LONDON - THE FINAL 3 DAYS & OUR STEP COUNT TOTAL

London - You were just unbelievable. As I look back at our photos, I just can’t believe how much we were able to fit into the few days that we were there - Mind you, we only covered what seemed like a very small portion, but wow was there a lot to see and do!

Now, excuse my memory. I should have written this all down day by day but I was just in so much awe! So, let’s see how I go at recounting what we got up to - (I’m hoping my camera roll will help with this! Ha!) 

DAY #3 HIGHLIGHTS

1. We enjoyed another stroll around The Covent Market - (It was too early for shops to be open but regardless, seeing the area without a crowd was a lovely experience!)
2. Followed by a walk around Trafalgar Square with my parents (A photo with the great big lions there was a must!) 
3. We made plans to shop on this day. Now, don't get it twisted. We didn't set out to shop for anything and everything. (We had a few items that we needed so we were specifically on the look out for these particular things but we still enjoyed a good window shop!) We walked both Regent and Oxford Street. I must say, the London fashion is fantastic!
4. After a morning of walking and browsing - Lunch was calling us! We did a random search, and decided upon Honest Burgers. They were utterly delicious. You can find more about Honest Burgers here: https://www.honestburgers.co.uk/locations/ and here - https://www.instagram.com/honestburgers/?hl=en - Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options available. I also had the most delicious home made mint lemonade. (I'm still dreaming about this meal and drink!)
5. With a full belly, and some more energy, we resumed our shopping. Knowing that this would be the only day that we would explore this district, we thought - We might as well make the most of it!
6. Just like that - We ticked that off our list too. Shopping adventure complete! We met up with the rest of the family for dinner at Gordan Ramsey's restaurant Street Burger - More burgers! Love that for us! You can find more information here: https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/en/uk/street-burger and here - https://www.instagram.com/gordonramsaystreetburger/?hl=en - I opted for the Butterchicken Curry burger for something different. It was so flavoursome and the twist of flavour made it extra special. The desert... Well. It was beautifully presented, and yummy! (My photo was blurry. It was quite dark in the restaurant so I refuse to post a blurry photo, ha!) - If you are ever eating here... You've got to get the Strawberry and Marshmallow Sundae. It's a must.

*Image references -
#1: Covent Garden - With not a soul around!
#2: Big posters of thoughtful quotes around Oxford and Regent Street
#3: Time for burgers at Honest Burgers
#4: Our meal at Honest Burgers - Yum-o! 

DAY #4 HIGHLIGHTS - PART 1

1. We all wanted to visit The British Museum on this trip, and today seemed like a good day to do it! Our morning strolls became quite the standard approach - Letting our feet lead to explore new areas. We walked around the Theatre District, which had beautiful artwork, sculptures and suspended arrangements made from different materials all around. We were fascinated by what was used to decorate the area. 
2. My personal highlight was randomly walking by The Astrology Shop, it was called. I could have exploded with excitement. It is the most gorgeous, magical store - Crystals, tarot decks, books on spirituality and astrology galore. Need I say more?!
3. We had a little snack at Arancino of Sicily. You can find their Instagram here: 

   https://www.instagram.com/arancino_ofsicily/ - Let me just say - WOW. These arancini balls were like nothing I've tasted. They were firstly, HUGE. One was more than enough to fill me up, and the taste? So, so, so tasty and enjoyable. Gotta love a random good find! 

1. Little insight - We booked our time slot for The British Museum the morning of. We recommend you do this. The lining up process is much quicker this way. We started our exploration of the museum at 11:30am and wrapped up around 2:00pm. It was absolutely phenomenal. We probably didn't even scratch the surface to be honest - There was so much to see and and so much to soak up. Just like any museum or art gallery - There's only so much I can descriptively say. They are to be experienced to be properly appreciated in person. The amount of artefacts that museum hold is mind blowing! The best I can do, is share photos to give you an idea of what our eyes took in. So here are some visuals for you! :) - (Below)
2. That night we opted to have dinner at Mother Mash. It was a busy night, and only outdoor seating was available. Perfect for a warm, hearty traditional London meal! The service was extraordinary. The young lady who served us was so joyful, so friendly, and very engaging - Our food was also wonderful! You can find more information on Mother Mash here: 

   https://www.mothermash.co.uk/ or to check out their Instagram, have a looksy here: https://www.instagram.com/mothermash/?hl=en 

*Image references -
#13: The most delicious arancini ball I've ever tasted!
#14: The glass roof of The British Museum
#15: Astrological artefact  
#16: Hundreds, even thousands of books stored behind glass cabinets

#17: Statue of Sekhmet

#18: Roman artefact

#19: Caryatid statue

#20: Egyptian artefact

 

*Image references - 

#21: Egyptian artefact

#22: Our hearty, tasty Mother Mash meal!

DAY #5 HIGHLIGHTS

1. Our final full day in London! So what did we leave for the last day? Yep, you guessed it - The usual morning stroll! This time, we walked back to Buckingham Palace to see The Changing of the Guards. There were so many people! Little tip* We asked a police officer and he said that the best place to position yourself is on the steps opposite Buckingham Palace. Although a good spot - In all honesty, the event is a little underwhelming. The music and atmosphere is pretty great, but ultimately, you don't get to see much. Regardless, an experience! (That's what we are there for!) 
2. Matt was keen for a proper pub meal whilst in London - Wish granted! We took ourselves to a pub and enjoyed quite the feast! The Leicester Arms, it was called. Warm, friendly and fast service - Delicious food! (Bonus* Loved the fair trade drinks they had on the menu too!) 
3. We met back up with the family and enjoyed some time at The Outernet London. We stood and stared at the marvellous visuals for quite some time. Like mini movies, you would be shown a specific clip until it was finished, and then a new one would come on. It was mesmerising, and wonderfully creative. To find out more about this creative district, click here: 

   https://www.outernet.com/ and to find more visuals, you can also go here: https://www.instagram.com/outernetglobal/

*Image references - 

#23: Changed traffic lights in support of the Trans Community

#24: Stunning blue skies and greenery - En route to Buckingham Palace

#25: Bronze ornament of woman with sickle in hand and lion, representing agriculture in London

#26: Pretty suspended display through a mall of luxury brands

Cannot believe we made it to the end of this re-cap!

That concludes our final three days in the very vibrant and lively London.
 

Now, before we go our separate ways... I did promise... 

What was our total step count in London over five days of exploring? 

Our total step count was: 102, 339 steps in five days!

On that note - Have a wonderful week ahead. 

*Any questions about our trip? Please don't hesitate to get in touch. 

Until then - Be well, be safe, be curious and explore mindfully.

We thank you for being here. 
One half of Joopiter's Sun,
Vicki.