Vancouver & London

Dec 31, 2016-Jan 4, 2017
AC153 YYZ-YVR, AC34 YVR-YYZ, AC856 YYZ-LHR, AC857 LRH-YYZ, AC115 YYZ-YVR, AC156 YVR-YYZ, AC7709 YYZ-IAH

Each New Year, we like to plan a large trip both for some time away and to kick start miles earning for the new year. When we decided to go to London, I noticed that the fares were the same from Vancouver as from Toronto, so we kicked off the trip with New Year’s Eve in Vancouver. Vancouver was having a wintery December, so we got to experience a snowy day in a city that doesn't know to deal with snow. Luckily, the weather in London was more seasonal and we had a good trip and enjoyed the post holiday vibe and made it out to a West End play.

Jan 2

After our overnight flight, we took a quick rest before heading out for a long walk through the city.  

Bond Street decked out for the holidays

St. James Park

Big Ben 

The top of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square

One of the pigeons of Trafalgar Square

Looking back at Parliament from Trafalgar

After a long day of walking, we headed back to the hotel to end with a relaxing evening at the hotel.

Jan 3

On a brisk morning, after breakfast we head back out to explore London and check out the the Natural History Museum.  To end the day, we had a great Indian dinner in the West End before heading to the theatre to watch "The Dresser" a very British and traditional play.  

Early morning ride in Hyde Park 

Lucky timing, to catch the royal guards out for a ride on the aptly named South Carriage Drive

Looking for evidence of Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy

One of many statues in the Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressive entrance to the geological portion of the Natural History Museum

The incredible dodo bird

The part of the impressive dinosaur collection in the natural history museum

Jan 4

After a relatively slow morning at the hotel, we head to Heathrow and on to Toronto and Vancouver and back to Toronto and Houston.