Day 200 began with something that has become surprisingly special after months of travel, a really good night’s sleep.
Everyone was awake around 7:30am and in good spirits. I had slept far better than the night before and woke feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead. One of the simple pleasures of our London accommodation is being able to walk straight into a proper kitchen and make coffee. It sounds small, but after months of shared kitchens, tiny apartments and unusual accommodation setups, it’s something we’ve all come to appreciate.
Breakfast was a proper feast. Bacon, eggs, toast, avocado and baked beans. A full English-inspired breakfast that filled everyone up and set us up nicely for a day back in central London.
With breakfast done, it was time to get moving. One of the advantages of staying in Selhurst is how easy it is to reach the train station. We’d checked the train times beforehand, so there was no rushing around. The plan was simple: catch the train into London Victoria Station and then walk to Buckingham Palace to watch the famous Changing of the Guard ceremony.
Unfortunately, London weather had other ideas.
The rain rolled in and, as a result, the ceremony was heavily reduced. There were still soldiers marching and horses involved, but much of the traditional spectacle was cancelled. We stood in the rain for about half an hour before the kids understandably lost interest. It wasn’t quite the grand experience we’d imagined, but that’s travel sometimes, you take what you get.
Rather than dwell on it, we decided to keep exploring.
As we wandered through the gardens north of Buckingham Palace, we stumbled across the Horse Guards area and arrived just in time to see the mounted parade heading out. The horses were enormous. After spending time horse riding in Morocco, the difference was impossible not to notice. These horses looked significantly larger and more imposing than the ones we’d ridden on the beaches of Sidi Kaouki.
Watching them march past with their riders in full ceremonial uniform was impressive, and I couldn’t help thinking how glad I was that I hadn’t been asked to climb aboard one of them.
From there, our next stop was non-negotiable.
Hamleys.
Ever since spotting the famous toy store during our bus tour the day before, Maddie and Emmett had been talking about little else. So we made our way to Regent Street and stepped inside what can only be described as toy heaven.
Hamleys spans six levels and seems to contain every toy imaginable. Lego, games, collectibles, soft toys, gadgets, magic tricks, remote control cars, you name it, it’s probably there. The place is absolute chaos in the best possible way.
Adding to the excitement was a mystery visitor wandering through the store accompanied by two very large bodyguards. We had no idea who he was, but judging by the reactions from some younger shoppers, he was clearly somebody important.
After much deliberation, the kids decided to spend some of their travel money on Lego and lollies. We were pretty happy with that decision. Lego has been getting plenty of use lately, and it’s always nice when purchases lead to hours of creative play rather than five minutes of excitement.
By lunchtime, we were hungry and eager to try some traditional British food.
We found a local spot serving classic pies and mash. The menu was surprisingly extensive, offering multiple varieties of mashed potato, different gravies and sauces, and an assortment of pies.
Maddie and Emmett both went traditional, classic mash, traditional pie and gravy.
Kia and I were a little more adventurous.
I ordered mustard-seed mash with a steak and stout pie topped with traditional gravy. Kia chose cheesy mash with steak pie and a rich wine sauce. Every meal was delicious, comforting and incredibly filling.
The only painful part was the bill.
£64 for lunch.
London certainly knows how to remind visitors that it’s one of the world’s more expensive cities.
With full stomachs, we headed back to the hop-on hop-off bus for the afternoon. Because protests had affected parts of the route the previous day, we chose a different loop this time.
It turned out to be a great decision.
We finally got to see Trafalgar Square without the crowds and discovered a completely different side of London. There is something fascinating about this city. The mix of history, architecture, culture and sheer scale makes every street feel like it has a story attached to it.
Honestly, I could happily sit on one of those buses and circle London for a week, just watching the city roll by.
Eventually, our route brought us back to Victoria Station and it was time to head home. Before leaving, we grabbed a few essentials from the shops at the station and then joined the afternoon commuters on the train back to Selhurst.
Once we arrived, I made a quick dash down to Lidl to pick up a few remaining groceries while Kia and the kids headed back to the apartment.
The evening was exactly what we needed.
The kids immediately started building their new Lego sets. Kia enjoyed a well-earned nap, while I settled in and watched a few short documentaries about London and England. It’s funny how travelling somewhere often sparks a desire to learn more about it.
When Kia woke up, she got started on dinner, and before long we had settled into the familiar evening routine of eating, showering and preparing for bed.
The kids have been stretching bedtime later and later lately, and by the time they were finally tucked in, it was around 9:30pm.
Late for them.
But after another full day of exploring, nobody was complaining.
As we wrapped up Day 200, I couldn’t help reflecting on how much we’re enjoying our time in London. After the challenges and unpredictability of Morocco, London has felt like a reset button. Familiar language, easy transport, comfortable accommodation and endless things to see and do have given us all a chance to recharge.
And that’s probably exactly what we needed before the next chapter begins.