England Travel Diary: Part Two
Day Four
The train pulled into Paddington Station around lunchtime on a sunny Sunday. I surprisingly didn’t have any concrete plans for the day. After making a quick stop into Boots and navigating quite a few staircases with a suitcase due to broken lifts, I headed toward Kensington, my home for the next few days.
As a Highly Sensitive Person, I had definitely felt some anxiety about London building up. Because of some traumatic events many years ago, big cities and large crowds cause me to be hyper-aware. Though I had suspected it, I surprisingly didn’t feel that way as soon as I arrived in London. The quiet Kensington streets lined with white terraced houses felt quaint and lovely, putting me at ease. I had a feeling I was going to enjoy my time here.
After a quick visit to Buckingham Palace, my goal was to wander the many charming mews of Kensington. I spent nearly three hours weaving up and down the tiniest streets with houses painted pink and purple and the prettiest robin’s egg blue. From carriage homes and cobblestone to flowers and ivy, there was something beautiful around every corner.
What I loved most about the Kensington Mews was how peaceful they were. You would never know the hustle and bustle of a city as massive as London was waiting on the other side of Hyde Park. It felt a bit like I had the whole city to myself as I passed by pretty pink magnolias and cherry blossoms.
Once, in the midst of taking a photo underneath one of those pink trees, a kind older gentleman shuffled up next to me, spotting my camera, and said, “The building looks nice, doesn’t it? They had been renovating it for ages.” We exchanged a few words and smiles and both continued on with our days. I felt at home finally for the first time in a long time.
What a magical time to be in London.
I briefly stopped into Joe & the Juice to refuel before making my way to what I personally believe to be the more impressive palace in London; Kensington Palace. Another peaceful and lovely setting, I spotted an empty park bench where I decided to stop for a bit to rest my feet and take in the scenery.
After a walk around the pond where nearly a dozen swans were showing off, it was time to do what Chelsea does best – go
I wandered next door to the beautiful V&A Museum that had come highly-recommended to me by nearly everyone I had spoken with. Being a lover of Europe throughout the 1600-1800s, I marveled at the ‘Europe and the World’ exhibit, which showcased beautiful examples of Baroque and Rococo everything, perfectly preserved.
By the time I finished up at both museums, my legs were so incredibly sore from all of the
On the way, I found one of many lovely London independent bookstores to wander through; South Kensington Books. I paged through one of my favorites, ‘On the Road’ by Jack Kerouac.
Nearing sunset, I finally left Kensington for the first time that day and decided to walk across the Tower Bridge. The Tower of London was looking especially valiant as I walked by. I had no idea the complex was as massive as it is. As I got to the other side of the bridge, just as the sky reached darkness, I was in awe.
I still couldn’t believe that I was in England, standing here looking up at something so iconic.
I later had a field day roaming the multiple levels of Whole Foods Kensington, continuing to feel more and more at home. I picked up some dinner, snacks, and kombucha and then headed back to the hotel where I blissfully enjoyed a few episodes of Poldark. Ah, heaven.
It was the perfect ending to my first full day in London.
To be continued…
Catch up on Part One in Bath, UK here
Day Five
After walking over 25,000+ steps the day prior, I still didn’t plan to walk any less on day five of my trip. I had a hair appointment booked in Vauxhall at 5:45 and had a lot of territory to cover before that.
I started the morning with a walk through Notting Hill where I stopped in for avocado toast and a lavender latte at Farm Girl. I then explored Portobello Market and tucked into a few stores, buying two sets of beautiful sterling silver earrings from a local London jewelry designer and his wife.
After stopping by the building where the travel bookshop that ‘Notting Hill’ is based on
Follow along on Instagram @ChelseaDinen for more of my travels throughout the UK.
