Two Months(ish)
It’s been two months!! So crazy! I’ve seen a lot (more than I could list out, but are luckily there for you to see on Facebook and Instagram), and I’ve learned even more about living internationally. So here’s a couple things I learned:
You will be cold. This may just apply to me, a Texan, but I am always cold in the evening. I need to carry around a sweater or coat around with me, because I always get cold.
Save your money better. I love eating out as much as the next person. And being in a new city, with new food, I am more likely to go out and eat. That’s not a very smart way of spending my money. So I try to eat before I leave, and bring snacks with me in my backpack. And if you want to travel to London or the UK and not spend so much on food, the UK store Tesco has meal deals for £3 which includes 3 of the following items: sandwich, fruit, drink, crisps, and some desserts. It has been my go to on my day trips. I spend roughly £20 on a ticket and more than that on excursions, so a Tesco meal deal is a life saver.
Figure out sizing before going shopping. I bought some clothes that I thought were in my size- they were not. And with the pandemic, most fitting rooms are closed, which means I’m having to guess most of the time. I found a comparison scale on google, and it has been my guide. It almost always is right.
Public transportation is something nobody masters, so don’t get upset if you mess up. There are people who have lived in London their whole life, who still struggle with public transport. It’s a lot! And get more comfortable taking the bus, because it is a great way to see the city. Hop on a bus to cross the river too, I recommend the London bridge, so you can get a nice view of the Tower Bridge. And there’s a great bike renting service that’s great for biking around Central London. It’s £2 for 30 minutes.
Museums are the best entertainment. Most museums have free entry, and there are so many in London. There are supposedly 170 museums in this city.
A day in the park is not a day wasted. When I first got here, I thought if I went to a park for a day and did nothing people would think I wasted my sight seeing day. It is not a waste at all!! Go lay in the park and read a book, feed squirrels, explore the gardens. It is not a waste of a day at all.
I have so enjoyed my time here. And England will always have a piece of my heart. I can’t wait to be home and see my family and friends again, but I’m mostly excited to see my doggy again. I will be coming home in early November now, because I just didn’t want to miss the holidays. I plan on doing a small quarantine after traveling, and then I’d love to meet and talk to anyone who wants to hear me rattle on about how amazing London is.