On a Train to Edinburgh

Today we checked out of our Hotel in the Kensington area of London and are heading to Edinburgh via LUMO or LNER. We booked LNER but ended up on a LUMO train. 

We caught the tube to Kings Cross Station. The station is very cool looking and large. There is a Harry Potter store here and you have to wait in line to get in. You can take a photo at Platform 9 3/4.  

Our train leaves at 10:15am and arrives in Edinburgh at 2:35pm. Our trip is about 4h15m and driving would take 7h45m. We are currently cruising along at 123 mph. 

Its novel to take a train and actually have it be faster and cheaper than driving. I think our tickets one way were about $45 each. 

During our trip we got a welcomed visit from the passenger sitting in front of us. They let us pat their head and scratch their neck. 

During our journey we experienced some delays due to something getting caught in the overhead power lines. When we arrived in Newcastle, we were about 32 minutes late, which by US standards is great, but here in England, if the train is 30 - 59 minutes late you get 50% of your fare back and if it is an hour or more late you get 100% of your fare back. We were going to Edinburgh so if the train could make back a bit of time we would be late but wouldn't get any of our fare back. It turns out they didn't make up time and we were 36 minutes late. When we got to the hotel I went through the process of applying for our refund. 

Even with the delay we averaged 81 MPH over the 395 mile journey. 

Edinburgh Station!  Our time in Edinburgh starts now. 

Pinball in London

London is home to 9.1 million people and around 57 pinball machines. That's one machine for every 178,431 people. That isn't a very good ratio. There is a pinball club with 76 machines just outside of London but still, that isn't very many for the size of this city.

Today we went to Chief Coffee, a coffee shop with 9 pinball machines in their basement. 

Their coffee was great and they even gave us a cash back option so we got pound coins without needing to go to am ATM. Games were 1 for a pound or 3 for two pounds. We went with the 3 for 2 option and spent the morning drinking coffee and playing pinball. 

They had a great selection of machines available;

King Kong Premium 

Godzilla Pro

James Bond 007 Premium 

Elvira House of Horrors Premium 

Theater of Magic 

Cactus Canyon OG

Monster Bash OG

Medieval Madness OG

Ghostbusters Pro

It was a great place to play and if you are in the area,. you should check it out. Also, London, step up your Pinball game!  

In London

Saturday morning we woke up to a green Chicago River and 10s.of thousands of drunk St. Patrick's Day partiers. We weren't to the museum cafe one more time and then made out way to Chinatown for Dim Sum. After getting back to our hotel to get out luggage, we decided to go.to the airport very early. It was incredibly crowded and getting our luggage through the drunken mess was a task but we made it. 

We spent the day getting out UK ETA Visa we didn't know we needed and then we explored the airport. A few hours before our flight we were let into the United Lounge and enjoyed some food, beverage, and quiet. 

Our flight made it to London successfully and then our navigation skills got us to our hotel via The Elizabeth Line and the Central Line. 

After a short nap we were off to dinner for our first proper pint. 

Our Diamond status at Hilton gives us 2 drink tickets for each night so I took the opportunity to have a Spanish beer I had never had before in it's proper glass