Date written: 12 August 2014

London



Old & Lovely Buildings Everywhere
London
My first trip to EU was chosen as London since my friends were calling me to visit and I would really like to see one of biggest city in EU.
I arrived Heathrow airport at 9 pm and left the airport as soon as possible to get home before midnight. At the exit of airport I went to locals check-point accidentally and officer warned me but did my entrance procedures there which is not usual case, they generally behave strict on the borders. Anyway.. after getting in from check-point I saw machines to buy sim-card as my friend told me and bought sim card with unlimited data, message and 500 minutes calling by paying 20 pounds, that is really worth to do if you will stay there more than 2-3 days I think.. On the metro entrance I bought Oyster Card for 5 pound (refundable) and topped 10 pound in. After all headed to my friends home.
I could meet with my friend easily at Deptford Bridge DLR station and went to his home which is 3min.s from station J I put my small bag in and tried to get out since it was Friday night.. My friend told me he is tired and didn’t want to come.. Ohhh! My first night and I’m being alone and heading to club named “Ministry of Sound” which is ranked pretty high in DjMag.
I took 53 bus and got there after 25minutes.. Waiting 15minutes at queue and paying 22 pounds for entrance fee let me to see that perfect music and dance environment. There were 4 different kinds of music with DJ.
One photo from inside:
I left the club at 6 am when sun has already risen. I got home about 6:30.
Next day I was supposed to meet with my Croatian friend from Singapore internship times and we met at 2 pm at Hampstead Heath tube station. She took me Hampstead Heath which is quite big park. Inside there is a small lake which some people were swimming, lots of places to lie where people were sunbathing.. yes you read it correct, people were sunbathing at park with their swimming suits, that’s strange but I learnt that they are so appreciated when there’s sun since not easy to see in London..
Hampstead Heath Map:

Where people were swimming:
Sunbath:
London view from park hill called Parliament Hill:
After long walking inside park, we drank our coffees for 2,5 pounds each and came like soup J
Later on my friend had something to do and left me. I walked from Hampstead station to the Camden Town that is so touristic and pretty.
Camden town:
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At 7 pm I took metro to go my Turkish friend home for iftar dinner. We had Turkish food for dinner.
Afterwards I headed to city center, near Picadically Circus and went Rumba Club by myself. My friend had another appointment unfortunately. I paid same entrance fee for Rumba and that was not worth it for sure. Only the reason of high price is it is at city center. It was much smaller than Ministry of Sound and plays only R&B. I left there about 3 am and tried to find my way to home (Google Maps was working, so it was not hard to find my way around).

My second day in London, I planned to meet with CouchSurfer and follow her guidance. We met at Shoreditch tube station, she came with her another friend from CouchSurfer. Firstly we walked around streets and than went to watch African street festival.


I had my lunch from vegetarian Ethiopian food place for 3,5 pound which is very cheap for London.
Photo with my guides:
After African festival my guide had to leave and I called my host friend to meet. I waited him around Shoreditch and met there after a while. We entered one of pubs around which was full of Africans J I came to know that Sunday night is best night for that pub J Anyway.. after spending 1-2 hours there, we went to home.
Next day, my 3rd day in London, I was alone to travel around. I went to High Street Kensington tube station and started my walking tour from there. I first went in front of Kensington Palace and walked around its garden.

Then I walked thru Hyde Park. On the way I found 5 pound on the floor, took it and spent it for the one of best way I could ever do (I’m not gonna write for what I spent it, long and fascinating story).


Afterwards I saw the Harrods shopping building.


I had my lunch one Lebanese Restaurant there and paid 10,5 pound for schnitzel.


After spending some time around, I went to home to rest and prepare myself for night. View from our home:

In the night, I went to Heaven Club which is known as gay club but also famous for Monday student nights. I could definitely say it was the most enjoyable night for me since there were some dance shows and live music inside. Photo from there:



Next day, Tuesday, even though I slept late, I woke up about 10:30 am and took metro to get British Museum and meet my CouchSurfer friend there. That museum was best for my friend, that’s why I chose to been there with her. Actually I agree with her, it was really nice inside.. lots of different works of art, monuments from all over the world.
Entrance of British Museum:
Photo from inside:

Room with Islamic arts:

My guide had to leave to work and I turned to be alone after that. It took more than 3hours and I couldn’t finish all galleries inside British Museum. But I moved out to have my lunch and visit another places.
I went to the vegetarian restaurant called “Food for Thought” where my friend suggested me to go. I had my BEST lentil soup in my life there and paid 4 pounds, and ate rice and yoghurt which was avarage and cost 3 pounds.  
After having my lunch, I walked around and found Chinatown:

Afterwards I found myself next to Trafalgar Square:

There was CouchSurfing weekly meeting on Tuesday and I headed to Penderal’s Oak Pub to meet with amazing people. I spent my night there with talking with all strangers.
Next day, Wednesday, I planned to visit Greenwich, Cutty Sark and walked thru there. On the way I found a caf? to have my breakfast and I should say it was very nice breakfast although I paid 5 pounds just for egg and coffee.

Photo from Greenwich, GMT time starting point:
After Greenwich I visited Queen’s House and joined free guide tour there.
At time 12:40 noon, I got in metro to meet with my Turkish friend to have lunch together at Google office where he is working. Office is near to Victoria tube station and lunch was very nice even though I couldn’t eat meat because of religious concerns.
Finishing my lunch and entering to Buckingham Palace which wasn’t worth to do it since 19,75 pound for entrance fee and cannot take photo inside.
Photo from outside view:
After completing my Buckingham tour, I went around near city center.. On the way I saw some posters about Gaza:
In the evening I met with my host and went to one Indian Muslim family to celebrate Aid. We had dinner and nice conversations together.
Thursday I was at Brighton and had to stay there…
Friday, I was back to London in the noon time and had trouble time to enter home since my friend left the key wrong concierge.
Later on I went to National History Museum.
After visiting there for 1,5 hour, I met with my CouchSurfer friend to have dinner together and attend meet-up with strangers event. We went to one caf? to talk with strangers. I should say it was very nice event and I am appreciated to my CSer to give me a chance to join that. We left that meeting like 10 pm to join her friend’s birthday party, yes I was at birthday party in London. They were in pub but not so crowded and it was okay. We left birthday party about 12:30 midnight and sat near river at Camden. There were some people selling weed which is usual as I learnt from my CSer. We took a bus from there to Picadically Circus and from there I took bus 53 which has been crashed by another bus on the way. I changed bus at 4:30 am to another one and got home about 5 am.
Saturday started very fast for me and we went to have our breakfast/lunch at Mexican Restaurant at Cutty Sark. I ordered humus with beans and paid 5 pound:
Then I took a move with my friend’s friend to Science Museum. There were lots of engines as well as different kinds of stones.
I met with my highschool friend at Science Museum, not bumped into, we met there! We could just spend a few minutes at there and took a move to catch wedding, yes wedding at London. We had dinner at wedding and talked with some people at wedding ceremony. My friend had a flight to Istanbul at 11 pm thus we left wedding pretty early. He tried to catch his flight and I went to visit my CSer friend at hospital.
She said me she is at hospital to do some tests but than I learnt that she will stay there for all weekend which seems serious and I felt I have to go! I didn’t have battery, so she does. I just knew the hospital and found her very hard there.. Fortunately the nurses allowed me to see her for a few minutes. She looked terrible and I was so worried about her. But they didn’t let me to stay there and I left there with no battery on my phone… Cmoon! What to do now? I was planning to go Fabric Club which is ranked #1 for England and I learnt 1h ago there was long queue from my friend. I just knew the station and tried to walk through North which I could only do.. On the way, at bus stop I saw one black guy and asked about how to get there and he checked it for me on his phone. But he said need to change bus at somewhere and then I didn’t wanna since its hard to do without much knowledge about city. I learnt that he is going to Brixton to enjoy the night and I asked to join him and ended up at Brixton, YES I just joined a random black guy on the way.
At Brixton we first walked around and looked places. We entered a pub by paying 5 pound entrance fee (actually he paid for me and I ordered her drink inside). We arrived there at 1am and left there about 3am. Than he said he is going back, I spent a few more hours by walking around and got home at 6:30am.
Sunday, my last day of London trip… I first visited my friend at hospital and stayed with her 2hours. But she wanted me to leave and enjoy London instead staying with her and insisted on me. I couldn’t hurt her and left at 2:30 pm.
Kings College Hospital:

I then, took a move thru London Eye and Big Ben. I met with my new Indian friend there, whom I visited Science Museum with. I had my lunch there by buying sandwich with tomato sauce and cheese by paying 3,5 pound. Than we headed to Tower Bridge that is my famous place in London for sightseeing.


After walking around and taking some photos like all tourists do in London (I could do that in my last day actually), we went to Lahore Kebab House to have our dinner. It was Pakistani restaurant and spicy but tasty though! My food was cost 8 pounds. I liked to food at all and it was my last in London! After finishing food, we run to get home as fast as possible.. We were home at 8:20 pm and I left home at almost 8:40 pm to catch 9:40 pm train to Gatwich Airport from Elephant&Castle. I could get train station 5 mins before the train’s arrival. I got in train and headed to Gatwich which was 2nd stop. I set my alarm and fell asleep for long way (30min.s). On the way my alarm didn’t work and I woke up at the Gatwick station luckily and run away from the train… Fortunately again and again I could get out from train, otherwise I might still be in London! I caught my flight and came back safely!