All of London... In One Day!

Early Tuesday morning I was woken up to being a long, exciting day of London. We wanted to get an early start so we could see as much as possible in just one day.

We drove into Epping to park and take the tube (subway) into London. An all day pass is 7.50 Pounds, which was well worth the money. As we sat on the first stop on the tube it was fairly empty and relaxing. We took off and made about 15 other stops until we finally arrived at ours which brought us into the heart of London. Each stop on the tube we made, it got fuller and less relaxing. However, once we arrived, the fun began.

We stopped at a little bakery and got some sandwiches and made our way to Trafalgar Square. Once we arrived, there were waterfalls, extremely tall monuments and in the distance we could see Big Ben. After lunch on the stairs, we walked in the center and let the nearly 2 year old of the group run around and chase the birds. Once we finished taking typical touristy pictures, we proceeded to Parliament to see Big Ben.

Crowds of people pushed and cut you off as you casually walked on the sidewalk. You soon realized, you couldn't be so casual and relaxed. I found myself constantly looking at the street ground before we crossed to find out which way to look for on coming cars. Before every crosswalk it is written on the street 'Look Left' or 'Look Right'. I would have been lost without those signs.

We walked all around London and hit up all the major sites such as Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, The Tower of London, the Tower Bridge, and of course Buckingham Palace. Learning all about the type of people British folks really are as we jumped from location to location.

I learned one very important thing when I stood in line to buy a cup of coffee. Please make sure you stand literally on top of the person in front of you so that the people behind you know that you are really the next one in line. However, even invading other peoples bubbles still isn't enough of a sign to show that you are the next one in line. A woman came and slid right in front of me to order her drink, just like we used to do in middle school. However, I refrained from opening my mouth and getting angry. Instead I let her order and waited even longer. I got my coffee and all was well again. This "cutting in line" is something fairly typical in England. Unless you are pushy and step forward, people will step forward for you.

At the end of the day we ate at a pizza place called Pizza Express. The service was slow, but this again is a typical custom, I believe, in most European countries. They were in no rush to get us out of there. The pizza is thin and very large, thin enough that a whole pizza is for only one person. I would have to say this was one of the best pizza's I've had. To pay with your visa they bring a portable card swiper to your table, give you the copy to write the tip in, and stand there waiting for you to add the tip. I guess I'm okay with that, as they give you the final, total receipt so you know they took the correct amount off your card.

All in all it took us about 8 hours to see all the sites. Although we didn't actually enter any of the buildings (by choice), which would have made the day much longer, it was amazing to see the outside of just about everything there is to see in London. It is one of the busiest cities I've ever been too. Business men and women speed walking past all the tourists in full 3 piece suites and the women in heals. It's just another day for them. But for myself and all the other tourists, it was a day full of memories I will never forget.