Andrew and I caught the tube to Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning to meet Anne and Richard off the plane. Excitement was in the air and it was the first time Andrew and I had both travelled out to Heathrow together since we first arrived in London so lots of memories flooded back! We didn't have to wait long before Anne and Richard walked through the arrival gates and we hopped on a train back to Hammersmith. When we got back to our flat we decided to have a quick chat before heading out for a nice walk along the Thames and had a yummy lunch at a classic pub 'The Rutland Arms'. Understandably Anne and Richard were tired so we decided that we would have a night in and order some Thai Takeaways for dinner. It was Anne's 60th Birthday in NZ time so we had some pressie time which was special! We received some Fortune Cookies with our takeaways and Anne managed to pick a very appropriate one which had the quote "You will age gracefully!" Quite ironic really!

The next day we headed off to the Camden Markets and we managed to get seats right at the front of the double decker bus which was fabulous! The bus ride in itself is very enjoyable because it goes through some neat areas like Kensington and Notting Hill. Andrew and I had sussed out what bus to catch and when to get off when we visited the markets a while ago so that was helpful.From Arts and Crafts to Fashion and Food stalls there is plenty for everyone at the Camden Markets and it certainly has a buzzing vibe. It is the fourth-most popular visitor attraction in London, attracting approximately 100,000 people each weekend and we definitely came across a busy day! There is actually almost too much to see and we were all a bit mind boggled by the end of it but it was well worth the visit. We were lucky enough to see a boat going through the famous Camden Lock which was impressive! We had spotted a wee pub on the way to the market near Notting Hill called 'The Churchill Arms' which looked very inviting and the outside of the pub was covered in hanging baskets of flowers and vines which is what had caught our eye initially. So we decided to hop off the bus near there on our way back to Hammersmith and check it out. We ended up just having a drink here because we weren't too keen on the menu but it was a neat wee spot! We ended up having a snack at another pub close by which was very nice. We decided to catch the tube back from here because we were very close to the underground station and it was going to quicker and easier. Andrew and I cooked dinner for Anne and Richard in our wee flat and we had a lovely relaxing evening chatting away and planning a few more things for the month ahead. Perfect night in!

We were lucky enough to have a Bank Holiday on Monday so we could have another day out and about with Anne and Richard. We had a bit of a lazy morning which was nice because it had all been pretty full on so far and Anne and Richard were still adjusting to the time difference. It was a beautiful day so we thought it would be a good idea to head to Southbank and hop on a river cruise to Tower Bridge. I had done this with Marilyn and Rex when they were visiting London so knew that it was a lovely way to see the City especially on a sunny day! We had a funny commentator on the cruise who made us chuckle and provided us with interesting and informative facts along the way. We got off the boat at Tower Bridge and had a wander around by the Tower of London and across the Tower Bridge itself. Andrew and I hadn't been there before so it was well worth the trip for everyone. We only spent a short time here before catching a boat back to Westminster. We wanted to make sure we got back to our flat in time to freshen up and put our glad rags on because we had dinner in Chinatown booked for 5:30pm and then 'Once the Musical' on the Westend. We had a lovely meal at 'Imperial China' in Chinatown and we were so impressed with the food that it's now on our list of places to re-visit another time. Delicious food, fabulous service and a really nice atmosphere! We only had to walk about 10 minutes to the Phoenix Theatre where we were in for a night of seriously good entertainment! It finished off our weekend in style that's for sure!

Anne and Richard headed off to Rotterdam yesterday morning and we meet them there on Friday for some more fun travelling and exploring! Bring it on!