The red double-decker English bus

London Here I come

 So here I go again, after my dragon rushing adrenaline in Beijing I took away my backpack from the cupboard and packed my things for my said fancy and biggest backpacking trip for this year - EUROPE! *Just imagine my damn freakin' excitement...FYI I couldn't sleep the night before!*

First stop - LONDON! First I have to share with you my experience when I was applying for my visa. The British Consulate office is, I guess the most systematic government office I have entered in my entire life (Well, I am talking about their office in Hong Kong.). From filling your application to claiming your visa. Visa fee is a bit pricey. They usually charge HK$900 for one single entry. And paying this said amount does not guarantee that you will have your visa approved after 7 working day. The fee is just about processing it and examining it. I have to say also that the office of the British Consulate requires a number of requirements for the application of VISA. You can check the list of requirements through their website and make sure to remember to log in so that you can schedule your appointment. The British Consulate Office does not entertain walk in applicant and only applicant with online approved appointment are welcome inside the building.

Well, London is not really my first choice when we talk about Europe yet my cousin, Sunny would always say "You will love London" as if trying to convince me to go and love it as much as she does. All I wanna do in London is to sit on that famous red double-decker English bus, which I started to love when I saw my favorite British girl band, Spice Girls going out from it in their first music video, Wanna Be. Well, I guess that's where my London dream started. 

The national museum

I just love London Taxi

I arrived in London by 12 noon. I carried my back pack and headed to the famous Underground station of London inside the Heathrow Terminal. You can buy a one day transportation pass which cost about 8 pounds and which you can use for the whole day unlimited. London is divided into different zone. The Heathrow International Airport belongs to zone 6 while the Center of London belongs to 1. I started my underground tube adventure from Heathrow terminal station going to Russell Square station taking the Piccadilly line (blue line). It was a long journey. Almost 1 hour to reach the Central of London. I occupied myself with reading and chatting with a Filipino couple I met inside the tube.  After an hour, I finally arrived in Russell Square station started walking to look for my hostel. I booked my stayed with this hostel called Smart Russell Square hostel. I decided to book it since it is the only cheapest hostel in Central London. The staff of the hostel were too accommodating and warm. Smart Russell Square hostel is located in Central London, walking distance to Russell Square Park and British Museum. And if you are adventure freak like me, you can even walk and wander around London street going to different tourist streets from Russell Square to Oxford street or even going to West Minister Abbey by feet. 

Ohhhhhhhh LONDON!!!

On the famous Underground Tube

The big Ben

I was in a 24 beds dorm. Yes, I know it sounds crazy but one thing I like about this hostel is each bed has a curtain so you can just hide yourself inside. I loooooooovvvveeeee their breakfast too. I guess I love how their dinning room is designed for backpackers and the unlimited cereals and breads breakfast every morning. Yet, there are two things I don't like first was their shower and toilet area - it's in the lower basement (means, in the middle of the night when I feel like peeing... I need to go down the underground tunnel) and second was their wifi connnection - was sooooo terrible!!!!!

I settled my things and called my friend, Roji who was based in London just to inform him of my arrival and to say not to worry about me, I can absolutely manage myself. I started my London escapade on the afternoon of my arrival. I started off in the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square where I saw hundreds of tourist. I decided to walk along the streets near Trafalgar Square heading to Westmister Abbey. I walked around London and clicked my shutter. I saw the famous Big Ben, which I first saw in the cartoon movie, Peter Pan. I walked. I shoot. I ate. - I started loving London! Here are some of my photos. 

Night infront of the big clock

My day didn't end early. I still decided to go to Oxford street for 'window shopping'. Jesus! everything is so cheap in Primark! I failed my control for shopping! Everyone was right when they said "Don't bring a lot of clothes in London cause you can always go to Primark to shop!". On my way home I decided to stop walking and took the bus - THE RED DOUBLE DECKER ENGLISH BUS! 

with my friend, Roji

Second day. I woke up early, enjoyed my unlimited breakfast and walked heading to Oxford street to look for Mc Donald (God, I was dying to have a wifi connection and Mc Donalds worldwide always do have free wifi). I waited for my friend Roji who took me to River Thames. We took a hop-in hop-out boat for tourist which started in West Minister Abbey station. It was so cold that we didn't really enjoyed the view from the top of the boat. Yet, it was a fun experience. I get to see the different tourist landmark of London. 

The London Eye

The London Tower Bridge

I guess my favorite of all was the Bridge tower and the Maritime Museum in Greenwich. I could not tell you how much was the unlimited boat ride since it was my friend's treat for me. But I guess it goes around 10-12 pounds for tourist. We had our dinner with my other friends, Maan, Kakai and Louie. We had dinner in the said famous chicken restaurant.  We decided not to call it a day yet and went to a bar to chill and caught up. The bar we went to has a nice interior design. It was like a cowboy kinda bar. I love the cider I order (which I forgot the name..I am sorry). 

Is it nice to have friends all over the globe?!??!

One good thing about travelling is that you get to see your friends and say to yourself 'The world is just so small for friends with good memories.'

Third day was a dream come true for me. As a Hollywood movie fan, I always wanted to see the places where they shoot those movies. The movie Notting Hill which stars Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant was one of my favorite Romantic movie. So, just imagine how "heaven" I felt when I was there. Third day was spent in the weekend market of Notting Hill. But before I went to Notting Hill I dropped by the British Museum and have a look. Then Notting Hill. Going to Notting Hill from Central London was about 30 minutes plus a 10 minutes walking from the bus stop going to the market street.

Fruit stores in Notting Hill Market

Almost sunset at Notting Hill

This is one thing I love in Notting Hill - Antiques!!!

More of Notting Hill

Outside the famous blue door in Notting Hill

 I had soooo much fun in Notting Hill. It was a perfect decision to go. The street were full of different things people are selling. From antiques to fruits to food to clothes to shoes to different other things. I enjoyed taking photos of the place where the movie Notting Hill was shoot and at the same time I enjoyed looking at stuff like accessories and shoes. By 4 in the afternoon, I decided to go back to the hostel to get ready for what they say London is famous for - PLAY!

Erus, the God of LOVE

I was so confused which play to watch since there were plenty of choices. After minutes of convincing myself I finally bought a ticket for Wicked. I headed to Apollo theater for my first London play. *heaven* again! Paying a bit more for the ticket since it was a Saturday was worth it. I was seated in the middle row with few teenagers who was so over thrilled during the duration of the play. At the end of the play, there was a short program to honor some of the cast whose last performance was on that same night. Wicked didn't failed me. It was sooooo nice and the whole play, from the cast to the effects to the music - it was absolutely superb!

Excited outside Apollo Theater

I can't really understand why when I travel, I can sleep better. On my forth day, I woke up a bit late. I decided to just take it easy since I have seen most of the places I planned to see (Except for the Harry Potter studio which all tickets were sold out for the whole month). I missed the breakfast in the hostel so I went to the near Starbucks to grab food and coffee before heading to St. Pancras Station for my train going to Paris.