One of the few days on my trip I’ve needed to set an alarm. I need to get going this morning as it’s my last day in Europe. I had some breakfast and got all my things together. The methodical packing which would be happening for the last time on this trip. I’ve got to say I’m not going to miss that part. I’ve decided if I’m to travel solo again I’m going to get a big back pack.

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We’d ordered a cab the night before so we could be on time for the train. I farewell Paul and squeeze him right as we plot our next meeting together.
We have a lovely cab driver who passes the time quickly with his questions about Australia and general chatter about life and children.
We are all set to go and the train runs to time easily. It’s a busy train today and dad and I don’t get a seat together. But I am entertained by the conversations around me. There’s a group of school kids on an excursion into London for a few days. Many it’s their first time too. It reminds me of when I was in primary school and we used to visit our nations capital.
I also noticed a lady with a pin on that said baby on board with the logo of the underground. I can understand why she would need that in the city with the tube getting very busy indeed with no breathing space at all.
We arrive at London Waterloo station and I check my bag into left luggage so I can go around town without having to cut my suitcase with me. So off we go to Leister square in the hunt for tickets for a show. My very last bucket list item to do for this trip. As we come out of the station dad is sure we know where to go. But as we keep walking I feel like we’re working in the wrong direction so I bring up naps and realize that Dad actually doesn’t know where he’s going again.
I direct us to the ticket counter. There are a few options but I figured that the best thing to do would be to see 42nd Street, a classic musical production made back in 1933. Tickets in hand that and We stop for a quick drink before heading off into the city for some lunch and a coffee. ​

We decide to have dim sum for lunch and I know a place that I had seen before. It’s interesting because we walk in and order three dishes and I’m told if there’s two people we must order five. I try to explain that we won’t eat that much so because they won’t allow us just order, and quite rudely, what we want we leave and find another restaurant. We check before we sit down this time it’s OK to order just what we want and they say it’s fine so we sit down and find order what we like.
After much dad is keen to have a haircut so I googled to see if there was a barber nearby. There is one just around the corner so I take him there to be warmly greeted by fast talking man from Singapore who invites dad to sit down. He doesn’t let dad get a word in, which is quite funny because that is a hard thing to do. But dad persisted in wanting to tell his story about his time in Singapore.

It’s about that time to head to the theater. We were told by the lady at the ticket counter at the theater we are going to is a very old one, and it is quite a traditional layout and it’s called Theatre Royal Drury Lane. It is a beautiful theatre with lots of history. I wonder how many people have been through over the years.

We find our seats easily and realize that the age group of those watching would be in excess of 70 years old, with scattering of a variety of ages.
The show begins and it’s quite a spectacle from start to finish. As always when I go to musical theater I am mesmerized from the time it starts through to the encore.

now time to head back to pick up my luggage and make my way to the airport. We walked back down to London Waterloo station and dad and I farewell each other until we will catch up again in Australia in August.
That Tube is so busy and there is one change for me to make to get to London Heathrow. I am thankful that this will be one of the last times I need to cart my suitcase around and all my other luggage.
There are a few options to get to the airport, I have chosen the least expensive as I am in no hurry. As I arrive at the station it is well signed and I find my terminal and check in counter easily. Had previously requested to potential he have an upgrade to business class. It seems though that the flight is very busy and will definitely not be able to have this on my flight from London to Singapore, but to check on the final leg in case something has become available from Singapore to Sydney.
I make my way to the Qantas club lounge where I am greeted with a glass of French champagne and friendly staff.
I plug my phone into charge and a couple of people sit around me or with their heads in their phones. A guy sits across from me and he’s obviously watching something funny as he chuckled to himself. When he looks up at me I ask him what he’s watching and we struck up a conversation and decide that will go and sit at the bar and have some drinks. The Qantas lounge at Heathrow is really nice and looks like it’s newly refurbished, which includes a gin bar downstairs. So we decide to head there and try a couple of cocktails. Dan is traveling for work and has to do that a lot which takes him away from his family and friends. He’s actually from the UK but now lives on the Northern Beaches in Sydney.
When we sit at the bar I chat with another older man next to me named Mark, from Melbourne, who is also traveling for work. We all chat about life, travels and family. They’re keen to hear about my adventures and I’m content listening to their stories about where their work has taken them too.
It’s not long before we get the final call to head to our gate so we head out together and make our way to the gate.
I’m excited to see that as everyone takes their seat and the captain asks the crew to close the doors that I have 3 seats to myself. With the first leg of the journey being 15 hours that will be so wonderful to have room to sleep more comfortably. I immediately went to the cabin crew to look up to me for the remainder of the journey. I get plenty of sleep, and each time I wake up the crew asked me if I’m hungry as I often miss when you come around with dinner and other snacks. As we approach Singapore the sunrise is incredible out my window.

This flight has gone so quickly for me, and I am so grateful to have had the space to be able to relax and recuperate. We have a short 2 1/2 hour stopover in Singapore before we make a final leg to Sydney. I buckle up on captains orders and smile as I reminisce on the last four weeks and all the wonderful things I’ve done and seen. It’s now a new day, and I look forward to stretching my legs and hitting the lounge for the last time on this trip.