London

What are you thinking about when it comes to United Kingdom? Big Ben? Double decker bus? London? Yups! These are the symbols of UK!

You can find all of those in London as well. For me, London is the entertainment center of UK. You will understand it after you finish reading this. A lot of interesting museum and attraction you can find there. Here I want to share my experience when I went to London.

I went to London for 5 days. At first, I thought it would be a long period of time, but when the time comes, it flies!

1st day

I took bus from Manchester to London and it takes 5 hours! Actually you can choose another travel option, such as train or plane. We arrived at London at the noon and we just went straight to the underground (Tube) to go to our hotel, Wisma Indonesia. After put our stuffs, we were ready to go.

The first thing we did was went to King Cross Station. This is the station where Harry Potter used for filming the platform 9 3/4. We can take the photo in the platform 9 3/4 and there is also a shop that sells Harry Potter merchandise. However, it was not really big and complete compare to Warner Bros Harry Potter Studios, London.

This is my photo taken in Platform 9 3/4 King Cross Station.

We also went to the Sherlock Holmes Museum in 221B Baker Street! Yes. So excited!! In the museum, you can see some scenes of Sherlock story. There is also a shop too where you can buy the merchandise, start from pin badge, key rings, card and cigarette.

2nd day

Not much things we can do in the first day, but today we were going to Warner Bros Harry Potter Studios that I have mentioned above! I was so excited, even though I am not really into Harry Potter that much. But I knew it was gonna be awesome!

We have bought the entrance ticket online. So we just need to print and bring it. You have to take train to Watford Junction, then you have to take the special bus from the WB studio to go there. The bus costs you around 2.5 pounds for return ticket. Be aware of the time of the bus, because it will only available every 30 minutes. The location was quite far from the London city center.

All photos below credit to Graisa Sindorowati.

It was too shiny that I can't even open my eyes. It is outside look of the Warner Bros Studio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter.

Once you have arrived at the studio, you need to print the real ticket in the machine, then you can enter the studio. However, due to a lot of people who want to go in, you need to wait for about 30 minutes to 1 hour in a queue.

While we were waiting, we also can see the cupboard under stairs that was Harry Potter room.

In the first studio tour, you will be guided into a small room where the guide will explain a little bit about Harry Potter and there is +/- 8 small screens around that show short trailer.

Then, you will enter the small-cinema room. They will show you Harry, Hermione and Ron talking in the video, but it's seemed real. The last part was awesome!

Then you will be guided to open the door that leads you to the dining room of Hogwarts. The guide will also show you some tricks they were used in the film, such as make the lights on-off, etc.

This is the gate to enter the dining room.

After the dining room, your journey to look around and find out behind-the-scene of Harry Potter story was began. You can find a lot of awesome things there, from the make up, sample hair styles for each character, the bedroom of Harry in Griffindor, the clothes that they used, the animals training (such as the bird that send the letter). It was all the real property that they used! Even there was a stand that show us the fake-snow and fake-fire they used in the film. We can touch it. UUH SO EXCITED, RIGHT?

After all of that real property, you will enter a room with Hogwarts Express there. Real Hogwarts Express. You can go inside and in each carriage, there will be a memory of each Harry Potter that was shot in the train.

In front of the Hogwarts Express, there is a platform 9 3/4 where you can take photo (it is similar with the one in King Cross Station), a small shop that sells magic wand and others, and there is also a place to take a photo as if you are inside Hogwart Express taking your journey.

After we have done with all these attractions in studio 1, it's time for us to have some food to recharge our energy in the canteen. I bought burger and Butterbeer (YOU MUST DEFINITELY TRY IT). Butterbeer is really really reallyyyyyy delicious! It doesn't contain real "BEER", it's just like root beer. I really love it.

Luckily, we went there in the winter season, so there are fake-snows spreaded around the outdoor area. In the outdoor area, you can find the outside look of Harry Potter house in Privet Drive and the magic bus.

Then you can continue your journey in studio 2. For me, studio 2 is more like the climax. Because there is real street around Hogwarts. and there is a big miniature design of Hogwarts area with the architecture draft! I can't describe it well, but if you see it, I think you will understand what I mean. At the end of the tour, there is a lot of magic wand in the room with the name on it. You can find each character's of Harry Potter's magic wand there. Then you will be exit at the merchandise- shopping area that was more complete than King Cross Station.

OH! I almost forget to mention. In the Studio Tour, you also have the chance to try to fly with flying broom and you can feel the sensation. UUU sounds cool right?!

Exploring Harry Potter studios takes a whole day!

3rd day

After Sherlock and Harry Potter for 1st and 2nd day, it's time to visit Tour Shrek's Adventure by Dreamworks! How cool is that sound! Yeah, it's not just an ordinary museum, it's an ADVENTURE! Have you ever imagined live in Shrek World in FarFarAway? If yes, this is your chance to get your dream comes true.

We have bought the ticket online with student prices. When we arrived at the museum, we just need to show our booking, then we got the real ticket. After that, we have to wait for about 15 minutes to start the tour because they have the show time. During the tour, we were not allowed to take photo. All photos below are mixed of Graisa's and I.

stansted

Before we started the tour, they will take photo of us and you can get this photo in the exit door. The property and decorations were amazing, I felt like I was in another world.

The guide tells us about the tour and what we have to do. However, the way she spoke was just like a teather! It was so fun.

In the adventure, we will get some clues to run away from the witches and save the Shrek. We learned to dance, we came to the fortune teller, went to the mirror maze, met the donkey and gingerbread man and we finished the tour inside a room that has 3d effect. I could felt as if there was a mouse walking in my chair. Their effect was really amazing and really supporting the story and it was so so so fun!

In the exit door, there was a mercandhise shop where you can buy the gingerbread man!

The museum is located in the area of London Eye and BigBen. So, we continued to explore the area around. There is a lot of good spot to take photo with BigBen and London Eye. There is also a red telephone box and you can get the BigBen and this telephone box in one frame. To be honest, the first time I saw BigBen, I just shocked, I didn't believe. Not because it was so amazing. I already have a high expectation, but actually it just an ordinary building (looked really ORDINARY) and I don't know why everyone admire this and become very very famous. It just like another clock-building in the UK. But yeah this is the fact.

After that, we continued our journey by bus. We stop by in the M&M's World. For chocolate lover, it could be your most wanted place to go! Because inside was fulled with various kind of chocolate from M&M. They also sell the cute candy dispenser.

UH, the chocolate is so attempting!

Full of chocolateeeeeeeeeeeee! So lovely.

One of unique chocolate dispenser.

Hey ya M&M guard!

Hot chocolate from M&M <3<3

Near the M&M World, there is also Nickelodeon Store. If you are a big fans of Spongebob, watch out your money! There was a lot of cute things and clothes.

After finished going around, we have lunch in Bella Italia. We have seen Bella Italia in most all of cities in UK, so we were wondering how it taste. It is actually quite good, but for me Pizza Hut's pasta is better in taste because rich in spices and herbs. However, taste is relative.

With a full stomach, we continued our journey around. Actually we planned to go to Kensington to see Queen's house, but it was quite far and already close. In winter time, the attractions end at 4/5pm. So, we went back and shopped at Harrods, one of the famous brand from UK.

4rd day

Wohooo it's day 4! Just 1 night more in London, huhu. Today, we went to Buckingham Palace to see the changing guard. We went there with the guide from the HopHop Bus. He showed us the strategic place to see it. The changing guard took several spot. Firtsly they rehearse, then go to the Buckingham Palace.

They were rehearsing.

On our way to the Buckingham Palace, we passed the park.

This is Buckingham Palace.

After that, we took the cruise in Thames River to go to Greenwich. Our journey to Greenwich was a hurry one. So, we took the cruise and enjoyed the sightseeing. We passed the Shakespeare's teater, Tower of London, Tower Bridge to the famous St. Paul Cathedral. Then we arrived at Greenwich at 4pm if I'm not mistaken. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? The surprising part was the last cruise from Greenwich back to Big Ben was at 4.45/5pm. That means we only have 45 minutes!!!

After arrived, we took a hurry walk to Greenwich museum, we did't know where it was. We just asked people around and run there. And actually Greenwich Museum was in the top of hill. WOW. WHAT THE GOOD NEWS, RIGHT? We were in a hurry and we have to climb it. Hush hush hush, along the way my only motivation was "We have been here, We have to make it to the top" even though I have asthma and I can't really breath long along the way. Then we arrived at the top and took a quick photo in the Greenwich longitudinal line and went back to the cruise. We run run run to catch the last cruise. I know it sounds crazy, but at the end of the day we make it. We arrived at the harbour on time, just a second before they left us. What a great experience! HAHAHAHA. But next time I think I would think twice do that.

Hey small BigBen!

Tower Bridge

Greenwich Longitudinal Line

View from the TOP of the hill.

This is the Greenwich Park.

We arrived back in the BigBen at night. This was my second time to go to BigBen and the light in BigBen and London Eye make it looked beautiful. Then, we have dinner in Yo! Sushi, we also have seen it several times and decided to try this. Actually that was my first time ate sushi with a moving trail. The dorayaki tasted so good!

Dorayaki! Nom nom.

On the way back.

5th day

This is my last day in London. We went to Tower of London, it was a historical place. They kept the Queen and King's crowns and a lot of historical things. It was just in front of the Tower Bridge.

Then, we make a quick move to British Museum because it was the shooting location of Night at The Museum. HMM, but when we arrived, it was totally different with the film. -_- They set up the collection inside the museum for shooting. Yeah it's okay. okay. Then, we went to Stansted Airport to go to Edinburgh.

Important things you have to be aware about London Tube

-Make sure you already have Oyster card (you can buy it in the station/minimarket/bus station)

-The Tube system is just like Singapore or Korea underground or even same with Indonesia's Commutter Line system. You have to tab the Oyster card when your enter and exit. You will be costed when you tab your Oyster card in your arrival place.

-It's better to ask for the map, so you can read it and know which line you should take.

-Don't get confused by the map. Each colours represent the different line.

-Follow the instruction board to get to the line you want.

Hotel

Wisma Indonesia is a guest house that was built by Indonesian. You can choose if you prefer to sleep together with other guests (sharing room) or have the private room. But you still have to share bath room even you choose private room. You can stop in Colindale (Northern Line) to go to Wisma Indonesia. The cost for private room is around 50 pounds per room, includes breakfast (Indonesian food). They will put the breakfast in the freezer at night, so you just need to heat it in the microwave and your food is ready.

For a backpacker traveller, Wisma Indonesia is an affordable place to stay, considering the accommodation price in London is quiet more expensive than other areas in UK.

Sightseeing Transportation

Besides using London Tube to go to the place you want. You can buy a Hop On Hop Off Bus that will take you around London and have a stop near the entertainment places, such as Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, etc.

By buying the hop on hop off bus, you also get the free Thames River Cruise Pass that will take you to Greenwich. Sometimes they give you discount or special offer, such as free additional 24 hours by buying 48 hours. They also give walking tours with guide, one of them is to see the changing guard in the Buckingham Palace. I found it was really helpful, instead of going around nowhere.

They also have an offer package, if you want to buy the bus ticket combine with London attractions such as Madame Tussauds, Sea life Aquarium, Shrek Adventure and others. You will get lower price with the package.

Souvenirs

If you are planning to buy souvenir from UK, it is recommended to buy it in London because the price is quite cheaper than other cities. There is a lot of kind of souvenirs, start from key ring, mug, English tea in a cute box, chocolate in a cute box, clothes, and so on. But for the key ring, usually it costs 5 pounds for 3.

See you someday, London.

Amelia Stephanie

#travelwithAS #LONDON #travelwithamel #harrypotter #sherlock #shrek #bigben