Enjoy some photos from my 12 hour layover in London:


Piccadilly Circus

(above) In the London Underground Piccadilly Circus stop

Double Decker Bus

(above) Double Decker buses with ‘Sex and the City’ ad: How far does the American influence go?

London Street Sign

(above) This sign that’s on the ground at most pedestrian cross walks saved me from getting hit at least three times during my walk around London. The Brits drive on the left and it was surprisingly difficult to remember that traffic is coming from the opposite direction!

Carnaby Street


(above) Carnaby Street: Lots of shops. Lots of Restaurants. Musicians on street corners.

British Protest of Canada

(above) I happened to run into some Brits protesting the killing of seals by Canada. It seemed a little odd to me. Canada? You’d think they would be the least of our worries.

London Palladium

(above) The London Palladium! A famous venue the Beatles played at just before they hit it big in America.
 
I had planned on spending at least 6 hours in London. My exhaustion said otherwise. I had been walking for almost four hours by the time I found Carnaby Street. My number one goal from the moment I stepped off the ‘tube’ platform was to eat fish n’ chips. I thought FOR SURE I would find some in Carnaby. Perhaps because it was a cold and rainy day, there weren’t any street vendors out as I imagined there would be. Or at least I couldn’t find any.

I realize that I should spend more time in London before making conclusions about it but there are two things I noticed while there:

1. Everything is WAY too expensive. During my half day in London I spent nearly $60 which only included the subway tickets (£8), storage for my bags (£14), and a panini sandwich with a medium mocha at Starbucks (£6).

2. There is simply no difference between America and London besides the accessories (double decker buses, left side driving, accents, etc). All the shops are the same. All the movies are the same. All the food is the same. All the people look the same. If someone wants an overseas experience, I wouldn’t recommend England. You’re essentially just sending yourself to an expensive America. Try South America, Africa, or the Middle East (ah hem… Israel) instead.

I stumbled my way back to the train which would return me to Heathrow for my connecting flight to Tel Aviv. I was beyond exhausted at this point. I was creeping towards having been awake for 30 hours now. The train system in London is incredibly easy and familiar to navigate. It was a 30 minute ride back to the airport and I found myself relaxed and secure enough to catch a few minutes of sleep.

Upon arriving back to Heathrow, I collected my stored bags and went straight through security to my flight. Customs and security went much faster than I anticipated and I still had 6 hours before my flight. All I could do was wait, relax, and contemplate the whirlwind London visit I had just finished.

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