Mini Josie rides a Double Decker Bus in London, England

Oh my, I am so excited! I am finally in London and having a wonderful time!

I'm staying with my great-aunt Helen who has lived in London for many years.It's been mild and very rainy in London since I arrived. I haven't really needed a winter coat, but I've been very glad to have my beautiful cosy plum-coloured scarf and my nice brown boots. I was hoping to experience a white Christmas in London, but Great-Aunt Helen says they don't happen every year and it will have to get a lot colder before snow can fall. But I'll keep hoping.

The first really thrilling thing I did was to travel on a real London bus. London's red double-decker bus is famous all over the world. I've always wanted to ride on one. It's a great way to see London, especially on the top deck!

I didn't go all the way into the city because that's faster and easier by train. Instead we went to the local shopping centre, Stratford, in East London. That's where the 2012 Olympics were held, so if you watched the London Olympics on TV you've already seen parts of Stratford. There are lots of swanky new apartments being built around the Olympic Village, but right now everyone is busy shopping for Christmas trees and gifts, and the main square in front of the station is always full of people hurrying around with their shopping or rushing to catch a train to work. It only takes twenty minutes of so to get to the City of London from Stratford on the Tube so it's a major commuter station. Great-Aunt Helen says it's almost impossible to get a seat on the Tube in rush hour, so when we go up to town we'll travel mid-morning when there aren't so many people.

One of my favourite discoveries in Stratford was a real old-fashioned hot chestnut seller. He was roasting chestnuts on a metal grid on his hand-cart and piling them into paper bags for people to eat as they walk. Hot chestnuts taste so good, but they're really hot. Maybe I should get some mittens before I buy any more of them!

Sent on behalf of Mini Josie by her British great-aunt
Helen McCarthy

(Lilly Maiden's note: Yes, it is *that* Helen McCarthy, the talented author, and all around lovely friend who can cross stitch and drink afternoon tea with the best of them! ^_^ )

To see more of Josie’s adventures, click here to view her Travel Log!