LONDON!!! I am beyond stoked to be here. As someone with a low-income background, I’ve never thought that this kind of opportunity was meant for me. I feel out of my element in more ways than one. Regardless, I am here, and ready to learn :))
Unfortunately, I was entirely too sleep deprived to even comprehend my first time on the tube. I hardly slept on the flight from Baltimore to London; rather I was thrown in between states of consciousness and ““sleep”” like a ragdoll being violently thrown about at the mercy of a mysteriously sticky toddler. Yes I’m relating an international flight to a mysteriously sticky toddler. No I’m not overreacting why would you say that. Genuinely though, this has been a really delightful experience, and even the “negative” experiences have value!
Anyway, on my SECOND day taking the tube I was able to form actual thoughts and opinions! Yay!! It seems to be a little similar to the transit in Chicago, and I’ve been able to translate my experiences with Chicago’s trains to the transit here in London. Which I am incredibly grateful for, as I was expecting to be wildly uncomfortable and anxious navigating the tube. The most notable aspect of London –and one that I initially noticed in the tube– is the diversity. I know that seems like a rather obvious statement, but it’s so refreshing compared to, say, Mount Ida Arkansas (where I grew up). The vastly different nationalities around are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, and I have to say, I am in love.
I’m mostly hoping to make a lot of art on this trip, and learn a lot about art as well!! I’d like to make it a goal to include some of the things I create in every blog, just so I have a way to keep myself accountable for generating content 🙂 Alright, photo dump time!
running bit. stay tuned. Study of someone sitting in the cafe I was at!! He moved around a lot </3Unfinished architecture study. Why is architecture so hard 😡more cafe portrait studies!! …If the back of the head even counts as a portrait study.
It is fair to say that the beginning of our trip defied expectations. After a tragic split in our party, I ended up being in a group of seven who made it onto a plane departing from Texas. We flew out Monday night, crossed the sea, and arrived on Tuesday, around 2 PM, at the home of fish & chips, Monty Python, and Benedict Cumberbatch: England.
More specifically, London. The first few hours were a blur of gates, hallways, baggage, and customs that eventually led us to meeting up with the eighth member of the “The First Londoners”. With her help we headed for the area that is the main subject of this post.
My first ride on the Tube was really quite uneventful. We entered first from Heathrow station. The simplicity of the station was somewhat of a marvel. My only other experiences with long distance rapid transit railway systems were from trips to New York City. Though my memories with it are hazier, The New York City Subway seems to have given my family and I a few more headaches than London’s Underground have thus far. There’s still time I suppose.
The train rides I’ve had thus far have gone without incident. My first journey from the airport to our hotel was a long one, but also a quiet one. Along the way, we passed above ground a few times outside of the metropolitan area. A specific moment I recall is passing by an array of vaguely suburban houses. With this surely ordinary neighborhood, the first thing that came to mind was that it was just so distinctly British. Shocking, I know. But to me, it was truly the first sign that I was quite a ways away from home.
The rest of the ride was quite incident free. And outside of an unfortunate trek up a staircase with wheeled baggage, our group was able to leave the station without any real trouble at all. That description could largely be used to fit every journey on the Tube I’ve had since then: an easy ride from station to station with the unfortunate addition of stairs by the few foolish architects without the proper wit to have chosen to be born in the age of escalators. Additionally, we received oyster cards which allow us to tap in and out at any stations within our zones with ease. Honestly, the Tube has been just about the easiest and simplest part of the Theatre in London trip thus far.
Speaking of, of my freaking gosh, we’re in London! With the tube as our main mode of travel, our group has had quite the introduction to this city. The First Londoners’ experience was a slow and easy one, having dinner at the hotel, then going our separate little ways until finally we were able to reunite with the rest of our group. With our full group, we hit the ground running, eating at Seven Dials market and watching The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the world. The play was wonderfully funny, dramatic, and immersive and the twist was delightful. The production was perfect and with it, I felt like I truly got a taste in full of what West End theatre can look like.
The next day we took our first true tour of the city, being introduced by Shawn to the many wonderful pieces of architecture, history, and culture that the city is so full of. Eventually we split off into our little groups. Me and the crew I had the pleasure of joining drank boba, returned to Seven Dials, and ended our evening by seeing Les Misérables. I cried a lot. Seeing a favorite play of mine done to such a fantastic degree truly has made me so excited for what the rest of this trip will bring.
Closing out my first blog post, I just feel so thankful and excited. Thankful for the people that pushed me to make sure I could come here and so excited to grow as a member of the theatre community. But before I go, I have to introduce my partner in crime on this trip.
This is Squirt Asteroid-Destroyer.
Like me, Squirt holds a deep affection for art and adventure. His previous caretaker gifted him to me to guard my harmonica case back home, but now, we guard each other on our righteous grand quest. Throughout my trip, I will continue to update you all on his journey throughout London as it mirrors my own. Also, he is very cute and gives me an excuse to take pictures! Here’s some now:
First time at the airport!
Got through security!
Bit of Chick-fil-A with Merritt before we’re off to London!
Leaving Little Rock!
Leaving Dallas, London next!
England from above!
First time on the tube (Reece and Jade pictured!)
Hotel, here we come!
First night at the hotel!
Seven Dials Market – Buns for dinner!
First show – The Mousetrap!
First stop on our first day tour – St Mary le Strand!
Chinatown!
Duck World!
on da hat
2nd show – Les Mis!
A bit of rest after 2 flights, 2 shows, a bunch of tube rides, and a ton of fun!
We did not have an easy beginning to our trip. Despite changing our flight to one two hours earlier, our plane to Dallas was delayed by the Monday storms. Why we couldn’t just leave during a tornado I don’t know, but by the time we made it to Fort Worth our plane to London had already departed. Despite lots of panic and uncertainty, we were able to get a hotel for the night in Texas and arrange for different flights to take us. Finally, almost twenty-four hours after we were supposed to arrive in London, we made it.
Of course, after all that we had been through I wasn’t super keen to immediately get back on a form of transportation, however, the Tube was a pleasant surprise. After my experience trying to navigate the New York subway last summer, I was wary about using it, but my fears were unfounded. To access the Tube we had to use something called an “Oyster Card”. I looked up why it was called that and apparently its because of the “metaphorical implications of security and value in the hard bivalve shell and the concealed pearl” and “its association with London through Thames Estuary oyster beds and the major relevance of the popular idiom ‘the world is your oyster’” which seems a bit contrived to me, but what do I know?
Since I was part of a group, I had no worries about getting lost, but I was more concerned about getting separated. One would think how big the elevator down to the platform was there would be plenty of room for us, but we struggled to all get on. The train itself was similarly crowded, with us having to squeeze together to all fit. Luckily the ride itself was very quick, and we were off the train quicker than it had taken us to get to the Tube. The entire process was so painless, and I was so tired, that a lot of it just didn’t stick with me.
The ride back was also very painless. Despite being half-asleep, I made it back safely with the rest of the group, and wisely chose not to go up the over one-hundred steps, and instead rode the elevator, and made it back to the hotel where I was able to get some well needed rest for the first time since the trip began.
The next day in the morning we took the Tube as a group, but on the way back I had to go by myself. This time I was much more anxious about going, since if I made a mistake, there would be no one there to correct me. Luckily, it was simple enough, and I remembered enough from last time despite being so tired the last time I took the Tube back, that I was able to make it back without any issues.
If one thing is certain, experiencing the Tube definitely makes me wish we had this type of public transportation back in America. I can’t help but think that if we had been able to take a train to Dallas before leaving, we might have made it to London on time, and the experience might have been much more pleasant. Anyways, this has been the first of my travel blogs, goodnight, morning, or afternoon, and I hope you’ll read the next one.
One hotel, two days, three flights (separate security for each), and about forty hours later, the Baltimore 11 finally made it to London! Although things did not go quite according to plan—thank you, Arkansas weather—we arrived just in time to get a quick nap and shower in before our plans for the evening with the rest of the Theatre in London group. We rode the tube to Piccadilly Circus, where we grabbed dinner at the Seven Dials Market. There were so many options inside that it was hard to choose just one, but hopefully we will go back so I can try everything. I even missed a whole section that had pasta, mac and cheese, and more, according to my more observant classmates. In the end, I got a slice of margherita pizza from Bad Boys Pizza and a cherry lychee tea from the neighboring bun place (pictured below). Afterward, a couple of us walked down the road to Anita Gelato because we “nita” some gelato (also pictured below). I ordered strawberry and dark chocolate—yum!
We ended our evening by seeing the longest-running play in history, Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap”. I won’t spoil the long-kept secret of who may or may not have murdered whom, but the show was enthralling. I can see why it has lasted so long; it is understandable and entertaining to people of all ages, education levels, and backgrounds. Young children can laugh at the jokes and gasp at the drama, and older people can attempt to solve the mystery while also laughing at the jokes and gasping at the drama. It can also be adapted to fit a variety of settings or locations without losing its key parts.
Through all of our adventures so far, one thing has remained constant: the tube. The core of London’s transportation, the “tube” or “underground”is similar to American subways, such as those in New York or Chicago. However, the Tube in London has a check-in, check-out system where you scan your Oyster card, ticket, or Apple Pay when you enter the station, and then again when you exit. This is to ensure that you pay the proper amount for the length of your journey rather than a standard amount for simply using the tube. Additionally, the stations in London are generally smaller and cleaner than subway stations in America. No matter where you are, it is a maze to figure out.
“What is it like to ride the Tube?” you ask. Well, I will gladly tell you. We are walking along the sidewalk when a fire station appears out of thin air, indented into the building in front of us. Upon further inspection, it is not in fact a fire station but the subway station. As we enter the small dent in the building, we see 5 or so gates with an LED sign showing either a green check or a red X. People funnel into lines at the gates, taking turns scanning their card, ticket, or phone to get through. Once on the other side, not much roomier than outside the gates, we wait for an elevator to take us down to the same level as the platform. Exiting the unusually large yet extremely crowded elevator, strangers in a rush shuffle us quickly down narrow corridors until we reach the platform to wait for our tube. There are no beggars, rats, or that familiar sewer smell, just people going from place to place and the polite screeching of the tube coming down the railway to greet us.
Below, you can see a chronological photographic account of our London experience so far:
Before it all…
Optomistic! But wrong
Leaving DFW for a hotel 😦
British flag at BWI
Dinner on a plane! With a side of Dead Poets Society
FINALLY made it to London
Seven Dials
Seven Dials Market bathroom 😋
More Gelato photos
Selfie!!
73 years is a long time!
Chinatown on day 2! 我们都太可爱!
London has been a refreshing change of pace, to say the least, with its beautiful sights, peaceful sound, and inspirational air. The few locals I have interacted with have been some of the most well-mannered and compassionate people I have ever met—and the squirrels are quite considerate as well. I am ecstatic to be here, and I can’t wait to see what adventures await us in the future!
“THUD THUD THUD”, the resounding sound of my luggage hitting against each tile stair echoed throughout the underground tunnels. We had just completed our 9 hour plane ride and left the London airport. At baggage claim we then debated on whether taking a coach to take us to the hotel or on taking the tube. In actuality, I had never taken the tube before and felt intimidated at the idea of taking it without my professors. Therefore, I sided with wanting to order a coach yet when we compared the prices side by side, the right choice became extremely clear. Coach= 60 euros Tube= 6 euros
The fast spaced environment was exciting yet a bit stressful at first. However, although I didn’t expect to ride the tube with my suitcases, looking back, I don’t regret it in the slightest. I sat down and prepared for our 45 minute ride to the Royal National Hotel in Bloomsbury. Then, it took off. As I heard the screeching of the pained, corroded rails underneath us, I got my first glimpse of London as we exited the tunnel.
It exceeded all my expectations. All my exhaustion quickly vanished when I saw the vibrant, historic narrow streets and town houses. The utter character, charm, and cultural diversity of London struck me completely. That first ride through the tube has left an everlasting impression engraved in my mind ever since. It made me feel excited and motivated to get to know more about the city’s distinct boroughs’ and their unique history.
Once we walked through a tube system demonstration with everyone, I felt more comfortable and at ease having a slight bit of previous experience with the tube. Learning that the colored stripes on the underground tunnels’ walls represent the direction of different railways was fascinating. Overall, the tube is an effective, quick, and affordable method for transport. I feel extremely lucky to have such a great system to relay on for comfortably while exploring London.
We’ve been in London for just over 48 hours and it feels like a week. In the best way possible, of course! We had a bit of a bumpy start, as over half of our study abroad group was not able to arrive until a day later than planned due to weather and flight issues, leaving 8 of us to navigate London without the guidance of either of our professors. Fortunately, when we all met up at the airport after arriving, we were able to quickly navigate the tube system and get ourselves to our hotel.
When we got into the tube, we had about an hour-long ride and quite a bit of it was above ground so we got to see the outer parts of London flash by us as we rode past. After a long day of travel, it was a nice moment of calm to watch the world go by. Our stop was Russel Square, which had a short staircase we all had to drag out very heavy (and very many) bags up, to finally reach a lift to take us the rest of the way. There isn’t an escalator in Russel Square, so the only other option is taking 175 stairs up to the street, which was not an option without extra weight. Still, I am determined to do it at some point before we leave despite everyone telling me it is a stupid idea and infinitely harder than it looks. That aside, we conquered the tube ride and arrived at the hotel safely, with Sarah getting us checked in and guiding us to our rooms.
That night we celebrated Merrit’s birthday with dinner at the pub downstairs called “The London Pub” (how did they ever think of that name?!), and then Claire, Reece, and I went to Waitrose to get a couple of bits and bobs.
The next morning I woke up quite early so I went to the lobby to work on my computer for a while, and then Reece, Ilaria, and I went to the complementary breakfast in the hotel. The rest of our group was arriving at 11, so after breakfast Reece and I went to Oxford Street because it had both Waterstones and Boots in the same area. Those things have nothing to do with each other other than I really wanted to look at books and Reece needed face wash, so why not get both of those things done and do our first touristy thing at the same time!
After our Oxford Street adventure, we went back to our hotel and rested until 4, while the group that arrived was able to unpack and sleep for a few hours. After that, we all met up in the lobby, said hi to our friends we hadn’t seen since class, got out oyster cards, and went to Seven Dials market for dinner. I got a tomato pasta, then walked around for a while until we all met up to head to our first show, Mousetrap!
This show was so much fun. I loved how simple it was. It wasn’t necessarily my favorite show I have ever seen, but I think it was a good one to start off this study abroad with. I didn’t feel super satisfied at the end of the show because the switch was so fast that I couldn’t process it. That’s all I will say so I don’t give too much away!
Our second day was wonderful and we got to see Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, and Chinatown! We had a wonderful meal in Chinatown, and then went to Fortnum & Mason and Waterstones. We closed the day by seeing The Great Gatspy, which was more than great. I couldn’t have asked for more from a second day!
Currently listening to: “American Boy” by Estelle (ft. Kanye West)
After a quick trip (I say not at all sarcastically) I have finally arrived in London! This city is like no other I have ever experienced. It’s what I imagine New York to be like… if New York had nicer people and less trash. Though I have not been here very long, I’ve already had so many new experiences: first time eating local food, seeing a West End show, and (most importantly for this assignment) riding the tube.
Before this, my closest experience to taking the tube was riding in the UARK shuttle from the Union to Lot 56, so I was really nervous. Surprisingly, it was not very difficult. Quick tip for readers who have never taken the tube though: move as fast as possible, or you will be left. I am extremely directionally challenged, so I have no intention of going in there alone, but the experience is great (as long as someone else can tell me when to get on and off). Plus, especially after my walking tour, I have really come to love the tube, since I’ve only been here for one entire day and I’ve already walked about 18 miles.
So far, my favorite experience was Les Miserables. We took the tube to Piccadilly Circus (and did not get lost yayyy). It was the most incredible show I have ever seen, to be fair I have not seen many. However, I have seen the movie, and seeing it live made me emotional in a way that I did not expect. By the end of the show, I was fully in tears with makeup running down my face. It was such an amazing way to end my first full day! I can’t wait for what tomorrow brings!
‘Ello everybody! I’m in London! But you already knew that. A little less than half of us arrived here on the originally scheduled flight and had to take the tube to the hotel. I’ve been to London before, but I had partially forgotten certain things about the tube. I remembered to tap in and tap out, to wait for people to get off the train before you got on, but I had forgotten most of the different stops and changing stations. Thankfully, Jade is basically a Londoner and was able to lead everyone. Thanks Jade! I know that being on the tube with all our luggage was probably an interesting first tube experience for those who had never been on it before, but if you can conquer the tube under those circumstances, you can conquer anything.
Once we finally got to the hotel, we all rested up before heading down to the pub attached to the hotel for dinner. We happened to get to London on my birthday (20 on the 20th!), and everyone was so sweet to me and made it an enjoyable birthday, even far from home. After dinner, Tucker and Ilaria and I took a little walk where I got to get my favorite candy mix that I can only find in the UK. Haribo Tangfastics, look it up. Once I got back to the hotel and took a shower, I totally conked out and slept through most of the night with my phone still in my hand.
The next day, JoAnna and I woke up and went down for breakfast at the hotel. It was good, but not mind blowing. We went for a walk afterwards with Tucker, stopping at the coffee shop on the corner. Once the Baltimore 11 got here after their long journey, the trip really started to feel real. About every five seconds I would look at the group and either say “this is just like the episodes of Friends when they’re in London” or a simple “guys…we’re actually in London.” For dinner, we got to take the tube again (much less stressful without luggage) to Leicester Square and get dinner at the Seven Dials Market. On the way there, I heard a little British child pass us and say “What a clique they’re in!” After dinner, we hit the gelato place down the street where I had the yummiest, most refreshing gelato in the entire world. Then, we got to go see Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap! It was such a fun show, and I was very proud of myself for guessing the twist before it came. After the show, we got to head back to the hotel, gab with friends, and buy some more tickets for extra shows.
Today, after a little misstep in the morning, we got to take a nice walking tour to the Strand, Piccadilly Circus, back to Leicester Square, and Chinatown. As I write this, my beautiful roomies are getting ready for us to go see Les Miserables, and I will join them soon! So far, I’ve already had a fabulous time in London and can’t wait to experience even more.
After a somewhat stressful journey we have finally arrived in London! Already I have noticed some very interesting cultural differences, although some of these may be less about the country and more about the environment of a very large city, which I am not familiar with. One of the big differences I immediately noticed was the prevalence of cigarette smoking. While still common in the states, in the last few years the amount of people I see smoking cigarettes in public has gone down drastically, although some of that comes with a switch to electric cigarettes or vapes. If I had to guess I would say that the anti smoking campaigns that were so prevalent in my childhood were not as widespread here in the U.K. I have also noticed that the cigarettes have a much weaker smell when walking past, but that may be able to be attributed to it getting lost in the wide range of smells in the city
Another thing that struck me about the city was how the layout affected the arrangement and set up of the shops. Because all the buildings are so thin, many have multiple layers and utilize their height and basement access in order to make up for the lack of horizontal space. I noticed that at many shops there was a person at the door in order to stop people from coming in if the space was too crowded, and possibly to stop shoplifters and the layout of the buildings would make it fairly easy for someone to grab something and get out before a shopkeeper could get around to them. This city layout also lends itself greatly to walkability and bike riding, with it seeming faster to walk most places than it would be to drive. Despite this the cars here still definitely make their presence known, and the feelings about pedestrians “always having the right of way” are definitely not the same. Because of the narrow streets and crowded traffic, many of the drivers are very aggressive, and are not willing to wait on anyone too slow for the crosswalk or not paying attention when crossing the road.
There were many interesting and exciting things about that first day, but the most memorable part is a toss up between the amazing show we saw that night, and the burger I had shortly before. We went to seven dials market for dinner and while there were many options there that I am very interested in going back and trying, I was immediately drawn by the signs promoting the so-called best burger in london. I was very cautious initially as the stereotypes had conditioned me to have low expectations about British food, but I was very quickly proven wrong. While I can not say for sure it was the best burger in London, it was definitely one of the best that I’ve had.
While initially intimidated by the thought of riding in the London underground, after my first trip many of my worries have been eliminated. My biggest worry about the underground going into the trip was getting overwhelmed by the noise and the amount of people, but that ended up not really being a problem. While it was very crowded and somewhat noisy, everyone was fairly respectful and left space when possible. The experience was very similar to riding the U of A bus on a busy day. I am still uncertain about my abilities to navigate the tube solo, but with those concerns out of the way I feel confident that I will become more comfortable with the system soon.
My favorite part of the underground system are the tunnels the tube runs through. They are covered in very colorful posters and do a good job at making me excited to see some of the plays that are advertised. There also seems to often be performers in or right outside of these tunnels, with a man dressed in a spiderman costume performing quite extremely on a piano during our first trip back to the hotel.
I actually cannot believe that I am writing my first London blog post. I have been looking forward to this trip for months and I can’t believe I’m finally here. Because of all of the travel debacle of our group getting separated, I became a part of the Dallas Eight, as Shawn has lovingly called us. So we got to the city almost a full day before the rest of our group. The Tube was actually the first thing we experienced. Jade, being our personal London tour guide showed us how to take the Tube from Heathrow to the heart of London. My first impressions of the Tube were fairly positive. I couldn’t help but compare it to the Subway in NYC. The Tube is a tad cleaner than NYC and much easier to understand. Honestly, I much prefer the Tube to the Subway.
After navigating the Tube to our hotel, the Dallas eight had dinner together at the Pub that was connected to our hotel. After that, Jade, who I have lovingly dubbed my personal tour guide, began to explore London. We didn’t take the Tube anymore that day because We had yet to collect our Oyster Cards from Shawn.
The next day, we awaited the arrival of the Baltimore 11 (the rest of our group), and upon their arrival, took the Tube to Seven Dials Market for dinner. It was on this trip in the Tube that I began to comprehend how the Tube system works. I’m sure that by the end of this week I will be a pro-Tuber. Did that sound weird? I think it did. I’m keeping it. We went to Seven Dials Market for dinner where I had some incredibly delicious pasta. Jade and I then walked around the area around the market and popped into a few vintage stores. Then it was time for our first show of the trip: The Mousetrap. I love Agatha Christie. I love a good mystery. I love a good murder. So I was very much looking forward to the show. I really loved the show. I thought it was fun and cute, and a great way to start our journey of exploring British theatre. Was it a life changing experience? No. But did I have a blast? Absolutely yes.
Today, was a very busy day. We did our first walking tour of the day. In total I think I have had 17,000 steps today. My hokas are carrying me through I’ll tell you that much. After the walking tour Jade, Claire, Sarah, Talia, and I all followed Jade around London. We “bee bopped” (as Claire called it and I’m now obsessed) around different shops and stores. Jade took us to the official grocer of the Royal Family??? I felt very out of place in my long sleeve t-shirt and tennis shoes.
But alas, now I must leave you sweet blog to see our second show of the trip: The Great Gatsby. So much love from London!
Theatre in London U of A 