London | Day One

After waking up at 4:30am, I somehow managed to make it to the airport for a 6:30 flight. I checked in and the Air Ryan attendent just crossed my name off a list - no computer needed. Air Ryan is so cheap that you don't even reserve seats, its first come, first serve and no free snacks on the plane, not even peanuts. I wish there were barebones airlines like this in the States, but that's another rant.

I made it to my hostel around 9:30am to drop off my bag, and then picked up one of those touristy hop on/hop off bus tours where you can sit on the second floor. Since I didn't know what to do or where to go, I got off near Hyde Park and walked around. I saw where J.M. Barrie (wrote Peter Pan) lived, right next to the park.

Here are some highlights of the day:

Globe Theatre - a reconstruction of Shakespeare's theatre. In summer you can get 5 pound groundling tickets.



Tate Modern, an old power plant on the Thames River converted to modern art space for the millenium celebrations. I had no idea the white box installation was so huge!



A nice two hour walk home (taking all the busy, well-lit streets). It was my first time seeing Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, gorgeous!



Then back to the hostel to share a bunk with a few other girls. I was asleep by 9:30pm, exhausted.