5/16/2011

Couchsurfing, the most touristic tourist, the tube, cycling, museums, cuban pub = London

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I'm finally back from my first trip to London and can say that it was a brilliant trip.

So I'll start off from Thursday when my trip began.
I got a lift from Axbridge to Bristol with a friend of mine who I met in the leisure center. She took me straight to the bus stop in Bristol. What else can you want? Then I had a long journey (2,5hrs) to London. When I got there, I tried to find the tube station from where I was supposed to go to my host's place. It took me ages to figure out where I could get the oyster card so that my travels in the future would be cheaper. I finally managed that and got on the train to Pimlico, where my host lived. He had given me the directions previously, so following them, I got to his place amazingly well. I mean- I usually get lost even when there are directions given.
In my host's place we talked to each other until late hours and then discovered that it was so late and went to sleep.

The following morning started very early, because my host had to go to work, so I had to go around in the city. Which I didn't mind at all. I took my map with me and went to Leicester Square by tube. I was supposed to meet Teele a little bit before noon, so I had plenty of time to wander around in soho and chinatown. I also had a glimpse at the Trafalgar Square and then went back to soho area. There were so many tiny streets, and discovering them was so great. I felt like a local person, not like a bloody tourist. I met Teele around noon and went to National Geographic shop where she wanted to buy one bag but couldn't get it. So we headed towards the Trafalgar Square. On the square there was a guy climbing through a tennis racket. It was like a show you see in the movies- one person just starts to do something in the street and people gather around the person to see what's going on.
After the racket-man we headed towards the Buckingham Palace, from there to Big Ben. It was a lovely walk around in the central of London. We walked through the James's park and then were in front of the Parliament House. We listened to Big Ben playing, went to a Tesco that was right next to the clock (?!?!?! Tesco and Big Ben??) and then went to see the Westminster Abbey also. After that we took train to St. Paul's Cathedral, tried to go into it, but it had tickets, and then had a meal in the garden of St. Paul. After that we decided to walk to the Tower. It took us about 45mins. We made many stops during our journey. Talked to people, watched tourists, observed one very lovely market. Our main aim was to see London a bit differently from the usual tourist's point of view. It worked well. After observing the Tower we went back to Leicester Square and walked around in chinatown, soho. Just discovered small streets. Entered into a sex shop where were only men inside and to a gay sex shop with just the idea of doing something fun. I went to McDonald's for the first time in England and after many years. I still didn't like their hamburger. In here it's even worse than in Estonia. After Teele left to go home, I headed back to my host's place where I talked to him a lot, we drank cuba libre and then discovered it was already too late to go out. So we went to sleep.

The following day I decided to cycle around in London. I hired a bike from one of the Barclay's Cycle Hire points and started driving towards The National History museum. Obviously, I made it with some circles and ended up in Hyde park which is behind the museum. Well. That's me- always taking circles to reach my destination. It is not difficult to cycle around in London at all. The traffic is not that bad. And it's more fresh air while cycling than in the tube.
I had a snack in Hyde park and then went to the Science and Natural History museums where I spent almost the whole day. I'm not going to describe all the things I saw there because it would be just too much. But... I will upload pictures instead.
After those two museums I also popped into Victoria and Albert museum to see the crown jewels. The museum wasn't my plan in the beginning but I thought that as I was already walking past it, I might as well go into it. Didn't spend much time there, though. It will be a place to visit the next time I go to London. After the museum I went to Harrods. Well. I don't like the place at all. It's so ridiculously expensive there and you can't walk around because it's full of people and tourists. I wanted to get out of there 5 minutes after I got there but didn't find the escape so after 30 mins of walking around I finally managed to find the place from where I entered. It was mostly because of the tourists.
After Harrods I returned to Hyde park where I had some snacks and just gave some rest for my feet that were hurting already for the second day. Then I cycled to Victoria Station from where I decided to wander back to my host's place. Discovering London is always fun!
In my host's place we talked a little and then headed out to pub. I suggested on walking and discovering the London at night. I absolutely loved seeing Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and The Eye at night. They are so magically beautiful. I really loved them! Took loads of pictures, most of them turned out very foggy and not with the high quality, because it was still dark outside. After a 45 minute walk we finally got to one Cuban pub and had some beers there. There was live Cuban music and we danced a lot. The road to home was very very "interesting". I mean, we weren't drunk at all, but we were just "teasing" each other all the way.
After getting home I went straight to sleep because I was so tired.

The following morning I cooked some sweet eggy bread. Oh, that was something I had missed. The Estonian kind of food! After eating we went to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. I saw some paintings of Van Gogh! They were so pretty! I also fell in love with Renoir's work. It's got such great colours and technique. We spent in the museum very much time so we didn't have time to go to British Museum (which was in the plan in the beginning). Will do it the next time. After the museum we had a dinner out in nice Chinese Restaurant and then headed back to the Victoria Coach station because I had to catch my bus back to Bristol. We struggled a bit with finding the right bus stop because the station is huge, but when I finally got on the bus, I just slept during the whole journey because I was so shattered and my legs were hurting. I got a lift back to Axbridge with my friend and after coming here I just checked my mail and went straight to sleep.

It was a brilliant trip out. I played a bloody tourist in my way (doing it mostly on my own, with a detailed plan) and had some fun and discovered the parts of London that most of the tourists don't get to see! I can say that London is a place to go out for a while, but I wouldn't like to live there. Too many tourists.

But.
In conclusion: I can now show people around in London and recommend ways to be a tourist over there in a cheap way.

























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