My First Trip to London, England
Although I lived in England as a small child, my first trip to London was in January 2009. My husband and I were living in Germany and had decided to take a trip over the long Martin Luther King Day weekend. Our trip to London was special for many reasons. Perhaps the main reason it was so special was because our decision to go there was decided by Germanwings Airlines.
Germanwings is a budget airline based in Germany that offers "blind booking"; that is, customers pay for a flight, but don't know where they're going until the end of the booking process! Blind booking is a fun and cheap way for adventurous travelers to see Europe. We paid for the flight and waited for our destination as chosen by Germanwings. I guess it shouldn't have surprised us that we got London, since we were traveling in mid January!
Though we worried about how the weather would be in London in January, we still had a fantastic time. London is chock full of things to do and we kept busy for the duration of our visit. On our first night, we got dressed up and enjoyed the spectacular sights of London as we cruised the Thames on a Bateaux London dinner cruise. The cruise featured delicious food, music and dancing, and jaw dropping views of the Tower Bridge, London Eye, and of course, the Palace of Westminster, which houses Big Ben.
Over the next two days, we visited the Globe Theatre, the HouseHold Cavalry Museum, Tower Bridge, Vinopolis, and the Clink Prison Museum. We also visited restaurants, including Vivat Bacchus London Bridge, an eatery noted for its exotic menu, fine wines, and extensive cheese selections. In between trips to museums and restaurants, we walked along the banks of the Thames and ran into quite a few street performers, including a band playing soul songs from the 1970s and dressed in pink!
Finding reasonably priced hotel accommodations can be a challenge in London. We were fortunate enough to find nice digs at the Marriott London West India Quay Hotel. The Marriott London West India Quay offers easy access to the Jubilee tube station and the Docklands Light Rail system.
No matter the season, London is a city that always has something exciting going on! My husband and I had an unforgettable time in London and plan to visit again.
Published by Jenny Tolley
I'm a trained public health social worker and proud Army wife. View profile
How to Prepare for a Successful First Time Trip to the UKTourists who wish to visit the UK for the first time will need to prepare well for their trip. It takes more than just boarding a plane and flying across the Atlantic
More Impressions of Italy from a Naive First-Time VisitorThe Italians were fascinating. This is Part Two of my reflections and ruminations about what I saw observing Italy and the Italians when visiting the country for the first time.- Three Great Guidebooks to Use when Visiting London with KidsA look at three great guidebooks designed for families who will be visiting London.
Visiting London for the First TimeGoing to London and seeing it through a child's eyes is a magical experience. The foggy streets and close knit shops are are almost as exciting as the London Tower.- Visiting London, England? The Cities of Maidstone and Kent are Worth Adding to Any...I should start by saying, the reason for choosing Maidstone, for my first travel article, is the fact that I was born there. It is the county town of Kent.
- 5 Reasons Why Americans' First Trip Abroad Should Be to London, England
- 5 Essential Tips for Visiting London
- My First Vacation Trip Overseas - London, England in the 1980s
- Our Trip to London, England
- 10 Unique Day Trips to London
- Visiting London for the Budget Conscious
- Visiting London for the First Time - Transportation, Popular Sights, and Tourist A...
3 Comments
Post a CommentWell, truthfully, I probably did go there when I was very little. But I don't remember it, so I can't say I was really "there"... maybe in body, but not in spirit! We did enjoy London a lot. I think we could have spent weeks there and not done the same thing twice.
I'm glad you and your husband had a good time in London, Jenny. It's funny because just about every time I tell people I'm British they assume I must be from London! There seems to be a fixation with the city for some reason. I wish I could remember my first visit, but I was a baby at the time. My first memory of visiting London was when I was about 7 when I spent a few days visiting some of my mum's cousins.
Sophie
Never been.... hard to think about going somewhere where it is chilly and damp so much of the time.... Maybe having grown up in Boston has something to do with it,too :-}