Day 2 – London
Sat. July 8, 2017
Finished Tour / Hotel Return
(weather – sunny high 77 °F / 25 °C)
A strange journey to the Underground
It’s now 2:50 pm and we’re headed back to the Coach Parking lot.
Mini street map of surrounding area
Here's the distance from our coach parking lot to the castle.
(Rail bridge to Windsor Centre Station to the right, which should help gauge the height of the platform we were climbing to - or using the lift)
One of the things I liked about this parking area was that by walking up a few flights of steps, the pedestrian access points meet the castle entrance at a far less incline compared to the long uphill climbs at so many other sites. (getting dropped off by bus or taxi right in town is even better)
Example:
Castle Hill at the Visitor Entry point looking back toward High Street. (very gradual incline toward the castle right at the center of town)
Unfortunately, with so little time, this was all we managed to purchase from the Castle gift shop:
WC Crest Hand Towel £15.95 / WC Aerial Jumbo £1.00 = Total £16.95
(£2.83 VAT included in total)
This tour has officially come to a close. Time to get back.
A few things begin to happen simultaneously:
- JQ is trying to get in touch with the Disney rep who should be in the Sofitel lobby today checking guests in for the DCL transfers to Dover tomorrow. (this was the reason we opted not to stay in Windsor)
- Charlotte (our guide) along with our driver are being made aware of the road closures and traffic problems due to the Pride in London Parade this afternoon.
But we're not really paying attention to Charlotte, because we’re on the phone with guest services waiting to be transferred to the DCL hospitality desk.
And since we’re not listening, we’re not grasping what’s going on with the return drop off points for this tour.
JQ begins speaking with the Disney rep. voicing concern that we might not return to the Sofitel before 5pm, since it’s now 3pm and we’re just leaving Windsor.
He goes on to explain that the hotel concierge informed us Disney will only be set up today - from 9-5pm - to check in guests for the transfers, and they won’t return tomorrow on the day we sail.
Remember we’ve never done this before and have nothing to go on regarding how this whole process works.
So we wanted to go over a few things in case we missed the DCL rep – such as:
- Given that we booked our hotel directly with the Sofitel, were we automatically accounted for on the DCL transfers list? If not, could she add us?
- Can we check in now over the phone before she leaves for the day?
- What are the instructions regarding the pickup procedure tomorrow?
The DCL rep happily tells JQ she’s surprised to be receiving a phone call at the Sofitel and that no one has ever called her there before.
She corrects the hotel, and assures him that she is always there both days – the day before and the day of the cruise, and that she won’t be leaving the Sofitel until 7pm tonight.
She confirms our names were on the list and there is an envelope for us with instructions. So drop by when we arrive back this evening.
If we happen to miss her tonight, this envelope will be delivered to our room and she'll be on hand when we cruise tomorrow to assist as well.
That's a relief. Well worth the phone call.
And here's JQ checking in with the DCL rep at the Sofitel and receiving his envelope.
A big plus for using Disney transfers!
Now back to Charlotte…………….
Our tour bus is well underway en route to London. We’re not far now. We notice our guide walking from guest to guest inquiring as to where they're headed home to.
When Charlotte gets to us, we tell her Sofitel - LHR Terminal 5 to which she replies, “you’re Earl’s Court.”
Earl’s Court? Wait. “No, we’re the Millennium Gloucester stop”. Charlotte repeats, “right. We’re dropping off at the Underground: LHR is Earl’s Court - Piccadilly Line.”
JQ says to me, “guess we’re taking the tube. Good thing the Disney rep is there ‘til 7.”
Omg!?!
Apparently, this is common practice with Evan Evans and we failed to read the fine print. They drop guests off at the closest rail/bus stop.
This can come as a surprise to a lot of guests and they've received several negative reviews about it. So be forewarned!!
Our group was given 3 Underground drop off pts: Blackhorse Road / Kings Cross / Earls Court
Remember this map? It might need to become your new best friend.
That map is a great tool to get a basic sense of where you are when names are casually dropped regarding areas in and around London.
I will tell you now, I was slightly panicked, feeling late to the game with getting dropped off at an unfamiliar rail station. Charlotte was talking pretty matter of fact with everyone, so I figured they must know something we didn't. I say nothing - hoping JQ is picking up on all this.
Being in this state of mind, I of course forget the name of our stop the minute Charlotte utters it and draw a blank trying to remember it as our bus rolls into town.
Blackhorse Rd is announced as the first stop.
I turn to JQ, "Blackhorse Road?....that's not our stop, right?"
JQ: No. that doesn't sound like it.
PI: "What!?! I thought
you were registering the name? I have no clue."
JQ: Can't remember what she said.
bus pulls away
PI: "Quick!?! Think!?! We have to figure this out."
JQ: It's definitely not the first one. I'm pretty sure we're last
PI: "why not ask that guy? (pointing next to us). Maybe they have the same stop we do"
JQ: No. I'm not asking anyone. I'll know it when I hear it.
(yeah right. Like either of us could decipher Kings Cross vs Earls Court - we don't know London - we never got the chance to tour it)
Lucky for us, Charlotte does another walkthrough and repeats we're, Earl's Court - Piccadilly Line.
Thank you Charlotte! (we tipped her 10 pounds)
Honestly, you don't realize you have a great tour guide until the complete opposite shows up. (wait 'til we get to that guy)
We get dropped off in front of this hotel:
uh - this doesn't look like the tube station. Where are we??
Everybody crosses the intersection and keeps walking. We quickly follow.
(Didn't want a repeat of Heathrow airport with us winding up all alone.)
Down this mystery street
(Which I’ve since learned is Earl’s Court Blvd - so that's good)
JQ says he thinks he sees the tube entrance up ahead.
To be continued…………………..