Paddington Arm to London

We have made it to London. Not going to see the Queen though. Thought we might give her a rest :)

We made an early start from Cowley Peachy Junction where we had spent the night in a marina again to get some washing done again. Well the washing machine coped with a short 30minute wash but spat the dummy with the drying cycle. It is a now a complete no-go. Andrew tried replacing the fuse in the plug but still nothing. So now we have to get a repair man out. So how do you explain to a washing machine service person how to find us. It is going to have to wait and it is back to saving the pound coins and searching out laundrettes!

Some pictures of the fauna viewed along the way. We did see quite a few Green Parrots but never close enough to get a decent photo.

Grey Squirrel

Mandarin Duck

And some views from the back of the boat coming in to Central London

Little Venice

More Little Venice

Looking back to the entrance to Paddington Basin

We arrived in Paddington Basin 5 1/2 hours later and rejoiced. There were some empty mooring spots, until we got closer and discovered WINTER MOORINGS!  Now British Waterways auctions off half (supposedly) of the visitor moorings from 1st November to 31st March to boaters as permanent winter moorings but not all of them get taken up. So we saw  spot with no winter moorings sign and thought fantastic. Not a great spot but at least we were still in Paddington Basin, where we wanted to be. Only this morning a BW employee turns up and tells Andrew that we were on a winter mooring, even though this spot was not been used, so we cannot stay there. It is a winter mooring! So it would seem rather than allowing visiting boaters to use the UN-SOLD and therefor UN-USED winter moorings, it is basically get lost visitor! Unless you can find a spot in the only 6 visitor moorings which are available over winter and there are at least 20 visitor mooring spots now designated Winter Moorings.

Well we moved rather than cop some sort of fine or whatever. We walked back to the true visitor moorings and someone had left this morning leaving us with a less than desirable spot but at least still where we would like to be. The builders will not be here over the weekend and at night so should be fine.

After resettling, we opted to hop on the underground and made our way to Covent Garden to get some same day tickets to a West End show. Unfortunately did not think that it is Friday and turns out some of the shows don't do discount tickets for Friday and Saturday, but we are off to see Cabaret tonight. Looking forward to it :)

Lunch (@ BK) and then even though it was not the best of weather I wanted to do the London Eye. Well let me tell you, you cannot see much when the mist rolls in :(

Anyway, time now to start getting ready for the show tonight, we don't want to be late !