Five Countries Four Marlboroughs: Harry Potter, PC Land and my walking Monopoly tour

Well, I'm a bit slack this time with the blog....time to catch up on what we've been doing!

I still wake up every morning and think - I can't believe we're in London! Then i look out the window - yep, there's London!

Yesterday we decided to go to Warner Bros for the studio tour of Harry Potter. We caught a combination of the tube and overground train to get to Watford Junction Station and then we caught the Harry Potter double decker bus to the studio. (Very well set up for tourists!)

We lined up - with the 100s of other tourists - and once inside the first part of the studio, we watched a video which showed the history of Harry Potter. The man asked if it was anyone's birthday, well it was technically James's birthday in Australia, so I volunteered James. He went out the front of the audience, and whilst nervous he was very chuffed, and he was asked to push one of the big doors........which lead us to the Great Hall! All at once we were standing in the Great Hall that is in all the movies - we were all very impressed! I kept saying, 'We are in the Great Hall!!!' (Before we had left for the UK, we watched all the Harry Potter movies and I'm glad I did as it added to the excitement) Once in the studios we got to see all the different props, sets, costumes and of course the Harry Potter train! We then couldn't resist trying Butterbeer and Butterbeer ice cream. Will is a huge Harry Potter fan and definitely got the most out of the day!

Once we were back in the city, the kids wanted to go to PC Land which we had seen from the tube. James decided to spend some of the money nanny had given him on a new computer headset. After all he said, it was technically his birthday.

Everyone decided it was time to head for home, but not me! It was only 5pm and still time left to explore. So once we arrived at Baker Street station, the three boys headed for home - and I headed for Oxford St! The tube was packed to the brim and I sat there people watching. Everyone is racing everywhere and everyone is on their phones. It just cracks me up seeing everyone piled on the tube and no one is looking up - just checking their facebook or reading. I was just sitting (probably looking like the lunatic) and was wondering where are all these people going?? Rush, rush ,rush! Clearly they need a holiday! A lady came up to me to ask directions on the tube - well i can tell you i have caught the tube so often i knew exactly where to tell her to go.

Once off at Bond Street station, I can honestly say i have never seen so many people walking in a street in all my life. People, people, people! Every way i turned there were people - and they were smoking! Smoke, smoke, smoke, smoking at every turn. And vaping - I just don't get it. It was just crazy - Oxford Street is just rush, rush, rush, smoke, smoke, smoke and crowds, crowds, crowds.

I walked all the way down to Regent St to take a peep at the high end shopping. Dresses at 500 pounds a pop - hmmm.. I was clearly in the wrong street.

I kept walking and found myself at Piccadilly Circus - the sounds of buskers filled the air. There was just so much going on. I kept wandering and then i found myself at Leister Square. Time to risk some takeaway noodles and I just sat there eating and looking around. It was starting to get dark so i thought I'd better make a start getting back, I really needn't have worried as there are just so many people around ALL the time you do feel quite safe. I would like to add I didn't buy a single thing!