With by bags packed and ready to go, on September 13, 2013 I flew off to London for an adventure of a life time! Even the flight was better on British Airways not to mention the food was pretty good! As I step off the plane a rush of excitement flooded my whole body I could not wait to see what London had in store for me!
One of the speed bumps I had encountered was the difference in currency. At first I had to analyze each coin to see how much each was worth. After a few days I was a pro and I really grew to like how they have one and two pound coins.
I do not know what it is about England but everything is just better. And yes even the currency, I think it is a lot more eye catching than the U.S. dollar. Though the only downside is all the coins can weigh you down! I ended up collecting a huge pile of just coins but no worries because you can pay in all coins at the self checkout counter at Sainsbury! For those who are not familiar with Sainsbury it is only the best grocery store in London where one can find almost anything you may need. Though growing up in America we do miss our junk food that the UK does not have, luckily I was just an hour tube ride away from Partridges! The one stop shop for American products like thanksgiving stuffing, gravy, Snapple, Fruit Loops, Peppermint Patties, Skippy peanut butter and more!
Now that I'm going off on a food tangent I might as well continue. London is a prime spot for the best markets. Brick Lane market was just down the street from where I lived in Shorditch. This is where I really took advantage to try different kinds of food especially Indian. I also took a trip to Borough and Camden Market. Borough Market is every foodie's dream! They have fresh produce, award winning lemon curd, pies, sweets and more! Not to mention London was the first place I fell in love with crepes and Nutella! Stables Market was another great place to just walk around and visit each vendor. All of these markets were always so much fun to explore because no matter how many times you go there is always something different!
Of course one's trip to London is never complete unless you have high tea and you will not be getting cheap little tea bags. The miniature tea sandwiches and sweets are probably my favorite part! Next on the menu was to try some fish and chips and they were finger licking good!
Right around the corner from where I lived was the cutest little cafe which has some of the best breakfast food! My friend and I had gone to the Cottage Cafe so many times the owner started to recognize us! Though to this day I'm still not too sure what brown sauce is. I think it is so important to try the food locals eat no matter where you go! Its not just about getting a great meal but the experience that goes along with it. Like becoming friendly with a cafe owner and trying unique foods of English origin. I would never be one to just eat at a McDonalds because it is familiar to me. Reaching outside of my comfort zone when it comes to food is always exciting to me. In just a few months I will be heading out into the business world and I am hoping my job will allow me to travel. These experiences I've had will help me tremendously after graduation. If I go to London again I already know some terms the British use that are different from American, for example; queue:line, chips:french fries, crisps:potato chips, take-away:takeout, lorry:truck, flat:apartment etc.
