Did you go to London if you didn't take pictures in the classic red phone booths? My mom had visited in the early 90s and I loved having our photos in the photo booth side by side.
When I arrived in London it was late at night and when I started my first day there it was early morning. SO it took me THREE times to walk past Abbey Road in London to realize that was the same place where the Beatles recorded at Abbey Road Studios and named their 1969 album. It's a fun visit and drivers let pedestrians take their time crossing the street to get the shot they want on this famous road.
Big Ben was under construction when I visited but it was still nice to see as well as the London Eye lit up at night. I viewed it from the street and didn't take a spin. St. Paul's cathedral was HUGE. I walked at night to Buckingham Palace and I do wish I had visited earlier to have seen the changing of the Guards all of these places are close to each other and are walkable.
Tower Bridge is magnificent. I enjoyed a cocktail in the shard at Oblix. Cozy and romantic atmosphere with a view of the water, tower bridge, and the entire city.
I had dinner one night in Little Italy and another in China Town. China Town was decked out for the New Year. This is a fun area to explore as well as the rest of SoHo which is LGBTQ+ friendly.
Kensington Palace and Gardens: It offers a mix of old and new with green space and I loved seeing the fashion that Queen Diana had worn in years past. You were able to feel like royalty while visiting.
The Natural History Museum: not only kid-friendly but interesting. My favorite exhibits were about the human body and the dinosaurs. Many of London's museums are free, I wish more cities hopped on to this idea!
Camden Market: I love any farmers market type vibe and this did not disappoint. I like that the booths where people were selling products were by the water and the announcer to get into the market made you feel like you were shopping at a different time.
Piccadilly Circus: It was the only part of London that felt like NYC bustling with action and lights.
ZSL London Zoo: I liked this zoo because it seemed like they were trying to educate people along the way. For example, they had tanks with fish but also a tank with water-bottles to discuss littering. They had a section with alligators and another with an alligator purse to show how some animals are going extinct. Many areas did not have typical small cages but instead, put the human visitors in them and let the animals roam around.
Other thoughts on my trip-
During college, I was accepted to study abroad in London. At the time I also realized with my college advisor that I could graduate early but wouldn't necessarily be able to do so if I went abroad. With college being as expensive as it is, I decided that I would rather graduate early, save money and be able to travel later when I could be completely immersed and enjoy my time without having to worry about writing a paper, taking exams while abroad. Learning certainly happens in the classroom but sometimes the real-world experience can make one learn and grow even more.
In the winter of 2019, I was able to travel to London for work. It was a city that was much more spread apart than I realized. My mom had gone in the early '90s and enjoyed it and since I had friends who had studied abroad there already, I was ready to experience it for myself. I didn't feel at all overwhelmed while there, it felt safe, manageable and I could even picture myself living abroad there.
Transportation was pretty easy to use and it was one of the first solo trips that I didn't have family or friends to rely on...double-decker buses were fun to view the city and the tube was fast and clean. I loved the kind words that you could read before catching a ride on the tube.
Strangers were incredibly kind to me when I somehow DROPPED MY WALLET. I was smart to have left a business card in the wallet and within an hour of it missing, someone called me. I didn't even realize it was gone that's how quick it all played out.
I'd love to go back and explore other parts of The United Kingdom. Where are your favorite parts there?
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