We set out with the usual trepidation about the duration of our flight to London via Dubai, however we had a sweetener with arrival of the Aussie cricket team which was sharing our flight to start  their series against Pakistan in Dubai.

I must admit I was a bit excited about seeing players like Johnson, Haddin, Smith, Hughes, Lyon, Starc and Abbott close up as they were ushered off to first class while we headed to the front of the back of the plane.

Our memories of the last time we arrived at Heathrow were again realised as we filed through stockyard-like conditions to get through customs, but once we cleared that hurdle we quickly grabbed our luggage, found our shuttle service and headed toward our motel in peak-hour morning traffic. 

After freshening up we decided to go 'adventuring' to try and walk off some of the 24-hour jet-lag.

We finished up at the Queen's place, Buckingham Palace but exhausted we grabbed a pub meal on the way back to the hotel and really can't remember putting our heads on the pillow to get some much-needed rest.

Our travels proper started at 8am  the next morning with our delightful 'very English' guide Stuart and driver, Welshman Merian.

Our first morning saw us quickly exit London on our scenic route to Oxford, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and our overnight stop of Warwick.

The first thing that strikes you is just how young Australia is as we travelled though miles on miles of land dotted with ancient ruins of castles and walls that date back well over a thousand years, in some places.

We started off at Henry VIIIs Hampton Court where the Magnate Carta was signed, then on to Anne Hathaway's Cottage (William Shakespeare's wife) and then to Shakespeare's own family home. The tour also included live performances of some of the Bard's work

Oxford was like taking a step back in time, with many of the streets still the way they were 500 years ago as well as hosting several university towns.