Central London

Well, I went to London yesterday! I'm still excited about it too. I was so exhausted when I got home I didn't have time to write a post about it, but now that I've slept and had my tea, I'll tell you all about it.

I woke up early on Friday because I had NO IDEA how to get to the train station. Naturally, I used Google Maps and trusted that it would take me to the right place. It did. Of course, I chatted with a nice woman at the bus stop to make sure I was getting on the right bus. Hopefully at the end of this trip I won't feel like so much of a tourist, but for now I guess I'll be asking a ton of questions. 

Catherine and I on the train to Waterloo Station

Okay, so I found my way to Surbiton Station and met with some friends there. Before boarding the train to Waterloo though, a stranger approached us to ask us first, for some money, but then upon hearing we are American, began to question us about US politics. I knew the English were very interested in American politics, but this was my first time actually discussing it with a stranger. He was very opinionated and I actually loved sharing a conversation with him. It was great to hear another nations thoughts on our own upcoming elections.

A View of Big Ben and the London Eye

After arriving in Waterloo Station, the CMU girls and I were practically jumping in our seats when we saw the London Eye and Big Ben in the near distance. And, in an instant, the thrill of London was all around us. We joined the bustling crowd and snapped some very tourist-y pictures.

Westminister Abbey

First, we made our way to Big Ben. WOW! It was SO beautiful. I've always dreamed of seeing this, that finally being there was almost surreal. Of course, it didn't end there. Next, we saw Westminister Abbey, and I think this was my favorite of all the stops. I don't know much about architecture, but this building was breathtaking. Take a look.

After some lunch, we made our way to Buckingham Palace and spent a while there. We even had our photo taken with a random stranger. Yay for tourists! We made our way through Hyde Park and I wished I could stay there for ages. I love parks! Well, we had many other stops to get to, so we made our way to the National Gallery, but first some of us got distracted by a ritzy street packed with high-quality shops such as Louis Vuitton, Coco Chanel, Burberry, Tiffany &Co, and Prada. Let's just say I felt a bit underdressed. Not to mention, it's fashion week here in London.

Feeling like a tourist

We ended our London trip on the London Eye. It was a pretty pricey ride, but also super enjoyable and being able to see over the whole city was priceless. 

Finally, we arrived back in Kingston and visited our new favorite Pub, the Kings Tun, we got a meal and a nice, cold drink. It was the great end to a great day. Until I had to find my way back home. It took me a couple of tries, but I found the right bus and crashed in my very welcoming bed when I got home.