London and Leeds
Travel Day One - 14 September 2017 - Arriving in London ?
I convinced a friend to go on a spontaneous four-day trip with me to London and Leeds. We flew via Virgin Atlantic from Atlanta to Heathrow Airport, and once we passed through customs and UK Border Control, we caught the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station in London. From there, we opted to walk to our hotel in Kensington Square Gardens, which was comfortable and welcoming. After dropping off our luggage, we headed out to explore the local bookshops.
While planning out our itinerary at the hotel, my friend noticed he could not connect to the data network on his phone. He had to call his carrier to resolve the issue, which was quickly sorted out. Having cleared the hurdle, we were ready to go on the underground for the first time.
As lunchtime approached, we stopped at a restaurant called Farmacy for a mid-day meal. The waitress was friendly and shared some helpful tips about the UK and London. Once we were finished, we headed to our main stop of the day — Treadwell’s Bookshop. It is a great spot for book lovers, and we spent some time browsing before leaving with a few new reads.
When we made it back to our hotel room, we checked our emails and sent messages to to friends and family who had sent us messages out of concern, when they saw the news about the fake fire-bomb incident, earlier that day which had shut down parts of the undgerground network. Later that evening, we had dinner at a nearby Thai restaurant.
Day Two - 15 September - The Long Train Ride to Leeds
An early morning rise enabled us to catch our train which left early in the morning. from Kings Cross railway station. We boarded the LNER train that took us to Leeds, and onwards to the village where my friend lives. Once we arrived, we spent the day visiting my friend.
Later that day, we hopped on a double-decker bus to travel back to Leeds. Hangry — a combination of angry and hungry — from an entire day without food, we stopped at a Subway located in the train station to have a quick bite. With plenty of time before our train back to London, we ventured out for a leisurely walk around Leeds, taking photographs at several scenic spots.
As the evening approached, we caught our train back to our hotel in London, arriving later that evening. Though our time in Leeds was short, it was enjoyable, filled with hearty conversations, peaceful walks, and delectable food to keep us energized throughout the day.
Day Three - 16 September - Kensington Gardens, Watkins Books, and Dishoom
After breakfast at the hotel, we strolled over to Kensington Gardens, and walked around its various paths. We were in awe of the round pond with the swans and ducks that were wandering and swimming about. It was a spectacular sight to behold.
Our next stop was Watkins Books, which was conveniently located near the tube station. We spent some time browsing through various collections before making our way to Covent Garden for lunch at Dishoom. After luch we made our way back to the hotel.
Later that afternoon, I began feeling congested with sinus issues, and decided to take a nap. Later, after resting and feeling a bit more restored to health, we went to a Greek restaurant named Santorini. The food at the restaurant exceeded our expectations and we were glad we had made the choice to go to the restaurant.
Day Four - 17 September - British Museum and Library.
We started our day with breakfast and then hopped onto the tube to visit the renowned British Museum. Over the course of at least an hour or two, we perused countless fascinating artifacts and exhibits.
After the Museum, we made our way to the British Library, where we explored all the exhibits and collections that we could. However, the impact of the sinus congestion was starting to take over, signaling that it was time to head back to our hotel.
Upon returning, we picked up a sandwich and smoothie from Pret, a popular sandwich chain, before settling in for the evening. Though it was not how we planned to spend the remainder of our day, it was necessary to take the time to recharge for what was to come.
Day Five - 18 September - Flying home. ?
The day to conclude our London journey had finally arrived, and we were headed back home. After breakfast, we made our way via the tube to Paddington station, followed by the Heathrow Express to the airport. Once we arrived, we printed our boarding passes and made our way through security, maneuvering our burdensome book-laden bags.
After successfully finishing security checks, we grabbed some food from one of the restaurants available within the secured side of the airport area. We then patiently waited for our plane to arrive, and eventually proceeded to the gate for boarding.
Our return trip started with an eight-hour Virgin Atlantic flight to Atlanta. After landing in Atlanta, we boarded our Delta flight for the next leg of our journey, the flight home. We later arrived home safely, albeit tired, later that evening.
Although it is a bittersweet moment to say goodbye to a city filled with memories and rich history, we had created lasting impressions.