Full family day in the heat sightseeing in London and seeing the old buses at the Transport Museum as concern rises about a dock strike over unloading coal at Ravenscraig
A sound night’s sleep in the Marble Arch Holiday Inn, but we had to have the air conditioning full on to counter the sultry heat. Up to our home made drinks, washed and down to an excellent breakfast in the hotel coffee shop. A serve-it-yourself format which was ideal for Diana and the children who could select exactly what they wanted and keep going back. By foot then off to Hyde Park, Speaker’s Corner, to see the speakers who harangue the crowd and then we get some morning drinks at the kiosk and settle down in the shade of the trees to drink and feed the baby.
Another very hot day with temperatures above 80degF early on, and a fine mess of litter in the park from the previous days visitors. A lonely figure of one attendant picking up litter. Then a short walk over to the park gate to find the Round London Sightseeing Tour Bus; and on this fine day it is an open-topped bus. We scramble upstairs but have to wait half an hour until 10.30 before setting off. A fine 1 ½ hour tour of all the London sights in glorious weather. Back to Hyde Park Corner and we stop for lunch of salad rolls, hot dogs and drinks. An afternoon using our Red Rover day tickets, free as part of the weekender package, to go to Covent Garden and see the old buses of The London Transport Museum. Then down by foot to the river embankment by Charing Cross Pier and on by underground tube to the Marble Arch station. In the hotel, we all went swimming, which was fine with Daniel and I wrestling over the large mock innertube ring. Then I take the kids out to McDonalds for tea and after, Diana and I have a nice meal in the hotel restaurant. A hot night with air conditioning full on and struggling to keep up. News today of the crash with many deaths of a veteran, two-engine aircraft in the Midlands and of more concern about the risks of a dock strike over unloading coal from Ravenscraig.