If you missed the first post, read London I
before continuing the journey with London II!
One year ago, I found myself whisked up in the freezing, wonderful whirlwind of England.
Every movement in this foreign territory of British newsreaders, grey skies and frosted windows was seamless, as our loosely strung plans resulted in golden days. In reality, we were two teenagers attempting to explore an entire continent on budgets that restricted us to backpacker hostels and frequent picnicking (ie. grabbing extra food from our buffet breakfasts).
Thankfully, we had a very generous grandmother to care for us in London, sharing her bed, her kitchen and her soul. She mapped out bus routes and laneways for us, bought us Oyster cards and even lined up our shoes next to the heater in the evenings (what more could you ask for??).
Each morning, we ate breakfast on her balcony overhanging the river Thames, admiring the city skyline and preparing for the day ahead… Words don’t do my feelings for this country justice, so I’ll let some photographs do the talking from here. Grab a cup of hot tea and a tin of English biscuits, and enjoy!
Harry Potter Studio Tour
Drink butterbeer: CHECK
Although tasting this magical beverage has been on my bucket list since I first read that it was a real thing, I’m sorry to say I was slightly disappointed… and disgusted. The foamy, bubbly drink tastes like very creamy Fanta: sweetness overdose!
On the plus side, I was able to keep the cup!
Windsor Castle
Stonehenge
Yes, Stonehenge is truly just a bunch of rocks, but we managed to have so much fun here and also learnt so much about the fascinating origins of the site.
Bath / Roman Baths
London City
The highlight of ALL these incredible places came down to a simple frozen lake: the centrepiece of Hyde Park. On our last day we hired rowboats and smashed our way through the ice to the middle of the lake, just as the sun was setting. One word: MAGIC.
“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”
-Anita Desai
