Big 60 London trip...and. Blackpool weekend... Pre-trip part 1

[djewkes]

We have no exotic holidays planned and me and him were just sat there..like you do with a drink or two on a wet Saturday a couple of weeks ago and we started talking birthdays... well I am 60 on 10th May and DH the toyboy is 60 a whole 15 days later on the 25th May... and I asked for a cake...this might not seem a biggie to most people but the birthdays I have had a birthday cake are rare...on my 40th I got a economy chocolate Swiss roll with a candle in it (the fact I had had him a lovely expensive cake made for his was a bit of a sore point)... So then he suggested a couple of nights in London for mine and 3 nights in Blackpool for his (his favourite place honest)...
So I got on t'internet and booked 1st class return train tickets leaving Friday returning Sunday morning, 2 nights in The. Cavendish Hotel which is just behind Fortnums in a superior queen room with champagne on ice, 2 tickets to see Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Savoy Theatre for the Friday night and a special Edible Garden afternoon tea with unlimited champagne at the Intercontinental Westminster...
Now you might say this hardly qualifies as a trip report as it's such a short trip but I have never actually done a trip report so I'll start small...
Also the lack of photos in this pre-trippie will be rectified in the trip report I promise, however I don't promise a photo of me as I'm not the best subject (I think I qualify as a UOH or Ugly Old Hag)...
Now him and me like our food and having been on a diet for 3 weeks are now going to ruin it all by eating our fill along with the odd drinky or two because we're only going to be this age once and having lost my sister, niece and 5 of my first cousins either before this age or not long after, I certainly plan on making the most of anything we can celebrate!
So the basic plan is DD is picking us up tomorrow morning at 9:30ish to take us to the station where we will have a cappuccino or something and pick up a magazine before the 10:40 train to. London, which takes 2 hours,once in London a taxi to the hotel a quick change in the room (hopefully it's ready). Then out to Fortnums to pick up some teas and coffee, Charbonnel et Walker on Bond Street for rose and violet creams (been going there since 1973) for the theatre, then a wander down to Covent Garden to browse the stalls and shops and hopefully try the Shake Shack for a late lunch. Heading down to the theatre for the 7:30 show. After the show we'll meander back to the hotel possibly picking up something to eat on the way. Then the hotel bar for a nightcap.
Saturday morning it may be Portobello Road and/or Borough Market, maybe popping into The Clink on the way back to the hotel before changing for afternoon tea which is booked for 6pm, late I know but it was either that or 2pm (which to my mind is lunch)... after that it may well be the hotel bar again cos I have picked out a cocktail I want to try there...
Sunday it will be a lazy breakfast before the 11:30 train home, planned that way cos I hate hanging about clock-watching and prefer to get home earlier...
So today has been spent doing vital things...a trip to Crystal Peaks (a much smaller alternative to Meadowhell), where we purchased essentials such as travel toothpaste... and new tops from M&S (him as well as me), usual exchange of words in M&S cos he would try and pick his own clothes... doesn't he know by now after 38 years that it's not wise... he picked these funny dark tan trousers and a navy and white shirt... and through the years he has bought similar coloured trousers and never worn them... so we bought navy trousers with the navy shirt...he got over it before we got to the car...
Also purchased nibbles for the train, we traditionally buy these, they are normally only useful to take room up in the bag, we take them down with us and bring them back, and buy other nibbles whilst we are there to keep them company...
Followed that by calling in at Dobbies on the way home, as we hadn't eaten and it was now 1pm I ordered the afternoon tea (yes I know it's lunch but they serve it from 10am ) he pulled a face but tucked in when it arrived... seriously this is a bargain for £10 for the two of us we got... 2 cafetieres of coffee, 6 finger sandwiches (we opted for salmon) of smoked salmon and cream cheese, 1 plain and 1 fruit scone with butter and strawberry and black currant jam and 4 mini cream cakes... I think is is really good value...
Home for the inevitable bit of ironing and gathering of bits to pack... how come he has twice as much as me, I thought it was women who overpacked...
The Blackpool bit of the celebrations is also organised, hotel near the Pleasure Beach booked, plus Tesco vouchers exchanged for the P leisure Beach, Tower and Tussauds, and a show The Rat Pack tribute act booked...
Also the kids have booked us a meal with the whole family (4 children, 2 in law children and 7 grandchildren) at a nice hotel for the 17th May...
Last year we didn't really get birthdays as we had just taken over running a pub and it all passed in a haze of hard work and confusion as we were settling in, and if I leave it to him to organise a birthday for me then it just doesn't happen so we will often go away for birthdays but Florida just wasn't happening this year... so this is it...
Thankyou for reading...

[SammyScotland]

Sounds fab. We love London. Will be really interested to hear what you think about the show.