Solo Europe trip day 7 to 9 - London : Phantom of Opera -> Tower Hill->London Eye -> Big Ben -> Buckingham Palace -> Bicester Village ->Harrods -> Soho

 Day 7 :

 

 Training ends and my 2 weeks solo Europe trips starts now! Oh ya, you didn't read wrongly by the way, I am really going for a solo trip in Europe! When I first tell my friends and they think that I am crazy cause it is so dangerous to go Europe even with a group of people, not to say alone! Haha! But well... you will never know unless you are there right? Travel is all about experience right ( be it good or bad )? Some people might think I'm crazy but I think it will be fun and my parents thinks it is fine too! 

Anyway, Let's start to explore Europe!

First to kick start is.... London! Took the subway from St Michel to Gare Du Nord station which is only 2 station away, to take the Eurostars train to London.

Gare Du Nord Address : 18 Rue de Dunkerque, 75010 Paris, France

Website : http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/stations/paris-gare-du-nord

 

 

 So my solo adventure starts now! Off to London by Eurostars!

The staff from the Eurostars station are all very helpful to guild me where to go and what to do! 

The custom officer ask a lot of question to all the Asian there, asking where are they from, what are they doing there etc etc.. One of the officer still doubt a Chinese who he said that he has been living in London for 10 years! Maybe I am lucky enough that the officer only ask me how many days I will be in London and the purpose of going there. 

Bye Paris for the moment and hello London!

The journey takes 2hrs 15mins to reach and again I'm lucky to have both seats by myself and so I put my luggage with me at the seats beside me! I actually don't feel safe having my luggage placed at the luggage area ( even though it is just behind me! ) I hear too many story about traveling around Europe and since I'm traveling alone, I shall be more careful!

Socket on the train so I can charge my phone! 

 

Finally reach London St Pancras International Station after a 2.30hrs train ride!

Got myself some drinks at the convenient store in St Pancras station before I find my way out.

 

And before I start to find my way to the apartment, I went in to the visitor centre to grab all the maps and information I can find in there.

 Walk out of St Pancras Station and the outer look of the station still remains the old British look!

Anyway, finally saw the famous 'underground' logo! 

Walk over to king's cross station wanting to take the train to Kensal Green station but realise that I couldn't take from this station. I actually need to take from the Euston station, so I start to ask around how to walk over to the station. 

Finally I found!

It's a big station though, so I asked one of the staff there where can I buy the tickets to Kensal Green and he is kind enough to bring me to the machines and told me that I could buy the tickets there.

 Single ticket to Kansel Green is £4.80 ( SG$10.20 ). Transport here is crazily expensive but I guess this is the cheapest way already.

Took the overground train to Kensal Green where my apartment will be at.

 Walk about 10mins from the station to the apartment. Very nice and peaceful area.

  My house for the next 3 nights. It really look like those houses that we often sees in the British movie! 

My garden view room! The bed is super comfortable! So big and soft!

The garden outside my room!

The kitchen. The host, Regine was very friendly and welcoming. She told me to use anything I want from the kitchen and can drink her coffee or tea too! 

The living room.

Regine is also very kind to leave maps and information of the way to the train station and bus stop from her house, and also some restaurant around her house area.

 Oops I got a curious visitor in my room! Haha! It's one of Regine's cat and she has total 3 cats in the house.

Check her house out :
https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/3666520
 

 Ok, anyway after settling down, straight away I have to leave the house for the LV series 3 exhibition at 180 strand road. Need some time to find my way there and I have already book the 5pm slot to go in. 

Bought a one day pass at £12 ( SG$25.40 ) to travel around. I thought having the one day pass is more worth as single trip is already £4.80 ( SG$10.20 ) and optupe card seems to be more expensive for a 3 days trip. Buying one day pass for 3 days is only £36 ( SG$76.30 ) but optupe card for 3 days is £56 ( SG$118.70 ) but because it include entrance tickets to some of the tourist attraction. I never thought of paying to go into the tourist attraction so to me it's not worth.

Took Bakerloo line from Kensal Green to Embankment and transfer to the circle/district line to Temple station.

Not difficult to find the exhibition, it's just near by to the station. Look at the queue! Lucky I have already booked a free guided tour to the exhibition online before I left Singapore. The exhibition is a temporary exhibition held in London for I think 2 or 3 months and was thinking since I will be going over to London, why not pay a visit to the exhibition since it's free. Haha... 

It was still early so I went to the cafe next door to have my lunch.

Got myself a wrap and cup of cappuccino for my very first meal in London.

Times up and off I go to the exhibition! Mine is a reserve tickets online so I can skip the queue.

After the exhibition, need to rush to another place! I have booked the tickets for Phantom of The Opera at 7.30pm so I need to find my way there again. Traveling alone is all about finding my way to the next destination. Took the same line to St James Park Station and walk over to Her Majesty Theater.

 I found the maps by the street very useful. It can be found almost every corner of the street.

Her Majesty Theater Operating Hours : 10am to 7.45pm ( Close on Sun )

Address : Haymarket, London SW1Y 4QL, United Kingdom
Website : http://www.londontheatres.co.uk/her-majestys-theatre/

Saw this McQueen play at the opposite and told myself if I would to come London again I will watch this.

Tips for getting a cheaper ticket is choose the seats with the pillar in front which might block the view ( if you don't mind ). When you book online, they will state there that vision might be block. Got myself a tickets at the cheaper rate because of the pillar in front but I'm lucky enough that it actually didn't really block much of the view on stage. I can still manage to see everything from where I'm sitting at.

 Interval time! Not allow to take picture but I manage to snap this picture before the staff came in to tell us not to take picture. 

 Great job to all the actor, actress and crew here!

 Went to the famous Soho to walk around and hunt for dinner.

 So crowded even at night!

 I ended up getting McDonald's for dinner! Haha!

Train back home! 

 Dinner time! And good night!

Day 8 : 

Good morning! Coffee fixed and ready to start my second day of my solo Europe trip!

 I'm ready to go!

And again I bought my one day train pass.

Took a train from Kensal Green to Canonbury and transfer to Shoreditch high street for the famous brick lane.

But! No train to Shoreditch!

So I change my route! I took a train to kings cross station and transfer to Tower Hill. 

This is the advantage of traveling alone, you can change your route anyway or anyhow you want!

 Just outside the Tower Hill station, was attracted by the smell of the caramel peanut and so I got myself a cup! To my surprise such a simple looking peanut can taste so good!

 Here I'm at the famous Tower Bridge!

Walk over from the Tower Hill to the London bridge. While walking over, saw this two ducky playing happily in the water!

A very old clock found in between the buildings.

 Love this ice cream van that says 'keep calm and eat ice cream'. Indeed a nice weather for ice cream!

London Bridge is just opposite the Tower Bridge. This remind me of a childhood rhythms.. 'London bridge is falling down, falling down....' but nope... it's not falling at all! Haha!

 Although it's 3£ per cup but I totally can't resist to any berries! Fresh and Yummy!

 Happen to pass by Borough Market. Many food and cafe can be found here, a place where lots of locals are here.

Took a train from London Bridge to Waterloo station.

 So what's at Waterloo station? Yes! it is the most famous London Eye!

Beautiful sky with the eyes on London!

 How can I miss a selfie time with the London eye right? ( to show that I did come here personally! Haha )

Operating Hours : 10am to 8.30pm
Address :  London SE1 7PB, United Kingdom
Website : https://www.londoneye.com/

 Super crowded with locals and tourist!

 Spend sometime watching the seagull dancing freely around the London eye and Big Ben.

Walk over to the Westminster Brigde to have another selfie with the London Eye.

And of course with the Big Ben!

Address : London SW1A 0AA, United Kingdom

Big Ben is another place where tourist must come to prove that they have been to London. So here I'm to prove that I have been to London! Haha! 

After a selfie with the Big Ben, took a train from Westminster station to St James park station. 

So, why am I here at St James's Park station? But of course for visiting the Buckingham Palace.

Red telephone booth but no superman inside! Haha!

Slowly walked over to Buckingham Palace from the St James park station.

Buckingham Palace Operating Hours : 9.15am to 7.45pm
Changing Guard Timing : http://changing-guard.com/changing-guard-buckingham-palace.html
Address : London SW1A 1AA, United Kingdom
Website : https://www.royal.uk/royal-residences-buckingham-palace

 Oh no! The changing of guard is over... the next changing of guard is tomorrow 11.30am! So sad that I have missed it!

 Love the beautiful sky above the palace ( no filter )!

Was wondering why is the people not leaving the palace but instead still standing outside the palace gate. And the next moment I saw the guards started to change their shift! Didn't the board says the next changing of guards is at tomorrow? Weird... but anyway at least I get to see without any disappointment! 

 From St James part station take train to embankment and transfer to Leicester Square station.

While looking for the restaurant that I'm going, without any intention, I walked into the Chinatown of London! No wonder the red lantern look so familiar... Haha!

Walk over to Soho road for the famous 'Burger and Lobster' for my dinner which is also my only meal today.

Some outlet is close on Sunday so lucky I check that this outlets at Soho opens till 10pm but look at the queue! I wonder when will it be my turn to eat...I am so so so hungry now!

Operating Hours : 12pm to 10pm ( Sun )
12pm to 10.30pm ( Mon to Wed )
12pm to 11pm ( Thurs to Sat )
Address : 36-38 Dean St, Soho, London W1D 4PS, United Kingdom
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/burgerandlobster/ 

Luckily the queue is for people to write down their names for reservation. I am alone so the staff told me if I don't mind siting at the bar counter, I could go in now. Of course I wouldn't mind since I am already so hungry! 

Time for dinner!

 Here's my most expensive dinner in London which cost me £20 ( SG$42.40 ) but I have the whole lobster by myself!

Have to say this is so good! No wonder everybody told me that I MUST try 'Burger and Lobster' when I'm in London.

Was too cold already so I ask the bar tender to give me a glass of warm water and look what I've got! A small lobster in my cup!

I didn't get his name but he is a very friendly bar tender!

Went back after dinner and look who's here to welcome me back and say good night?

Day 9 : 

Good morning! Wake up slightly earlier because I'm heading to so way a bit further from the city, Bicester Village where all the brands outlet are!
Wanted to have breakfast at the garden but it is really too cold so I run back in the house again! Haha!

 Back in the house to have breakfast with the cats.

 Erm.... What is this cutie trying to do?

Took train from Kensal Green to Marylebone and from Marylebone, took the British railway to Bicester North station.

The return train tickets is £32, including the shuttle bus to Bicester Village.

 I love sea salt & vinegar chips so whenever I sees it, I definitely will buy one to try!

It takes about 45 mins to reach there. 

There is wifi in the train and socket to charge your electrical devices!

Pass by a grassland with sheep around!

 
Reached the Bicester North station and straight away I hopped on to the shuttle bus which is just outside the train station ( follow the signboard ). Bus Journey is about 5 mins.

And so... the shopping starts now!

Operating Hours : 9am to 9pm ( Mon to Wed )
9am to 10pm ( Fri and Sat )
9am to 7pm ( Sun )
Address : 50 Pingle Dr, Bicester OX26 6WD, United Kingdom
Website : https://www.bicestervillage.com/en/home/

Big place with 135 shops in total! Lots of tourist from all over the world can be found here!

 Stop by this little cart for my lunch!

Got myself a pork wraps before I continue to shop. 

Surprisingly the wrap is good!

Spend about 4.30 hours to finish the whole place and I shall call it an end!

 Went over to the tax refund counter to get my refund. But it's kind of complicated. I get my cash here and I still have to get a custom stamps from the airport. Some brands are using globe blue company for the tax refund and the handling fees ( admin fees ) is very high and there is also another register fees to pay when doing cash refund.

Anyway, after the tax refund, I hop on to the shuttle bus again to go back to Bicester North station to take a train back to London Marylebone.

From Marylebone, I took the tube to Piccadilly Circus and transfer to Knightsbridge.

 This is the famous departmental store, Harrods! Indeed a beautiful building. They have a lot of brands here. Basically all the high end brands can be found here.

Operating Hours : 10am to 9pm ( Mon to Sat )
11.30am to 6pm ( Sun )
Address : 87-135 Brompton Rd, London SW1X 7XL, United Kingdom
Website : http://www.harrods.com/

 The interior looks like I'm in the Egypt.

 Even the lift look so interesting!

Pass by the Ice Cream Parlour and the ice creams looks so yummy so I decided to go in to have some ice cream since it's still early for dinner.

Continue to shop and saw the famous Harrods bear!

This bag is so nice but it is sooooooooo expensive!

The Harrods bear again! Didn't get anything for myself but a small gift for my host.

Feel so home seeing this SG50 logo in London!

 After shopping at the 5 level beautiful departmental store, off for dinner!

Took train to Oxford Circle to have dinner at Oxford street which is also part of Soho.

Was actually here for Cape Town Fish & Chip for their fish & chips which is highly recommended by my cousin but it is already closed down and had change to Five Guy restaurant. It look like a fast food restaurant to me so I decided to have my dinner next door, Garfunkel's. They had fish and chips as well so I ordered since that's my aim for tonight's dinner.

Operating Hours : 8am to 11.30pm
Address : 19 Irving Street, London, WC2H 7AU
Website :  http://www.garfunkels.co.uk/

Hot chocolate for a cold night...

 

Not really a fish lover so I am not very sure whether is it consider as nice. The fish was soft but the crust is kind of tasteless. But the fries and tar tar sauce are nice thou. Hot chocolate is nice too! 

I lost my one day pass and I have to get the single tickets back home.

I have the whole train by myself! Scary for some people but happy for me! Haha!

Had to alight and wait for the next train as the train have to stop at one station before Kensal Green but it's fine for me since I'm not in a rush.

 Time to go home to pack my luggage and ready to leave London tomorrow!