Last day in London

When in London, I stayed near Kensington Gardens, which is near the Albert Hall. I had a look at it one morning and think it looks like a nice building. Here, have a look.



As I was taking the bus through central London on my way to the airport I filmed a few minutes of the crazy traffic.





On the flight on the way back to Cork I saw the snow on the top of a mountain. Looks very strange, doesn't it?

London transport

When I was in London recently I met up with a friend of mine who I used to work with in Dublin. At closing time I said I was going to get the tube and my friend was getting a night bus. I left her at the station and I took what I thought was a train to the center of London. It finished at Earls Court and I had to get a night bus myself to get back to where I was staying.

It all worked out ok, it was like a night bus anywhere else that I've been on - a few drunk people and a few crazies! Aren't we all?

This is the ghost train as I called it that I took that night. Really eerie as I was the only person on it.

The Monument - London

The Monument in London which is known as 'The Monument' was built to celebrate the Great Fire of London of 1666. It was built between 1671 and 1677 by Sir Christopher Wren and Dr Robert Hooke.

Its height is 202 feet or 62 metres, which is the exact distance from the fire's source in a bakers shop in Pudding Lane.

You have to climb 311 steps to reach the top of it. There's no lift unfortunately - if you see the photos you will understand why. It is the tallest free standing Doric column in the world and it's made of Portland stone.

For someone who doesn't like heights, I don't know why I climbed it. It was ok going up it, except when I met someone on the stairs and I had to somehow make way for them - believe me it's very tricky in such a small space!

When I did get to the top, all I wanted to do was to go straight down it again. But I had sent time and money going up it, so I thought I should try and overcome my fear and so I walked around the balcony once, took these photos and then came right back down to earth.

These pictures show the narrow stairs, the view from the top and some views of the base of the monument, showing its story.