Day 191, 11 January 2013, Arrived Euston Station at 7.47 am (roughly). Cabbed to St Pancras Station (pictured). Dumped massive bag (34kg!). Said "hello" to ski bag. Walkies! We didn't need to get the Luton Airport train from St Pancras until 2.30 pm, so we took off for a walk through Kings Cross and Bloomsbury. Had a stupendous start to the day at about 9 am - a Builder's Breakfast. There must be some strapping builders in London because this cooked breakfast was enough for both of us (unfortunately the shortbread and coffee on the sleeper had not been quite enough!) The day stretched before us with promise so we took a look at the map and discovered the British Museum wasn't far away. We headed there with no plans other than to see all the missing bits from our travels thus far... swathes of Egypt that was noticeable by its absence in Luxor/Thebes (Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple). We also saw the actual Rosetta stone - until now we had just seen a replica at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Incredible that this stone cracked Egyptian history like a sledgehammer can crack a nut. Because we're not going to make it to Greece on this trip (I know. Amazing. Somewhere we're not going), we went to visit the Elgin Marbles. Or "most of the Parthenon that Greece wants back" as it's also known. Very interesting issue of ownership and heritage that the British Museum is at pains to explain in great depth. Also gorgeous. Ended up in a pub near Euston station for wifi - £12 for two hours wifi and a warm spot to sit with lunch for two and a drink thrown in. Bargain. Finally it was time, so we headed back to St Pancras and paid the ransom on our two bags to the gents at the Left Luggage counter. Off to Luton. Off to Sofia (Bulgaria). Lucky to be off anywhere as it turns out. A Level 2 weather warning has been issued over all of Britain for the next 24 hours. Snow is expected nationwide and the London air today was certainly heralding it's arrival. Apparently it's a cold snap express delivered direct from Siberia. Lucky us to be heading out today! Actually lucky us generally - before Christmas when we flew to Budapest, the snow arrived the day after we left and Luton was shut all day. Right then. Time to board. Bulgaria here we come...
Yes. Well. That was a little forward of me. As it turns out the plane coming in from Sofia was running late. Apparently Luton Airport/Wizz Air isn't awfully clued into Air Traffic Control because they came up with this gem of information 2 minutes before we were due to depart and it was blindingly obvious by the lack of a plane at the gate and the fact we'd been queuing for an hour that something might just be wrong. Turned up eventually and we left 45 minutes late. Our safe touchdown in Sofia, on an absolute skating rink of an airport, was greeted by a round of applause from the passengers.... We have investigated and it's truly an Eastern European thing - doesn't matter if it's fine, rough, turbulent or snowing - any landing is a good landing and the pilot gets applause. Good stuff. As it turns out the flight of 2 hours 45 minutes was just the start - we then had a 2 hour 45 minute drive to Bansko, our home for the next 3 weeks. We haven't beaten the 36 hour travel day record of Alps/Paris/London/Scotland/Isle of Skye - but it was close 32 hours and 2.30 am local time when we finally fell into bed. And that was that. Lights out. (Cue the spontaneous round of applause!)