Our next big travel adventure was a Viking Ocean Cruise called “In Search of the Northern Lights.” 

We were invited by our friends, Jo and Flynn, after they booked the trip.  Who doesn’t want to go to Norway in January? Randy and I had seen the northern lights once before on a trip to Fairbanks, Alaska.  Those were white and shimmery, not colorful. We thought we’d like to try again.

We all live in Phoenix so none of us had cold weather gear.  Jo and Flynn spent months researching, purchasing and borrowing items.  We had the advantage of their research and eventually purchased what we needed at REI on a trip to Boise in November. 

Because we were using airline credits on a trip we had cancelled, our connections were different from Jo and Flynn and not very good.  We first went from Phoenix to Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles to London we splurged on business class pods as our flight was overnight. We hoped to arrive in London without being overly fatigued.

Our pods, 6D and 6F, were in the middle of the plane and angled away from each other.

We could talk but not easily.  Mostly we didn’t.

Our flight was very rough at times with a lot of turbulence.  At one point the pilot urgently told the flight attendants to sit in their jump seats. All that turbulence drama made an already late dinner even later.  

Given the late dinner and continued turbulence, we slept very little despite being able to lay mostly flat.

Our arrival in Heathrow was on time and uneventful – unusual for us in London. 

We were able to go to the UK + lane and took only moments to scan our passports. While we were gathering our luggage, we were met by Viking representatives even before we had our identifying red stickers on.  

Then the taxi communications system was down so our ride to the hotel was delayed. We immediately thought here we go again!

If you have been reading for a while, you might remember that we’ve had trouble in London twice before when we were transferring flights at Heathrow. We spent unexpected nights in London hotels each time.  See the posts Tour of Italy: Our Last Day and London – Again!   to read about those misadventures.

After waiting twenty minutes or so, the Viking people told us they really had no idea when the problem with the taxi system communication would be solved and suggested we take a regular taxi.  Our cost would be reimbursed by the Viking people at the hotel.

They walked us down, even handling one of our large, heavy suitcases. On the way, we told them of our previous London stories and laughed that we were in London breaking things again.  

Then the lift (elevator for US folks) button was stuck, but the next lift worked.  The Viking reps ordered our taxi and helped us on our way.

During the long ride to the hotel we saw  rooftops that looked just like the setting for the chimney sweeps dance and brick row houses like the Banks’ home in the movie Mary Poppins. It wasn’t possible to get good pictures from the taxi, but if you have ever seen Mary Poppins, you know. 

We finally got to the Conrad St. James but did not get reimbursed by the Viking people at the hotel.  They told us we would be reimbursed on the ship.   Hmmmm. The taxi ride cost us just over $100 USD. 

Despite arriving at the airport within a half hour of each other, but in different terminals, Jo and Flynn had their own airport transportation challenges.  Viking arranged travel with another couple in a hired car along with all the big luggage needed by four people going on a cruise to Norway in January. Their driver was befuddled with the load so they did their own luggage arrangement and figured out how to sit amongst it.

By early evening, we were finally all settled in the Conrad St. James and met at the pub for fish and chips. 

Randy had missed out on authentic pub fish and chips on both of our previous “visits” to London so he knew exactly what he wanted. Jo and Flynn ordered the same.  I don’t eat fish, even fish and chips in London.

Our hotel, The Conrad London St. James, is in a 19th century building in Westminster.  It was originally a hospital and was formerly Queen Anne’s chambers.  Anne became Queen in 1702 after the deaths of her uncle, father, older sister and older sister’s husband.  She was the last monarch from the House of Stuart. Despite seventeen pregnancies, Queen Anne died without an heir. 

The queen’s second cousin, George I, from the House of Hanover, succeeded her. The House of Hanover ruled Great Britain until Queen Victoria’s son, Edward VII, from the House of Saxe-Coburg,  took over by virtue of Victoria’s marriage to Albert.

The hotel has a world class art collection. ”The House Always Wins” shows a popular culture take on the House of Commons.

This large corgi is a nod to Queen Elizabeth II and her love of the breed.

Our room,  the hotel, and the included breakfasts were all very nice.  We did have to borrow electric adapters because, in the midst of worrying about warm clothes, we never thought about buying and bringing power adapters. The hotel seemed used to having to accommodate those who came unprepared.

We traveled to London on January 9 and 10, 2024.

Next up: With only one full day in London, we made the most of it!