Travel to London with Liz Fielding #BookGiveaway

My very special day out was not exotic for me - I've been visiting London all my life - but I know it's a "bucket-list" destination for many people, even those living in the UK - and I want to share my very special day out on a very hot summer day.

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London[/caption]

It was a play-date with my daughter and grandchildren and the one thing we were determined to do was take a trip on the London Eye. The important thing if you're planning a trip to London in the summer holidays is to pre-book your ticket. You can do this on the internet - you get a confirmation email that you take to the office alongside the Eye and they will give you your tickets. They also have a place to safely leave buggies since you can't take them on the Eye. You can pre-book fast boarding for a little extra and I'm very glad we did that because the queue was very long.

Cora, my oldest granddaughter, was a bit concerned about how we were going to get to the top. I suspect she thought we might have to climb up the wheel itself. :) The wheel doesn't stop moving, but it moves very slowly - plenty of time for the 25 people per pod to board (even with two small girls). It's air-conditioned (thank goodness!) and the views across London are spectacular. A very peaceful, enjoyable ride with plenty of time to see the sights. Very much recommended.

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London Eye by Cora, aged 5[/caption]

Cora drew a picture of the event. The boat is the one that plies from Westminster Pier to Greenwich - also thoroughly recommended. (You can also go the opposite way to Hampton Court). I've taken the trip several times and we decided we'd do that very soon. You get a commentary and a great history lesson as you pass famous landmarks, the dock where pirates were chained for two tides, the place where Dickens wrote Oliver Twist and then, at the end of the trip, Greenwich Park with the Royal Observatory (and the prime meridian) and the Royal Naval College. The two people on deck of the boat are her and her mummy. Veda and I were downstairs (apparently); she was having a nap and I was having a cup of tea.

From the Eye we took a taxi (my daughter was pregnant as well as having the two girls with her) to Covent Garden where we had lunch at Dutton's. You can sit outside on a fine day and people watch, always my favourite pastime. There are street performers there, which was great fun for the girls. There are interesting shops, great buskers (you'll hear some fine opera and music) and there's the "red carpet" area where celebrities arrive and are interviewed when there's a big event in the opera house (they have a restaurant where you can have lunch or afternoon tea, too - definitely on my bucket list). There is also Build-a-Bear where we spent a very happy time.

If you have the time, walking in London is a great way to discover all those wonderful little alleyways and courtyards and don't stay in the tourist centre but venture out to visit the London Museum and Spitalfields but be sure to wear something comfortable on your feet.

For the bus and Underground you will need an Oyster card. You load it up with cash and just swipe it on the bus or train. You can also use a contactless credit card if you have one.

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Naval College[/caption]

More must-sees - Westminster Abbey (give yourself plenty of time there's so much to see), St Paul's - with a walk across the river on the Millenium bridge to Tate Modern and The Globe. We were fortunate enough to see Sir Mark Rylance giving a masterclass on the stage when we did the tour. Time your visit to Buckingham Palace so that you catch the changing of the Guard and if you walk down the Mall don't miss out St James's Park with its pelicans. The Tower of London is a must see but go early, just as it's opening to avoid the crush.

There are loads of fabulous art galleries - not just the National in Trafalgar Square (its where you'll find Britain's favourite painting, The Fighting Temeraire by Turner) - but the National Portrait Gallery (just around the corner with a restaurant on the top floor with one of the best views in London), There's also the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park (take a picnic!), the Wallace Collection, and of course the Queen's Gallery in Buckingham Palace. You can pre-book tickets for a lot of these places which will save you time. (The National and the National Portrait Gallery like all national museums (British, Science, Natural History and Victoria & Albert) are free, although there is a box for donations).

Stay away from Oxford Street. It's horrible, crowded and nasty. Two destination shops - Liberty's - gorgeous department store - and Hamley's for toys, both in Regent Street. A walk along the Regency Burlington Arcade is a treat especially if you enjoy Poirot or Jeeves & Wooster where it makes regular appearances.

https://oyster.tfl.gov.uk/oyster/entry.do
www.visitlondon.com/
https://www.londoneye.com/
http://changing-guard.com/dates-buckingham-palace.html

I love London - every step is history. Come and see it for yourself.

Liz Fielding has a new book this month, February 2017.

The Sheikh's Convenient Princess (Romantic Getaways)

From secretary…to the sheikh's wife!

Sheikh Ibrahim al-Ansari knows a reconciliation with his estranged father means accepting his father's choice of bride…unless he gets there first! Luckily he has the perfect princess in mind—his new assistant Ruby Dance.

After her last cheating boyfriend, Ruby is avoiding all commitments, but this promotion could help her family, so she agrees to a temporary marriage. She should be craving her next assistant role, not the devastating beauty of the desert and the man who rules it all…

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