London Town

The past few weeks were super exciting for me. I had a visit from my Australian friends that I met during my Camp America adventure visit me at the beginning of the month. I hadn't seen them for a year so it was a great reunion.

Our first port of call was London. We stayed in a hotel on the outskirts on London as our budget was not huge. Travelodge in Northolt was our base. It took us about 30 minutes each day to get into central London via tube. The station was a two minute walk from our hotel door and we were able to jump straight onto the central line - which took us straight to places such as Westfield Shopping Centre, Oxford Circus, Hyde Park, and St Paul's Cathedral.

The hotel also had free parking - with a large car park, and was joined to 'The Harvester', perfect for a great all-you-can-eat breakfast to start the day.

We spent 3 days in London all together and we spent that time visiting great tourist destinations as this was my friends first visit to London. We also met up with other camp friends along the way which was great.

For those of you who have not visited London before, here is a quick guide to our trip-

Oxford Street (tube station: Oxford Circus, alternatives: Bond Street, Marble Arch) - Oxford Street is shopping heaven, all the big high street names have huge stores on this road. It is home to flagship stores, such as Topshop, which boasts an impressive 5 floor fashion heaven. It is also the home to the famous Selfridges department store, as well as the biggest Primark in the country.

As you can imagine the street does get very busy, so I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like crowded places. However if you are a shopaholic it is a must!

Trafalgar Square (tube station: Charing Cross) an iconic square that is a must see. Here you will see Nelsons Column, with 4 great lions surrounding it. With pretty fountains and a great atmosphere. The square is a lovely place to have lunch and people watch.  Another main attraction you can find here is the National Gallery.

Westminster (tube station: Westminster) is where you will find the famous Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Must see's if you are visiting London. Also near by is Downing Street, home to the Prime Minister - Easy to miss, as I only recently discovered where it was. The street is gated off and you can't see number 10, however its still pretty interesting if you're nearby.

South Bank (tube station: Waterloo) - a short walk from Waterloo station you will find South Bank, which is where the London Eye lives. The London Eye is another must visit for a first time Londoner.  The wheel takes an around an hour to do a full circle, so you get fantastic views of London and some great photos! Also along South Bank you will find lots of restaurants that over look the River Thames, as well as a small skatepark.

Covent Garden (tube station: Covent Garden) is a great area full of shops, street performers, restaurants, theatres and much more. It is a lovely place to visit. For any fellow make up artists reading this, it is also the home to the Charles Fox shop, as well as Screenface. Whilst visiting Covent Garden, we had a lovely evening meal in the Pizza Express there. The area is very popular place and is often very busy but has a great atmosphere. It is in close walking distance to Leicester Square which is where the film premieres are held. It is also where you will find the M&M store!

Buckingham Palace (tube: Charing Cross) It's a bit of a walk from the nearest tube to Buckingham Palace, but definitely worth it. The Royal Palace is a must see. If the queens flag is flying, that means that she is inside so make sure you give a wave. If you time your visit correctly you can also see the changing of the guards.