Can you believe it is the last day of 2012? Where has the year gone?
It's been one week since I came back from my 2 weeks Europe tour immediately after my examinations and I sometimes find myself at a loss back home. Don't get me wrong, I do miss Singapore over there. But, if there's one aspect I really did miss, it's London.
Going to London is like the "pet project" for me, an experiment as some would call it. I don't remember a time where our family went on a free and easy trip by ourselves. London will be the first and I need this chance to experience what is it like be independent during a vacation.
We would take the Eurostar train from Paris Nord station to London St Pancras International, walked to our nearby hotel and most of the activities were booked beforehand online.
I must say, I have a whopping good time! It was not so difficult after all. Unfortunately, where I am confident in this aspect, my brother wasn't. In the days leading up to the trip, he was grousing about how we should have join a tour and all. Oh well, if he's comfortable in his shell or well...
We joined a London sightseeing hop-on hop-off tour which gave us an additional 24 hours, free river cruise pass and a free walking tour. We went to Harrods, saw the changing of guards at Buckingham Palace, marched alongside them, sailed down River Thames, visited Leavesden Studios for the The Making of Harry Potter, Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Stonehenge during the winter solstice and the world's end, Bath and North Gower Street - the filming site for Sherlock! We also stopped by Oxford Street and Regent Street.
Instead of coaches that bring us from one destination to another, we took the Underground (tube) and the Overground (train). What's missing are the bus and black cab. It was an experience that's hard to put into words. I felt liberated and more confident. The tube map may be complicated and scary-looking, but it's actually quite easy to manage. Plus, it is so convenient, if not expensive.
Due to our good fortune, the hotel that was shortlisted and eventually chosen has a tube station so near to it, with a outdoor shopping centre which we went for dinner every night, was near to North Gower Street, St Pancras International and Euston Station, most importantly, it was a great place with friendly and proactive staff. Now, this I have no regrets. Holiday Inn Bloomsbury is getting the thumbs-up from me and I would highly recommend it to whoever travelling to London. It's near to the central area with Russell Square tube station directly connected to Picadilly Circus tube station.
Of course, this is merely the taster. Now that I know I can move around the city in relative ease, I know I can undertake another trip on my own. And that's what I will want to do, visit London to take in the sights once more. There's still so much to see, to experience. This time though, I am going to spend more time doing the things I want, like shopping at Harrods and Oxford Street, visiting museums and much more. I want to travel out of London, to Oxford, Cambridge and Bath again since we only went to the Roman Bath museum. I want to visit Scotland with its highlands and beautiful scenery.
Who knows, maybe this will all come true when I graduate.
