There is a lot to see here.
This morning, we completed our phone SIM card research and decided to wait until we get to Spain to get our new SIM cards. Vodaphone was recommended to us as one of the best services to use. We compared them with Tmobile EE UK and found that 1) we wouldn't be able to retain our phone numbers with Tmobile EE, 2) the Vodaphone "Pay as you go" plan/SIM card only was much more generous than Tmobile EE (4 G, 3000 talk, unlimited text, 20 GB data) for L30/mo each, 3) Vodaphone is all over Spain and the rest of Europe (TEE is not), and 4) we don't want to sign up for a 30 pound month if we are only going to be in UK for a few more days. Our current service is not great, but it is working slowly. [Also, if you do not have an in-country address and an in-country bank account, you can't pay your monthly bill online. You have to physically go in to the shop to pay each month.] Any other (cheaper) plan would require at least a 12 month contract and we didn't want to do that. Since we will need a SIM card for each country we go to, we are going to wait to get a pay as you go plan in Spain - that's where we plan to stay for about 3 months and the exchange is better for Euro to Dollar (1 USD = 1.19 Euro).
So, we didn't make it to London today. We'll probably just do one trip to London tomorrow, leaving early and get the most out of it. The train from Eastbourne will cost us 23 pounds each, which by our choice includes free use of the underground and buses for the day. We plan to find a red double decker tour bus asap and do the circuit, stopping to check out various sights.
However, we did visit the Eastbourne waterfront again after breakfast at the Roots Cafe (where they serve locally grown ingredients) and our phone shopping.
This morning, we completed our phone SIM card research and decided to wait until we get to Spain to get our new SIM cards. Vodaphone was recommended to us as one of the best services to use. We compared them with Tmobile EE UK and found that 1) we wouldn't be able to retain our phone numbers with Tmobile EE, 2) the Vodaphone "Pay as you go" plan/SIM card only was much more generous than Tmobile EE (4 G, 3000 talk, unlimited text, 20 GB data) for L30/mo each, 3) Vodaphone is all over Spain and the rest of Europe (TEE is not), and 4) we don't want to sign up for a 30 pound month if we are only going to be in UK for a few more days. Our current service is not great, but it is working slowly. [Also, if you do not have an in-country address and an in-country bank account, you can't pay your monthly bill online. You have to physically go in to the shop to pay each month.] Any other (cheaper) plan would require at least a 12 month contract and we didn't want to do that. Since we will need a SIM card for each country we go to, we are going to wait to get a pay as you go plan in Spain - that's where we plan to stay for about 3 months and the exchange is better for Euro to Dollar (1 USD = 1.19 Euro).
So, we didn't make it to London today. We'll probably just do one trip to London tomorrow, leaving early and get the most out of it. The train from Eastbourne will cost us 23 pounds each, which by our choice includes free use of the underground and buses for the day. We plan to find a red double decker tour bus asap and do the circuit, stopping to check out various sights.
However, we did visit the Eastbourne waterfront again after breakfast at the Roots Cafe (where they serve locally grown ingredients) and our phone shopping.
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| The Eastbourne Bandstand has been there since the 1930's, replacing the original built in 1893. I understand that one of the bandsmen from the Bandstand orchestra was in the band that went down on the Titanic. |
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| The Grand Hotel, built in 1875, is known as The White Palace and is the only 5 star hotel on the English coast. Our host says it looks like a wedding cake and I agree. |
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| Beachy Head is huge chalk cliff headland near Eastbourne. It is the highest sea chalk cliff in Britain. |
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| Beautiful gardens that start at the Bandstand and go all the way down to that last hotel. |
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| Our host told us that the shingle beach material was brought in because the original sand beach was washing away. They also put up these vertical bulkheads to limit the erosion. It seems to be working.
As you can see, the weather wasn't ideal. It as been overcast, rather cold, and rainy off and on since we arrived. Of course, that is what we are used to and we dressed accordingly in layers. But, really, we want to feel the sun and find a warmer place. So, after London and a bit more exploring, we are going to head to Spain - our planned destination - and see if we can camp out for 3 months or more.
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