London in 8 Hours

Oh London, our time together was far too short and I need to give you another shot. I was grumpy from my 3:30am wake up call, overwhelmed by your crowded streets, and rushed trying to fit all your beautiful sites into a short 8 hours. I hardly took any pictures to remember you by! I think we can both agree another trip back to you is necessary.

Although our time together was very short I am still leaving with some great memories. A short rest in one of your beautiful parks, shopping on Oxford street, having a drink at one of what looks like your many charming pubs and of course taking in the view of Buckingham Palace. Those were a jam packed 8 hours, but the mad dash was so worth it to finally get a glimpse into your beautiful city. I will be back!

London Trip6am flight, London here we come!

LondonLondonRequired picture when in London

LondonH and I watched all these people try and fit in here for a picture opp for far too long.

IMG_8392LondonLondonLondonLondonLondonLondonA terrible picture of Buckingham Palace, but at least I got to see it!

LondonLondonLondonAnd an awkward pub photo at our last stop in London before we had to run to catch the last train to the airport. I still remember the ache in my legs from walking all day as quickly as possible trying to fit everything in. It is no wonder I had no problem passing out at the airport!

LondonLondon I will be back. So much left to see, so many museums to visit, pubs to have a drink at, and ummm hello Harry Potter studio tour is there, totally on my bucket list so I most definitely will be back.

Question of the Day?
How do you make the most out of a short city visit? Do you prefer to rush around seeing everything or just take your time at a few sites?

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  • http://whattheelleblog.blogspot.com/ Elle @ WhatTheElle

    I was in the tiny and quaint Bruges, Belgium for a whopping 2 hours and felt like I might as well have seen it from a car window, so I can’t imagine trying to do London in 8! I think in the future when I know I’ll have a short time in a city I’ll try and focus in on just one part so I can enjoy it without making myself cranky. I’ve been to London more times than I can count, and I still don’t feel like I’ve seen it all. But I HAVE managed to sort out the parts that aren’t my favorite, when certain streets have too many people for me to handle, and when to walk in lieu of squeezing onto the tube and saving some sanity. I’m biased, but I certainly agree that y’all need to come back to England for a much more relaxed round 2 :) And since they’re adding on yet another part to the WB Studio tour ummmm, *raises hand*

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I agree, I think I will try and focus on one thing instead of just rushing around trying to see everything. London seems like it has so much to offer that I think many trips back would be necessary before I felt like I had seen it all!

  • Jen

    I think you managed almost as much in 8 hours as I’ve managed in 4 months of living just outside of London… :-)

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Ha isn’t it how it goes when you live near somewhere. I know this is me in Reykjavik, there is still so much for me to see!

      • Jen

        Yeah, when you’ve got all the time in the world to see where you’re living you keep ending up putting things off. My list of places (mostly restaurants) to visit in London is growing by the day thanks to reading Rhyme and Ribbons and Angloyankophile so I need to start ticking things off:-)

  • http://thelilaclinnet.com/ Llinos @ The Lilac Linnet

    Wow what a trip! London is amazing, I love it there. So glad you will be going back!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I loved my short time as well, a trip back is definitely necessary!

  • http://www.californienne.com/ Marianne

    omg that telephone booth photo of all the people trying to fit in is hilarious. It’s too bad you didn’t have too much time in London, but it seems like you made the most of it :) I hope to visit London soon. I’ve never been before!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Isn’t that phone booth funny hilarious ha, we watched them all try and squeeze in there for so long ha.

  • http://guntersabroad.blogspot.com/ Jamie | Gunters Abroad | Fit F

    It’s a LOT of walking trying to fit in London in a day!! But yes you need a redo! Luckily whenever I head down there for events and things I am always in a different area and have seen several sides to London. But when your short on time..you gotta just hit up the famous spots!!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      So much walking! I really do need a redo, I like taking my time and enjoying the smaller attractions of the area so that is what I need to do next time in London.

  • Lu Bowen

    For a second I saw your pics and got confused thinking this was a recent trip and wondered why the heck you were wearing shorts and how on earth did you manage to get the sun out! As a current Londoner this post has made me seriously excited for those lovely summer days to return! I am done with winter now!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Ha, yes a throwback from our trip this summer. I am so ready for summer days as well!

  • http://www.chicadeedee.com/ Dannielle @ Chicadeedee

    I prefer just taking in a few things, but my bf needs to see ALL THE THINGS so we end up being absolutely shattered by the end of going somewhere. You have to go see the harry potter studios, they are amazing!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I think H and I are like you two, I want to see a few certain things but he wants to squeeze in everything! I so want to go to the Harry Potter studios. Have you been around Christmas time?

      • http://www.chicadeedee.com/ Dannielle @ Chicadeedee

        Yes! We took my mom when she was here before new years. So it was all snowy and magical!

  • http://bailiehemborg.com/ Bailie @ The Hemborg Wife

    I think my feet are getting blisters just thinking about trying to see London in such a short time!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      My legs just hurt thinking about that day!

  • http://www.rhymeandribbons.com/ Amanda @ Rhyme & Ribbons

    You’ll have to come back! x

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I most definitely do and when I do we will have to meet up!

  • http://cateaclysmic.blogspot.com ❤Cate❤

    I am impressed you managed to see more of London in 8 hours than I have in my whole life! I’m actually visiting London next week for the day and hoping I can fit in a trip to Shakespeare’s Globe but there is so much to see down there I’m not sure if I’ll ever fit it all in. If I know I only have a short time in a place I normally book a tour so I can see as much as I can, when I was in China I only had a weekend to explore Beijing so we booked a tour and managed to see everything we wanted to and more it was exhausting but so worth it I mean who knows if I’ll ever get the chance to go back! xoxo

    ♥ Cateaclysmic ♥

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      There really is so much to see and do there! Booking a tour is a good idea to see as much as possible in a short time. Have a great time in London next week!

  • http://bristolinmypocket.blogspot.co.uk/ Sara Rose

    I think you did pretty well for only 8 hours in the city!!! A longer trip is definitely needed though!!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I agree, a longer trip is so needed :)

  • http://blettany.blogspot.com/ Brittany Johnson

    London is my absolute favorite city! I loved seeing bits of your trip and living vicariously through you! I soooo want to go on the Harry Potter studio tour. It’s on my list for sure.

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I so badly want to to go the Harry Potter studio tour as well!

  • http://www.undertheashtree.com/ Ashley Hufford

    the best part about london is how easy it is to get around! What a beautiful day to go!!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Very true, I was thankful for the easy transportation system to get around everywhere!

  • http://totravelandbeyon.com/ Macy Gutermuth

    that is actually a really awesome list of things you were able to do in 8 hours. Is it a cheap(ish) plane ticket for you?

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      It is somewhat a cheap plane ticket for us. I always look at the flights and think woo so cheap lets go, but then we add in the accommodation expenses and other little things and it adds up fast. I wish I lived on mainland Europe so travel would be a bit easier and cheaper.

  • http://reasonstodress.com Reasons to Dress

    Oh my goodness, I totally understand this post. I went to London for a rendezvous with my then lover, now boyfriend, and hardly got to see anything. A few extra hours of sightseeing resulted in me missing my flight home to Canada!

    you actually did SO MUCH in 8 hours, ugh that reminds me what travel was little before having a young child! I would need a week to do that much stuff now!

    Angie from reasons to dress, feel
    free to come by!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I was so worried the whole time that we were going to miss our train back to the airport on that day! I could only imagine how much longer time you need for travel when you have a little one with you :)

  • http://www.laughteriscatching.com/ Laura @ Laughter is Catching

    Aw you saw the love exhibition on the south bank! that was so fun! its not a lot of time to see London but at least you have crossed off a lot of the touristy places so you can dig a little deeper next time you are there.

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I thought the love exhibit was so fun, glad we stumbled upon it! And I agree, now my next trip back will be all about exploring a bit deeper.

  • http://www.lifeplus1.me/ Lifeplus1

    Shorts? Tank top?! This must have been over the summer! Best time to visit London in my opinion. I guess 8 hours is better than none huh? What a whirlwind trip!

    I visited Cairo in 6 hours. Even had a guy drive us down to the pyramids, climbed part of the way up the Great Pyramid, rode a camel and snarfed a KFC before catching our flight home! Phew!

    Headed to Luxembourg in a few weeks. I’ll only be there for 2 days. Have you been? Any suggestions?

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Yes, it was over the summer, oh how I miss the sunshine :) Sounds like a whirlwind trip in Cairo! I have never been to Luxembourg but am looking forward to reading about your trip there, have fun!

  • http://www.clemandmarcella.wordpress.com/ Marcella ~ WhatAWonderfulWorld

    Aw, doesn’t London look so amazing in the sun? I also went to the Festival of Love exhibition last summer :) I’ve had two recent long layovers and i’ve been lucky enough to have friends in both places so I was able to meet them.

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      London was pretty amazing in the sun, glad we had nice weather while we were there :) Long layovers are nice when you can get out and get some exploring in.

  • http://www.seeyouinaporridge.com/ Kristen @ SYIAP

    I have never been to a city in such a short time period.. if I could, I’d be all about it! I have been to London twice (3 weeks / 1 week) and I still feel like I want to see more! We are going on a trip this June and the time in each city will be shorter than I am used to (I don’t think I have ever done a multi city trip actually!) so I am hoping it all goes swimmingly and we see everything lol

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Multi city trips are fun, and exhausting. We did a four week trip where we visited 4 countries and several cities, an amazing trip, so worth being exhausted by the end of it!

  • http://www.brookemeaganjones.com/ Brooke Jones

    London is one of my favorite cities! I hope you get a chance to go back soon even though it looks like you did a lot in such a short period of time. I lived there for a year and there are still so many things I wish I would have seen and done. I’m so close now that I live on the East Coast of Canada, so it’s very tempting to book a flight and just go!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Are flights pretty cheap from the east coast of Canada to there? It makes it even more tempting when I see the great deals on flights!

  • http://www.sara-says.com/ Sara Granados

    London is an amazing city! It can be sort of overwhelming at first, since its so huge and crowded, but it really is so amazing and charming, with SO much to do. Definitely worth giving it another shot!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I was so overwhelmed at first so I think another shot is really necessary so I can take in all the charm!

  • http://www.adifferentpieceofsky.com Sara

    I can’t wait to visit London. It definitely seems like one of those cities that you could spend weeks in and still not have seen everything!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I so agree, I think I could live there and still not see everything!

  • http://www.helonheels.com Helen @ Hel On Heels

    Oh my gosh! How fun. I’ve been to London once for a layover so I hardly think that counts… Definitely on my list of places to visit for longer than an hour or two. It seems like you jammed so much in for 8 hours. Y’all must be expert travelers!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Ha we were cruising all over the place that day. But thankfully H has some good navigation skills and we didn’t get to lost so we were able to see quite a bit in the one day.

  • http://www.gorjaeous.com/ Jae

    Eight hours in London doesn’t count for travelling! You definitely need to go back, and savour the beautiful city!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I so agree Jae!

  • http://www.alkeksabroad.com/ Courtney {Alkeks Abroad}

    Ah I love London. We did the same thing in Paris once. Luckily, I had been before but I still think my husband needs to go back and experience it again without all the rushing around.

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      It is always nice to at least get to see a new place even if it is rushed but it usually just makes me want to go back and properly visit as well. I think a trip to Paris for you two is a must :)

  • http://themochileradiaries.com Leah Kate

    Looks like you got lucky with a beautiful sunny day! I have a long layover there coming up soon and I can’t wait to smash in as much sightseeing as possible!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      We got so lucky with the weather it was wonderful. I hope you have some great weather during your time there!

  • http://the.pyreflies.org/ Jessica ThePyreflies

    Look how sunny it is! It looks like Florida haha that photo of everyone trying to get into the phone box is hilarious!

    Jessica
    the.pyreflies.org

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Isn’t that photo of everyone trying to get into the phone booth so funny ha I love it!

  • http://whisperingsweetly.com/ Shane Prather

    I am dying to go to London! Not sure 8 hours would be near long enough though…

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      It is so not near enough, I need a longer trip there for sure!

  • http://inflightmovie.wordpress.com Alia

    Looks like you had some great weather! We’re here till July if you ever come back this way and have a bit more time. We can show you some fun local places! :)

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      We did have some beautiful weather! I would love to go back soon and if we do I will be sure to message you!

  • http://www.beingleanna.com/ Leanna @ Being Leanna

    Wow! 8 hours is a short trip, it looks like you had a fantastic time though!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      It really was such a short trip but a great time as well!

  • http://www.alifeexotic.com/ Julie @ A Life Exotic

    I miss London so much!! Love that you got to see the Festival of Love at Southbank last summer - I loved their fun setup! You totally have to go back and tour the HP studios. I’m giving away my inner nerd here but it was pretty much the best thing of my life ;)

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I so have to go back and see the HP studios, it is high on my list!

  • http://dianadegzz.blogspot.com/ diana @ Life in German.

    I love how much is achievable if we set our minds to it, you got to see a lot in those 8 hours!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I agree, if you want to make it happen you can!

  • http://www.kati-rose.com/ Kati Rose

    You saw and did quite a bit for 8 hours, I’m impressed. I’ve never had a trip that short.

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      It was a whirlwind trip for sure but a great time :)

  • http://tidethatleft.blogspot.co.uk/ Amy @ the tide that left

    I think you did pretty good with the picture taking. I’m rubbish at remembering to take pictures.

    Looks like you and H did a great job in your 8 hours.

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      H is much better at remembering to take pictures, I am usually terrible as well!

  • http://www.aweekendcrossing.com/ Marla @ A Weekend Crossing

    Omg you guys are the cutest couple ever. And I agree with the below comment, you guys did a great job in 8 hours!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Thanks so much Maria :)

  • http://www.tothedayslikethis.com/ Sammy @ Days Like This

    Come back, come back, come back!!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I know right, I really must come back, preferably within the next two months while you are still there!

  • http://www.hellorigby.com/ Jenn

    Dang I would have never guessed by the photos that was all one day! Impressive, but I hope you get to go back soon!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Thanks! It was one hectic day, I would love to go back for a more relaxing trip :)

  • http://voyageofthemeemee.com/ Amanda MeeMee

    How fun! Totally jealous! I love that all those people tried to squeeze into the phone booth, hahah!

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      Isn’t that picture ridiculous ha, they worked at getting into the booth for so long too ha.

  • http://www.leatherandabel.com Vanessa

    OMG - you need to go back - there’s so much more to see haha xx

    • http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki

      I know right! I really must make it back soon!