My twin sister and I are attached at the hip, or at least we would like to be. We go to different colleges, she’s in the South and I’m in New England. We both love our colleges more than anything, and we love to share them with each other when one of us visits the other. This semester, Catherine gets to study abroad in London. Time to visit!
My family and I planned to visit her over my October break about a year ago, we stuck to that plan, and put it into action!! Along with my family, my roommates joined us to meet our Holy Cross friends who are currently abroad. It was a big Holy Cross meet-up in London!
On the plane ride overseas, I was just so eager to get there. I started a book called Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler, which is about a girl who falls in love in London (couldn’t have been more perfect, and yes, I planned that). I read about half of the book, and it honestly romanticized the city for me in a really cute way.
We got off the plane to cars driving on the left side of the road! When we got into the city, Catherine was waiting for us with coffee in hand, at our quaint Airbnb in South Kensington. It was amazing.
The trip consisted of a combination of quality time with all and getting to know London. I visited four amazing museums, including the Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery, and viewed art I’ve been very much looking forward to seeing. I got to go on the London Eye! Catherine and I went to the nearby pub and hung out with her friends amidst British culture. She even took me into her school, providing a glimpse into her everyday life. I adored it.
My family and I even took a trip to Oxford to visit a family friend and the amazing campus. We took a Harry Potter tour (with a wonderful tour guide who was, let’s just say, was very into it) as some of the scenes were filmed there, and the campus was a huge inspiration for Hogwarts. The buildings dated back to the 1200s, so being in their presence was astounding.
It was so amazing to experience a foreign land with my family and friends all in the same place. We all had a little tea party and enjoyed our finger sandwiches as well as our cute outfits. The dinners were also amazing, hitting some of the best spots. My all time favorite was Chiltern Firehouse, it was one of the best dinners I’ve ever had. The nightlife was fun as well, combining all of Catherine’s friends with mine!
My family and I also did PUPPY YOGA!! It was so precious. We have a mini dachshund (weiner dog) at home and the breed for the class was mini dachshunds! The puppies were playing and cuddling with us, I highly recommend it.
I felt so lucky to have been able to take a trip like this with the people I love! I truly adore London, and I’ll cherish the memories I made on this trip forever.