After Belfast, our cruise came to an end — but the trip wasn’t quite over yet.

Due to flight schedules, we decided to take a flight first thing the next morning. So after disembarking, we hopped a train to London for the afternoon and overnight.

Why We Built in a London Buffer

We’ve found this to be a better way for us to disembark and get home without the stress or logistics of going straight from ship to plane. We’ve had ships delayed and hit traffic problems in transit before — after a nice vacation, why add stress? A lazy afternoon in one of our favorite cities? Why not.

Wandering Hyde Park and Paddington

Staying near Paddington Station so we could get to Heathrow easily at the crack of dawn, we wandered through the Hyde Park neighborhood and some of the park itself.

A Stop at The Victoria Pub

A quick stop for some nibbles at The Victoria Pub. Look at that vintage bar — loving the pubs, as always.

St. James Church, Sussex Gardens

No touring day would be complete without a church, right? St. James Church, Sussex Gardens — small and stunning. What a little gem tucked into this neighborhood.

One Last Pub Dinner at The Mitre

Closing out the chapter — and the book — on this trip, there’s nothing better than a final visit to a pub for dinner. One last fish and chips dinner at The Mitre Pub.

And that’s a wrap on this trip…