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| was presented another promise as a big gift: she would see a play in London. The play would be a story she already knew from the popular Disney CD Jacklyn has at home. From March 7 onwards Jacklyn answered the oft-asked question, “I’m going to see ‘The Lion King’.” | |
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March 30 Jacklyn’s family drove her and her grandmother to the airport. Jacklyn
dressed in a fancy dress for the trip. So did her grandmother. They each pulled
one suitcase small enough to carry on the plane. Jacklyn’s suitcase was pink.
Her name was embroidered on it.
They checked in at the airport and went through security lines on the
way to the departures gate. The security people—ever mindful of the devious
minds of terrorists—frisked Jacklyn. Once before, in 2000 when four months old,
Jacklyn had flown. This night she would fly again. Somehow she knew how properly
to stand in order to be frisked by wand-wielding airport security. Children
learn things from TV and movies.
The prospect of flying on the big airplane excited Jacklyn. Take-off
was set for after 9PM, past Jacklyn’s normal bedtime. But this night the flight
was delayed by more than an hour. When Jacklyn and her grandmother boarded the
airplane and found their seats, Jacklyn quickly fell asleep. She missed
take-off.
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 acklyn
slept a long time on the plane. But she could not sleep her normal nine
hours. At Heathrow Airport in London, Jacklyn was still sleepy, and the
colorful chaos of so many travelers and so muchactivity left her unsure of herself. Finding the way to the Underground station was not easy in the crowded arrivals hall. She held her grandmother’s hand tightly. With her other hand she pulled her pink suitcase. Soon she and her grandmother boarded a subway train and departed the frenzied airport in an almost empty car. It did not remain almost empty for long. By Central London people filled every seat and crowded the aisles. There were few children among them. Part of the way the train ran above ground. The day was sunny, the sky was blue, and it was warmer in London than back home in Philadelphia. Jacklyn and her grandmother changed trains at busy Earl’s Court station. How did her grandmother know what to do? When they arrived at Tower Hill station—another busy place—they climbed up two flights of stairs pulling their suitcases and |
| emerged into sunshine. Another flight of stairs led down and underneath a busy road. The sidewalk first passed an old piece of Roman wall before edging along the grassy moat of a castle, the Tower of London. The footpath passed under another road and entered a big square of buildings surrounding glistening water where many boats of all sizes were parked. The wheels of Jacklyn’s suitcase made lots of noise on the metal walkways of St. Katharine’s Marina. In a couple of minutes they crossed a narrow metal bridge and entered a big courtyard paved with cobblestones. There were no automobiles here, only boats and a few people walking through. Jacklyn’s grandmother went into a shiny red phone booth and called someone. In a couple of minutes a man came into the courtyard. Together they went into one of the buildings near the courtyard and into an elevator that had just enough room for the three of them and their two rolling suitcases. | |
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The elevator went up and the doors opened. They walked down a hallway that seemed both indoors and outdoors at once. A fresh breeze from the marina wafted into the hallway from a sunny opening. In a minute the man stopped before a door and opened it with a set of old-fashioned skeleton keys. The three of them entered the doorway to an apartment: Jacklyn’s London home. It was a perfect size. The bedroom had two beds for her and her grandmother. Just like at home, there was a bathroom with a toilet, a sink for washing hands, and a bathtub with a shower. The living room had a big couch and an armchair with cushions, and a TV with a new DVD player. There was a dining room table with four wooden chairs. The kitchen had a refrigerator and stove, a microwave, and lots of dishes and silverware and pots and pans. There was even a washing machine for clothes in the kitchen! Best of all, doors in the living room opened onto a little balcony with a small table and |
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chairs. The balcony looked down to the sparkling water and the boats of St. Katharine’s Marina. It was beautiful. The nice man asked Jacklyn if she liked her London apartment. Jacklyn shyly said, “Yes.” The man gave a ring of skeleton keys to Grandmother and said goodbye. |
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| “cupboard”. Jacklyn changed into blue jeans and a pink top, with a dark blue smock. She and Grandmother locked the apartment door with the old-fashioned key and walked the breezy hallway to the elevator. Once down on the ground floor they found a doorway that led away from the enclosed marina to a quiet street. Across the street was a small shopping center with a big Waitrose supermarket. Jacklyn shopped for her favorite foods with her Grandmother. For fruit she selected a basket of fresh blueberries. For a vegetable she chose fresh corn on the cob. Jacklyn was eager to have lunch. Back in the apartment, while her grandmother fixed lunch, Jacklyn set the table on the balcony. When her lunch came Jacklyn sampled everything, but could not eat the corn. She had forgotten that she had no front teeth. Grandmother had to cut the corn off the cob for her. Now the lunch was perfect. | |
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After lunch Jacklyn and Grandmother took a nap. When they awoke, the weather was still warm and sunny. They decided to explore the marina. They saw all the shops. People on the balconies of the Dickens Inn watched as Jacklyn did cartwheels on the cobbled courtyard. Grandmother led Jacklyn by the hand to where the marina connects to the river. Jacklyn saw the beautiful Tower Bridge. “Can’t we walk across the bridge?” |
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| she asked. Of course Grandmother said yes. The bridge is high over the river. Lots of boats pass beneath the bridge. When tall ships come upriver its drawbridge opens to let the ships pass. Jacklyn and her grandmother walked over and back. They walked down the bridge stairs to the river walk. They passed under the Tower Bridge and walked along the broad sidewalk between the river and the old castle called the Tower of London. Jacklyn could see several castle walls with the places where guards might stand, but she saw no guards. Maybe they were all inside the walls. Grandmother said they would come back another day to go inside the castle walls. Grandmother told Jacklyn the Queen’s royal crowns were locked inside one of the rooms in the castle. | |
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On the river by the Tower
of London was a pier for riverboats. Jacklyn said, “I want to ride the
boat!” Grandmother looked at the schedule. A boat would come along soon
that would carry passengers upriver to Westminster. Grandmother bought
two tickets for Westminster. Because she showed her London Transport
pass, she saved money on the riverboat ride. Jacklyn said, “You got a
deal, Grandmother.” While they waited for the boat to arrive,
Grandmother bought Jacklyn an ice cream cone. |
| building with a giant clock tower. When the bells rang the hour they played a song then one bell loudly counted the time. Grandmother said the bell had a name: “Big Ben”. Jacklyn thought the name was perfect. Close by, steps led down to the | |
| Underground trains, that Grandmother called “The Tube”. They took the very next train. In just a few minutes they got off and climbed two sets of stairs. There was the Tower of London castle again. In about five minutes they were back in front of the Dickens Inn in St. Katharine’s Marina. |
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“Let’s have pizza for supper, Grandmother!” Jacklyn suggested. They climbed two more sets of steps and went into an old wooden room with lots of tables and chairs. Jacklyn ordered a kid’s size pizza. Grandmother had a large salad with all kinds of meats and cheeses. Jacklyn ate every bite. Grandmother couldn’t finish her salad. It was almost nighttime. Both were tired and happy to take the elevator up to their apartment. Jacklyn went right to bed. Grandmother, too. |
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ended
into a broader, busier street.
On the corner was an old building with a big sign on it for “The Lion
King”. This was the theater. |
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Jacklyn was very happy to see him. Her uncle and his friend led
Jacklyn and her grandmother along the big street to a restaurant. Inside
the people were very friendly. They helped Jacklyn find just the food
she wanted: fish fingers, French fries, and
peas. Jacklyn said, “These are real peas, not like the ones we have at
school,” and ate every one. They ate supper and talked for a long time.
By now day was turning to night, and Jacklyn was tired again. It was
time to go home. They all went together to the Underground. Uncle and
his friend rode with them to their stop, then waved goodbye as Jacklyn
and Grandmother left the train. Once they entered the marina,
Grandmother picked up Jacklyn and carried her home to their apartment
and plopped her in bed. JACKLYN ON THE TUBE, TIRED AFTER ATTENDING THE THEATRE AND DINNER OUT. |
— END OF PART 1 — — GO TO PART 2 —
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HOME AT FIRST
offers travel to LONDON and many
other destinations throughout Britain and Ireland. You can
mix and match a week or more in London with
additional weeks in HOME AT FIRST destinations
throughout ENGLAND, SCOTLAND,
WALES,
and IRELAND.
For complete information about travel
with
HOME AT FIRST to Britain & Ireland, see:
BRITISH ISLES.
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