long live the queen

So we finally land in London, England after a long 10-hour flight with a delay at the beginning. We landed at Heathrow airport which is one of Londons several airports but by far the busiest for international flights. We took a train from the airport to a metro station. The metro system in London is amazing. We purchased oyster cards which basically gave us unlimited rides for a week, you can always pay per ride or per day, but since we were going to be using it constantly for 4 days, we thought this was the most cost-efficient.

Besides the metro, we walked as much as we could - google maps is a lifesaver when it comes to international travel. It even will guide you to a metro station, tell you where to get off, and then go from there. Thank god for smartphones, because I couldn't imagine using a paper map or constantly asking for directions.

The United Kingdom is the only European nation that doesn't use the Euro, they use the pound. While most places do take debit or credit cards, we withdrew some pounds to avoid constant international fees (which vary depending on the bank). Also, banks and currency exchanges vary on rates so research that too, to save money!

In London, we visited Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Big Ben, the Tower of London, and the British Museum - just to name the main points. We also saw 1984 at a small theatre one evening and tried a ton of English beer. We tried some of the iconic British meals such as - the classic fish and chips, bangers and mash, shepherd's pie, and a traditional English breakfast which consists of baked beans, toast, eggs, a roasted tomato, and some type of protein.

London was a great starting point for the trip because it has a lot of similarities to America for those who haven't traveled abroad and everything is in English.

Next stop -  Rome, Italy!

Front of Buckingham Palace

The London Eye

packing and flight tips

Packing for a month long trip is not an easy task. We opted to share one big suitcase and bring two backpacks. We went were gone the whole month of September and a week in October, so we checked the weather and like Texas, the weather fluctuates. I went with more comfort than trying to look cute every day we were going to be walking A LOT - and the last thing I wanted was my feet hurting. I brought a lot of t-shirts, jeans, leggings, a few light cardigans, and then more dressy options for night time.

Bringing toiletries is also important especially when you're staying in a lot of Airbnbs because they may not be provided like they are in hotels. Packing light is hard for this length of time but coming to terms with the fact you will have to find a way or place to wash clothes is inevitable. Pack items that are versatile and can go with a lot of stuff.

We arrived at the airport about 3 hours early which is what's "expected" for international flights. Also, something I forgot to mention earlier is that getting a passport takes up to 6-8 weeks in the mail so plan ahead if you are traveling internationally. I cannot sleep on flights very well, so I brought a neck pillow and a sleeping pill (which I later slightly regretted - because of how groggy it made me). I brought some snacks on the plane, but they do give you a meal or two because the flight was over 8 hours.

We're almost there, first stop London, England!