Buses, Boats, and Peri Peri Seasoning- Oh My!
Hello, hello!
It’s been a rather busy two days here in London. Between another Orientation session, bus and boat tour, grocery shopping, and meeting up with an old friend, I’ve definitely kept myself occupied. My Pedometer can back me up- today I reached 6.55 miles! I’ll do this post about what happened on my bus/boat adventure on the 8th, and will post soon about my adventures on the 9th!
On the 8th, I had another orientation session for the University of Westminster. It was short and basic, mostly just a quick look ahead at the week to come where we will be having a more in-depth orientation with all of the international University of Westminster students.
My roommate and I decided to make the best of the extra time to head to the Tesco Kensington Superstore. Let me tell you, they were not joking when they said superstore! It had everything you could ask for, including an American Section comprised of pop-tarts, Kraft Mac and Cheese, Peanut Butter, and Gatorade. All junk food, of course. My favorite part though (besides the half aisle dedicated solely to tea) were the UK versions of American products. Sometimes it was just the packaging or the name that was altered, or even it was both! A personal favorite of mine was Frosted Flakes being changed to Frosties. Tony the Tiger was still present, thankfully.
We soon returned to the flat and tucked our groceries away before heading to Victoria Station to meet up with the rest of the London Liberal Arts Fordham students. From there we departed on a bus tour of central London where we saw such tourist hotspots as Oxford Circus, Regent Street, St. Paul’s, and a personal favorite, Baker Street. I’m a big Sherlock Holmes fan, so it was cool to see the infamous street (even if we were only just driving past it).
After the bus, it was time for the boat! We got off the bus at the Tower of London, something that I can’t wait to explore on a full day. There is so much rich history and intrigue behind the tower that necessitates more than a few hours, as my mom and I learned when we toured it last March. The boat picked us up at Tower Pier, and we began our cruise down the Thames. It was shorter than I would have liked and was mostly about the various bridges and buildings that line the river. Not something I would recommend spending lots on, even though we did go on a sunny day. To really enjoy the views from the Thames, I would recommend a longer cruise.
We departed from the boat at the Westminster Tube Station, which is right near Big Ben. My roommate and I decided to head back to the flat, for we had been out most of the day and jet lag was not our friend.
A few hours later, a few friends and I decided to eat dinner at a UK classic: Nando’s. Let me tell you- THIS PLACE IS AMAZING. For a reasonably small price (my meal, which included two sides, and then an additional soft drink was £13.50), especially compared to everything else in London, you get a large portion of DELICIOUS food. It’s main dishes revolve around spiced chicken ranging from wings to chicken breasts to burgers! Their Peri Peri seasoning is amazing. I can already tell (sorry mom and dad) that this is going to be a favorite stop of mine.
To end the night, we met up with more students in the Fordham programs and headed to a local pub down the road, Famous 3 Kings. It’s rather large for a pub, had a very friendly atmosphere, and a dance floor and pool tables! We all had a great time and I’ll be sure to get photos when we go back.
Until next post, see you later!
Regina
