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Published: July 20th 2014
Princess Diana Memorial Fountain26/06/2013 - 03/07/2013
So after months of planning the day had finally come that I would fly halfway across to world to take on Europe by myself.
So after watching State of Origin game 2 at the airport, (Another Queensland Victory) I boarded a Singapore airlines flight to London.
I landed at Heathrow airport around 3pm on Thursday 27 June. And after wandering around found the tube which I hoped would take me close to my hostel.
After a short ride on the tube I got off at Gloucester Road Station and after short stroll found my hostel. My home for the first 7 days of my adventure was the Astor Hostel Hyde Park. Built in old town house (older than Australia, the USA and Canada.) it was a pleasant place to stay, however the 80 steps down from my room became a pain but got me in good form for the walking I'd do on this trip.
After checking in I decided to go straight out to do some exploring. But being 4 in the afternoon didn't want to venture to far from home. So I spent the afternoon walking around the Kensington Gardens which
Namco Bar
pat and I playing Air hockey were at the end of the street I was staying on. The Albert Memorial and Royal Albert Hall were the main standouts of this afternoons adventure.
after wandering aimlessly for what seemed like an hour I looked at my watch and it was 9pm with the sun still out. So I decided to head home, picked up some dinner and get some sleep.
After almost a complete night sleep, got up and headed down the 100 steps to the basement for my first taste of hostel breakfast. Cereal and toast... Not bad something to get used to for the rest of my trip.
About 10am I headed out with no real plan in mind of what to do I headed back to Kensington Gardens to experience the rest. From there moved on to Hyde Park. My favourite part of Hyde Park was the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. I'm not really sure why, it was quite peaceful and I found myself doing a few laps of it to take it in.
Its probably not very excited, but I found it exciting. I saw a squirrel as well.
So where to next, from near the Hyde Park
London Eye
Kirsten, Mike, Pat and I London Eye tennis courts I could see the London Eye in the distance so I set out in that direction. After walking for a little while and becoming hopelessly lost, I came around a corner and bam right in front of me was Buckingham Palace, and my first taste of European. Attraction crowds. Crowds didn't really bother me as I didn't see the attraction of trying to get right up to the fence. As far a my idea of palaces go, it wasn't anything flash by any means, but this was the first major landmark I had seen that I had never dreamed I'd have made it to.
From here I moved towards the River Thames via Green Park, where I wandered across the Canadian war monument which was I again was quite impressed by, with the water running across the textures maple leaves to give the appearance of maple leaves floating down a river.
On the way down to the river and it's attractions I called in at the Red Lion pub to indulge in my first beer in London, a Stella Artois if my memory serves me correctly. It was here I met a trio of American students
Big Ben
Myself, Pat, Kristen and Mike with Big Ben who were in London for the weekend from Nice where they were studying. Pat, Mike, Kristen and I hit it off had a few brews and decided on hitting the London Eye.
After fighting the crowds and crossing the river we were headed down towards the London Eye, something else caught our eye.... A bar by the name of Namco, with the same logo as the old video game company we went downstairs to find all of our dreams realised, a bar that was also an arcade! Being an Aussie with a few Americans they were keen to sample Australia's beer, so I also, don't think enjoyed is the right word my first and probably last Fosters!
After a couple hours playing air hockey and drinking beers, the a mad feed of Micky D nuggets we'd finally made it down to the London Eye. Unknown to us, while we had been playing games the nice sunny weather had changed to overcast and a little drizzly but after buying tickets we thought I was still a good idea, which it was! Now I'm not gonna lie, I think 15 minutes for your pod to go around instead of 30
Trafalgar Square
Street Hockey at Canada Day would be plenty but still added to a really enjoyable afternoon. And we also may have gone for another beer on our way back past the Namco Bar.
We split up after this with the intention of catching up again that night but communication breakdowns hampered this. It was great meeting such great people on my first real day overseas because it made travelling alone for so long feel less daunting.
My third day in London ended up being a full on day of sightseeing taking in all other must see things around town. Southbank and it's street performers, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London Bridge, Tower of London and the Tower Bridge we all on my walk around. Still a little overwhelmed being at all these places I had only seen in pictures.
A day of debauchery was to follow. Church was on my agenda that day, and not the Church you may think. Church is a party that opens one Sunday a month in Clapham Junction, and it goes mental! Strippers, cheap drinks and classic Aussie pub music make for an experience not easily remember end but also never forgotten. Following this was quite possibly my biggest
Trafalgar Square
The Arkells plaing Canada Day lapse in judgement of my entire trip, after agreeing to keep the party going with a few guys I had met. As we were exiting I ended up leaving with a girl and her friends that were celebrating a birthday. First mistake was trying to sneak through the tube gate on one ticket in front of the security guards, second mistake was getting on a train to god only knows where with this group of people whose names I knew none of, and my third mistake was after bailing because of ending up at a family dinner and my cover story of studying French at uni with one of the girls blow just starting to walk with no idea or where I was or what direction I had to go to find my way home. I eventually worked out I was in West Norwood......... Absolutely no help at all. So I walked, hoping to find a tube station or a sign for somewhere I knew, and after about 2 hours walking, one kebab and a stressed out Facebook post I bit the bullet hailed a cab and made my way home for £40.
After an end to a day
MnMs Worldlike that you'd think I might be a little more careful the next day but I had heard rumours of a big celebration in Trafalgar Square for Canada's National Day. So to Trafalgar Square I headed to celebrate. A day of street hockey, bacon, Canadian Beer and the biggest Canadian band in the world, The Tragically Hip, (I'd never heard of them) was enjoyed. Other bands played, The Arkells and the Sheepdogs. One thing I can say is Canadians can party. I didn't know at this time but that was good training for a majority of my trip. It's really true what people say about Canadians being the nicest people. I made friends with a Brewing student who was studying in Edinburgh who gave me the ins and outs saying if you say excuse me sorry in a crowd, you can part the ways like Moses. I made my way home this night through Leister Square and Piccadilly Circus. In what may also have been a poor decision. I hired a Boris Bike (a bike that can be hired from many stations around London) to ride home, as I didn't feel like walking in my inebriated state.
The time
of my first stay in London was fast coming to and end as I was leaving for Pamplona in 2 days time. I figured as a cricket tragic like myself I couldn't visit London without a trip to the Home of Cricket, Lords. With my Boris Bike and vague idea of where I was going I set out, enjoying a leisurely ride through Kensington Gardens and in not to long I found myself outside the gates of Lords. I approached the man on the gate to get information about doing a tour of the ground, he informed me where to go and that tours cost £25. He then continued to tell me that there was a local MCC match on and entry was free to come in, so I could go in and walk around, watch the cricket and then all I'd need to pay for would be entry into the museum. I went with the 2nd option. I watched around 40 overs of the local match, even witnessing a guy score a ton off 61 balls, while I'd didn't look to much different in skill level to the grade I play at home, there was something special about watching
Lordsa cricket match at Lords. After watching the cricket I made my way to the museum. It cost £3 entry so I saved £22 on my day, winning I thought. In my opinion, even as just a mild cricket fan, Lords can't be missed.
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Carmel
non-member comment
Loved London Story
Great, once again, keep them coming, so enjoyable