For this post I thought I’d share with you some highlights from my past
trip I took to England.
It has become a tradition that I go somewhere every year for
my birthday. I started this a few birthdays ago with a trip to Las Vegas, and I
have kept the tradition going. This past October, I celebrated my 26th
birthday in London with my good friend, Matt. Matt is from Cornwall, which is known
for its beautiful beaches. We traveled there for the last part of the trip.
This was my first solo adventure overseas, and I had wanted
to make the trip for quite some time.
My
birthday seemed like a perfectly good excuse for some world traveling! I found a modern and stylish flat on
Airbnb. I wanted to have the experience of living
in London for the week (also a washer and dryer!). It was actually more affordable than staying in a
hotel, and it had all the amenities of home (plus a Nespresso!)!
(This is me at the Newark Airport bound for London)
I arrived in London and my first challenge was the Tube. I
had purchased my Oyster card ahead of time and after a moment of brief confusion,
I decided to get on and hope that I was going the right direction (I was!). The
Tube is actually a really easy way to get around the city. Naturally, when I
got on the pavement it started to rain, but fortunately it was a short walk to
the flat, and I packed an umbrella.
My friendly host greeted me at the door and gave me a
tour around the flat and the most ancient skeleton key I have ever seen. I didn’t
venture very far from the flat for the rest of the day because I spent most of the
plane ride catching up on movies I had missed at the theatre, and I was exhausted! The next morning,
I woke up to the chimes of Big Ben (the clock tower was only a few blocks
away!) well rested and ready to explore London.
After I did this…
I was ready to go.
I had always (
since 1999) wanted to go to Notting Hill to
walk down Portobello Road on Saturday during the antique market. I got up early
that morning and found the nearby tube station was closed for a scheduled
maintenance, so I took the bus instead. It was a long bus ride, but I got to
see a lot of the city that I would have missed had I taken the Tube.
I wasn’t quite sure how to get to Portobello
Road, but the people out that morning seemed to all be headed the same way so I
decided to follow. The street was lined for what seemed like miles with stalls
of antiques, produce, clothes, bread, and pastries. It was a visual feast.
There was so much to look at and take in. I bought the most decadent looking
donuts I’ve ever seen. They were covered in sprinkles and filled with a
plethora of cream filling and jams. I have a weakness for donuts. By noon, the
road was crowded with people, and I was glad I had arrived early that morning!
Sunday, Matt arrived and I met up with him at Victoria Station. That evening we went to Notting Hill and wandered around until we ended up in Kensington where we had dinner at a little Italian restaurant. After dinner, we headed over to the Coronet cinema to watch Skyfall. The Coronet is a charming old theatre (also in the film Notting Hill!). We grabbed some salty popcorn and settled in the balcony to watch the film.
For my birthday we headed to Southwark where we
wandered around taking photos and getting lost down tiny streets. Borough
Market was one of my favorite places we visited. It’s basically a gourmet
farmer’s market, a foodie’s mecca. Lots of delicious things to sample and buy!
We picked up a box of these delicious macarons.
Then we headed to the Tate Modern to look at some art….
Another favorite spot in London was Hyde Park. We made friends with a very large pelican and
paddled around on a paddleboat on The Serpentine.
Before leaving London we took a night ride on the London
Eye, London’s giant Ferris wheel. The
Eye gave us a great view of the city all lit up along the Thames River.
On Thursday we left London by coach to head to Cornwall for
the last part of the trip. It was a nice change of pace from the city. I stayed
at a cozy B&B in Plymouth for my stay. While in Cornwall we visited St.
Ives, a charming seaside town filled with art galleries and a gorgeous beach. I
really loved St. Ives and we ended up visiting again the next day. We also
visited Saint Michael’s Mount and were able to walk out during low tide to the mount.
At the end of my stay, I took the train back to London
before heading across the Atlantic. I was sad to be on my way home, and it will
always be a memorable trip. I wish I could have stayed longer! I look forward
to my next travel adventure!
*Other possible title for this blog was going to be: The Week I Didn't Realize Kevin Spacey was my Neighbor.
