Travel Blog: Winning London

If you are wondering what the best part of living in Sweden for a year was, it definitely comes down to the accessibility of travel in Europe. It was as if all of Europe was at my fingertips and in just a matter of hours, I could be in a completely different country experiencing a whole new culture. For example, flying from Stockholm, Sweden, to Paris and London takes a mere two hours and it only takes three to get to Rome. Believe me, I took full advantage of this and during the spring, three of my best girlfriends and I were headed off to London, England!

Oh, how I miss it! It seems like just yesterday that my friends and I were stepping off the plane, excited to experience this wonder of a city. We couldn’t wait to experience what we had only ever seen in movies and I, for one, spent the entire trip practicing my British accent and praying I could pick it up in a weekend.
 
 After leaving the airport we promptly caught a cab to our hotel. As soon as we unpacked our bags and settled in, we were off to see what London had to offer. It really was everything we had hoped for. It was raining the first night and felt like we were in the movie, Notting Hill, as we made our way toward Portobello Road.
 
The next day, we set out for a day of shopping. As we headed toward Oxford Street, London’s main shopping strip, the streets were filled with some of the best-dressed people I had ever seen. Being a longtime lover of British-inspired fashion, seeing all of their chic ensembles just made me more excited for the day.
 
We did not hold back. At the end of the day our arms were filled with clothing from every popular store on Oxford Street. Some of the most popular stores are Primark, Topshop, Pull&Bear, Zara, H&M, Forever 21, American Apparel, and many more! Primark was one of our favorites because of how cheap everything was! We got loads of trendy fashions for a fraction of the price. Although, you do have to deal with long lines to pay and try-on and the store can get kind of chaotic with all of the frenzied shoppers. But as tourists, we didn’t mind because it was all part of the London experience.
 
There is so much I could talk about that we did in London, but the nightlife was definitely one of the highlights. After shopping, we took the train back to the hotel and threw on our new ensembles for a night on the town! All dressed up, we went back downtown to the recommended hot spot: Piccadilly Circus. When we arrived it was so crowded, it seemed as though it could have been the middle of the day. London really is a city that never sleeps!
 
Once inside the club, we danced the night away, had a few drinks, and maybe…even flirted with a few British boys. We left the club together satisfied with out night out and excited for our final day in London. We even got to ride home in one of those double-decker red buses that you only see in British movies.

Overall, London was one of the best trips I have ever been on. What could be better than four friends braving a new city for a weekend of shopping and nightlife? I would definitely recommend it! There was so much to do that we hardly slept and the contagious energy of the city keeps me wanting to return.