On July 30th, 2017, I closed up my Paris airbnb apt, placed the key back in the mail slot, and made my way to Gard Nord train station to take the Eurostar to London, England for the second half of my solo travel spree. I didn't know it then, but it was during this trip that I had the biggest scare of my life.
Again, I booked via Airbnb. Expecting four guests for three of my six night stay, I found a three bedroom condominium in a well heeled neighborhood four miles outside of London. Unlike my sparely furnished Paris apt, my new digs in West Hampstead were crammed with over sized furniture, overflowing drawers and closets, and enough shelving knick knacks to keep even the most curious guest engaged for days. Though forced to live out of my suitcase for lack of space to put anything, the condo certainly felt homey with loads of comfy chairs, sofas, and a stocked fridge that the owner said I was welcome to enjoy.
The Eye- Worth Doing
London - full of wonderful museums, points of interest, historical landmarks, great theater, the famous double decker buses --- how to see it all?
Son Phil popped in for a few days
Before going anywhere, get yourself an Oyster Card.
Much like the Parisian Viago, London's Oyster Card is a transit pass good on London buses, trains, and their subway affectionately referred to as “The Tube”. It’s easy to purchase with no photo necessary. Buying my Oyster card at the train station located close to my condo, I quickly learned how easy and economical it is to navigate the city using this pass.
There is too much variety for me to suggest just one tourist itinerary. After consulting Rick Steves' Pocket London 2017, I put together a rough list of things that I wished to visit during my week's stay.
Which brings me to mention my NUMBER ONE, most favorite tour of all time!!!
Gotta love a man in uniform!
If you have any interest at all, I highly recommend you visit London during the two months a year that Buckingham Palace is open to the public. Luckily, I stumbled on the opportunity to purchase, via Viator, a Buckingham Palace tour package including a changing of the guard walking tour followed by a stroll through picturesque Hyde Park.
The Changing of the Guard walking tour
This particular tour is only available when the ruling monarch is on holiday. At the time of this blog, there are still spots open for 2023, but the tour often sells out. If you find yourself in London this summer and have an interest, I highly recommend this tour.
While alone, I leisurely covered a lot of territory.. I enjoyed a ride on the Eye, heard Big Ben strike on the hour at least three times, and highly recommend a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum. The free museum is a Victorian gem all in itself with fascinating permanent and temporary exhibits.
Victoria and Albert Museum - a Must See
When my guests arrived, we toured the Imperial Museum of War, spending three full hours (highly recommend!). My delightful Goddaughter Ellen and I went shopping at Harrods where we became dazzled by the beauty of the store’s interior as well as the gorgeous mercantile; on floor after floor, after floor.
Gotta love a bear in uniform!
Taking Rick Steves’ advice, the group of us rose early to make our way to London Tower before the lines became long. Built by William the Conqueror in 1097 as a fortress to protect young London, its storied history is sure to please travelers of all ages.
London Tower - Arrive early to avoid long lines
And since this is a travel blog, I will finish with one last recommendation.
If traveling alone, it probably isn't the best idea to book a "Tales from the Grim Reaper" tour. Especially if you are unfamiliar with your surroundings.
My airbnb was located about a mile from the West Hampstead rail station. When I met the owner at check in, her nephew took me on the meandering path to town about ½ mile away to help me get my bearings. Like Gretel, at every turn, I’d take note of a marker or roadside object to help me find my way on my own. This proved vital on the evening of my East London walking tour where I actually paid money to hear the creepiest stories the city has to offer.
Mind you, I was traveling with my old Windows phone with absolutely no data. Instead, I relied on google directions uploaded on my Chromebook. Before leaving for the day's adventures, I took pictures of the detailed directions with my phone for later use. A static strategy, but so far, the method served me well.
Until the night I thought the boogeyman might get me.
Always a fan of horror movies, I believed that a tour of East London hearing tales of the city's lurid past would be intriguing. Unfortunately, I forgot to take into account that I was touring alone that day and didn't know the city well.
Our tour group met on time in the bright late evening sunlight. Initially, every historical story seemed terribly interesting. I learned that London was originally one square mile in size. Inhabitants could not drink or gamble within the city limits. To "party", they simply stepped outside of the city's walls a few meters to find booze, card games, and prostitutes.
Sanitary methods were non-existent; meaning that raw sewage was literally dumped into the river (doubling as drinking water).
The plague wiped out 50% of London’s population. When officials decided that people were getting sick from dogs and cats, they were all unceremoniously destroyed.
To add a dramatic touch, my tour guide pointed out that Jack the Ripper haunted the streets we were strolling in 1888.
He was never caught.
Even more horrible, we stood at the spot where one female baby killer lived;
murdering for profit over 250 infants of unwed mothers. We also stood on the spot where the gallows were used for beheading noblemen and for hanging the condemned poor.
My engaging guide pointed out a last remnant of a centuries old Roman wall as we continued down narrow and disjointed passageways first built hundreds of years before our walk.
Bright sunlight still shining at the Roman Wall
Though interested by every story, I couldn’t help but notice that this tour seemed to be going far longer than expected. Looking upward, I couldn't help but notice that it was growing dusk. Becoming concerned that I might have to find my way back to my apartment in the dark I asked the guide, "How much longer?"
He replied, “About 20 minutes, but you’re going to be walking back in the dark anyway”. A hint of panic came over me. Deciding to make use of the light I had left, I asked for directions back to the familiar and populated starting place of our tour. “Oh we aren’t going back. But you can catch the train at Liverpool Station". With no other options I could think of, I listened carefully as he told me how to find my way to the station now located on the same spot where London's first mental hospital, First Bethlehem Hospital stood.
Established in 1247, our guide described some of the many atrocities carried on within the mental hospital's walls, ultimately becoming nicknamed "Bedlam".
And with that —the group walked off, leaving me alone to my imagination and own devices.
“Go up to the corner, take a right, make a l left, go straight up”, I muttered to myself as I made my way in East London, alone. I'm not being dramatic, there wasn't another soul around.
` Dusk at Liverpool Station
Thankfully, his directions were spot on and I triumphantly found Liverpool Station. It took a few minutes to figure out the correct train to take me "home". Thankfully, before too long I was on my way.
There was just one last problem.
Upon arriving at West Hampstead, I discovered that my tour guide was quite correct. I would have to walk the last mile in the dark. Strolling through town, I felt comforted by the sight of seeing the locals enjoying their dinner al fresco. The village appeared to be so charming (and it is).
Leaving the comforting light behind me, I started up the long hill to the safety of my temporary home. After making a right at a cannon sitting on one street corner, I remembered to make a left at the golden bricked building before crossing the busy main road. The last "bread crumbs" were two small bushes marking the beginning of a narrow path leading up to the final homestretch.
To add to eeriness, it was a moonless night. The path was lit but most of the light appeared subdued thanks to the height of the tall bushes lining the walkway. For the piece de resistance, the neighborhood appeared non inhabited. As far as I could tell, there wasn't another soul around for "miles".
Trying to stay brave, I forged up the long hill, my heart rate ever so slightly accelerating. I tried to focus on pleasant thoughts becoming clouded by the tales from the evening's tour.
Before reaching the halfway mark, I sensed more than heard footsteps behind me. "Ok Ellen, stay calm, I'm sure it's nothing". Quickly, I glanced behind me. Sure enough, a dark figure had entered the path. Not able to discern if the person was male or female, I picked up my pace.
"Are the footsteps getting closer?", I asked myself. With thoughts of "Jack the Ripper" dancing around in my head, I broke out into somewhat of a comedic run.
"You're almost there Ellen, almost there!"
Finally, the break in the bushes appeared and I made my final dash to the condo building bathed in glorious yellow light from multiple streetlamps.
I bounded down the steps into the building’s entrance, quickly inserting the key to the building. Completely out of breath, I greeted the night desk clerk before approaching the elevator on shaky and unsteady legs. After opening my front door and throwing myself on the sofa with a big “Whuumph”, I spent the next twenty minutes allowing my breath, heart, and imagination to calm down.
Clearly I got my money’s worth for the Grim Reaper walking tour but I highly recommend that if you wish to take the tour? Do so with a group of friends!
Overall, my week in London was phenomenal. I saw everything I wanted to visit. For the last evening’s adventure, I attended the musical Kinky Boots, getting fantastic orchestra seats minutes before the show began. If you ever get the opportunity to see this fast paced and joyful show, please do! It’s the only musical I’ve ever attended when the entire audience jumped to its feet and applauded at curtain call.
Returning to Paris on the Eurostar, I spent two more wonderful nights in Paris. The first evening, I booked a lovely room at Square Louvois. It too has a lovely indoor pool, but this time, I kept my suit on.
After spending my last day wandering and shopping, I made my way via the RER to the Citizen M at Charles de Gaulle airport, once again heeding good advice to stay close to the airport on the eve of a morning flight.
Returning home felt bittersweet. My two weeks had enough sights, sounds, foods, people watching, shopping, and history lessons to last a lifetime. Well, that's what I thought at the time. Little did I know what was ahead.
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