Today we are recovering from the stress of the last few days. And I don’t mean the visit of Gabi’s sister, of course, but our unplanned move to the other hotel and the long time in the traffic jam. We slept wonderfully at the Premier Inn.

After a late breakfast, we set off in the direction of central London. And make good progress on the road along the Thames. Only in front of Trafalgar Square the cars are jammed.

First we visit the Fortnum & Mason department stores. Gabi has prepared quite a shopping list. There are so many beautiful things here! Their tea, honey, biscuits and mint chocolate are simply unsurpassed. At the moment, a peacock decorates the building.

At Whole Foods behind Piccadilly Circus we actually only want to buy a donut… and come out with lunch. The offer of the salad bar and the warm display just looked too good! Gabi enjoys her Caesar salad and I a big meatball with tomato sauce and macaroni and cheese.

We walk further up Regent Street and towards Carnaby Street and buy a cup cake for later. We also visit Liberty briefly. We want to take a look at the decorative pig that Gabi has reserved. Because finally we are here with a car in which it can fit alongside the rest of our luggage on the return journey to Switzerland. It is already waiting for us under a table. We will be back tomorrow to pick it up.

Then we drive to Covent Garden and slowly get ready for the musical: we watch Back to the Future again. With a heavy heart, I left my Marty McFly costume at home, so I’m virtually incognito here. I just wear my favourite BTTF t-shirt with the Twin Pines Mall signet and receive a few compliments. For me it is the fourth visit, for Gabi the third (and as she says: last) visit. The performance really sweeps me away again. I just love musicals, and especially this one. It doesn’t quite follow the first film, but deviates from it in parts. I’m sure that’s partly because it’s been adapted for the small stage, and partly because it’s meant to be a family-friendly performance, without guns and terrorists. But the key scenes are still there, and more. In addition, Marty’s family is given more space, and Doc Brown muses about all those scientists and dreamers who tinker with something but fail to make the decisive breakthrough. Yes, I could easily visit the musical once during every trip to England.

Happy and satisfied, we drive back to the hotel and eat the sandwiches we bought at Pret before the musical.