May 23 & 24 - Helsinki to London

May 23

We cleaned and neatened our very nice accommodations.

Fran met us and we walked to the train station and got the train to the airport. A reality show, The Great Race, Finland, was being filmed on the train for the first day of their fourth season.

  FinnAir was great. Mark was given a wheelchair that Barbara could push which made it easier to have food en route to the gate. We breezed through two security checks and then we had our last Finnish meal - Mark had salmon soup and Barbara a salmon salad.

    Fran had to separate with us shortly after we arrived because she could not check her bag with Icelandic Air until later.

     The flight was just over 3 hours and smooth.

      We left Helsinki with blue skies and nice cool weather in the 60s. We landed in London in a heat wave.

       Unusually, we opted to take an Uber ride to Streatham to stay with Pete and Shirley. Taking the Elizabeth Line, then a subway and then a bus was just too daunting with Mark's knee. We thought about an Uber from Tottenham Court Road, but costed it out and taking the ride right from Heathrow was just about the same price and WAY less hassle.

       We arrived in late afternoon and relaxed with Pete and Shirley on their shady deck.

        Then, we went to dinner at an Italian restaurant where we've met up with Sue before.

It was a lovely evening.

May 24 - A day of relaxing on the deck.

      We had a fantastic day of doing NOTHING, something we both need as we are tired and Mark iced and rested his knee most of the day. Barbara did a good session of yoga in their conservatory/gym. Pete and Shirley had an obligation in downtown London for the afternoon, so we read the afternoon away on their deck in the shade.

      Later, we had a pizza delivery.

      This day was just what we needed.