London Living

My first time in London and I was not disappointed. I love big metropolitan cities where you can feel the energy buzzing around you. London reminded me a lot of NYC, one of my favorite cities on earth, but with the added draw of foreign accents, rich history, and beautiful architecture. Plus bright red double decker busses and a subway system that could not be any easier to navigate (can't say that about NYC)

We didn't have much down time in the city as there is SO much to see and do and we had only 5 days to tick all of the sights off of our list. I also have quite a few friends in the city that I met during my time backpacking through Asia. It was so nice to reunite with familiar faces and recount all of our Asian travel memories. I have to say, it made me really want to go back to the Far East.

My friend Jenna was gracious enough to let us crash at her apartment right in central London for the week. We couldn't have asked for a better location or a nicer place to stay. We did have an issue with our air mattress which must have had a hole in it because we both woke up in the middle of the night with our backs touching the ground and our feet in the air. Every time we moved we felt like we were on a water bed. It made for a pretty hilarious scene in the morning:

Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, London Bridge, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, art museums, Abbey road, you name it we saw it. We even managed to get to a show with a friend of mine who is a music agent. It was in a big warehouse in a more underground part of the city that we certainly wouldn't have gotten out to if it weren't for her inviting us to check out the band with her.

The food in London is delicious. Being such a melting pot of different ethnicities, you can find every type of cuisine in the city and it is all authentic. While I felt like I might have shed a few pounds in Ireland, I definitely gained them in London. I lost count of all the falafels we ate and times we went out for Indian food. And it doesn't feel right to be in Britain and not have tea and cake. 

 After 5 days of non stop walking around the city, sightseeing, and meeting friends, Meg and I were pretty exhausted and ready to get to Amsterdam and chill for a few days. We were sad to leave London though as we had such a great time in the city. I will definitely be back!

A surprisingly easy 10 hour bus ride took us across the channel to France and up through Belgium into the Netherlands where we are currently relaxing at my friend Rose's apartment. I've just come back from a 90 minute hot yoga class and am feeling relaxed. Traveling is the most amazing experience but it's so necessary to find order in the chaos. I'm grateful for my yoga practice and daily runs that keep me sane and grounded during a time when nothing is consistent.