United Kingdom - Chasing Gravel

London United Kingdom was my first time in a plane, and a first for many things. I clearly remember a bottle dropping on my head from the overhead compartment. Stressed out getting on the plane for the first time. We spend 2 weeks travelling the UK visiting London tourists sites, Birmingham and Plymouth. I loved the vibe and how things just flow. London I will be back!

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Top 10 places visited in London:

1. Madam Tussauds

2. Changing of the Guards

3. Harrods

4. Royal Albert Hall

5. The Tower of London

6. London Eye

7. Big Ben

8. Natural History Museum

9. Westminster Abbey

10.Trafalgar Square

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First time on a plane… man oh man; I don’t know if anyone else also experienced a wave of emotions and tremendous nervousness being a virgin flight.  Where you become silent and the fear of the moment the plane takes off, dry mouth and dreading that the window lid has to be open.  Then they start with the emergency exists and what to do and if you were not hit with panic then you hit paranoia.  When you are about to grab the oxygen mask all is over and you pick up speed on the runway and in moments you are in calmness and being offered beverages.  Till this day I am nervous; but enjoy the result embarking the plane knowing a new adventure is about to start.

We flew in from Africa making it a 12 hour flight landing in one of the busiest airports in the world; Heathrow. What an eye opening experience. As I am from Africa, we don’t know about underground trains and crazy big malls and airports. We have open spaces, a lot of them! Again how nice to experience things some people take for granted as they are used to it. It has become part of everyday life. To me the moving technology of the world is amazing. How the world is evolving.

So we in Heathrow and our trip started…

First stop: A few days in London.

We did a few of the red bus routes visiting: Hyde Park Corner, Queen Mother Gates, Marble Arch, Mayfair, Trafalgar Square, London Eye, Waterloo, Tower of London. Buckingham Palace, Changing of the Guards.  Victoria station, Harrods, Kensington Gardens (where you find the Diana Fountain), Oxford Street, Natural History Museum London.

Other visits were Madame Tussauds, Pictures at the famous  Big Ben ( clock tower and Westminster Abbey, site of British Monarch coronations) a few restaurant and  take away stops.

From London we took a bus to Birmingham where we met up with an old school friend that showed us around.

From Birmingham we went by bus again to Plymouth, here hubby went on a course and I used my days exploring.

It is the top 10 rated tourist attraction because it is Britain’s largest seaport and the most historically important.

 I went to the National Marine Aquarium, Royal Citadel and Plymouth Naval memorial.

The National Marine Aquarium: It is the UK’s Biggest Aquarium. It was opened in 1998.

Royal Citadel: It is a 17th century Fort builds to defend the coastline. Walking around this site you can’t help but to get Goosebumps and the thought of how many lives were part of the history on that spot.

Plymouth Naval memorial:  It is a war memorial in Devon England to the British sailors who lost their lives in World Wars and had no grave. You will also find names of sailors from Australia, South African and India.

From Plymouth we went back to London. The adventure came to an end, knowledge gained and memories made. Travel broadens the mind; plant seeds of thought  and make you realise how long mother earth has been making history. 

This is to just name a few. The red Hop On Hop Off busses are the best way to explore London with maps showing

you all the best locations. 

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