The trip started out a little rocky because silly me packed all her things but forgot to bring her expensive winter jacket Mum bought her! We were near Templestowe when I realised and it instantly caused me so much panic! I had so many images in my mind of missing the plane but actually got through surprisingly quickly! Too quick - it was super scary leaving my family at the airport and walking through myself. Little did I know how much I would have changed when I reunited with them a month later.
After two really long flights, I arrived in London at 11am! When we began to make our descent, I made sure to take lots of photos as I remembered Mum telling me not to forget to! Customs was a huge pain in the butt as it took me two hours to get through but thankfully Bez waited for me in the airport so we could travel to the Generator hostel together. I distinctly remember standing in line at the airport feeling extremely anxious and lightheaded - I think it was equal parts feeling sick, being super jetlagged and also very anxious about the unknown.
After two really long flights, I arrived in London at 11am! When we began to make our descent, I made sure to take lots of photos as I remembered Mum telling me not to forget to! Customs was a huge pain in the butt as it took me two hours to get through but thankfully Bez waited for me in the airport so we could travel to the Generator hostel together. I distinctly remember standing in line at the airport feeling extremely anxious and lightheaded - I think it was equal parts feeling sick, being super jetlagged and also very anxious about the unknown.
My first impression of Bez was that she seemed like such a nice and quiet person (somewhat true - Bez is amazingly beautiful and genuine and has a fire for standing up for what is right). It was really exciting going with Bez to buy a sim card and an oyster card - that was the moment it really set in that I was overseas!
When we were on the train the first thing I noticed was that it was not busy at all! There were a few people on the train, one of which I hit with my bags, but it was not what I expected at all (London after the trip changed this for me!). Walking to the hostel after we got off the train was super surreal. Not only did I feel super out of it because of being sick and jetlagged, but it still hadn't fully set in that I was about to meet everyone and start a topdeck tour. The building that still stands out in my mind is the St Pancras Station building - it was the first example to me of a building unlike anything I had ever seen in Australia! Thinking back on it now, I find it kind of funny to think Bez was worried about wasting her data using Google Maps - considering where we went and what we did on the trip, it is a wonder she didn't lose all her data during the rest of the trip! I remember feeling a little bad because although I had been excited for the trip, I was not as prepared as Bez - she had literally memorised the route to the hostel beforehand.
The walk from Kings Cross to the hostel was so overwhelming. This was a walk I experienced very differently at the end of the tour when I was exploring London on my own. It still astounds me how differently both experiences in London were and how different I was in general. I don't remember it being cold outside but I do remember feeling super hot. Next time I go on a plane, I am definitely not dressing for my destination as airports are so stuffy!
I barely remember actually getting to the hostel but I do remember getting to my room and feeling super paranoid and overwhelmed. My poor roommates must have thought I was a nut case. We had good conversations in the time I was there and they gave me advice on how to pack and what Topdeck tours are like in general. I remember standing there thinking "fudge, how have some of these people travelled by themselves for months on end?!". By the end of the trip, I understood how! Using the shower at the Generator was interesting...the cubicles were so small and there was no where to put your clothes so everything got wet. I really struggled to adapt to the unfamiliar environment I was in but this was something I got really good at as the trip continued.
Rather than meeting up with everyone at the pub, I ended up having a two hour nap before going to the Cauldron with the girls. Bez must have thought I was a nutcase but she was nice enough to come back to get me after my nap! Even though The Cauldron was awesome, a part of me wishes that I wasn't as hung over and sick. They let me make non-alcoholic versions of the drinks and I felt like a little kid using the wand to open up the box to get the instructions. The woman was also super cool and very helpful! I worked with Freyja to make the drinks - they tasted really good! It was definitely magical! It still feels like yesterday I was here - it is the weirdest feeling, seeing as it has been more than three months!
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