his arm all the way back to the hotel -- except when he fell asleep a few stops before we got off.

I later asked Benjamin if he liked trains, to which he replied, “Yes, I do like trains -- except sometimes I get sleepy on trains.” How true, how true -- especially when I keep him up late dragging him around London.

The next night, we took a ride in a famous London Black Cab. While not many of them are the traditional black color any longer, ours was. What makes a London Cab different from cabs in any other city? For starters, the driver is on the right side, just like all other British cars. The drivers also have to study two to three years before they can take “the knowledge” exam on how to get around the city. It helps that the cars can turn on a dime -- or rather -- on a shilling.

The cars themselves seat up to five people in the back seat -- two backwards. My seat was the “jump seat” that folds up to make it easier for passengers to climb into the cab.

Benjamin and MacKenzie simply enjoyed being in the cab.

Our next mode of transportation was the classic red double-decker bus. We only traveled two stops on the bus, and by the time we climbed up to the second level it was almost time to climb back down so we could get off at our stop.

Of course, going up and down the stairs was made more difficult by the sheer number of people on the bus. But, the kids thought it was novel to ride on the top level of the bus. Definitely a must-do ride when in London!

Labels: Benjamin, England, MacKenzie, Travel, Zachary