LONDON

It all started when…

The Metropolitan city I dreamt of revisiting as an adult was London. At the start of 2018, I had made the decision to travel to London sometime that year. I had planned on going after graduating with my AS Degree as a graduation gift to myself. I worked all summer picking up an extra job as an event planner’s assistant & saved up for this solo trip I had planned. However later on I was able to have my mother & brother tag along with me. I’ve never traveled with my mom alone or with my brother so this was an exciting adventure us. Not only has it been a long time since my mother got a break from her full time job, but this was also my brothers first time traveling to a new country.

I flew into Gatwick Airport at 11 am September 24th, 2018. I had planned to meet my mother and brother at our airbnb. If you don’t know what an airbnb is yet, it’s a rental service for rooms/ full apartments/ houses. A.k.a. another version of a hotel but in a home & way cheaper. The reason why we were meeting there was because they flew in earlier in the day from Korea. With myself flying in from my trip to New York. We were only staying there for a few days because my mother loves hotels, so she wanted to stay at the Novotel Hotel Paddington for the last four days of our trip. Both places were beautiful and within great locations.

Unknowingly, me & my mother had booked a similar excursion on different days without knowing either had done so. However it turned out to be the best thing we did because we were able to take our time & enjoy our experience. That excursion was the Warner Brothers Studio Tour. It was amazing! Me & my brother love the Harry Potter Series, making us over the moon intrigued during the tour. It opens your eyes to how everything was made and is a definite recommendation if visiting London! We also visited the London Bridge, which was very cool, however if you’re only in London for a few days, it’s not worth going inside and paying for. Taking pictures and marveling outdoors is just as beautiful & FREE! Aside from that we also went to Westminster Castle, Buckingham Palace, Stonehenge, Oxford, St. Pauls Cathedral, & the London Eye. Westminster castle & Buckingham palace were outstanding! The pictures, history, the intricacies all over makes for a wonderful experience and definitely worth the money. Not to mention the carriages/items displayed from HRH Prince Harry’s & Meghan Markles Wedding. I was extremely excited about their wedding in May that this was a highlight seeing the carriage and wedding gown she wore. Stonehenge is definitely cool for what it is but not really a necessity when visiting the United Kingdom. It is very short and its best going with a tour guide, we went with Golden Tourist Company and they do ask for tips at the end of your trip. I recommend having a minimum 5 pound note with you to give as tip. We also stopped by Oxford for a brief moment and it’s history is truly interesting. St. Pauls Cathedral is beautiful and worth the trek up the stairs to the top. Although a bit terrifying, its worth at least seeing the whole cathedral and experiencing what the monks walked through. After we went to the London Eye. It was definitely a great experience. It is beautiful on a clear day but not great for those who are afraid of heights. It is also very crowded and recommend getting tickets for it at the airport or online.

Later on in the evening after the London Eye, my family decided to walk along the river. My mother & I stopped by this truck to pick up a spiced whiskey apple cider & smoked whiskey drink. Let me say it is the best warm spiked drink I’ve had in a long time, plus I’m a sucker for fairy lights on a cute street so this night was right up my alley. On the last day, we stopped by Westminster Abbey for service and walked around London buying souvenirs. Relaxing and having our last pizza during our trip. Some places I wish we went to & eat at was Big Ben, Indian Food, Wagamamas, & a good Sunday roast. Aside from that I hope to go back soon & hope to get the opportunity to live there for a few years, I think I’d be a wonderful experience.