Trip #2 has been completed and it was a ball. Looking back on my time in England, I left with so much joy, memories and the strongest calling to return. Prior to this weekend, I had gone through a really tough time within one of my relationships. Being abroad can be isolating and lonely, so this genuinely took a toll on me. Going through that made this trip more important and needed. So, I bit the bullet and took the solo trip. My first international solo trip! It was very nerve wracking but ultimately worth it. I feel like England gets a really bad rep when it comes to the people and how they can be rude, but my experience was entirely opposite. Being so nervous about being alone, I found the kindness of the people I met in England to be helpful and comforting and seriously relieved the stress of going to a new country alone. This trip consisted of two goals:
- See Niall Horan and Flowerovlove in concert in Manchester.
- Go to London.
These were two very important goals for me since they were the two reasons I decided to go. For starters, I was very on the fence about going. But I saw that Flowerovlove, who I already adore, was opening for Niall Horan, a former One Direction member, and knew that those two combined would be a great combination. One Direction had such an influence on my childhood and was the first band I ever loved, and especially after the passing of Liam Payne, it has been a goal of mine to see the remaining members in concert since I will never get the chance to see the band back together as a whole. Even though I didn’t know much of his music, I knew he played “Steal My Girl” every night and knew enough of his music (and his opener) to really let myself go in knowing I’d have a good time. It was similar to my experience with most openers, where I don’t know their music but leave liking some I had never heard before. And that’s what this concert did for me, it exposed me to new songs of his that I really enjoy.
Secondly, London is the cliche spot to visit when going to the UK. So of course, I couldn’t miss it. I didn’t really go in with much of a plan. I had a few spots I knew I wanted to hit but I was only in London for 24 hours, so there was only so much that I could see and do. One thing I knew I was going to do was make the most out of my time and enjoy as much as I can see. And that I did. A lot more than I expected. London felt like home to me. But not MY home, but my home away from home. It reminded me of New York City and had everything that I adored about New York, but better. I stayed in the Kensington area, which was truly gorgeous, and also near the Nottinghill area, which I loved. I do think I am a city girl at heart, and although Rome is definitely a city, it is not like London or New York. So visiting London and getting that feeling back was truly comforting and needed when I was emotionally going through it. Leaving London made me feel like I left a part of me there. Although this trip was a lot more expensive than expected, specifically because of how much I shopped, it has been my favorite trip yet, and my heart desires to go back. I don’t know when or how but I know I need to return. I recently wrote in a journal of mine that although I spent 24 hours in London, this was the first city abroad that I genuinely could see myself living in. That just barely sums up how impactful and meaningful this trip and visit was. I have told everyone here in Rome who has asked about my trip that they need to visit. It is not a destination you ponder about, you need to be like me and bite the bullet and just go. I have zero regrets about this trip and truly believe everyone can find something about London or even England that they will enjoy. But enough London praise, here’s a broken down recap on all the spots I hit and my summarized itinerary.
What Was The Plan? There wasn’t much of one. In Manchester, see the Niall Horan Concert. That was it. I obviously did more, like souvenir shopping and getting the BEST seafood boil I’ve ever had (and that’s coming from a Marylander), but that was my one and only thing I came for, honestly. In London, I wanted to go to Nottinghill to go shopping. I really wanted a Nottinghill Shopping Bag, this floral hoodie from Lyna London, and to see the Portobello Market. I also wanted to do a bus tour of the city, so that I could be taken to all the remarkable stops like Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, The London Eye and more without running out of time. Although I didn’t have much time at any of the spots since we were just driving by, it was nice to at least see them with my own eyes (no matter how cold it was). This is something I would definitely go back for is taking time to see each spot on their own.
Where Did I Stay? I stayed at two different hostels in two different cities. First off, staying in a hostel while solo is quite scary, but I was not trying to break the bank anymore than I did, so it was a risk I was willing to take. In Manchester, I stayed at YHA Manchester. It wasn’t bad, but the reviews of the place were accurate. I’m not sure what it was, but there was an odor. Secondly, they have you claim your bed instead of one being assigned like most hostels and that seemed ideal at first. During this trip, I had an injured ankle, and I checked in early, so I claimed the bottom bunk. However, when I returned at night after the concert, someone was laying in my bed, leaving me with the top bunk which really hurt my ankle since I could barely put pressure on it. So, that bugged me but it was only one night so I was not going to be picky. Other than that, it was perfectly fine, and I chose a 4 bed female dorm and spent around $60 for the night. In London, I stayed at Astor Kensington. The hostel was in an amazing area and felt like a dream staying there. They had a cute lounge that I spent some time in. However, the room was basically a closet. I chose the 4 bed mixed dorm, and it was a closet with 2 tiny bunk beds cramped together in there. It was insane. But again, just one night. So, I really didn’t care much since I just needed a bed with a roof over it. And honestly, I would stay there again because of how nice the location was. Surprisingly, the London hostel was cheaper, costing me $38.
What Stops Would I Highly Recommend? I’m going to keep this short and sweet since I didn’t have enough time in either city to really give good recommendations. In Manchester, Jimmy’s Killer Prawns. Genuinely the BEST seafood boil I’ve ever had, and my standards are quite high. It was so good, I ate all the shrimp. I don’t like shrimp. Consider that. In London, I’d recommend staying in Kensington or Nottinghill and just walking around.
Best Advice For Visiting?
- Expect to spend double what you paid for necessities on shopping. The UK isn’t Euros, it’s Pounds, so it is an even worse exchange rate and everything is pricey.
- Don’t expect bad food. Both Manchester and London had a lot of staples you find in the states, even small businesses from America, which are all very good. Some of the best food I’ve had all semester was in England.
- Spend more time. One day is NOT enough time in either city. No matter how much you think you can get done, there will be so much more you wish you could’ve seen. England is definitely somewhere I would go for a week.
Overall, this has been my best trip yet and favorite country so far. Words cannot describe it enough how much I adore England and how much I miss it now. It is definitely at the top of my list of countries to revisit and I would 1000% recommend and do it again. To rate this trip, honestly, I’d give it a 10/10.