Easter this bridge have been in London, a city that had long wanted to visit and thanks to budget airlines operating in Almeria is a little closer.
started planning the trip months ago my girlfriend and I and some friends who, to remain anonymous, call Diego, Elena, José Luis, Ana and Jose Antonio. It seemed impossible that we could all agree to take a trip together, but in the end thanks to the tenacity of José Antonio who was in charge of searching for airline tickets and a little to motivate all It got under way. I'll try to recount the trip with all the details to be able to remember, now that I have it even cooler.
1. Preparations
air tickets booked online at the company Ryanair, and we did about 150 euros per head, round trip, including taxes. A little more expensive than usual because Easter. Diego took over the hotel, and reserve the first one that had no bathroom in the rooms, but had one common. But the weekend following his brother stayed in the same hotel and we said you better look at another, because they do not have bathroom is a real pain in the ass, especially if you're going to be 4 days ... As we wanted to have fun and not go skimping booked at another hotel, the Alexander Hotel , besides having bathroom was almost next to Victoria Station, which came to us very well because the airport bus left us there. It was more expensive, 100 euros per night for a double room, and 75 the simple, if I remember correctly, and had to pay the first night in advance, but decided to stay with this hotel. As we arrived
between Stansted Airport after 11 pm and from there had to catch a bus to London arrive at the hotel quite late, I wrote an email Diego commenting if there were any problems, but they said no, and no one would leave the keys in reception rooms and the hotel at the door, under a bucket! These Brits are a pear!
Diego was also responsible for his brother to ask that we make a small guide recommended sites we see, and this gave him a detailed planning of the sites that we see every day, places to eat and all that, and also lent London guide book too breaded.
2. The trip
started planning the trip months ago my girlfriend and I and some friends who, to remain anonymous, call Diego, Elena, José Luis, Ana and Jose Antonio. It seemed impossible that we could all agree to take a trip together, but in the end thanks to the tenacity of José Antonio who was in charge of searching for airline tickets and a little to motivate all It got under way. I'll try to recount the trip with all the details to be able to remember, now that I have it even cooler.
1. Preparations
air tickets booked online at the company Ryanair, and we did about 150 euros per head, round trip, including taxes. A little more expensive than usual because Easter. Diego took over the hotel, and reserve the first one that had no bathroom in the rooms, but had one common. But the weekend following his brother stayed in the same hotel and we said you better look at another, because they do not have bathroom is a real pain in the ass, especially if you're going to be 4 days ... As we wanted to have fun and not go skimping booked at another hotel, the Alexander Hotel , besides having bathroom was almost next to Victoria Station, which came to us very well because the airport bus left us there. It was more expensive, 100 euros per night for a double room, and 75 the simple, if I remember correctly, and had to pay the first night in advance, but decided to stay with this hotel. As we arrived
between Stansted Airport after 11 pm and from there had to catch a bus to London arrive at the hotel quite late, I wrote an email Diego commenting if there were any problems, but they said no, and no one would leave the keys in reception rooms and the hotel at the door, under a bucket! These Brits are a pear!
Diego was also responsible for his brother to ask that we make a small guide recommended sites we see, and this gave him a detailed planning of the sites that we see every day, places to eat and all that, and also lent London guide book too breaded.
2. The trip
We went to the airport with Ana and Jose Luis in the cab of a buddy, and soon there was José Antonio. We put in the queue to check in and Justito Diego and Elena came when we played (Diego and punctuality are two words that rarely appear together in the same sentence). We wanted to check the luggage together to give us seats together on the plane, but here we learn that in the Ryanair seats are not numbered, so .... fag last!
The maximum weight per bag was 15 kilos, and it did not permit gathering luggage of 2 people in a single package of 30, although billed together, so I had to take one suitcase per person maximum 15 kilos, or pay 8 euros per kilo ... The only carrying one suitcase for the two were Jose Luis and Ana but I weighed exactly 15 kilos, one gram or more ... nor that they were prepared ...
After a few laps around we went to the gate, pass the hand luggage x-ray scanner we went through the metal detector. A button Diego blew my pants and that wore a handful of coins in your pocket, it blew me ... Curious ... The plane rose
first shipment had paid preferred because it is that if you were paying 3 euros left on board first and get a place, and the other as all galore ... But we got good catch together sites so we could enjoy 3 hours of flight defenestrations in marathon games of Mario Kart and Bomberman on the Nintendo DS ...
When arriving at Stansted were told by loudspeaker that they could buy tickets for train and bus to central London on the same plane, a little cheaper than at the airport. This message was repeated in English, and was all he said in English throughout the flight. We buy all tickets roundtrip bus, 15 pounds or 21 euros, could be paid both ways. We do not buy train because I believe the last out at 12 and we would go a fair bit, while buses had all night ...
After some rough landing, enter the terminal and arrived at passport control, where there would be one or two million people doing multiple queues to pass through the controls. You see several flights arriving at the same time and pass control took us a while ... And a detail to consider: the tourists from the European Union, just ask them your ID to enter. We read that the passport was needed and we had a little concern with that, because Diego, Elena and José Antonio had not made and were only with the DNI, but there was no problem.
After we took the suitcases and went to ask a counter bore the name of the bus company of tickets that we had purchased (Terravision). There we took the plastic cards that we had been on the plane and switched to paper tickets with departure and return. The time of return had to fix it, and chose to return at 13:15 to go early (the return flight left at 17:05). The first problem came when the guy told the cards, and there were 6 and we were 7. Ellen was missing. She said she had given it to Diego, and Diego that he did not. There had been discussing and looking for the card until the guy and retold them were seven ... not if the likes of Diego and Elena were stuck or did the guy rolled up and put another card ... the fact is that we could go from there and go to the bus stop.
While queuing to board the bus presents the second problem ... planning guidance and the brother of Diego are not. Had to stay at the counter while searching Terravision bus card. Total, Helen went to see if it was there but nothing yet, the fence was gone and the front desk knew nothing ... Diego thankfully remembered quite well the planning, but would have to buy another guide to his brother ...
finally got on the bus and drive to central London. Having arrived in London the driver at one point we see that the cock is a mess and gets on the wrong track crossing the Tower Bridge. It reverses the help of my friend José Luis begins to teach him and after we correct the path that is the first time you do this route and only takes a couple of weeks in London working on the bus, which is Italian and this and that.
After a half hour drive and chat with the Italian arrived at Victoria Station. There we met the third problem ... No one thought to write down the name of the street was the hotel, or print a completely level or anything. Just know the name and that was near the station. At the end wondering where it was and told us there we went. He was very near the station, about 500 meters or so, in a street would have some 15 hotels, all the same style, next to one another in both sidewalks along about 40 or 50 meters.
3.
Hotel Next to the hotel door was a staircase leading down to a small patio where you let the rubbish bins. For here, under a plastic cube, actually were the keys and a paper with the names of guests and room number. Just as we were in that other group of English came looking for his keys under the bucket ... It's amazing what leaving the keys there ... that you do in Spain and the second time the keys disappear in 5 minutes and you fill the hotel squatters. Spain is different, really.
Each set of keys had 2 the room and the door of the hotel, so you could come and go at any time without there being nobody at the reception.
We divided the rooms and well, the first impression is that the hotel is very old and small rooms. In our room had a bed
high wooden canopy, but without the material, only with the canopy frame. A very old cabinet which could not be opened because the boxes below sinking timber, dresser with multiple drawers, a 14-inch TV with a satellite decoder and a floor with a carpet that had seen better days. On the positive side we had a terrace just above the entrance to the hotel, and our bathroom was the only one who had bath (the other one shower, although it would be better called "hole-in shower.") The control of the TV had the old ones, and the deco was not directly, but also gave us the same because we were going to watch TV.
In the bathroom there was a special cord could put in 2 voltages, 125 and 220 v, and did not need adapter for European plugs, but had a sign that warned it was only to use the razor. I guess things would not be ready for more power, and dryers hair and such ...
The principle in the room could hardly see anything because we only find the light switch in the bathroom, and the lamps that had on the bed, one of which was cast and the other shone like a candle. Finally found the light from the ceiling, hiding in the minimum space between the bathroom door and the door. With the overhead light turned on things and had another look.
In the room there is only mention that the ceiling was high enough that the door leading to the terrace was not blind, but a thick curtain, and the bathroom door 3 in 1 urgently needed because it was a terrible noise every time that opened it. Oh, and that the mattress was so soft that it almost seemed as sleeping on a waterbed. Still was not bad and when you got used were comfortable.
As for cleaning, but everything was very old it is also true that he was very clean, and we can not put any hits in that regard.
As for noise, because when everyone is asleep is silent, but as people start walking around the room, opening and closing doors or up and down stairs the noise is tremendous, everything creaks everywhere (is that under the carpet the floor is wood) and walls do not seem very thick either.
And one last detail, at least in our room had a dispenser hand soap, and several bars of soap, but no shampoo ... had to make do with hand soap to wash your hair.
We looked at the room that was Diego and Elena in front of ours, on the first floor, and was a little bigger than ours was bigger TV screen and looked flat and furniture purchased in a market, because each was a different style ...
And once installed, we went to sleep. Interestingly not at all cold, and well into the morning did not have to cover ourselves with the blanket ... was a preamble to the climate that we were going to find these days.
The maximum weight per bag was 15 kilos, and it did not permit gathering luggage of 2 people in a single package of 30, although billed together, so I had to take one suitcase per person maximum 15 kilos, or pay 8 euros per kilo ... The only carrying one suitcase for the two were Jose Luis and Ana but I weighed exactly 15 kilos, one gram or more ... nor that they were prepared ...
After a few laps around we went to the gate, pass the hand luggage x-ray scanner we went through the metal detector. A button Diego blew my pants and that wore a handful of coins in your pocket, it blew me ... Curious ... The plane rose
first shipment had paid preferred because it is that if you were paying 3 euros left on board first and get a place, and the other as all galore ... But we got good catch together sites so we could enjoy 3 hours of flight defenestrations in marathon games of Mario Kart and Bomberman on the Nintendo DS ...
When arriving at Stansted were told by loudspeaker that they could buy tickets for train and bus to central London on the same plane, a little cheaper than at the airport. This message was repeated in English, and was all he said in English throughout the flight. We buy all tickets roundtrip bus, 15 pounds or 21 euros, could be paid both ways. We do not buy train because I believe the last out at 12 and we would go a fair bit, while buses had all night ...
After some rough landing, enter the terminal and arrived at passport control, where there would be one or two million people doing multiple queues to pass through the controls. You see several flights arriving at the same time and pass control took us a while ... And a detail to consider: the tourists from the European Union, just ask them your ID to enter. We read that the passport was needed and we had a little concern with that, because Diego, Elena and José Antonio had not made and were only with the DNI, but there was no problem.
After we took the suitcases and went to ask a counter bore the name of the bus company of tickets that we had purchased (Terravision). There we took the plastic cards that we had been on the plane and switched to paper tickets with departure and return. The time of return had to fix it, and chose to return at 13:15 to go early (the return flight left at 17:05). The first problem came when the guy told the cards, and there were 6 and we were 7. Ellen was missing. She said she had given it to Diego, and Diego that he did not. There had been discussing and looking for the card until the guy and retold them were seven ... not if the likes of Diego and Elena were stuck or did the guy rolled up and put another card ... the fact is that we could go from there and go to the bus stop.
While queuing to board the bus presents the second problem ... planning guidance and the brother of Diego are not. Had to stay at the counter while searching Terravision bus card. Total, Helen went to see if it was there but nothing yet, the fence was gone and the front desk knew nothing ... Diego thankfully remembered quite well the planning, but would have to buy another guide to his brother ...
finally got on the bus and drive to central London. Having arrived in London the driver at one point we see that the cock is a mess and gets on the wrong track crossing the Tower Bridge. It reverses the help of my friend José Luis begins to teach him and after we correct the path that is the first time you do this route and only takes a couple of weeks in London working on the bus, which is Italian and this and that.
After a half hour drive and chat with the Italian arrived at Victoria Station. There we met the third problem ... No one thought to write down the name of the street was the hotel, or print a completely level or anything. Just know the name and that was near the station. At the end wondering where it was and told us there we went. He was very near the station, about 500 meters or so, in a street would have some 15 hotels, all the same style, next to one another in both sidewalks along about 40 or 50 meters.
3.
Hotel Next to the hotel door was a staircase leading down to a small patio where you let the rubbish bins. For here, under a plastic cube, actually were the keys and a paper with the names of guests and room number. Just as we were in that other group of English came looking for his keys under the bucket ... It's amazing what leaving the keys there ... that you do in Spain and the second time the keys disappear in 5 minutes and you fill the hotel squatters. Spain is different, really.
Each set of keys had 2 the room and the door of the hotel, so you could come and go at any time without there being nobody at the reception.
We divided the rooms and well, the first impression is that the hotel is very old and small rooms. In our room had a bed
high wooden canopy, but without the material, only with the canopy frame. A very old cabinet which could not be opened because the boxes below sinking timber, dresser with multiple drawers, a 14-inch TV with a satellite decoder and a floor with a carpet that had seen better days. On the positive side we had a terrace just above the entrance to the hotel, and our bathroom was the only one who had bath (the other one shower, although it would be better called "hole-in shower.") The control of the TV had the old ones, and the deco was not directly, but also gave us the same because we were going to watch TV. In the bathroom there was a special cord could put in 2 voltages, 125 and 220 v, and did not need adapter for European plugs, but had a sign that warned it was only to use the razor. I guess things would not be ready for more power, and dryers hair and such ...
The principle in the room could hardly see anything because we only find the light switch in the bathroom, and the lamps that had on the bed, one of which was cast and the other shone like a candle. Finally found the light from the ceiling, hiding in the minimum space between the bathroom door and the door. With the overhead light turned on things and had another look.
In the room there is only mention that the ceiling was high enough that the door leading to the terrace was not blind, but a thick curtain, and the bathroom door 3 in 1 urgently needed because it was a terrible noise every time that opened it. Oh, and that the mattress was so soft that it almost seemed as sleeping on a waterbed. Still was not bad and when you got used were comfortable.
As for cleaning, but everything was very old it is also true that he was very clean, and we can not put any hits in that regard.
As for noise, because when everyone is asleep is silent, but as people start walking around the room, opening and closing doors or up and down stairs the noise is tremendous, everything creaks everywhere (is that under the carpet the floor is wood) and walls do not seem very thick either.
And one last detail, at least in our room had a dispenser hand soap, and several bars of soap, but no shampoo ... had to make do with hand soap to wash your hair.
We looked at the room that was Diego and Elena in front of ours, on the first floor, and was a little bigger than ours was bigger TV screen and looked flat and furniture purchased in a market, because each was a different style ...
And once installed, we went to sleep. Interestingly not at all cold, and well into the morning did not have to cover ourselves with the blanket ... was a preamble to the climate that we were going to find these days.
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