I am sitting here under the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus watching the people walk past and admiring the brightly coloured LED Billboard. It is here where I decided to write a new blog about our life here in London. I cannot turn around in London city without something inspiring me. Everywhere I go I find new ideas that generate a creative energy. It gives me a greater sense of ambition to explore and create.
First Impressions
Why are all the roof tops white? I said to myself upon landing at Heathrow airport. As the plane flew closer down I could see that it was actually snow that covered the roofs. Wow! I wasn’t expecting it be snowing and we did not pack enough warm clothes for this! The snow was so beautiful (well to us anyway, typical Londoners would beg to differ), probably because it was such a vast contrast to the hot summer temperatures we left back in Australia. We spoke to a local Londoner and he said “make the most of the snow while it’s here because the last time I remember it like this was 7 years ago”. So that is what we did, dedicating our first days taking photos in the parks, around the London Eye and of Tower bridge. It was magical to watch all the children play in the snow and make snowmen. London was more picturesque to capture with the snow but I must say I am a lot warmer now that’s it’s gone.
Why London though?
When we told people that we were moving to London, they gave us a strange reaction and asked “Why, its so cold and wet there right now”. The reason was because I have always wanted to do a working holiday overseas and now was the time to do it. We had so many future plans to travel around and London would be a great starting base.
I am currently on a Tier 5 working visa which gives me 2 years work in the UK. We can come and go as we please which gives us the freedom to go travelling. We are only a short plane ride away to the other wonderful countries and it’s just the freedom we needed. So we handed in our resignation letters at our previous jobs, packed up our house and came over with nothing but, camera gear and our travel bags and big dreams.
Where to Live?
Deciding what area to stay was not easy especially not knowing the ares of London. We soon learned that living conditions are much diferent in London than to Australia with living on top of each other with 6 other housemates would be normal routine. We love eating out and training at Anytime Fitness gyms, therefore we decided to put the two together when searching for a place. We tried a couple of gyms in Fulham, Waterloo and then Aldgate East. The gym in Aldgate was clearly the best gym suited to us and was so close to everything. We managed to rent a room in White Chapel. Our gym is a 9 minute walk away and popular Brick Lane and Shoredich resturants are only 4 minutes. Whitechapel tube station is only a 2 minute walk and covers both the Hammersmith, District line as well as the Overground. There are also many busses on Whitechapel road with the bus 25 running 24 hours. We are so happy with the area and we love the fact that we can just walk everywhere, saving money on public transport.
CAMDEN MARKETS
Camden Markets or sometimes referred to as Camden Lock is London’s favourite market. My first impression was wow this place was so hip, vintage, rock and steampunk all in one. With a renown history of trade, music and fashion Camden market has been open since 1974. Consisting of a diverse community of creative sellers, street food traders and independent stores. With over 200 stalls scattered between small alleyways consisting from food, clothing and jewellery. Literally there is so much too see so expect to spend a few hours here if you want to see everything.
Some of the unique stalls included vintage stalls that sold old cameras, medieval and steampunk clothing stalls and Cyberdog. A dance music influenced shop that you can’t miss. Two massive transformer like statues situated at the entrance of the store, then once you enter prepare to be transported into a rave environment with UV lights and crazy rave clothing on display for purchase. Even if the clothing is not your style, It was such a unique shop that I recommend anyone visit.
Once you have walked the alleyways and the scents from the food have got your attention the next big decision is what to eat? You can taste food from all corners of the world here and also simple options including vegan burgers, waffles, donuts, noodles, boa buns and gourmet cheese. All the good stuff!!
Getting There
To get to Camden Markets take the Tube along the Northern Line to either Camden Town or Chalk Farm Road.
SOHO
If your looking for a place with buzzing nightlife, interesting food and plenty of entertainment then head to Soho, West End London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. Go see either a West End show or browse the many boutique shops. We prefered to treat our taste buds to a delicious cocktail and nice food. Soho’s diverse and colourful bars make the area a popular destination for nights out. Click HERE to see Time Out’s guide to the best Soho bars to save you the trouble of battling it out on the kerbs.
Soho was also home to many historical figures, including Mozart, Karl Marx and The Sex Pistols. Many non Londoners still assume Soho is about the sex and porn industry however they have long gone and been replaced. Explore the best of Soho by wandering it’s busy streets, settling down for some unbeatable people-watching at a pavement café and soaking up the neighbourhood’s unique vibes.
Getting There.
Soho is very conveniently placed and getting there is very easy. Catch either a bus or the tube to Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road or Leicester Square and your a short walk away.
CHINA TOWN
Take a trip into the Far East by walking north from Leicester Square into Chinatown, the bustling hub of London’s East Asian community. Whether you’re looking for authentic Chinese shopping or a bite to eat, Chinatown will reward you with goods and flavours you can’t find elsewhere. There is a wealth of restaurants in Chinatown, many of which serve regional Chinese food. You’ll also find other cuisines including Korean, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Taiwanese and Japanese, alongside European eateries and pizza places.
Once home to Huguenot and Maltese immigrants, the area of Chinatown as we know it today started to form in the 1950s, when a handful of Chinese restaurants opened. With other businesses and services moving in, by the 1960s and 1970s the neighbourhood had become a hub for Chinese culture. Chinatown boasts buildings and streets decorated with Chinese symbols such as dragons and lanterns.
Getting There.
London’s Chinatown is close to key attractions such as Leicester Square Theatreland and Soho. Its central location makes it an easy place to get to by public transport. The nearest Underground stations are Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, which are connected to the Piccadilly, Northern and Bakerloo Tube lines.
TOWER BRIDGE
London’s famous bridge is a must do when you visit London. Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge built between 1886 and 1894. The bridge crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and has become an iconic symbol of London. Because of this, Tower Bridge is sometimes confused with London Bridge, situated some 0.5 mi (0.80 km) upstream. When it was built, Tower Bridge was the largest and most sophisticated bascule bridge ever completed
Walk over the bridge to Southwark for a different perspective of Tower Bridge and views of the city. Tower Bridge exhibition is a place where you can explore its iconic structure, spectacular views and Glass Floor. Buy tickets HERE.
Getting There.
To get to Tower Bridge catch the District and Circle Line to Tower Hill Station or catch a bus and walk across the bridge.
THE LONDON EYE
To see the highest views of London, step inside one of the luxurious capsules for 30 minutes while being on the worlds tallest 443 foot Ferris Wheel. The landmark, which can carry around 15,000 visitors a day, towers above a number of other London landmarks, such as Big Ben and St. Paul’s Cathedral, and has re-shaped the UK capital’s skyline.
The London Eye is situated right at the tourist heart of London, (opposite Big Ben by the River Thames). Opened to the public in 2000 the Eye is London’s most popular attraction and is a landmark structure that can be seen from various parts of the city. In summer during peak times lenghty wait times are a standard practice. Also buying tickets there on the day can be more time consuming therefore buy tickets online instead. Be smart and buy online tickets HERE.
Getting There.
Waterloo is the closest tube station. Exit the station and follow signs to South bank.
BRICK LANE SHORDITCH
Brick Lane has eye-popping street art, street food markets, vintage finds and cutting edge designers. Its everything that makes East London such a vibrant wonderful place, distilled into a thin cobbled street that’s seen more action over the last 100 years than possibly anywhere else in town. Most famous cuisine served is Indian so its hard to go to Brick Lane and not have a curry.
Brick Lane Market is a large East End flea market with street stalls selling antiques, clothes and bric-a-brac at bargain prices. Since 2000 Brick Lane has seen several markets open under the The Truman Markets umbrella including the Boiler House Food Hall, the Tea Rooms, the Backyard Market, the Sunday UpMarket, and the Vintage Market. These markets sell everything from vintage and handmade clothing, accessories, jewellery, music, arts and crafts, and tasty street food. The food trucks are in the yard seven days a week. The markets are open at the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane on Saturday between 11am-6pm and Sunday from 10am-5pm. The Sunday UpMarket which is just on Sunday and the Vintage Market which is also open on Thursday and Friday.
Check out Brick Lanes Top Bars HERE!
Getting There.
The nearest tube is Aldgate East on the Hammersmith and City line, Liverpool Street station is the nearest train station with National Rail services.
DUCK AND WAFFLE
If Amazing food, panoramic views of London city and a 24/7 restaurant sounds appealing then book a table at Duck & Waffle. Located on the 40th floor of 110 Bishopsgate in London and stretches 230m into the skyline. Our first time visiting this resturant we were knocked back because we did not have a table booking. The second time round we were more prepared and made a booking early. To book online click HERE. The best time to go is either sunrise or sunset and prefrably on a nice day when it isn’t raining or when there is fog in the sky. We booked a table for 6:30am on a Sunday morning as this was the time for first breakfast bookings. We also read that it was a fantastic time to visit as you could watch the sunrise over the city.
Its wasn’t until you start accending in the lift that you realise how high up you are. The lifts travel at 5mps, each lift can accommodate 16 guests and takes just 40 seconds to reach the summit. It felt like the fastest lift we had ever been on. When we arrived at the top we were blown away by the views. This was the first time we had witnessed London from this angle and because of the sunrise everything had turned golden. I had done my research on what to eat and the Waffles were one of the most popular dishes therefore we decided to choose two different waffle dishes. I ordered the caramelised banana waffles and Max ordered the rhubarb and almond waffles. We also shared an amazing duck egg dish called duck egg en cocotte which tasted amazing. Located at the bar you will find the Instagram famous red stairs. You cannot walk down to the next level but you can stand on the stairs and over look Londons most recognisable building known as the Gherkin.
Getting There.
Duck & Waffle is situated on the 40th Floor at 110 Bishopsgate London EC2N 4AY. It is 200 metres from Liverpool Street Station which is the biggest local and international commuter hubs in London.
