Landed at 7:35 AM. Getting off the plane, through customs, getting luggage, buying our Two Together Rail Card, buying 2 Oyster Cards for the London Underground and hopping on the Gatwick Express Train into London took us 2 hours and 15 minutes. Customs took the longest, everything else sort of fell into place.

The Two Together Rail Card – gave us up to a 30% discount on train tickets, and because we had already purchased the discounted train tickets before leaving home saying we had the pass, we had to get the pass before using any of our train tickets.

Oyster Card – pre paid rides on the Tube, less expensive way to ride and convenient.

Somehow we managed to keep going and going until 8:00 PM, not bad on a few hours of sleep on the plane.

The train took us to London’s Victoria Station where we got the tube to Paddington and then walked 3 blocks to our hotel.

Too early for check-in so we left our bags and walked over to Carphone Warehouse to buy a cheap cell phone, SIM card and 1 month Service plan – 250 minutes calling, unlimited text and 2GB of data.

Finally checked into hotel and then off to St. Paul’s Cathedral.

We walked up a bazillion steps and were rewarded with some amazing city views.Then we walked up to the Golden Dome, that was an extra 152 steps , around and around.

We found a way down.

Back on the Tube and off to the Swatch Store. Marilyn picked out a beauty.

Tomorrow, start off with breakfast at our hotel, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace in the morning and then Churchill’s War Rooms in the afternoon.

Busy day ahead.