Here we are, the last full day of our amazing UK holiday. Before leaving the US, we purchased ridiculously expensive (£750.00) tickets to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Leavesden, just outside of London. They will not consider a refund and we were advised to just come anyway. B-Koog was on the upswing, I was not feverish and E and Mrs. Koog were healthy. So, we all donned masks, hailed a car and rode to Leavesden.
The driver dropped us off in front of Warner Bros. Studio and we walked into the building. I started to feel very lightheaded and dizzy simultaneously, the alarms on both my phone and Apple Watch were blasting. Apparently due to the mask, my O2 levels were below 90%. We found a corner near the door and sat down so I could take some deep breaths. I enquired again about a refund since now I could not wear a mask without oxygen deprivation. Still no refund or even a credit for when we return next summer. So, I did my best…I had my mouth covered and kept my nose out and stayed far away from everyone. Even the other people that looked sick and were hacking up a lung. Judge me if you must, but I did the best I could with the situation at hand.
Harry Potter Studios is spectacular. No other word for it . This place is where all the movies were shot and you are walking through all the sets. Gringotts, the great hall, Diagon Alley, Gryffindor dorm, Hogwarts express, the Knight Bus, Privet Drive house, a GINORMOUS scale mode of Hogwarts, wigs, wardrobe, wands, creatures…all of it. If you are even remotely a fan of the books or movies, this is a must on your UK itinerary. Yes, it is super expensive but absolutely worth every penny. A word of advice, skip the overpriced and non-exclusive gift shop. Of course, you exit through the gift shop but we bypassed the shopping with no issues from the short Koogs!
We were pleasantly surprised at the lunch cafe. Lunch was both relatively inexpensive and really tasty. Boys had burgers and Mrs. Koog and I had Nicoise salads. Mrs. Koog also got mugs of butter beer for all 3 of her children. The cafe is about midway through the studio and there is both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is in a courtyard where the Privet Drive house, Knight Bus and other sets are placed and can be walked through. Really, really well done. The entire tour was about 3 or 4 hour but all things considered, it went by pretty fast.
Once we were finished and outside, we were very far from other humans as we walked to the bus stop. We sat on the top of the double decker, alone and masked, for the trip to the train station. Once at the Watford Junction station, we were alone in a train car for the ride back to Euston. We found a pub with outdoor seating right across from the Euston station and opted to eat there since there were very limited options once back in Hempstead. Our last night for true pub food. It was 3 steak and ale pies for me and the little Koogs and fish and chips for the Mrs. After a yummy (or I assume yummy as I have lost the ability to taste and smell) we masked up and were back on a nearly empty train to Hempstead and the million step Maisonette.
The water pressure in the place was wonderful, as were the accordion glass doors we opened at night to a small balcony off the master bedroom. I really loved the area and wished we were healthy enough to explore the area. It was a real neighborhood versus a touristy area. When on a 30 day vacation and one must catch COVID, it’s much better to get it on day 25 vs day 5. We were so lucky to be healthy for nearly the entire trip.
After a shower, I had yet another dose of Night Nurse and Ibuprofen in prep for sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day waking up in London and going to bed in Poolesville.
Until tomorrow…
The driver dropped us off in front of Warner Bros. Studio and we walked into the building. I started to feel very lightheaded and dizzy simultaneously, the alarms on both my phone and Apple Watch were blasting. Apparently due to the mask, my O2 levels were below 90%. We found a corner near the door and sat down so I could take some deep breaths. I enquired again about a refund since now I could not wear a mask without oxygen deprivation. Still no refund or even a credit for when we return next summer. So, I did my best…I had my mouth covered and kept my nose out and stayed far away from everyone. Even the other people that looked sick and were hacking up a lung. Judge me if you must, but I did the best I could with the situation at hand.
Harry Potter Studios is spectacular. No other word for it . This place is where all the movies were shot and you are walking through all the sets. Gringotts, the great hall, Diagon Alley, Gryffindor dorm, Hogwarts express, the Knight Bus, Privet Drive house, a GINORMOUS scale mode of Hogwarts, wigs, wardrobe, wands, creatures…all of it. If you are even remotely a fan of the books or movies, this is a must on your UK itinerary. Yes, it is super expensive but absolutely worth every penny. A word of advice, skip the overpriced and non-exclusive gift shop. Of course, you exit through the gift shop but we bypassed the shopping with no issues from the short Koogs!
We were pleasantly surprised at the lunch cafe. Lunch was both relatively inexpensive and really tasty. Boys had burgers and Mrs. Koog and I had Nicoise salads. Mrs. Koog also got mugs of butter beer for all 3 of her children. The cafe is about midway through the studio and there is both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is in a courtyard where the Privet Drive house, Knight Bus and other sets are placed and can be walked through. Really, really well done. The entire tour was about 3 or 4 hour but all things considered, it went by pretty fast.
Once we were finished and outside, we were very far from other humans as we walked to the bus stop. We sat on the top of the double decker, alone and masked, for the trip to the train station. Once at the Watford Junction station, we were alone in a train car for the ride back to Euston. We found a pub with outdoor seating right across from the Euston station and opted to eat there since there were very limited options once back in Hempstead. Our last night for true pub food. It was 3 steak and ale pies for me and the little Koogs and fish and chips for the Mrs. After a yummy (or I assume yummy as I have lost the ability to taste and smell) we masked up and were back on a nearly empty train to Hempstead and the million step Maisonette.
The water pressure in the place was wonderful, as were the accordion glass doors we opened at night to a small balcony off the master bedroom. I really loved the area and wished we were healthy enough to explore the area. It was a real neighborhood versus a touristy area. When on a 30 day vacation and one must catch COVID, it’s much better to get it on day 25 vs day 5. We were so lucky to be healthy for nearly the entire trip.
After a shower, I had yet another dose of Night Nurse and Ibuprofen in prep for sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day waking up in London and going to bed in Poolesville.
Until tomorrow…
Comments
Post a Comment