Day 201 - Matilda, Packed Trains and Tough Decisions

After a genuinely good night's sleep, we all enjoyed a much-needed sleep-in this morning. The bed in our London accommodation might be a little narrow, but it's incredibly comfortable, and after some of the sleeping arrangements we've had recently, we're certainly not complaining.

The day started with coffee and breakfast. I cooked French toast and bacon for everyone, and we followed it up with crumpets drizzled with the last of the honey we'd brought with us from Morocco. It was one of those simple breakfasts that felt surprisingly special.

The kids spent most of the morning happily playing with their Lego while Kia and I tackled a job we'd been putting off for a while—sorting through everything we were carrying.

We knew our bags had become heavier than they needed to be, and with winter now behind us, it seemed pointless hauling bulky cold-weather gear through tropical destinations for the next few months. The original plan was to send a bag home. We'd done some research online and thought it would be reasonably affordable, so we emptied every bag onto the floor and started sorting.

Winter jackets, jumpers, extra clothes, random bits and pieces we'd accumulated over seven months of travel—everything was assessed. Slowly a sizeable pile formed.

By lunchtime we had one bag packed and ready to be posted back to Australia.

After lunch at the apartment, Emmett and I headed out on a mission. We needed a few groceries from Aldi for dinner and lunch the following day, plus I wanted to visit the local post office and get a firm price on sending the bag home.

Unfortunately, when we arrived, the post office was closed.

At that point we still didn't know how expensive shipping would actually be.

Since our errand had failed, Emmett and I decided to make the most of it. We stopped at the local pub near our accommodation, where I enjoyed a beer while Emmett had an orange juice. We sat together watching Formula 1 on the television and had a bit of father-son time before heading back.

Later, after cooking dinner before we left, we got ourselves organised for an evening in central London.

Tonight's adventure was Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge Theatre.

Getting there was almost an event in itself.

First, we caught National Rail into London, then transferred onto the Underground. Travelling around London is incredibly efficient, but it certainly isn't cheap. By the time we'd paid for return train tickets for the family, it felt like we'd spent a small fortune just getting into the city.

Still, the experience was worth it.

The Underground was something the kids had been excited to try, and they loved the novelty of travelling beneath the city.

We arrived at Leicester Square with plenty of time to spare and enjoyed the short walk through the busy streets to the theatre.

Inside, we found our seats early. Two large groups of school children were seated directly in front of us, and if we're honest, we were all a little nervous that they might talk through the performance.

To their credit, they were fantastic.

The show started at 7pm, and from the opening scenes it was clear why Matilda has become such a beloved production. The singing, dancing, choreography and humour were outstanding. The cast delivered an incredible performance, and the story had everyone laughing throughout the evening.

Both kids absolutely loved it.

Emmett was already talking about wanting to see more theatre shows, while Maddie was completely captivated by another big stage production. Watching them experience something like that made the whole trip worthwhile.

When the curtain finally came down around 9:40pm, we still had the small challenge of getting home.

As it turned out, the journey back was even more complicated than the trip in.

There were issues on one of the Underground lines, forcing us to change trains multiple times. We travelled to Kennington, swapped lines, continued towards Balham, then finally transferred back onto National Rail for the trip to Selhurst.

By then everyone was exhausted.

What surprised me most was just how busy London still was at that hour. At nearly 10 o'clock at night, the streets were packed with people. Restaurants were full, train stations were bustling, and the Underground was absolutely crammed.

It honestly felt like peak hour.

For a city that already feels enormous during the day, London somehow seemed even more alive at night.

By the time we finally arrived back at our accommodation, it was close to 11pm.

The kids were completely spent, and to be fair, so were we.

Tomorrow will definitely be a sleep-in day.

While we still need to figure out whether sending gear home is financially worthwhile or whether we'll simply donate it, today's ruthless cull felt like a step in the right direction.

One thing we've learned on this trip is that every item you carry eventually becomes a burden.

Experiences, on the other hand, are worth carrying forever.

And tonight's experience watching Matilda in London's West End is one we'll remember for a very long time.