Then we arrived to London.

There were 2 signs: If you have something to declare - go this way, and if you have nothing to declare – go that way ... I went that way ... and before I knew it – I was out and in England.

Loaded with 2 backpacks, a bike in a bag and a camera over the shoulder I walked everything to the train station. Guessing 2 miles of corridors ... When there I asked if I can assemble the bike to take it on the train assembled – as it would of being more convenient for me.
They said yes.
So I did... in the process I discovered that Cathay Pacific bent my frame (arm holding the rear wheel on the no-chain side)... obviously something was bumped into it (like a pallet with a forklift)

Ofcourse there was no one to be found at the arrivals so I had to look in departures... another 2 miles of corridors ... long story short, took me about 1hour for them to take down my details. They said they will be in contact to give me a claim number etc ... and never did ... just disappeared...

Also it seems that Optus has not activated my roaming, despite saying they did... so I have no phone.

2 miles back through the trenches and I am at the airport train station. Only to be told that I can’t get on the underground with a bike. They call it “tube” in London...

Apparently I can take it on the overground and there is a station not far from the airport and if I want I can ride there. The lovely young bloke reckoned it was about 2 miles away ...

Thank god the navigator on my mobile worked!!!!

Loaded with my bags it took me 30 minutes to find a way out of the airport, through some tunnels and roads and another ½ hour later I made it Hounslow West station...

The guards at the entrance were very surprised to find out that they had an above ground section and told me that the bloke at the airport was partly right ... I can’t get on the underground until 9.30 ... given that it was only about 8, I sighed and pedalled on. Hounslow just was not interesting enough to hang around for 1 and a bit hours...

I am going to Edinburgh today and need to get to the King's Cross station. I think it is about 20 miles from the airport.
I was also blessed with wonderful warm weather of about 30 degrees.

The phone lasts about 2 hours with the navigator on, so soon I was without.
People in London are very helpful, but for some reason totally lack sense of direction. Luckily they all carry i-phones with maps... also any distance no matter how great or small, is always measured in sections of “couple of miles”.

They are good drivers in London, far better than Ausies ... I actually felt comfortable riding a bike through unknown places on the road. But British can't walk ... they see nothing but their i-phones.
They are very courteous though... if you ride behind a group (or a person) walking in the middle of the footpath and say "excuse me" - instead of moving over to let you through they stop! Turn around ... and slowly say “Yeeeeeeesssssssss????”. Almost fell off the bike a few times...
But they do try to help ... even if sending me in the wrong direction, they will always smile and say: “it is only a couple miles that way”...

The best conversation about a route I had was with an American - saw a guy standing on the street, pulled up and asked for directions. I said: "scuse me, would you know how to get to Kings Cross station".
In an instant with a beaming smile he replied: “Sorry, no clue - I am American”... I loved it!

London itself is not much different to Sydney city. No surprises there ... it was built by the same people... there are a couple of pretty streets - but not really to my taste - lined terraces or complete blocks following the streets with no gaps 4-5 storey high.
There is also no green - they have some pots hanging from lamp posts ... and that is about it.
The streets are very narrow - mostly 2 lane.
Same brands of shops as Sydney and same company logos everywhere including "West Bus".

Looks like London is being rebuilt: construction and scaffolding everywhere.
The workers are just like in Sydney - one working (laying bricks for example) and 5 watching and waiting for him to retire so they inherit the spatula...

It is extremely uncomfortable riding with 2 large back packs, a roll of bubble wrap between the knees, an empty hydration back pack and a camera bag ... my knees and shoulders are killing me and I am pretty sure I got sun burnt. My back kills as well: I probably lost a couple of inches in height from riding with the back packs.
Also have a problem with the chain ... under load it seems to get stuck - I think I have damaged some teeth on the front sprocket.
Will try to find a bike shop tomorrow in Edinburgh - see if they can have a look at the frame and the chain.

There are no street signs... you never know where you are or where you need to go. I did find a map in Hyde Park of – you guessed it - Hyde Park... yey!!!!

London is a stone bag... I guess it was built when England was an Empire, designed to crush you with the very presence ... and it does.

Rode past Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park and plenty of other places, even filmed something - but I was really exhausted by then... so I didn't give too hoots.
I just wanted to find the damn station.

50 (up the road 2 miles) later I found it ... similar to the Central Station in Sydney only much more disorganised and no garbage bins or toilets... Information turned out to be ticket sales.

There was a train leaving in 10 minutes - so I bought the ticket and got on.

I am exhausted.
Hungry.
Dehydrated.
And everything hurts.
I have not slept for over 30 hours and I still have at least another 6 hours to the hotel.
All I want to do is get to my hotel room and hit the sack.

I am literally using my last bits of energy to write this whilst I am on the train from London to Edinburgh. Also using the laptop to recharge the mobile so I have a GPS in Edinburgh, otherwise I am not sure I will make it to the hotel.
Got a couple of sandwiches on the train - feeling a little better now. Just need a shower to cool off and some sleep.
The train ride is very enjoyable - the country side is beautiful and the train is very fast and comfortable. It even has Wi-Fi ... I just can't be bothered registering for it.