London Plans

The countdown has begun! 27 days until I leave for England!  I will be gone for two weeks, staying with one of my best friends who has been studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts since last September.  This will be my third trip to the UK and third time at Heathrow (a post on Heathrow will be coming up), but I have actually never been to England itself other than for changing planes.  I often travel alone, and over the years I've come to really enjoy that, but I always felt that London was too big a city for me to explore on my own.  I don't discourage anyone from doing it, I'm a big advocate of solo travel! but this is just me.  So obviously when I found out my friend would be studying there, I jumped at the chance to go and stay with her.  One of my favorite things to do before a trip is make a list of sights I want to see or things I want to do, so here is my preliminary London itinerary!

-Jack the Ripper Tour (I am obsessed with Jack the Ripper, I even dressed up as him one Halloween)
-Harry Potter studio set!
-Buckingham Palace
-National Gallery
-Victoria & Albert Museum
-British Museum
-Hyde Park
-Tower of London
-London Eye
-Some type of ghost tour (these are my favorite, I do them in every city that offers one)

As for shopping, I am really anxious to hit up Topshop and Dorothy Perkins as well as the big department stores such as Harrod's and Selfridges.  We have had Topshop in the US for quite a few years now but it's never the same as it is when I go to one in the UK.  When I was in Scotland in 2008 (before Topshop launched here) I literally ran into the store, umbrella flailing everywhere, and just stood there with a ridiculously excited look on my face.  It was heaven!

I am also really excited to experience some London nightlife, and here I feel I must digress for a second to talk about my "mission statement" for this blog-  I have always loved to go out.  Some people are foodies, I am a nightlife junkie.  Growing up in the US where we aren't allowed into clubs and bars before 18 and aren't allowed to drink before 21, nightlife accessibility always made Europe that much more of a Wonderland for my teenage self, and I fell in love with nocturnal Europe.  A city doesn't stop existing when evening falls.  Going out during the day only shows one half of a place, and the other half is revealed at night, hidden within a city's bars and venues.  I love to experience what a night out is in different cities, whether it's Rome where we (I lived in Sicily for a time, so I always include myself as a "we" when it comes to Italians) go to at least three different bars before going to a club and finally roll home when the sun is rising, or Dublin, where a great night includes several rounds of Guinness, live music, and great conversation.  I love to make new friends, and they are always found in abundance at night. I plan on dedicating separate posts to the various bars and clubs that I visit on on my journeys in hopes that others who enjoy nightlife can get a good feel for the vibe of city.  I love travel forums and websites, but oftentimes they do not offer enough information on nightlife, and I feel that the field can use a little more attention.  I love history and museums and art and I will post on these, but museums are not open all night, and for those of us who tend to stay up later and like to go out, I'd like to suggest some places where one can go and have a great night, or what places to avoid.  If you're interested in leaving the ordinary city for a while, grab a pint, and follow me down the rabbit hole...