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On Sunday it was hot again and we decided to cool off by catching a ferry to Greenwich for the day. The ferry was really good and only cost £5.30 return each and the commentary was informative. We caught the bus from the Greenwich ferry wharf (£1.50 each return) up the hill to the Royal Observatory to see the ball on the roof of the Observatory drop at exactly 1.00 pm. (since 1833) so that sailors on the Thames could set their clocks. But because of the heat ? the ball went up the pole but never dropped. All the guides were running around in confusion, as this was only the second time in history that it had ?got stuck'. So quite memorable for us! After a look around, we caught the bus back down the hill and walked around the village of Greenwich.

We walked down to the tunnel which was built in 1902 and runs under the River Thames and then went into the National Maritime Museum . This is an amazing museum for those interested (or not) in anything maritime ? with one of the interesting exhibits being Lord Nelson's blood stained uniform with the bullet hole in the jacket. Also went into the Elizabeth 1 Exhibition which had items of her clothing and letters written by her which were 400 years old. Caught the ferry back and this journey is very pleasant, particularly on a hot sunny day. It also gives you a different view of London with the Canary Wharf area opposite with their modern high rise apartment and office buildings. The weather news confirmed that it was 37 degrees (101) today which was the all-time record.

On Monday we went to the Science Museum in South Kensington . Went into the Titanic Exhibition and the 3D Imax Theatre for £13.50 each. The 3D film was about James Cameron the American Film Director and a team travelling 4 kilometres in mini submarines with robot cameras, which took 2 ½ hours, to the resting place of the Titanic. The exhibition also had over 800 artifacts from the Titanic. We read some brave and sad accounts of the sinking and saw coins, notes, a coat, hats, jewellery, crockery, playing cards and personal items. The Science Museum is huge and you would need at least a full day here.

Tuesday was a bit cooler and we decided to see if the London Eye was operating. Walked across the Bridge from Westminster station and bought the tickets (£11 each and £2.50 souvenir book). We queued for 30 minutes (which apparently is a very short time) and the view is spectacular although you notice how much smog there is in London. It takes about 35 minutes for the capsules to go around with about 15 people in each. They also take a souvenir photo of the people in the capsule as it stops near the finish (needless to say the photo is expensive). We called into the nearby beautiful large building called the County Hall to a Wine Bar called Shino's, where we had a cool drink and listened to a live jazz band ? and it was beautifully air conditioned.

Tuesday night we had tickets to a play in the Theatre Royal Haymarket , built in the early 1800's. It is a very small theatre and the foyer is so small that the ushers meet you at the street entrance doorway to check your tickets. It has 3 levels for the audience and 4 large private gilded boxes with heavy canopies and curtains. I had booked the tickets to see one of my favourite actors Ralph Fiennes in an Ibsen play called Brand. Besides being excited to see Ralph Fiennes perform live I also saw one of Australia's best actresses, Cate Blanchett who was sitting with her husband in front of us. As the trains stop every night in London at 11.30pm we walked quickly back to the tube station so we didn't miss the last train home. It is unbelievable that in a large city like London trains stop at 11.30pm.

Wednesday saw us shopping in Harrods ? well just ?looking' really. I think the Food Hall is the best section but then again I love food! The displays of fresh food particularly the small canapés, cheese selections and seafood are amazing and the prices not too bad. Again went down to see the Dodi and Diana memorial in the basement at the foot of the Egyptian escalator with the wine glasses they used on their last night as well as the ring he bought for her. Walked around the surrounding streets and had a drink in the Turks Head Pub in Belgravia ? a very nice suburb. Walked back through Green Park with people sun baking in the green and white deck chairs lined up on the grass ? always good for a laugh.

Thursday morning we had a look in our Eyewitness Guide to London book and chose to do a walk as the weather forecast was going to be cooler. Caught the tube to Warwick Road Station and walked along the tow path of the Regents Canal to Little Venice which is another really nice residential area with Nash designed townhouses. There are lots of canal boats moored there, beautifully painted with ?gardens' on their roof with pots full of petunias etc. Looks like a caravan park on the water. We continued along the canal path and through Regents Park until we rejoined the Regents Canal. John Nash built the Canal in 1820 and it was used as a commercial waterway linking the Paddington area in the west with the London docks until a barge with gunpowder exploded near the London Zoo killing the crew and bringing down the bridge in 1874. The Canal fell into decline but has now been revived as a leisure amenity. It is a 2 hour pleasant walk ending at Camden Lock which has a thriving craft market. Very alternative life style place for shopping and also very crowded for a Thursday afternoon.

On Friday we went to Victoria Station to inquire about tours to Bath . The tour left at 9 am and returned in the afternoon with only 2 hours in Bath for the cost of £75 each ? so we decided to go by National Express Coach for £15 each return and do our own tour of Bath. The coach leaves Victoria Bus Station at 8 am and we booked on the 6.30pm return.

We then walked to the Royal Mews to see the State Coaches, horses, harnesses and livery. ?Mews' meant ?caged' as in the royal birds which when moulting were ?mewed' (caged) and then later the horses were stabled there ? hence ?Mews'. The Gold (Coronation) Coach is spectacular and we also saw the coach given by Australia (made in Dubbo) as a Bi-Centenary gift to the Queen. We walked to Trafalgar Square and down Charring Cross Road to Old Compton Road , Soho . Soho is a very different area ? nice Italian restaurants, cafes, sex shops, beautiful patisseries, coffee shops, etc. and also very crowded as well. We walked a short way to Leicester Square to get the tube home.

On Saturday , we caught the tube into Victoria Train Station and walked out through the back exit to the Bus Station for our 3 hour coach trip to Bath . The coach departed at 8 am and stopped at Heathrow to pick up passengers and then stopped at 3 other villages en route. Arrived at Bath a little after 11 am and bought tickets for the open top hop-on hop-off tour bus (£8.50 each). We stayed on for the whole loop and came back and bought a few sandwiches and drinks in Marks & Spencer's and sat in the park in the centre of the town. Afterwards we went into the Roman Baths which the Romans built between the 1 st and 4th centuries over one of Bath's three natural hot springs. It was a much bigger complex than I thought it would be so took longer than planned to go through it completely.

In the Middle Ages the baths crumbled and were built over and forgotten, until residents in the 17th century complained that hot water was seeping into their basements. The Council realised what was underneath and bought the houses and demolished them and started excavating. In the museum there are lots of finds excavated including the gilt head of Goddess Minerva, mosaic floors, other bath areas and temple ruins. The 12th century King's Bath was built around a secret spring and you look through glass windows to view the pool with niches for the bathers. 1.5 million litres still flow through the pool each day!

We then walked up to the Museum of Costume which has an interesting display of fashion from the 16th century to the late 20th century. We then continued up the hill to The Circus , a circle of 30 houses designed by John Wood the Elder. Then up to the Royal Crescent designed by John Wood the Younger and built between 1767 and 1774. Again another thirty houses in a crescent shape (grand ?Palladian' townhouses ? uninterrupted row) and Wood was so confident of his maths that he built the houses from both ends first and continued inwards from them. There are only 7 houses which are still complete houses, with the other houses broken into very expensive flats. One sold recently for £4 million and in the Circus the flats sell now for £2 million. The Three Tenors had a concert in the Royal Crescent during the last week too.

We were too late to visit the Abbey and Jane Austen Centre. Jane Austen lived in Bath for a time and based 2 of her books in Bath. Walking around the town and we admired the very expensive shops and beautiful buildings. We were told that Princess Diana was a regular shopper here as she lived nearby. I could have easily spent a few days in Bath. At 6.30 pm we caught the express coach back to Victoria arriving at 8.45pm.

Sunday we decided to visit Hampton Court Palace . Unfortunately on arrival at Waterloo Train Station and after buying our train tickets, we were advised of track work on the line and we would have to go via Surbiton and change for Hampton Court. It was very confusing which train and platform we had to depart from and there were crowds of people also confused and anxious about their trains and platforms. Finally got information to watch the departure boards and at the last minute advised which platform we needed to be on.