The Adventures in London 2014

September 01, 2014

The Adventures in London 2014

Between the 27th to the 30th August 2014, my mother, my nanna and I went on a 3 night stay in London. Now, we do this every year because if we didn't then we wouldn't go on holiday anywhere.
However, I am not complaining as I love this capital city and this trip was crazy and fun and just the best trip so far really!

SO here is 'Travel| The Adventures in London 2014'...

Lets start with what we did whilst we were there.

Since we went for four days, we each had a day to do the things we wanted to do.
Wednesday, the day we arrived, we just shared that day and went to the usual places we love to visit. These were: Oxford Street, Marble Arch, St Pauls Cathedral and Piccadilly Circus. These places are great for any shopaholics as they are filled with cloth, shoe, watch, accessories shops. Pretty much everything!

A photo of me, St Paul's Cathedral
in the background

Thursday was my nanna's day so we went to Tower of London to see the poppies for the centenary of World War One (1914-1918). I just want to say that it was so overwhelming to see the seer amount of the poppies surrounding the famous landmark. Proud is a complete and utter understatement of how I felt just looking at them. It really made me proud to be British. If you get the chance to go down and see them then please do, it is so incredible!

A small section of the poppies
outside Tower of London. Proud
and overwhelmed are
understatements.

We also went back to Piccadilly Circus as Cath Kidston (one of my favourite shops ever) was doing a special event to celebrate their totes. I got a newspaper print skirt and top, which is just perfect for me since I want to be a Journalist.
Convent Garden was next and I finally bought myself a BBC One Sherlock top. FINALLY!!!

Moving onto Friday (which was my day), we went to The Tate Modern Gallery, Shakespeare's Globe, the Southbank (where they film ITV This Morning) and the BBC Studios (where they film BBC One's The One Show). Now this by far was favourite day ever of the trip and my second favourite day of my whole life. I have always wanted to go to The Globe (I wanted to go and see Colin Morgan, played Merlin, in The Tempest last year but could not) so that was just brilliant but I managed to get on national TV.
Between 10:30am to 12:30pm every weekday, This Morning brings the nation everything from the latest news stories, what fashion trends are in, sorting out your finances or just general things. I have to say, I watch this when I can! I love it. But yeah, we went to the ITV Studio on the Southbank, where it is filmed, and I was in the background when two of the presenters, Ruth Langsford and Eamon Holmes, were interviewing a woman. I was so happy... It's the small things.

TOP: The One Show
Bottom: This Morning
I have circled myself in red.

Fast forward to Friday evening, we went to the BBC Studios, near Oxford Street, and stood outside the studio where they film The One Show, another week day programme on BBC One. We were suppose to go there on the Thursday night but my nanna was too tired so we went then instead. And thank God we did!!! Hollywood actor Liam Neeson, who I love, was the guest star for that show. We also saw the presenters of that show, DJ Chris Evans (not to be confused with the Captain America actor) and Gabby Logan. We were also lucky as Liam was not the only guest (he had to go early because he had to be somewhere else or something like that). BBC One Materchef judge Greg Wallace, Mrs Brown's Boys star Jennifer Gibney (Cathy) and a man from an antique show (I don't know his name) were there as they were the last contestants to be announced for BBC One's dancing show Strictly Come Dancing. On this subject of Strictly, I am totally going to be voting for Jennifer because she was so lovely and I had a conversation with her (kind of like my first ever interview with a celebrity as a Journalist) and she stayed behind taking photos etc with other people, whilst the rest did a few and went. Definitely voting for her this year!
So not only did I watch it being filmed live and was in the background, I got 'selfies' with Greg, Jennifer, Chris and Gabby and saw Liam Neeson. LIAM NEESON! I was so so so so SOOO happy.

TOP (L-R): Greg Wallace, Gabby Logan,
Jennifer Gibney
MIDDLE (L-R): Gabby again, Chris Evans
and just a photo with the logo
BOTTOM: LIAM NEESON - I TOOK THIS

Anyway... Saturday was our last day and mothers turn to do the things she wanted to do. Notting Hill and Portobello Road were our first stops. I was so overwhelmed with the amount of stalls in the Portobello Market, however I also finally got an Audrey Hepburn top. FINALLY!!! Also got to taste the deliciousness of the Hummingbird Bakery's cakes- they were so good.
Next up on our places to go was Leicester Square, which is famous for being the place were film premieres are held. If you do get the chance to go here if you go then just sit down on the benches and just relax whilst listening to the water feature in the middle of the square. It is just so perfect to do.

Portobello Road Market

We visited Convent Garden again to get a calendar for 2015. Yes, you read that right! Next year... I am just too organised! Anyway, it was a very special calendar with a certain British actor on it who I obsess over and love etc... It was Benedict Cumberbatch so I couldn't not buy it. It was a perfect way to end the trip.

Other things that made it so great:

Easy to get around!
By using an Oyster Card (you can get them at Underground Stations and you top up with money and use it on buses and trains etc instead of cash or a ticket) and it was so simple to use. WARNING: if you are going to London anytime soon then you have to have one of these! Like I said, you can get one at the underground, its a £5 deposit (which you get back if you choose to return the card) and you top it up. After a certain amount of money you spend on the card (I think it was something like £4.50 roughly) then after this the journeys are free. Check the Transport for London website to find out more information
Most of the people were so nice!
When I was shopping in new Piccadilly Cath Kidston store, one of the staff members called Allison was so helpful and nice that she just had to be included in this blog post. She helped me chose the clothing I bought (the newspaper print items) and just was a pleasure to be helped by her. Also the bus drives were really nice and answered our questions about where the bus was stopping etc.
So many shops!
It is crazy how many different shops there are in London compared to where I live, North East of England. I mean it is the capital city of the UK after all but still! Primark (Oxford Street), Cath Kidston (Piccadilly, Selfridges at Oxford Street, Covent Garden), M&M World (Leicester Square), HMV (Oxford Street), the market at Covent Garden and Selfridges (Oxford Street) are to name but a few of my favourite shops to go to. Oxford Street and Piccadilly are my favourite shopping destinations.
I just love London
It is my favourite place to travel to! I am going to live there and work there definitely. It is a huge city but once you know where you are and how to get to places and where everything is then it make the trip a whole lot easier!

Some of my other photos of the trip: