Landed in London After Spain — Let the UK Adventure Begin!
After wrapping up my trip in Spain, I hopped on a direct flight to the UK. Now, if you’ve ever been to England, you’ll know one thing for sure — it’s expensive. Luckily, I’ve got a friend working here who kindly let me crash at his place. Honestly, if I had to pay for accommodation, I’d probably go broke just from the hotel bill.
As soon as I landed at the airport, the immigration officer started firing the usual questions — “How many days are you staying?”, “Do you have a hotel booked?” and so on. He told me that Malaysians can stay in Europe for 90 days within a 180-day period. Technically, I had already passed the 90-day limit, but there was no issue. I guess if you’re mainly traveling around Southern Europe, they don’t really check that strictly.
I arrived at Stansted Airport and took a bus to Liverpool Street Station. From there, I jumped on the red tube line and headed to North Acton Station — that’s where my friend lives. London’s tube system is huge — I think there are more than 10 different lines. Once I got off, it was just a 7 or 8-minute walk to his place.
He welcomed us warmly, and we headed straight to a nearby supermarket to grab some groceries. We cooked a simple meal at home and chatted the whole evening before calling it a night. Gotta recharge for tomorrow’s adventure!
First Stop: Notting Hill
The next morning, after a quick breakfast of bread and coffee at home, we took the tube to Notting Hill Gate Station. Notting Hill is in West London and is super famous for its colorful houses, artsy vibes, and multicultural energy. One of the highlights here is the Portobello Road Market — full of antiques, vintage finds, street food, and local art. It’s buzzing with people!
If you ever get a chance, try to visit during the Notting Hill Carnival in late August — it’s one of the biggest street festivals in Europe with music, dancing, and crazy colorful parades!
While walking around, I passed by a bakery and thought, “Hey, I haven’t tried any British pastries yet!” So I grabbed a croissant and a cup of coffee — surprisingly delicious!
Chilling at Kensington Gardens
After that little treat, we walked over to Kensington Gardens. It’s one of London’s royal parks and used to be part of Kensington Palace’s private garden — fancy, right? Now it’s open to the public and connected to Hyde Park, but Kensington Gardens has a more peaceful and elegant feel.
It’s huge — around 270 acres — with open green lawns, lakes, statues, and flower gardens. Perfect for walking, jogging, or even having a picnic. From the park, I spotted the Royal Albert Hall across the street. That place brought back memories because one of my favorite bands, The Corrs, had a concert there ages ago. I only watched it on DVD back then, but now I was looking at it for real — what a feeling! The hall was opened in 1871 and named after Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert.
Hyde Park — Winter Vibes Only
Right next to Kensington Gardens is Hyde Park, another iconic spot. There’s a big lake where people usually go boating or have picnics in summer. But since it’s winter now, the place was pretty quiet. Like the Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park also reminds me of The Corrs — they had a concert here too. I’ve always heard about these places but never thought I’d actually be standing here one day.
After a long walk, we headed back to cook dinner at home and rest up for the next day.
The Changing of the Guard — Don’t Be Late!
Day three kicked off early — and for a good reason. We were heading to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace! It starts at 11:00 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays (3 PM on other days). We got there around 10 AM, but it was already super packed. If you want a good spot, trust me — show up two hours early!
The ceremony takes place at Queen Victoria Memorial, right in front of the palace. I was so excited — finally seeing those iconic British guards with the tall fuzzy hats in real life! They’re kinda cute actually. I noticed some of the guards looked Asian — not surprising, since many people from former British colonies like Hong Kong, Malaysia, India, and Singapore have moved here, and some of their kids join the military.
The Queen Victoria Memorial itself is stunning — about 25 meters tall and made of white marble. Right in the middle is a statue of Queen Victoria sitting proudly on her throne, and at the very top, there’s a golden angel (Victory) with wings spread wide. Around the base are statues representing Justice, Truth, Motherhood, Courage, and even the navy and army. Really impressive.
Big Ben — Childhood Memory Come True
After the ceremony, we walked over to Big Ben — you know, London’s most famous clock tower. On the way, we saw posters protesting terrorism. As soon as I saw the tower, I felt a rush of emotion. I used to have a 500-piece puzzle of it when I was a kid, and I’ve seen it in Mr. Bean shows too. It felt surreal to finally see it in real life.
Fun fact: “Big Ben” actually refers to the bell inside the tower. The tower itself is called Elizabeth Tower, but let’s be real — everyone just calls the whole thing Big Ben. It’s right next to the Houses of Parliament and the River Thames. And from there, you can also see the London Eye!
Lunch at Corinthia London — Fancy but Pricey
For lunch, we splurged a little and went to Corinthia London — a super fancy hotel near the Thames and Trafalgar Square. The food was amazing and the vibe was classy, but heads up — it’s not cheap. They automatically add a service charge to the bill, so if you don’t want to pay that, let your server know in advance.
Riding the London Eye — Finally!
This was a dream come true. I’d seen the London Eye on TV so many times, but now I was actually stepping into one of those giant capsules! From the outside, they look small, but once inside, it’s like a mini-room — you could easily fit a double bed in there.
The Eye is one of the largest Ferris wheels in Europe, and when it opened in 2000, it was the tallest in the world. It’s 135 meters tall and takes about 30 minutes for one full rotation. It moves so slowly that it doesn’t even need to stop for people to get on or off.
There are 32 glass capsules, each representing a London borough — but there’s no number 13 (bad luck!). The ticket area also has some cool photo exhibits from when it first opened.
London Bridge Isn’t What You Think
Of course, I had to visit London Bridge — you know, from the nursery rhyme: “London Bridge is falling down…” But when I got there, I was like… wait, this isn’t the bridge I’ve seen on TV?
Turns out, that famous bridge everyone thinks is “London Bridge” is actually Tower Bridge. The real London Bridge is pretty plain and modern, built in 1973. The original one goes all the way back to Roman times!
Here’s a fun story — the old 1831 version of London Bridge was sold to an American guy who thought he was buying Tower Bridge! He shipped it over to Arizona and rebuilt it there.
Tower Bridge — The Real Star
A short walk away is Tower Bridge, the real showstopper. It’s a beautiful combo of a suspension bridge and drawbridge, right next to the Tower of London. It was built so boats could pass underneath without stopping road traffic. And wow — the architecture is like something out of a fairy tale. Definitely a must-see and a great photo spot.
We wrapped up the day by riding a double-decker bus home — my first time on one! The front door is for getting on, and the back is for getting off. So cute!
Soho Vibes
The next day, we took it easy and didn’t leave the house till noon. We headed to Soho, one of the most diverse and energetic neighborhoods in London. It’s located in the West End, surrounded by Oxford Street, Regent Street, Charing Cross Road, and Shaftesbury Avenue.
Back in the 1600s, it was actually a royal hunting ground — the name “Soho” came from a hunting shout. Later on, immigrants from France, Italy, and China moved in and shaped the community.
Today, Soho is famous for its food scene — you can find Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Italian food, and more. There are also indie cafes, wine bars, and fancy restaurants. It’s also the heart of London’s LGBTQ+ scene, especially around Old Compton Street. During Pride, this place is buzzing with color and joy.
West End Shows — Art Comes Alive
Growing up in Malaysia, I always thought performers like ballet dancers or musicians couldn’t really make a living. But in Europe, it’s different. The arts are respected and supported. In London’s Theatre District, there are shows happening every single day.
The area around Covent Garden, Leicester Square, and Piccadilly Circus is filled with more than 40 major theatres. There’s the Royal Opera House, Theatre Royal Drury Lane (over 350 years old!), and many more.
You can even grab cheap last-minute tickets from booths in Leicester Square. Just be there 5–10 minutes before showtime — they often sell leftover or returned tickets at a discount.
We watched The Book of Mormon, a hilarious musical about two Mormon missionaries sent to Africa. It was full of cultural misunderstandings and laugh-out-loud moments. Just don’t bring hot drinks into the theatre — they won’t let you in with them!
Chinatown, Casinos & M&M’s Overload
After the show, we wandered into Chinatown. I spotted a casino named “Genting” — instantly knew it was Malaysian. Inside, I saw a fellow Malaysian playing at the same table with a Thai woman. Win or lose, they were betting together like teammates.
We passed street performers — one guy was singing worship songs from Hillsong, and it was honestly pretty moving. Then we stopped by the M&M’s World store, where I might’ve eaten way too many free samples (oops). They also sell all sorts of M&M merch — keychains, mugs, clothes, you name it.
Across the street was a giant LEGO store, but unfortunately, it was already closed. I could only press my face against the glass and dream.
Before heading back, I toured a few more casinos — just out of curiosity. I wanted to see what games they offered and how high the bets were.
Goodbye London, Hello Ireland
After a packed few days, it was time to say goodbye to London. Tomorrow, I’ll be flying off to Cork, Ireland — excited for the next adventure!
If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like and share — thanks so much for reading!
Real Traveler, Real Experiences, Real Results. 
Leave a comment