London Trip

Kevin had asked me several time if I was free from 13 to 15 February as he invited me to go to London with him. I hardly ensured him about this because my tutor had not yet told me when was the literature review presentation. Kevin seemed to be angry because of this and thought that the trip had to be cancelled. However, I later arranged things up and booked a cheap hostel in London. We met at Manchester Picadilly Station and waited for the train at 12.15 pm.

The train took about 2 hours and 15 mins from Manchester to London Euston Station. We continued our journey in London with the tube. The tube was smaller than what I had thought. Six stops from the train station (cost 3 pound!), we arrived at Borough, walking down the street and turned right, we were at the hostel already.

I had not have my passport with me because I thought Kevin, the British born, might have some identification. For security reasons an identity card must be shown. Luckily, the scholarship student card from the Royal Thai Embassy was accepted. Thus, we had a place to sleep tonight. That day we did nothing much, just walked around the area we had stayed, took some pictures at the Tower Bridge and the London Eye.

The day after, we started with Tate Art Gallery, Kevin's favourite must see place. The arts there were errrrhhh!!!! well!!! not really my type. Some artist just made a cut (honestly it was just a cut) on a canvas and frame it. Then it was hanged in the Art Gallery (for Buddha sake!). We continued our emotion in art at Tate Classic Gallery. I like the last one with all classic master pieces. We passed the Big Ben on the way.

Without paying a penny to the tube we walked to Trafalgar Square and Picadilly Circus. Both places can be seen in many films. Oxford Street was very crowed with people shopping. The pavement looked very small compare to the amount of people. We got back to the hostel at about half past eight. I fell asleep very quickly.

The last day in London, I noticed that whole grained bread could be provided by asking (eating white bread the day before had made me sick). We checked out and dropped our belongings at the hostel before heading for the Science Museum. Kevin seemed to hate this museum a lot while I was enjoying it. The museum has got them all from the science in hundred years ago to the theory of relativity. From Science Museum we took a tube to Buckingham Palace ( the tube day pass cost 5.30 pound).

The time was running out, so we went back to pick up our belongings at the hostel and went to St. Pancras and King's Cross Station. The St. Pancras is a new station for Eurostar, while the King's Cross is famous with the platform 9 3/4 (those who love Harry Potter should know why). After the visit of these stations, we arrived at London Euston and had waited for 2 hours for the train back to Manchester.

London has a lot more to see but what is needed is time. The crowd and the pollution in this capital (and the same as any big cityies in the world) had made me a bit dizzy. I felt like it was Bangkok in a freezer with more organize system. I don't know why I feel I love Manchester more and more after visiting London.