The United Kingdom

After years of dreaming, countless movies and shows, and thousands of horrible accent impressions later, I finally traveled to the U.K.! And I did and saw more than I ever thought was possible within a week.

From the tube rides to the historic landmarks, every second felt like stepping into a scene I’ve waited my whole life to join.

It all started after my best friend left for her exchange program in Manchester. Before she left, during a conversation with our mutual friend, Olivia, we threw around ideas about visiting without even thinking about the possibility of them coming true.

Later that night, Olivia texted our group chat and asked if we were serious about the trip, because she definitely was. I was completely on board, and after a conversation with my parents, decided this trip would be a worthwhile investment I’d work toward.

A few weeks later, we purchased the tickets, booked hotels and hostiles (new experience), and planned our itinerary. None of this would’ve been possible without Olivia’s mom, who was our certified travel agent. And boy, was this one of the best trips I’ve ever been on.

We flew into London where we spent the first day sightseeing on the Big Bus Tour. The ride around London made me realize how big the city really is, and while we weren’t able to stop everywhere, it gave me another reason to come back. It was surreal seeing the Tower of London, the Eye, the London and Tower Bridge, and Big Ben. That night, I experienced my first pub where I tried sausage and mash and a Guinness (food was good, but I found out I’m not a fan of the drink). The hospitality was wonderful throughout the trip, but I specifically remember our dinner at Skinners Arms and our experience in the hostile nearby. I was a little nervous about the hostiles because I’ve heard a variety of experiences ranging from positive to horrifying. But overall, I slept really good and the location was perfect. London’s hostile was my favorite place we stayed in out of the others.

The second day, we took a guided trip to the Cotswolds and Oxford, stopping at various villages to do some shopping, eat fish n’ chips, and try some cream tea, which was a scone and tea. We enjoyed cream tea so much that we had it numerous days in a row. Oxford was truly mind-boggling. There is so much history woven into its very bricks, a testament to centuries of vast achievement and the hundreds of alumni who have walked those halls and continue to do so today.

The next day, before we hopped on the train, we stopped by Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station to take some photos. My friend Olivia is a fan of Harry Potter, so she pointed out a lot of things while we were touring. It was so cool to think about being in the place where the story came to life. While I have no knowledge of anything and have only seen some of the movies, I still embraced the magic.

The train to Manchester was smooth, and when we arrived, our lovely friends were there to greet us. That first day, we toured campus and learned about the education system and their university culture. There were some pretty unique qualities, like how there was no expectation to go to class. Some students went to the pub, which were located on campus.

Campus was beautiful. I specifically remember their Old Quad being really fun to walk through, as we were surrounded by so many cool buildings. One we went into was their museum, which housed so much archaeology and natural history and exhibits honoring different cultures. I remember walking through a huge room that cased hundreds of species. When you walked through, there was a Sperm whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling. In another room, the dinosaur room, there was a Tyrannosaurus. Looking at both of them, you couldn’t help but feel so incredibly small.

While downtown, we also passed by Gay Village where we saw a drag show one night after having Pho (my first time trying it!) It was such a fun and vibrant atmosphere to be in, and we had so much fun dancing and watching the performance.

We took a day trip to Wales, which felt like a preview to what I’d see in the Scottish highlands. I know it’s not a fair comparison, but it truly took my breath away. We had a wonderful tour guide named Shelly who provided such a warm welcome into the country, shared some really cool information about the history, and the distinct culture that has commonly been mistaken as a part of England. She even taught us the second-longest name for a town:

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Yeah, I still haven’t got it down yet, but it’s a work in progress!

While there, we visited Llandudno Beach, a frequent holiday spot where Lewis Carroll got his inspiration for the characters from Alice in Wonderland. We also stopped by Conwy, where we not only saw the smallest house in Great Britain, but beautiful castles and ruins surrounding us. Lastly, we went to Bangor, which was my favorite site of the day. The weather had changed multiples times throughout the day, and it was very foggy and cold when we arrived, but it contributed to the whimsical ambiance of the area. Mountains stretched for miles, the sheep were adorable, and the waterfalls were refreshing to watch as the rain drizzled. We made a pit stop in Betws-Y-Coed, a small village with a beautiful backdrop. Then, we saw the tallest aqueduct in Pontcysyllte, where I walked nearly halfway across the bridge (I was terrified of the wind and how high we were).

Unfortunately, our list was narrowing, and we arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland. I knew from the beginning I was going to love it, since I’ve been obsessed with visiting ever since Outlander and Brave. We walked through Old Town to get to our hostel, and it felt so magical. There were a lot of stairs and hills, so I felt the burn, but it was well worth it. That night, I tried whiskey for the first time. I hated it, but by the second time, I actually really liked it. Surprisingly, I really liked haggis too. In fact, I went back for seconds. They served it with neeps (turnips) and tatties (mashed potatoes).

We took a day trip to the highlands, which was an unforgettable experience. Our tour guide Jamie was absolutely wonderful. The tour itself started in the Edinburgh, and we gradually made our way up, the views becoming more thrilling and breathtaking as the elevation increased. There really was no imperfect picture or angle; everything was beautiful, and no camera compares to being there in person.

Our last day was spent hiking and shopping. We climbed Arthur’s Seat, which was really windy and kind of scary at times, but also exhilarating. Going up was easier than going down, and I made sure to take my time. I wasn’t worried about getting exercise in at all this week, because we spent practically most of our time exploring on our own two feet. We saw a lot more that way, and as my friend reminded me, we’ll be grateful when we’re eighty that we took the time to do this in our twenties.

I’m so glad I got to experience this all in a singular week. Of course, there was so much we didn’t get to see or do, but we did so much, that it’s just a window left open for me to revisit in the future. In fact, I’ll be back in London this summer.

I’m not sure how to even end this entry, because I feel like I haven’t fully expressed how much I enjoyed this trip and how it was exactly what I needed. The trip was bittersweet, because I was thinking about my grandmother, and how she would’ve loved what I was doing. It breaks me that I can’t share this with her, nor that I could experience this with her. But during those unforgettable moments, strolling through London, reuniting with my friends in Manchester, being welcomed into Wales by such wonderful company, and standing in the highlands, peering over the mountains, I realized this is my way of honoring her. It’s by truly living life, and not just dreaming big, but doing. I know she would be proud. So, thank you, Grandma Eva. I will seek and enjoy the beauty and blessings of every day God has blessed me with.

First destination: London

Next: Manchester

Day trip to Wales

Last stop: Scotland