London turned out to be such a treat. This city astonishes me every time I visit. There is so much history everywhere, but there are also so many new places to discover. Most importantly, London is a city that invites you to wander around and soak it all in, whether that is along the river, through bustling markets, or simply around the city centre.
Amazingly, I am not taking my own advice, because some of the things on this list already appeared on the one I wrote after my last visit. But who cares? Just explore London and make the best of it. Yours, Pollybert
1.) Taking the Tube from A to B always seems to take about 30 minutes. Except when you travel from Heathrow into the city. Then it feels more like 90.
2.) If you want to visit Westminster Abbey, it makes sense to book your tickets in advance. Don’t be like me and show up on V.E. Day when the Abbey is closed to the public, only to come back the next day and find it fully booked.
3.) Spring in London is not for allergy sufferers. I was sneezing and coughing my way through parks and streets.
everything is in bloom @London
4.) I was surprised by how many Americans I encountered in London. They often seemed much louder than other visitors, even when travelling as couples. There are so many of them, and many seem to live here as well. I wonder how the English cope with all that noise.
5.) I really love the huge advertisements for books. They say so much about a country’s culture. I think that’s wonderful.
Consider yourself kissed @London
6.) Most pavements have dropped kerbs, making it much easier for wheelchair users, people with prams, and travellers pulling suitcases.
7.) The rubbish from restaurants and cafés is often placed on the pavement at the end of the business day and somehow disappears overnight. Perhaps they simply don’t have space for bins inside.
8.) I was glad I had dinner reservations for all three nights, while I was traveling by myself. Otherwise, the sheer number of restaurants would have made choosing almost impossible.
9.) You need a plan if you want to see the things that interest you most in London. I loved wandering around and getting lost, but I was also glad that I had marked a few sights on my offline map.
10.) If walking is not your thing, you can always rent one of those bicycle rickshaws and be driven around the city. You certainly won’t go unnoticed.
bicycle rickshaw @London
11.) The Tube is incredibly loud. At times I felt as though I was going to go deaf.
12.) Wine is exorbitantly expensive at around £10 per glass, and even a pint at about £7 is hardly a bargain.
13.) At Heathrow, there is no need to remove your liquids or cosmetics from your hand luggage. Everything can stay in your bag. Hurrah!
14.) So many apartments are on street level, making them visible to everyone walking past. You can almost peek into people’s living rooms and become part of the family for a moment.
apartments on street leve @London
15.) It’s best to book all of your must-sees in advance. Better still, choose either one of the first or the last time slots of the day. Once again, Westminster Abbey taught me that the 1 p.m. slot was my personal hell.
16.) Don’t expect every hit from the Best Of album when you go to see ABBA Voyage. The show started with two songs I had never even heard before. It was a lot of fun, though.
17.) Traveling with a friend to celebrate your birthday makes the day super special!
on Primrose Hill @London
