Adventure #3

London, England

From their Mouse House home in Australia to the streets of London, Big Brother and Big Sister Mouse are off on another adventure.

And there are some adventures that simply have to begin with a suitcase.

With their little Maileg suitcases packed and curiosity at the ready, the mice arrived in one of the world's most famous cities with a rather long list of places they hoped to see.

There would be palaces and parks, red double-decker buses, colourful markets, grand old buildings and a cruise along the River Thames.

And, as it turned out, quite a few beautiful front doors.

London was waiting.

A Royal Beginning at Kensington Palace

The mice began their London adventure in Kensington, where grand buildings, leafy streets and beautiful old houses made even an ordinary walk feel rather special.

Of course, there was one house considerably grander than all the others.

Kensington Palace.

Big Brother was interested in the history.

Big Sister was rather more interested in whether there might be a princess at home.

They decided both were perfectly good reasons to visit.

Standing outside the palace gates, the two little mice looked very small indeed.

But then again, that is part of the fun of being a mouse in a very big world.

A Walk Through Hyde Park

Nearby, they discovered Hyde Park.

After the excitement of London's busy streets, everything suddenly seemed a little quieter.

There were enormous trees, green lawns and winding paths to explore, with plenty of places for two small travellers to stop and rest their feet.

The mice wandered without any particular destination for a while.

Sometimes the best part of an adventure is having nowhere you need to be.

The Royal Albert Hall

Not far away stood another of London's famous landmarks — the Royal Albert Hall.

Round, grand and unlike anything in Mouse House Village, it deserved a proper stop for a photograph.

The mice stood outside and imagined all the musicians, performers and audiences who had passed through its doors over the years.

Big Sister thought it looked like the perfect place to wear something special.

Big Brother thought it looked like a very long way to walk around.

Both observations were probably correct.

A Little Colour on Portobello Road

Then it was time for Notting Hill and Portobello Road Market.

This was Big Sister's kind of London.

Colourful houses, market stalls, little shops and treasures waiting to be discovered around every corner.

The mice wandered slowly through Portobello Road, stopping to inspect all sorts of interesting things.

There were antiques and curiosities, beautiful shopfronts and more tempting little treasures than could possibly fit inside two mouse-sized suitcases.

Although Big Sister was willing to try.

The Doors of London

Some of the loveliest things the mice discovered in London weren't famous landmarks at all.

They were the doors.

Red doors. Blue doors. Green doors. Glossy black doors.

Doors framed by flowers, doors with beautiful brass knockers and doors reached by little sets of stone steps.

Soon, Big Brother and Big Sister began choosing their favourites.

It became something of a competition.

There is something very Mouse House about a beautiful front door.

Perhaps it is because every door makes you wonder about the home behind it and the stories of the people — or mice — who might live there.

All Aboard the Double-Decker Bus

There was really only one appropriate way for two little mice to see more of London.

A red double-decker bus.

Upstairs, of course.

From their seats, Big Brother and Big Sister watched London pass by below.

Black cabs hurried through the streets, beautiful old buildings appeared around corners and familiar landmarks suddenly came into view.

For two mice accustomed to much smaller forms of transport, travelling through London from the top of a double-decker bus felt like an adventure all by itself.

Big Ben & the Houses of Parliament

And then they saw it.

Big Ben.

Some places are so familiar from books, films and photographs that seeing them in real life feels rather magical.

Standing beside the Houses of Parliament and looking up towards the famous clock tower, the mice suddenly felt particularly tiny.

Even by mouse standards.

They stayed for a while, watching people cross Westminster Bridge and listening to the sounds of London all around them.

This was definitely one for the travel diary.

St Paul's Cathedral

London seemed to have another magnificent building waiting around every corner.

Next came St Paul's Cathedral.

The mice stopped at the bottom and looked up.

And up.

And a little further up.

Its great dome towered above the city, very different from the little roofs they were accustomed to back home.

Big Brother briefly considered how many mouse-sized stairs might be required to reach the top.

Big Sister suggested they admire it from down below instead.

A very sensible decision.

There was still far too much London left to explore.

London from the River

After exploring London on foot and from the top of a bus, the mice decided there was one more way they needed to see the city.

From the water.

Their River Thames cruise offered an entirely different view of London.

Bridges stretched above them, boats passed alongside and some of the city's most famous buildings appeared along the riverbanks.

This time, there was nowhere to hurry to.

Big Brother and Big Sister could sit together, rest their tired little feet and simply watch London float past.

Little Mice in a Very Big City

By the end of their London adventure, Big Brother and Big Sister had travelled by bus and boat, wandered through markets and parks, visited palaces and famous landmarks and discovered some very beautiful front doors along the way.

Their little suitcases had travelled all over London with them.

And somehow, despite Big Sister's efforts at Portobello Road Market, everything still fitted inside.

Mostly.

But the things the mice would remember most weren't necessarily the biggest or most famous.

It was sitting together on the bus watching the streets below.

Stopping because they had found another beautiful door.

Wandering through the park with nowhere particular to go.

And seeing a very big city through very little eyes.

Bring a Little Mouse House Adventure Home

You don't need a ticket to London to begin a Mouse House Adventure of your own.

A favourite mouse, a tiny suitcase and a few carefully chosen accessories can be the beginning of an entirely new little world.

At Mouse House Collective, we bring together Maileg mice, furniture, houses and accessories for Australian families and collectors who love imaginative play and all the little details that make a Mouse House feel like home.

Shop Maileg Mice in Australia

Shop Maileg Furniture in Australia

Read our Maileg SuitCasa Guide

And if you're beginning your first collection, our Mouse House Guides are filled with ideas to help you choose pieces that work beautifully together.

How to Start a Maileg Collection

Until the Next Adventure

As Big Brother and Big Sister Mouse climbed back into their little backpack, their feet were tired, their hearts were full and another wonderful memory had been added to their growing collection of adventures.

Every Mouse House Adventure reminds us that the destination is only half the story.

The real magic is found in slowing down, sharing the journey with the people we love and seeing familiar places through little eyes.

We hope you've enjoyed coming along with us.

Until the next adventure…

Keep looking for magic in the little things. 🤎

Adventure Log

Destination
London, England

Travellers
Big Brother Hiker Mouse & Big Sister Hiker Mouse

Season
Summer

Favourite Moment
Riding upstairs on a red double-decker bus and watching London unfold around them.

Places Discovered
Kensington Palace • Hyde Park • Royal Albert Hall • Portobello Road Market • Notting Hill • Big Ben • Houses of Parliament • St Paul's Cathedral • River Thames • The colourful doors of London

Mouse's Note 🤎

"There were so many beautiful doors in London that we started choosing which ones we would live behind. Big Sister chose the prettiest one she could find. I chose one close to somewhere we could stop for cake."

Little Discovery

London's famous red double-decker buses have become one of the city's most recognisable symbols.

Sitting on the top deck is also a wonderful way to see the city. From up high, little travellers can watch London's streets, buildings and famous landmarks appear as the bus makes its way through the city.

They Never Travel Without

🐭 Big Brother Mouse

🐭 Big Sister Mouse

🧳 Tiny Maileg Suitcases

🎒 Tiny Backpack

❤️ A little curiosity

Next Stop: Amsterdam 🇳🇱

The suitcases aren't being unpacked quite yet.

There are bicycles to ride, canals to explore, flowers to discover, windmills to find and another Mouse House Adventure waiting just across the water.