Today’s post is going to be totally different for me and something that is ever so slightly outside of my comfort zone. For the first time ever, I’m going to write a travel and lifestyle post.
*Gasps*
Despite being a pretty frequent traveler and actually being a writer by trade and profession, I have never really had the urge to write about my travels. I’ve always been more happy writing about the personal development side of what travel can do for you than I am breaking down my itinerary for a trip, BUT y’all I just took the most wonderful trip to London and I feel inspired to share some of the highlights with you.
So, here I am: travel writer Amber reporting for duty….how do I even get going?
Well, I think the first thing you should know is that this was my fourth attempt at making my third trip back to London. The city holds a special place in my heart for being the place where I got to actually see Prince Harry (now, there’s a story I should write about someday!) and for being the last stop on my travel sabbatical before I headed back to the U.S.
I had no idea that a global health crisis was coming that would stop me from making a trip to London again for the next two years.
But, alas, the third time is the charm! And oh, how charming it was.
Day 1: Arrival, Art & Fancy Cocktails
I landed in London around 7:30 am GMT (which is 5 hours ahead of NYC), but as soon as I landed I immediately begin to think of myself as being on “London time” because here’s a fun secret about me: I refuse to do jetlag. Seriously. Out of all of the places I have traveled to and time zones I have crossed, I have only experienced jetlag once and it was bad enough to convince me that I never wanted to experience it again!
My secret to shaking off the time zone blues? Commit to getting on the time of the country, ASAP. Forget about “what time it is” in your home country. If you can, take a brief, but beautiful nap unless it is early evening. If it is before 10 pm, but after 5, you gotta push through!
I knocked the eff out on my friend’s couch from 10:30 am until about 1:30 pm when I got up to get ready to join him for an art show as part of London Art Week. It was the perfect amount of napping time for me to reup my energy and lean into my excitement to head out into the streets!
We went to the beautiful, black-owned gallery, SoShiro, where I got to meet so many fabulous people including the artist himself. I ended up in a three-way convo with him and another guest, Julia, which was a fun challenge because he only spoke French and Spanish. He spoke Spanish with me (I picked up the language during my travels in South America) and French with Julia. Julia and I would discuss in English and then go back to our multi-lingual convo.
My favorite part about this art show (beyond the actual art) was having a chance to have conversations with people who really live, work, and love in England. I’m not the type to pack my day with tourist activities, as I much prefer meeting locals and having real conversations.
My friend and I spent the rest of the early evening looking for new deodorant for me (yep, I accidentally left mine at home!) before having dinner at Rum Kitchen in Soho and having cocktails after.
We went back to my friend’s flat around 11 pm, and I went to bed as if the day prior I hadn’t been in New York City!
Day 2: A Muffin, Mimosa, and Many Jewels
Like the boss I am, I woke up around 8 am (jet lag, be damned!) and got ready to head out into the streets of London. I had a touristy plan in mind: The Tower of London where the Royals keep all of their fancy jewels in a castle that also has quite the past. Think beheadings, executions, and child kings. I love history, and I find the Royal family fascinating, so this was the perfect way for me to spend the morning. They don’t allow photography inside the jewel vault, but let me tell you: they are sitting on some big ass diamonds!
After spending the morning being blinded by the bling of colonialism, I headed across the Tower Bridge to find some food. I grabbed a quick snack at Tesco (think a London-style corner store) before wandering into the Bermondsey neighborhood where I stumbled across a bakery, Comptoir Bermondsey, that sold me the most delicious carrot cake muffin I’ve EVER had in my life.
Now, the Brits have a reputation for bland food (I saw no lies), but baked goods? Honey, that is ALL them! Maybe it’s the impact of The Great British Bakeoff?
My muffin was perfectly moist, the icing wasn’t too sweet, and I ended up wandering a little further down the street where I found Chapter 72, a restaurant that sold me the most delicious mimosa I’ve EVER had.
I felt like a winner.
High off the deliciousness of my muffin and mimosa, I walked over to Borough Market where all kinds of delicious things were for sale. This is a must-do place if you find yourself in London on a Saturday morning. I think it is open daily, but Saturdays tend to have a certain energy. You can find food, crafts, and other goods made by independent owners.
I was content to wander around, and I ended up taking a bus to the Shoreditch neighborhood (a good place to party at night, but catch a chill vibe in the day), wandering over to Spitalfields Market where I befriended a designer who I am manifesting will be designing me custom pieces one day, before heading back to my friend’s house to rest a bit before hitting the town.
Night Time Fun In Brixton
Now is the time to confess that I didn’t plan AT ALL for this trip. Like, I was literally sitting at the airport in NYC Googling places to go, but I knew I wanted to place a focus on Black-owned places in the city. I convinced my friend Greg (who I met on my very first trip to London) to meet me out in Brixton which is one of the prominent Black neighborhoods in London.
After dinner, we ended up at Rum Kitchen in Brixton (a different vibe than the one in Soho) where yours truly couldn’t resist joining the fun on the dance floor! Once we talked the DJ into putting on some Beyonce, it was on! I love to dance, and the vibe was perfect. Everyone who was on the floor was committed to having a good time, and that is the way I like to party!
I didn’t stay out too late though because the Tube (the train system) in London shuts down way earlier than I am used to, and I knew I had to get up in the morning to journey to….
Cardiff, Wales on Day 3
So, one of my favorite shows on Netflix is “Sex Education” and when I found out they filmed the show in Cardiff, I knew I had to visit! Cardiff is a quick (under two hours) trip on the train from London’s Paddington station.
I enjoyed the ride which was really scenic and gave some “English Countryside” vibes, but when I actually got to Cardiff, OMG.
This city was gorgeous. I didn’t even see all of the things, but here are some pics of what I did see:
I felt so serene and peaceful walking through their big park which happened to be behind a castle. If you don’t see at least three castles, can you really say you went to England?
I had a great time speaking to the locals, and stopping to have a tea and scones break. One of my favorite parts of this day was stopping in a bar before heading back to the train where I befriended this group of VERY handsome Welsh men.
The hospitality was on point!
Adventures In Remote Working on Days 4 and 5
So, this trip wasn’t a true “vacation” for me, but rather a chance for me to dip my toe in the remote work international waters. My organization has a WeWork membership which gives me access to coworking spaces all over the world.
Although I had to work, it felt like part of the excitement to get a glimpse of how the British do their work day (drinks at the local pub are involved) and to see what the vibe was like. WeWork is in some of the best locations, so on Monday I worked from an office building that had the coolest all-glass interior, and on Tuesday I worked from a location right next to the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge. I have to say, it was really fun taking my meetings from the terrace and showing my colleagues the castle in the background!
Since my workday started around 2 pm, I spent the mornings out walking around and chatting with people, and my evenings after work getting dinner and drinks with friends, including a colleague who I got to meet for the first time! There’s nothing like seeing someone IRL.
Day 6: Last-Minute Fun!
I was still adventuring around the city right up until it was time for me to hop on the train to Heathrow. On Wednesday morning I saw Big Ben (pics don’t do it justice) the Parliament building, and Westminster Abby. All of the architecture was stunning. It was an absolutely beautiful day.
After one last glass of rose at a pub, I left on Wednesday evening with my heart filled with gratitude and awe at how wonderful a trip I had. I feel so incredibly lucky to have these opportunities, and I never take it for granted.
P.S. I’m going to do a vid this week with behind-the-scenes tips and tricks about traveling to London solo and how I did it all with only a carry-on suitcase! Make sure you’re following The Fab Life Project on IG to catch it!
