Off to London

We are heading to London today!!  I never really dreamed that I would ever make it to London, and now I'm heading there for the second time in 6 months.

I had to run an errand to the post office this morning to pay our TV tax and gas bill.  I've mentioned this before, but in Italy, you pay many of your monthly bills at the post office.  You can also collect and cash your retirement checks, file paperwork for Visa renewal (we are doing that next Thursday), and send mail.  I also have to pay our TV tax.  In Italy you pay a tax for TV's and radios.  We don't own any radios - the one in the car is owned by Hertz - but we do lease a TV.  Its 110 euro a year.  It can be payed all at once or in two or three payments.  We will be paying for taxes through July.  And yes, we pay this tax at the post office.

We flew to London this evening.  Our mode of transportation - EasyJet.   We arrived at Gatwick airport and proceeded to follow the directions that Kirstin (Katrina's friend who is putting us up for the weekend) gave us.  It was easy as could be.  Two trains and about an hour later, we arrive at the Westcombe Park stop in Greenwich.  Kirstin was there waiting for us as we hopped off the train.

Kirstin and her family - husband Tom and children Miles and Ella - live in a lovely three story home just up the street from the train station.  After getting settled, they fed us a fantastic dinner of pasta with a sausage sauce.

Katrina had never met Kirstin in person before tonight, but we felt right at home the minute we walked through their door.  The kids headed off to play and the adults sat in the kitchen chatting and drinking wine until very late.

Tomorrow we will enjoy lunch in a local pub and go shopping in the city.