En route to the airport, I had one thought on my mind: please, for the love of God, don’t let me lose my luggage. Again. Of course, the knowledge that I would be London-bound in a matter of hours soon superseded this superficial concern. I was about to embark on my highly anticipated European adventure and I could hardly contain my excitement. One glass of red wine and an aioli sauce stain on my pants later, I was ready to bid my mother adieu at the departure zone and plant my rear-end firmly in the plane seat that was reserved for it. That “I’m on holiday” feeling doesn’t really kick in until you’re awkwardly bumping elbows with strangers on arm rests, while your knees are digging into the back of the chair in front of you (if not the person seated in it). Such comfort does the cost of economy class afford us, but I digress. A rejuvenating stop-over in Shanghai, coupled with back-to-back episodes of Outlander (the saucy scenes between Jamie and Claire in particular) made my journey to the other side of the world as bearable as it could possibly be. I was somewhat surprised to arrive at Heathrow and not be offered a cup-of-tea immediately after clearing immigration, but nevertheless, I was relieved to find my suitcase making its way around the baggage carrousel (my vendetta against the baggage handlers at Auckland Airport came to an end at this exact moment). In a post-flight state that can only be described as zombie-like, I called my cousin Emme who instructed me to buy a ticket for the Heathrow Express, and to meet her and her mum (my aunt, Steph) at Paddington Station, where they would hopefully assist me in becoming human once more. Sure enough, a round of hugs, a hot shower, and a decent feed of cheesy, room-service-grade gnocchi at Steph’s hotel sufficiently prepared me for my next encounter with London’s public transport system: the Tube. Let me tell you, running with your luggage in tow to the depths of the Underground and attempting to make it through the doors of the train before they close is an excellent cardio workout. One brisk, but sweaty ride later, we were at Emme’s flat, and after an exhaustingly long day, I was about 87% certain that a good night’s sleep was in order (the other 13% argued for snacks, but hey, majority rules - apologies to my steamed cheeseburger cravings). By some miracle, I was able to sleep through the night without a hitch, and wake up at the respectable hour of 8am. Using approximately three-quarters of my concealer to cover the diabolical post-travel bags under my eyes, I gussied myself up for a full day of London-based activities. First on the agenda was brunch with Emme and Steph at sketch, an 18th-century-style tea house with the most deliciously-decorated interior. We were seated in a room called the Glade, which made you feel like you were dining in a woodland forest - an absolute fairytale. I stuffed my face (graciously, I might add) with the traditional meal choice of poached eggs and smoked salmon, accompanied by a delightful glass of mango and passionfruit juice, before we headed to our next destination: Liberty. If you want to feel like someone who has money to spend, but you don’t necessarily have said money and would settle for knowing how the other half live, then a trip to Liberty is a must. The Tudor style department store is your one-stop-shop for all things luxurious. As we trawled through its numerous levels, I found myself adding item after item to my mental shopping cart, which was swiftly left at the door as we continued along Regent Street, on the lookout for more affordable wares. A girl can dream though, right? After indulging in a few touristy photos with one of London’s iconic, red phone booths, Emme headed back to uni, while Steph and I made our way down to Piccadilly Circus and hopped on the Tube to South Kensington. After a cup of coffee (essential for a weary traveller), and deterred by the queue forming outside the National History Museum, we opted for a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum, directly across the road. Luckily for us, a fascinating collection of fashion through the ages was on display, providing a visual reminder as to just how much it has changed over the years (and just as well - you wouldn't see me miraculously morphing my body to fit into one of those teeny-tiny corsets, my serial snacking habits wouldn’t have a bar of it). In true English-style, we sat down at a local cafe for tea and scones before reconvening with Emme and her friends outside the Walkie Talkie building, fondly referred to by locals as the ‘Death Ray’ for its ability to melt cars and set fire to carpet simply by its reflective glare (pretty impressive if you ask me). Despite being dubbed one of worst buildings in the UK, the view from the top of its Sky Garden is anything but. If you’re wanting to see the sights of London from one vantage point, this is the place to go. From Tower Bridge, to St. Paul’s Cathedral (where Charles and Diana got hitched), to some of the other ridiculously named skyscrapers - the Shard, the Cheesegrater, and lest we forget, the Gherkin - that are iconic to this great city, you can see it all. After an overwhelmingly jam-packed day, it was here that the reality of my current situation began to sink in, and I was pretty darn chuffed to say the least. Stomachs growling, we made our way back to South Kensington where we stopped by Honest Burgers for dinner (for all you burger connoisseurs out there, I highly recommend). After saying our goodbyes (for now) to Steph, Emme and I went back to her flat to watch Trainwreck; some low-key, mindless movie watching was essential after the day we had had! I reorganised my bags before bed, knowing that I would be departing London early the next morning to cross the English Channel into France, where the next phase of my adventure would begin. It was hard to believe that by this time the following night, I’d be in Paris. With that lovely thought in mind, I hopped into bed, closed my eyes, and fell asleep, dreaming of croissants.
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B is:A 26-year-old tea drinking writer of words trying to find her place in the world.
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