This was my fourth visit to London, but this time I was accompanied by my husband Brad and his mother Christal, who were basically international traveling virgins. Neither one of them had ever left the North American continent (aside from Brad’s new job in the DRC), whereas I felt quite above the rest when it came to my level of culture. Because of my international experience, I knew some things that they had to see and I knew about using the underground system, but really that was it. Although, I had been several times before, ultimately this was my first time in London as a full-blown adult and planning a trip for myself and others. I was diligent in doing my travel homework. Originally, I was planning a European road trip, but I kept getting carried away with all the places I wanted to visit, so I decided to simplify. 4 cities over 2 weeks. London. Paris. Barcelona. Lisbon. …with Brad’s mom departing halfway through Paris.

With our timeline somewhat stable, I studied google maps to figure out the best area to stay in in correlation with the places we wanted to visit, and in that research I discovered a fantastic resource for the all-in-tourist, The London Pass. You pay a flat rate depending on the number of days you want to use it for and it includes specific tours, cost of underground passes, and gets you discounts at certain tour spots, restaurants, and shops. It's really awesome, and a great convenience.

Christal and I were planning on meeting Brad in Heathrow airport since this was his first “leave” from his work abroad in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Because I had been to London a few times before, being out and about the entire time was not on my agenda, so I slept... A lot... But, I do have some fun photos to share. ...and some great places to check out which you can read about now!

Also, I should note that this post is not based on a timeline because my recollection of the order of events is a little foggy as this trip was close to 2 years ago. But I'll walk you through all of our activities so you can get an idea of what you might want to do on your visit!

We stayed at the Tune Hotel in the Westminster area, which was a fairly short walk into the city center, or an easy underground ride especially since the underground was literally across the street from our hotel entrance. Our room was tiny. Brad and I had to stash our luggage under our bed just to keep the walking paths clear while we were in the room!

I enjoyed walking along the river Thames during the day which hosts several iconic structures in London such as the beautiful blue adorned Tower Bridge (seen above). You can tour Tower Bridge but I have never done it. (Info on the tour can be found here.)

One of the other fun things to do in London is to visit & tour the Tower of London. This is where the Crown Jewels of England are kept and heavily guarded (don’t get any ideas!). ...but that’s not all. You can practically visit the different historical eras of England, and even experience how they lived in the middle ages. A great place for history buffs to spend the day!

When we were visiting the Tower of London there we were able to enjoy the beautiful artistic tulip display that filled the historical motes along the outer wall, It is no longer there as it was removed that November (2014). You can read about the si… — When we were visiting the Tower of London there we were able to enjoy the beautiful artistic tulip display that filled the historical motes along the outer wall, It is no longer there as it was removed that November (2014). You can read about the significance of it *here*.

This photo features Big Ben & Parliament, as well as part of Westminister Abbey.

One of my favorite things that we did on this visit was walk through Westminster Abbey. We all know it as the famous Cathedral where the royal families have gotten married, but it has a much bigger story to tell. The history & the decadence of this magnificent and very packed church were astounding! So many exquisite people have been buried there. The list not only includes royalty, but also great minds such as Sir Isaac Newton.

Unfortunately, photos were not allowed on the inside, so you’ll have to rely on the internet to check it out. You can click on this link to google images to see interior photos. In all the chaos of the day, and with no anticipation of starting a travel blog two years later, I didn't take a direct picture of the front of the Abbey either... …but here’s the courtyard attached to Westminster abbey. It's overlooking one of the towers of the parliament building. The photo on the right is of the old paintings along the walls in the Chapter House attached to the Abbey.

Something that America lacks, and Europe thrives in, gardens! We were in some large grassy park every day. The parks are everywhere & full of scampering wildlife. We had the pleasure of visiting St. James Park across from Churchill's War Rooms (below). There were pelicans! haha. Also, mischievous squirrels that had my attention the whole time!

If you or your travel companion is at all a WWI enthusiast then the Churchill's War Rooms is a must see exhibit. You can explore the underground tunnels that helped Britain fight the war. You see the living quarters, offices, strategy rooms, communications rooms, dining hall, etc. This tour was another first for me, and I found it to be a really interesting experience. I would highly recommend it for anyone going for even just a few days. It's a fairly short tour, and the price is reasonable. Every guest is given a headset for a guided tour in their native language which awesome. It helps hold my attention!

Kensington Palace is a nice place to visit, but I didn’t feel it was necessary. Kensington Palace was the home of the late Princess Diana and young Queen Victoria , and is now the home of the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge aka William & Kate.

Honestly, I wouldn't rank this tour very high. I felt like it lacked authenticity, and seemed disoriented in terms of where the focus should be. It was more like a historical clothing museum which was interesting, but not what I was hoping for. In addition to being able to see some of the insanely uncomfortable fashions of previous centuries, you are able to see some of Diana's most iconic outfits. Interesting, but nothing that google couldn’t help me with.

One of the reasons, I was so intrigued by Kensington Palace and eager to visit was because 'The Young Victoria' is one of my favorite movies. I was genuinely hoping to see it in that light, but I was unable to, obviously. However, one of the best parts of the Palace tour was exploring the private gardens. While the gardens were quaint in comparison to other palaces such as Versaille, they were beautiful none the less, and equipped with water features, striking arbor covered walkways, beautiful flowers, and there was a crane (the bird, not the machine) just hanging out in one of the manmade ponds. It was truly the best part.

Despite not loving my visit to Kensington Palace itself, I did enjoy spending times in the public gardens just outside the gates. The garden is large and a great place to relax, walk, read a book, or people watch if that’s your thing. If it were up to just me, I would grab lunch from a local shop & enjoy it in the park.

If you are wanting to do a Palace tour, if it is available, do Buckingham Palace instead (pictures were not permitted, they want you to buy the books). Buckingham Palace has far more to see & is much more interesting, in my opinion. I have done it twice now & would probably go again simply because it is so much to take in.

Another fun & affordable activity for those art lovers or those looking for a little culture is to hit up The National Gallery. It was a great way to kill a few hours on our last day after we had hit everything else. It was quick & had several iconic pieces of art by several celebrated prominent artists like Van Gogh & Monet . The Impressionist art was my favorite. I found myself drawn towards it, or maybe something else suits your fancy?

The National Gallery is just off Trafalgar Square ( I didn't take photos because there were so many people). The gallery sits next to St. Martin in the Fields, a small cathedral. If your feet are killing you, it's a great place to stop in and take a seat and have some quiet time for reflection. That is what we did, however, we were pleasantly surprised to have a strings orchestra start practicing. It was a truly wonderful moment that I will never forget. …and possibly my favorite memory from this trip. The unexpected experiences are often what we gravitate to the most, don’t you think?

One of my favorite things about cities like London is that you have the complete freedom and capability to roam wherever you want. You will always find something new and beautiful to gaze upon, or something new to learn. It's a great way to relax & experience the culture, as well. I feel, this freedom always helps relieve some of the pressure to see everything & do everything because, in a sense, it is just as, if not more so, fulfilling and memorable when you discover the city on your own terms.

Our first Europe trip as husband and wife continues in Issue 5: Paris, France 2014 (Part 1)

ISSUE 4: London, UK 2014