Train journey to London - city trip

How Deutsche Bahn almost ruined my plans again

The train to London was supposed to depart from Cologne Central Station shortly before 10 o'clock. I had checked everything multiple times before, but I didn't receive any notifications. In the morning, while having breakfast, I checked the DB app to see if the train was actually arriving, and I was almost shocked. 

For unexplained reasons, the train received priority and arrived in Cologne at 8:49. So, we quickly set off and flew over the A3 to Cologne. On the way, I called DB to express my frustration. It didn't help at all, in fact, it only made me more aggressive.

It was a real photo finish. I ran from the parking lot to the train station, and my legs were almost giving out because I had to run so much. 

Once I arrived on the train, I had a heart attack, but I managed to catch that damn train. The train took 2 and a half hours to Brussels, where I will take the Eurostar under the English Channel to London. 

I will be in London and later in Edinburgh for a total of 4 days. Actually, I didn't want to go on this trip because I felt quite tired after a week in the Baltic States and wanted to spend time at home. But of course, I had already booked, so there was no turning back.

Arrival in London

After about 2 hours, the train arrived at London St. Pancreas, and the city trip could begin. THINK AGAIN! Just before the exit, an overly enthusiastic policeman pulled me aside and bombarded me with questions. I thought now it's perfect, I will be denied entry. After a short, uncomfortable discussion, I was able to go on my way and headed towards the hostel.

On the way, I treated myself to traditional Fish & Chips for lunch, which tasted excellent. Since the sun had already set and the city was illuminated in all colors, I decided to visit some sights. 

Starting with Big Ben and the London Eye, passing by St. Paul's Cathedral to The Shard, I took many beautiful pictures of the evening scenery. Once I arrived at the hostel, I freshened up and stored my belongings. Check-in was very easy, as I have an app to open the doors of the hostel!

To end the day, I wanted to take a walk, passing by the Tower Bridge and going up Brick Lane because there is a famous 24/7 restaurant that offers Salted Beef Bagels, the best in town! It was a culinary delight, although I was very suspicious of the area on the way there, as there wasn't much activity on the streets.

When I finally got back home later, I fell into a deep sleep, after a total of 25,000 steps on my first day in London. By the way, I lost my AirPods tonight 🥹

London in One Day and Another Nasty Surprise

After a restful but restless night at the hostel, I had to find my AirPods first, but unfortunately, my roommate was still asleep, so I went to buy breakfast first. A coffee, bagel, and cold cuts.

When I came back, my sleepy roommate still hadn't awakened from his nightly drinking spree, so I lay down again. After about 1 hour, I tried again, and he had actually put my headphones aside 😂

Now I could finally set off towards the city because I wanted to explore a lot today. First, I headed towards Westminster to admire Big Ben and the seat of the British political government in daylight. As expected, it was incredibly crowded here, so I made my way directly to Buckingham Palace.

I admit, I am not a fan of the British royal family because of its brutal imperial history and its current insignificance.

But when Queen Elizabeth II passed away last autumn, I was somewhat moved. This woman has reigned since World War II, and she has been a symbol of stability for people around the world. My path led me through the gardens of the palace, which teems with squirrels, ducks, and swans. The latter are owned by the royal family, in this case, by King Charles. When I arrived at Buckingham Palace, there was another crowd of people waiting; it was just too crowded.

My journey continued towards Piccadilly Circus and then to Oxford Street. England's most famous shopping street is filled with luxury stores that I will probably never enter. My next destination was a quick detour to Baker Street, the residence of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes.

From here, my legs were already hurting a lot, but I still wanted to visit Notting Hill because I had only heard good things about this neighborhood until now. After a short train ride, I found myself at the famous Portobello Road, from where I wanted to walk to my final destination, the National History Museum.

What can I say about Notting Hill? A completely different London awaits me here: street markets, narrow streets, many small colorful houses, and not that many people. These houses must cost a fortune!

My legs are slowly driving me crazy, so I rented a bike to quickly cross the large Kensington Garden. After a fast ride, I returned the bike, one of the most unnecessary bookings ever.

Then I made my way to the Natural History Museum, but I was too exhausted to stay there for long. I took the train back to London Bridge and walked to the hostel because I also wanted to take a shower.

Once I arrived home, I wanted to check the train again because I had already had a bad experience with Deutsche Bahn. According to the ticket, my train was supposed to depart from Kings Cross Station tomorrow at 14:42, but it wasn't listed on the timetable anymore. Currently, there are nationwide strikes of railway employees in England, and my train was affected as well. Fortunately, I noticed it in time, so I canceled the ticket and booked a bus for tonight instead, which is supposed to arrive in Edinburgh tomorrow at 9 o'clock.

When I arrived at the bus station, I wasn't the only one who relied on the operating buses. The bus station was bursting at the seams, and I could hardly find a seat in the crowd. Gradually, the bus station emptied. Then my bus arrived, quickly throwing my backpack in and off we went through the night to Scotland!!