From London, with Love <3
Located about 20-30 minutes outside London, stands Windsor Castle and a cute little town filled with souvenir shops, restaurants and boutiques.
Who’s the hottest in the world right now? Just touchdown in London Town.
If there’s one thing I can encourage readers: travel.
You may have heard this a thousand times before, but traveling is necessary for someone in their 20s. It’s more than just looking good on social media. Traveling to another city, state or country can help broaden your horizons and educate you on different cultures, traditions and backgrounds. You get a taste of another world you haven’t seen before and who knows? Maybe you’ll someday live in the place where you visited for vacation.
Recently, I traveled to London, England with my family as a celebratory vacation. The trip was actually my first time flying across the Atlantic and to Europe. I can honestly say it was so much fun traveling to one of the fashion capitals of the world. I feel like I fit right in!
From my experiences, there’s a lot to London that I have observed about the people I’ve met and places I have visited. If you’ve been wanting to travel to London or Europe, here are some pointers you should know.
Power Converters are Different
Europe’s electricity voltage is greater than America’s. USA and Canada have 120V electricity while many countries in Europe have 220V electricity. So, you will need a dual power converter (or two) in order to plug in your electronic devices. Before going on your trip, you must be able to do your research on what kind of plug converter they have, so you won’t have to spend your money last minute when you’re at your destination.
You can easily find your options from $30 to $40 on Amazon!
Go Big and Go Broke, Bruh
It is London, one of the top tourist destinations. You are bound to go broke, regardless of how much money you bring. From food to transportation, everything costs a lot of money. You can be able to easily find currency exchange in the city, but please note that British pounds and Euros hold more value than American dollars. I spent most of my money on my debit card, but because I paid in British pounds, the transactions showed up more in American dollars. While this is self-explanatory, spend at your heart’s content, but be mindful of what you need to spend vs. what you want to spend. Wow. I should take my own advice.
No A/C
London and the United Kingdom—which combines England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—are very cold, even in the summertime. There are some places that may have air conditioning, but most of time, places in London have fans to keep cool. The weather was perfectly warm and windy when I visited. However, the evening weather reaches to around 60 degrees, so I would recommend to bring a light cardigan or jacket with you if you’re going out.
Look Good, Feel Good
This may be a biased opinion, but from my experiences, Londoners dress very fashionably—including the people are not going anywhere special. Besides tourists, I see a lot of Londoners wearing fashionable suits, trendy clothing and carrying designer purses. Obviously, London is one of the fashion capitals of the world, so almost every neighborhood district within the city has a lot of high-end boutiques and popular retail stores extending to three floors!
Walking Costs Nothing
If you don’t want to spend too much money on Ubers, the train or taxis, walk. It’s a good daily exercise and wherever you may want to go to is only 20-30 minutes away via walking. Plus, you’re going to be walking everywhere anyway in Europe, so bring comfortable walking shoes, as opposed to sandals because it will hurt your feet for the first few hours. I brought my white Puma Carina sneakers that I got from Amazon around three years ago—a little worn out and ripped, but it still did the job!
Of Course, Don’t Forget to Take Plenty of Pics!
Here are some of my favorites!
What to Do
Attractions:
Landmarks—You can’t see London and all of the U.K. without seeing their iconic landmarks: Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Big Ben, Kensington Palace and so much more! These landmarks are places you hear about in your history classes and in photos, but once you see these landmarks in person, it’s amazing. I can’t describe the feeling of seeing history in front of you, but it’s fascinating to see everything in person.
London Eye—If you want to get a full view of London, book a ticket for the London Eye experience! While the line to go inside the pods may be long, it is WORTH IT. You’ll be able to get a full view of the Thames River, as well as the skyline of the city.
Stonehenge—This is located in Salisbury, which is two hours outside of London. It was built over 4,000 years ago—the same time as when the Great Pyramids of Eygpt were built. It is a mystery who built Stonehenge, but it was used by hunter-gatherers for human sacrifices and other kinds of rituals during the Neolithic era. The United Nations then added the monument to the list of World Heritage Sites in 1986.
Eats:
Plum Valley Restaurant in Chinatown—If you’re looking for an Asian dinner, I would recommend this restaurant! This dimly lit restaurant is located in the heart of Chinatown and is a fusion of Chinese, dim-sum and Japanese cuisine and is perfect for family.
Cinnamon Kitchen at Battersea—You can’t go to London without trying Indian food! London has such a huge Indian population, so we went to this restaurant on the first night in the city for dinner. Personally, Indian food is not necessarily on my top 5 favorite foods list, but I love the flavors it combines. This restaurant did NOT disappoint. If you’re a beginner in trying Indian food, try chicken butter marsala, a curry chicken dish with a side of biryani or basmati rice!
Duck and Waffle—Good food with a good view? This is the spot! The restaurant is pretty pricey (what restaurant in the U.K. is not?), but the food and the view are what make up for your crying wallet. Underneath the restaurant, are a club and bar.
Pret a Manger—This place is like the U.K. version of Panera Bread or Starbucks. You can find this anywhere in London if you need to grab a quick coffee, or hot and cold foods to-go. If you’re going somewhere two hours away or won’t have time to eat, this is the place!
Shop ‘til You Drop:
Bond Street—Prepare to go broke, ha and no. You won’t see James Bond anywhere here in a sea of tourists. This street is home to many high-end and popular fashion retailers. From Zara, H&M, Burberry, Bulgari, and Alexander McQueen, you’ll find all the designer brands here in the city.
Bicester Village—This outdoor mall is located outside of London and is accessible directly by train ride. My family went here on our second day and if you want to look for a more ‘affordable’ price for a designer item, it’s better shopping here than in the city. Prices are often cheaper here because of fewer import taxes than in the States. However, this outdoor shopping experience will still have your wallet crying and it is no exception from other shopping districts in the city.
As I reflect on my trip, during my undergrad years, I have always felt jealous of people who lived the high life. I envied those who wore business suits, worked inside those tall skyscrapers buildings, lunched with their colleagues at high-end restaurants and drove fancy cars around the city. I would always think to myself that I would never become one of those white-collared workers. Since I’ve gotten a little older and immersed myself in the professional world, the lifestyle of working to live is absolutely glamorous and motivating. There’s nothing better than putting yourself, your career and your goals first.
I think all there is left is manifesting the lifestyle into reality.
— Paula J.P.