Little to no sleep for a week because I was living out my dreams in the United Kingdom (cheesy but true- there is TOO much to do here). Welcome to Part 1 of my study abroad trip. To follow my whole trip, you can use the guides at the end of each blog to find out which country is next. 🙂 While in the UK, I made it to four different cities in the south of England: London, Bath, Windsor, and Avebury. The latter three I went to in just one day, while I spent six days in London.
First timers in London: There are a million and one things to do in London. Pubs, cathedrals, royal promenades, theater, art. If you love Victorian literature, this is your heaven. 17th century pubs are a must.
Check this out:
Metro rail passes are the easiest and cheapest way to get around, so definitely get one when you are here.
Heads up: The beer is room temperature
Cathedrals: St. Paul’s for Mary Poppins iconic “feed the birds” scene, medieval relics, and a balcony that overlooks the entire city. Westminster Abbey for resting place of monarchs (Mary Queen of Scots, Anne of Cleves), Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Darwin, Sir Isaac Newton, William Pitt, and many more.
Piccadilly Circus is a fun place to go out in or see a play.
Abbey Road for the iconic Beatles’ crosswalk.
Historic walking tours: Shakespeare’s Globe, Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes, and Charles Dickens.
Museums: Victoria and Albert is my absolute favorite museum. It has interactive rooms and cosplay from the medieval and Renaissance ages so you feel you are taking a step back in time. There is anything from ancient Egyptian architecture to modern fashion shows (Alexander McQueen when we were there! 🙂 ). Tate Modern has some awesome Dali paintings.
Visit the iconics: Big Ben, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London:
Food Markets: Camden, Borough, Leadenhall, the list goes on and on.
Harry Potter tour through London: This is the especially exciting part about London to a Potterhead like myself.
1) check out the Australian High Commissioner office aka Gringotts. There are still shrapnel dents in the side of the building from when Germany bombed London during World War II
2) DO NOT go between Platforms 9 and 10 to find Platforms 9 and 3/4 at King’s Cross Station. The exhibition and photo-op is in the lobby. You will get a lot of business commuters giving you dirty looks if you start feeling the walls in the train platform to see if you will magically fall through.
3) Millenium Bridge near St. Paul’s Cathedral is a foot bridge across the river Thames with a lovely roasted almond vendor. Happily, it was rebuilt after the death eaters destroyed it.
Part 2:
Day Tour to Windsor, Bath, and Avebury- $100
The first stop in the tour was at Windsor Castle, also known as the holiday castle for the British royalty. Exploring the castle definitely reminded me that I was a princess in another life. I loved roaming the walkways of the castle unattended and watching the beefeaters do their little changing of the guards ritual. If you have time outside of the castle grounds, I recommend strolling the streets of cafes. Six words: You Need To Try Clotted Cream. Just do it, thank me later.
The second stop of the tour was at the town of Bath. The town was absolutely gorgeous and home to part-time residence Johnny Depp and Jane Austen (at some time of another). We went to the Roman Baths and toured the caldarium (hot room), tepidarium (warm room), frigidarium (cold room), and bath house that the occupying Romans built and used. For good fortune, I made a wish in the lucky fountain and drank the hot springs healing waters. I loved the ancient mythological art and history of the Baths.
Next, the tour passed the town of Pennsylvania (which is the inspiration for the state of Pennsylvania- my home state!) on our way to Avebury. I went on the summer solstice in 2015 and I definitely recommend going on this Pagan Holiday. Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument and stone circle similar to Stonehenge. It is the largest megalithic stone circle in the world and holds much importance to contemporary druids and pagans. While I was there, I partook in solstice celebrations and witnessed Druid rites. Aside from the high energy and sacredness of the place- it is also a gorgeous place to explore and enjoy the English countryside. All-in-all the whole tour took about 12 hours long- from 7 am to 7 pm and it was worth every penny.
To get to Part 2 of my study abroad trip, take a ferry over the English Channel and go to blog “Amsterdam and Belgium.”