Up and out of my room nice and early today, I’m finding it super difficult to adjust to a mixed dorm, when I’m the only woman, and it seems all of my bunk mates have been here for an extended time – I’m talking weeks. Absolutely spent the bare minimum of my time around the hostel, tubing in each day to Piccadilly Circus and Waterloo. This morning, I was doing a typical Hilary google search: “Things to do near me”, “What’s on today in London” and purchased some last-minute tickets for the Tower of London.

I wandered along the Tower Bridge and took some pictures, got my new coat, new shoes and new headphones, certainly ‘all the gear and no idea’. I found myself being hyper aware of people looking at me, and taking photos, I didn’t feel comfortable being a tourist, and convinced myself that it was better to pretend I lived there to avoid being seen.

Walked up to the Tower of London for 9.30 and immediately headed to the Crown Jewels – hearing the lines get insanely busy and the wait is long, that was first priority for the day, and it was certainly breath-taking. I couldn’t take my eyes off the displays, as the travellators keep inching toward the exit, I found myself returning 3 times, to really take it in. Of course I had expected a no-photography rule, but having the floor physically move you through the exhibit lead me to think how MANY people must come through, just to get a glimpse, and are hurried along. The following towers with spiral staircases and stone hallways contained rooms upon rooms of armour, weaponry, and art.

The Tower Museum is absolutely mesmerizing, there are so many displays, you could spend 7 hours here. I admit, an audio-guide would have been a great idea, just to help ease the experience, trying to read and comprehend hundreds of small labels in glass cabinets was so tiring. I joined a free tour (15 mins) with a Yeo warden and learned about the grim history of the Tower, the mass executions it hosted and history of the British royal family, our tour guide was hilarious. The remaining hours were spent browsing a collection of ornate and precious crowns, sceptres and orbs used for coronations, weddings and knighting’s, and even precious jewels from British India regimes.

Finished up at the Tower and grabbed lunch, so naturally, something warm, hearty and British meant a jacket potato with beans and cheese, you can’t beat it.

That afternoon I was searching for admission into the British Museum and naturally selected a ‘Trip Advisor’ link to find some tickets, and saw countless tours and guides which were hundreds of AUD. But thank GOODNESS I found the actual British Museum website and all I had to do was walk in. Entry was free, however, I had to ‘book a ticket’ and select a time slot, no doubt another ploy to shuffle the tourists along and space them out.

GEEZ, the novelty wore off shortly afterwards. I was sick of small rooms crammed full of people, which had no airflow. Living in the moment though, I kept working my way through the exhibits, Greece, Rome, Africa, getting hotter and hotter, up to Level 2-3-4. America, Asia and Europe, every continent every corner, every ounce of energy I had, I was exhausted, I couldn’t tell if my jetlag had caught up. Now I loathed reading the tiny descriptions of all the pieces, and every pot and coin and sculpture seemed to become a blur, thank goodness I took photos, just so I could look back on the day, once I got out of there.

In need of some fresh air, feeling spacey and nauseas, I left. Time for a walk back to the station and attempt to navigate the tube, without looking like a tourist, and a well-deserved nap in my hostel.

I treated myself to a solo dinner date, pizza and cocktails for one. What a day.

Too much history today for day 2,

Hilary