MY TRIP TO LONDON

At the beginning of April 2018 my parents took me to London and Paris as an early graduation gift, and I seriously had so much fun! We saw so many amazing things that I've spent a lot of time learning about in school. Our stay in London lasted for four and a half days. In an attempt to pack every possible opportunity into those four and a half days, we got up early and stayed out late. We walked to everything reasonably close to our hotel which gave us a great change to see the city. One day we even walked over 11 miles. Any chance I had to sit down I fell asleep instantly whether we were in a taxi to the airport, on a park bench, or riding to tube to our next adventure. Below I'm sharing a few of my favorite pictures and memories from the trip, things that made our experience great, and tips I wish I knew before we left.

Day 1. When we arrived in London we checked into our hotel (the tiniest bathroom I've ever been in) and then headed straight for the London Eye. The glass capsule is so steady that you feel completely safe gliding above the city. We bought the fast track tickets and it was so worth it to skip the giant line and get right on the Ferris wheel. Next that we did a river cruise on the Thames River right next to the London Eye. The guides point out interesting landmarks including Tower Bridge.

Day 2. Figuring out the London Underground was the best thing ever. We got re-loadable Oyster cards and took the tube everywhere that was too far to walk. This got us to the Tower of London where we were the second ones in line before it opened. Being early to the tower and buying our tickets before we left home made our visit so much more enjoyable. We were the first to see the Royal Jewels and all museums were still empty. When we walked out from seeing the huge diamonds there was a two hour line outside and all the attractions were packed. Because it was Easter, we saw Beefeaters in ceremonial uniforms escorting the Chief Yeoman Warder to the Church of St Peter ad Vincula. We had lunch at Paul's, a French style sandwich shop right outside Tower of London. I got the formage rosette which was unbelievably good. The rest of the day was spent walking around the city and seeing churches and landmarks including St. Paul's cathedral and Westminster Abby. We met some family at Covent Garden, got macarons from Lauderee, and had dinner at Nags Head. I ordered the Cheddar, Red Leicester Cheese, Potato, and Onion Pie which might be one of the best things I ate in Europe.

Day 3. We took a train to Hampton Court and hung out in the gardens before it opened. Because we got there so early the gardens were empty and we could have the fields of never ending daffodils all to ourselves. There were birds, squirrels, swans, and we even saw two horses that were about to pull a cart. Walking through the beautiful empty gardens might have been one of my favorite things to do in London. When the palace doors opened we explored the home of Henry VIII and his many wives. Next we went to the British Museum which honestly wasn't my favorite just because of how packed it was. Harrods, the luxury department store was the same way. For dinner we had tea at Fortnum and Mason which was a great experience. The Liquorice, Mint, and Lemon Verbena tea and their scones were my favorite things there.

Day 4. Pret a Manger is a great place to grab something quick for breakfast or lunch, and it tastes great. After breakfast we started on an Evan Evans Bus Tour to Winsor, Bath, and Stonehenge. We spent a short amount of time at each place, but we were able to see everything we wanted. While we were at Winsor there was a flag above the palace that signaled the Queen was staying there. At Bath we saw the Roman baths, and more of the English countryside. Stonehenge was amazing to see because of how famous it is and the mystery that surrounds it.

Day 5. In the morning we toured Kensington Palace, I ordered chicken ramen from Wagamama for lunch, and then took the Eurostar to Paris. 

Tips for a Great Trip:

- Most of the locals wear nice wool coats and scarves All. The. Time. If you don't want to pack your nice dress coat then bring a warm waterproof jacket. Wear cute shoes that you can walk a lot in like sneakers or comfortable chelsea boots. I also recommend bringing a travel umbrella and small backpack.
- Buy tickets at home ahead of time to cut down on stress and time waiting in lines.
-  Get to busy attractions before they open. You don't have to wait in lines and it's worth it to have the place to yourself or not very crowded.
- Learn the lingo. Most of the language is the same but you don't want to be shocked when the lemonade you asked for is actually a sprite.

Thanks for reading to the end of a long post, and hopefully it had some helpful tips to plan your next trip to London. If you have any questions or want to know more leave a comment. Stay tuned for part 2 of my Europe trip, Paris.