A trip to London

Tired of having to do the same thing over again in the UK? I am going to be listing things you can while in UK be it for a holiday, work or study. Many a times, I meet people who say they just got back from a vacation and being curious to learn about their travel experience I go on to ask so what did you do while in London or wherever and nine out of ten always give the same response Nothing! Really? So what did you do all through your stay? The reply will be I just shopped, I am so broke, and I bought a lot of things and ended up having excess luggage. Did you go on a business trip or for holidays? I went on holidays and decided to buy a few things to sell they say. You see I need to recover my ticket money back Biko.

Whollup…. This is the part I don’t get, you work for six months complaining to friends, family and colleagues you are stressed out and you need a break. You go online search for tickets, call an Aunt or Uncle to inform them of your coming over or book a hotel, buy your ticket, send a mail to your boss you need rest and therefore he or she should approve your leave, just to get to London to walk from a Primark to new look in search of what to buy and sell without seeing a thing or what the country has to offer.

I realized most of us don’t think just think of how much we stand to gain when we return so its shop till you drop dead. I have a friend who travels the day her leave starts and returns back the night to her resumption and when I ask her she will say there's nothing to do in Nigeria. Common, if I have to list the tourist attractions we have here or places to go and spend quality time in Nigeria if you are not thinking of shopping LOL you’ll be amazed but that will be for another day.

I’m going to start by listing things to do in London and move on to other cities…

1.  The London Eye: At 135 metres, the London Eye is the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel; a feat of design and engineering, it has become the modern symbol representing the capital and a global icon. The experience showcases breath-taking 360-degree views of the London and its famous landmarks and has been the number one visitor experience in the city for the past decade. The gradual rotation in one of the 32 high-tech glass capsules takes approximately 30 minutes and gives you an ever-changing perspective of London. Within each capsule, interactive guides allow you to explore the capital's iconic landmarks in several languages. Make the most of your time by visiting the London Eye 4D Experience, free with every ticket. See London come to life through unique perspectives and multi-sensory special effects, including wind, bubbles and scent. The four-minute show is perfect to watch at the start of your visit.

D  The British Museum: Founded in 1753, the British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history. Enjoy a unique comparison of the treasures of world cultures under one roof, centred around the magnificent Great Court. World-famous objects such as the Rosetta stone, Parthenon sculptures, and Egyptian mummies are visited by up to six million visitors every year.

The Centre of the Museum was redeveloped in 2001 to become the Great Court, surrounding the original reading room.

River Thames Cruise: Explore the River Thames with a sightseeing cruise. Get to see the best views, relax and enjoy on board commentary, refreshments and full bar service as Big Ben, London Eye, Tower Bridge and more glide by.

Madame Tussaud: Although I visited Madame Tussaud when I was much younger I can still remember having a ball. It felt real even though I knew they were just waxed figures. This major tourist attraction was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud. It displays waxworks of famous people and has other branches in other major cities. Then after a behind the scenes look at how the sculptors work, ride in a taxi and relive the rich history of London.

Image gotten from Merlinevent

ZSL London Zoo: Get close to some of the hairiest, scariest, tallest and smallest animals at ZSL London Zoo. These historic zoos, run by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), between them house over 1000 amazing species among beautifully landscaped grounds - one an urban oasis, the other a wild adventure.

For an amazing animal experience for all the family come along to Animal Adventure, ZSL London Zoo's brand-new exhibit. Animal Adventure allows children the chance to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, smells and experiences of life in the animal kingdom. 

West Minister Abbey: Westminster Abbey is legendary and iconic. Boasting a rich history that spans over one thousand years, the site was originally occupied by Benedictine monks in the middle of the tenth century. The current gothic masterpiece has stood there for about 700 years. A place of monumental British history and intrigue, an incredible seventeen monarchs are buried at Westminster Abbey. It was also the venue for William and Kate’s fairy tale wedding in 2011. The Coronation Chair is the oldest piece of furniture in the country that is currently used for its original purpose. The sacred chair was created for King Edward I in 1296. The throne has played host to the coronation of every single 

Monarch since 1308. Queen Victoria was crowned here, as well as Elizabeth II, our current reigning Queen. You get to go inside one of London's most iconic buildings.

Buckingham Palace: The iconic and beautiful royal residence of Buckingham Palace serves as both the office and London home of Her Majesty the Queen, as well as the administrative headquarters of the Royal Household. It is one of the only working royal palaces remaining in the world today and an absolute must-see on any trip to London.

The 19 State Rooms form the heart of the working palace and are lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection - paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin and Canaletto; sculpture by Canova; exquisite examples of Sevres porcelain; and some of the finest English and French furniture.

The Palace is very much a working building and the centrepiece of Britain's constitutional monarchy. It houses the offices of those who support the day-to-day activities and duties of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and their immediate family. 

You get to see inside the iconic Royal Residence of Her Majesty the Queen, Explore the State rooms which house the treasures of the Royal Collection and witness the changing of the guards in the palace. The last I remember of Buckingham palace is that its only open to visitors during the summer, not sure if that has changed though.

Leaving history and tourist attraction and moving to fun adventures and activities that will work for everyone including the kids are;

1.  London Sea Life Aquarium: It is located at the south bank of River Thames. It is home to one of Europe's largest collections of global marine life and the jewel in the crown of the UK SEA LIFE attractions. The aquarium is situated right next to the London Eye, just over Westminster Bridge from Big Ben and The House of Parliament. You get to see thousands of sea creatures in over 2 million litres of water, discover 500 species from every part of the world, see more than 40 sharks from 12 different species, explore shark reef and encounter brave the shark walk, visit 14 themed zone over 3 floors.

2. Chessington world of adventures:  Over 40 rides and attractions, roller coasters for thrill seekers and fun rides for the little ones, daily shows and entertaining activities. Visit this family themed park that has a ride for everyone, children's zoo and shark sea life centre. You'll scream on the Black Buccaneer and come face to face with vampire bats as you hurtle through the air. Get wet 'n' wild on Dragon falls and hurtle through the treetops on the vampire coaster. They have the Scorpion express which is a perfect family fun with surprises at every turn! Ride into Africa with Zufari Safari and get up close to white rhino, giraffe and Zebra.

3. Thorpe Park:     A themed park for teenagers and young adults. The park is mainly geared towards young adults and teenagers due to the vast majority of signature attractions being roller coasters and thrill rides. For heart-stopping thrills, mind bending chills and intense forces of capital G, Thorpe Park is the ultimate theme destination for a day out. This park has the highest and fastest thrilling roller coaster rides in the world.

I got this image from a friend and just because I love seeing things like this I thought to post it. Totally unrelated though but I love people's travel pics and memories just as much as I love mine *smile*

With this post I hope you stop looking at London as just a shopping destination but a place to relax and have fun. If you are looking for a beach outing you can visit Brighton which is not so far from London and if you want to see the inside of a castle I'll recommend Arundel Castle.