London is another awesome destination which proved that I can be drawn into cities once again.  As unpredictable as its weather, it has greatly changed my perception of the city in so many ways — it’s a fast-paced city but charmingly old and distinct (maybe it’s the reason why I am fascinated with Europe — I’m enthralled with anything that’s quaint). If I were to rank the Euro places I’ve been to on my first trip, London would be my second fave (next to Paris). You know you fell in love with the place if, at one point, you’re imagining yourself migrating there.

Here’s the list of landmarks and anything London-related which have been very dear to me:

1) Parliament, London Eye, Big Ben, London Tower Bridge

Isn’t it amazing that you can see the first three icons (mentioned above) in one stroll?  You have to go twice, though — there’s a different feel when you see the intricacies of the architecture in broad daylight and the beauty of the night lights. One thing that I learned is that the famous London Bridge, which we all have memorized as a nursery song when we were young, was actually the simple, ordinary bridge. The catchy one that we’ve all been seeing in the travel photos is the London Tower Bridge.  You may want to get the Tower of London Entry ticket (S$42.9) if you like to indulge in the history of this UNESCO Listed World Heritage site.

If you want to ride the famous observation wheel and see the city in a different perspective, you can book the London Eye ticket online.

2) Birthday

I’d usually travel as a way to celebrate my birthday or sometimes try to be adventurous by being in two countries in one bday, but as I was feeling old last year, I wanted it to be quite awesome.  It was one of the longest in my life — started at London Underground after having our dinner and passing by Sherlock Holmes Restaurant, waking up being surprised with a birthday cake by my dearest friends, walking and wandering around the fancy streets of West End, meeting my Brit colleagues at Covent Garden (and I was quite lucky to hear my fave With or Without You being played in the street), watching the musical Miss Saigon and capping the night off by celebrating with beers and cider at a cozy pub.

3) Food

A Brit once told bit there isn’t really such thing as their own cuisine, they usually take the best dishes from other culture.  Nevertheless, I came up with something that’s worth trying and distinctly Brit: the Sunday Roast!

4) People

And so it’s true, British people are nicest, warmest, most accommodating foreigners I’ve met.

5) Harry Potter & Sherlock

Paris is to Moulin Rouge while London is to Harry Potter and Sherlock.  If you want to get that wizard feel, you can book a Harry Potter Film Locations Walking Tour online.  This includes Diagon Alley, Leaky Cauldron, Platform 9¾ at Kings Cross Station and a lot more!

6) Tube

The Tube, also known as the London Underground may not be the best subway I’ve tried, but it is full of life, in the sense that it informs and entertains from history, culture to arts.  With this, the oldest rapid transit system has become my favorite.

7) West End

The truth is, I’ve been dreaming of watching Les Miserables in West End.  However, because I was lucky enough to catch the timing of the seasonal show Miss Saigon, I have foregone my Les Mis dream for now.

Travel Tips:

1) Air ticket

It is advisable to book your flight more than three months in advance given that you are already decided for the Eurotrip.  I was fortunate to catch the cheap fare from Philippine Airlines since they recently started flying directly from Manila to London.  The advantage of having a direct flight is that it would save you the hassle of getting off, waiting and boarding on the next connecting flight. Also, it would not mess up with your sleep.

2) Season

No doubt that this should be spring. The best time to see the beautiful flowers in full bloom.  You don’t need to worry about stuffing thick winter clothes in your luggage.  But then again, prepare yourself — I brought lots of spring dresses to match the season but it was still freakin cold. Thank goodness I brought trenchcoat and found a cheap leather jacket in Primark.

3) Luggages

Same thing that I mentioned in my Parisian blog, some train stations do not have escalators, so prepare yourself by packing lightly.

4) Go AirBnB

Because London hotels are damn expensive, we opted for AirBnB. So far, all those that we’ve tried are safe, but before you book, make sure you thoroughly read reviews of where you’re staying.

5) Visa

Note that Schengen Visa does not include UK — you have to undergo a separate application for this, which means that if you plan to include this in your Eurotrip, make sure you maximize your stay given the hassle and cost of applying another tourist visa.

***London is the 1st leg of our two-week Eurotrip.