We made it!

We arrived in London at 3 pm local time, knackered as they say. We were running on fumes with no food or caffeine, and not nearly enough water or sleep. Heathrow is absolutely enormous and we managed to mess up one of our first tasks losing one our tickets for the Heathrow Express. The attendants took pity on us and let us pass with just our receipt. We navigated Paddington and our train tickets correctly, so things are looking up! Even in our majorly fatigued state and feeling pretty cranky, Paddington Station is amazing--beautiful and bustling. 

A two-hour train got us into Moreton-in-Marsh, our spot for the next few days. We are staying at the Manor House, a short walk from the train station. It's a gorgeous old hotel, dating back to the 1500's, and there's a lot of "mind your head" necessary to navigate the hallways and staircases. We very nearly got ourselves run over trying to cross the street as the opposite flow of traffic is so confusing to us. Since we'll be driving in about a week, we'll need to get that down!

We wandered down High Street after we checked in, in search of sustenance and libation. We were distracted by all "the old shit" as Steve says. The architecture is tremendous and rich with history. Moreton-in-Marsh was originally settled by the Romans in 42 AD and has been a market town since the 13th century and still serves as a large marketplace on Tuesdays. Of note is the Curfew Tower, which was lock-up for drunks and petty criminals, and its bell rang every night until the 1860's to remind residents to put out their fire at night. We also passed by the Bell Inn, which was the inspiration for Tolkien's Dancing Pony Pub. It dates back to the 15th century and is a functioning inn and pub today.