One day in September 2018, I had a great idea that it felt like the time to visit London for the first time. This dream was a long time coming, so the plan was to go there and connect with people during London’s Fashion Week while enjoying and exploring the beautiful city. I was super thrilled and ready to go!
My dear friend Katherine planned on taking the trip together, but you won’t even believe what happened after we made all the plans and packed our luggage. We booked both of our separate flights months ahead, our lodging, and everything got squared away, but on the day of departure, her flight announced that there was an issue and the takeoff would get delayed for a bit.
Shortly after, she kept updating me and essentially the airline decided to cancel her flight. I felt extremely disappointed to find out while boarding my flight that she would not make her flight at all. It was very hard to take in but we both tried not to feel too down and looked on the bright side of it all; the fact that her safety and well-being matters so much more.
The airline claimed something needed to get fixed before the plane would take off and since that didn’t get reconciled, they had to cancel her flight get everyone off the aircraft and re-route people or whatever.
After receiving such bumming news, about 8 hours later I landed in London and just tried to pick my head up from the ground and tried to move forward.
It was hard to move on fast because we both looked forward to all the fashion shows we would go see and all the neighborhoods we would go explore together. Sigh. I just prayed for the best for her and I’m very content knowing she is safe and well.
You know how you have your mind just set on some very exciting event or planned experiences to come with your friends, and then it all doesn’t play out as you dreamt it would. So yeah, try to imagine me feeling super stoked I’m finally in London, this beautiful and funky city I’ve always heard of but will now experience — aaaaaahhhhh! *Insert a huge cheesy smile here* Yet I felt crushed at the same time because my heart ached that my friend wouldn’t experience this first time experience together as we planned.
Three confusing directions from Londoners, I fiiinally found the right train to take me to my temporary London home for the weekend. The directions seemed confusing only because I had no clue what each person told me hahaha. I thought these people spoke English!
Their seriously heavy British accent made it sound like a foreign language to me.
I couldn’t even hold my excitement while dragging my two luggage down the block to my room and boarding at a couple’s beautiful home I chose to book for us.
I’m in London!!!!!
As soon as I arrived, the owners of the home immediately asked about Kathy while they let me in their home so I had to share the sad news with them.
They then received me with beautiful smiles and a thorough home tour. I mean, their home looked as beautiful and pristine as what I saw online while booking.
I didn’t even have time to chill, I had already missed a couple of fashion shows so I took a quick nap to shake off the bummy feeling from missing my friend and then got up to catch the rest of the fashion shows on the schedule for that day.
My plan for this visit to London entailed experiencing London’s Fashion week and then exploring the city during intermission before other shows started.
I took the subway, something else I really looked forward to experiencing in London. So far, I love their subway and train system better than New York’s. Mainly for esthetics, it’s cleaner and looks cooler. I found the address where my first show would take place and joined the line to enter the show.
Oh my gosh, you should have seen how excited I felt to finally spot the city’s cute red local buses, I almost jumped for show. No shame to my game at all, it’s little things like these that get me excited in life honestly. I felt like such a tourist while sneaking a photo in hehehe.
Then I went to have dinner afterward and returned back home.
The next day, the homeowners laid out fresh bread made from scratch that morning, and a nice breakfast selection of fruits and cereals for me, with a sweet welcoming note too. So sweet!
Then I showered and got dressed for a fully booked day of fashion shows, and some sightseeing.
After a the shows, I went to look for this ice-cream spot I discovered online in Soho London and treated myself to some sweets.
And then explored the neighborhood and discovered a Peruvian restaurant, had a cocktail and dinner by the bar, so delicious by the way.. mmmhmm. Then I headed back home.
I had a beautiful visit to London, met so many people during London’s Fashion Week (LFW) and simply cannot wait to return again just to enjoy the city some more. I have a good feeling I’ll return in September, God-willing of course.