WMA.

Westminster Abbey really is as elegant and dominating inside as it is

on the outside.



The 16-pound admission fee includes the audio tour, which is crucial

to understanding the history, the multiple memorials, the breathtaking

altars,and the intricate marble and gold decor.





My 3 favorite gems of WMA were:

1. Standing in the exact place that William and Kate exchanged their

vows. I mean, I may or may not have re-enacted the entire wedding

ceremony during my visit.

2. The marble odes to various British literary figures like Chaucer,

Dickens, and Shakespeare.

3. A little bit of Susan by my side.

West End Tix.

This time in London, I was determined to see a play in the West-end.

Carla and Susan were up for the adventure of standing in line to buy cheap-day-of tix at tkts.

{BTW:  This whole process took way less time and effort than I originally planned on--making the deal-io even better!}

We opted for Billy Eliot because it seemed much more British than Thriller Live and Legally Blonde.

To be honest, Billy Eliot was a really odd play. 

The story covers everything from worker strikes to Margaret Thatcher's political controversies to motherless sons to poverty to children's dance

classes to sexuality exploration. It was a good storyline, but the

overall production was just weird.

Nonetheless, I get to check "Play in the West-End of London" off my bucket list.

And I got to enjoy some great sister time.

Thanksgiving, English Christmas Market Style.

Mulled Wine + a Sausage Fest + Ostrich burger = Thanksgiving Dinner

Not exactly the home-cookin' we're used to, but when surrounded with

Christmas Markets, it was hard to even remember it was Thanksgiving.

The London Eye.

Introducing Susan.

I feel like you've met her before, but it's been a while.

And I've had no time to blog about our adventures in London.

They were really great though, so stay tuned!

Updates and stories and travel tips are on the way!

Transportation from Gatwick Airport to London Proper.

From Gatwick Airport, look into taking the Gatwick Express. This

30-minute train departs every 15 minutes and takes you into the heart

of London, terminating at Victoria Station.

Catch the Gatwick Express in the South Terminal, and you can buy your

tickets online, in the terminal, or on the train. {Keep in mind that

pre-purchasing the ticket online saves you some pounds!}

London, Take 2.

On our second trip to London, besides showering in stand-up showers that never lose heat or water, we rented Barclays Bikes and rode around the city, stopping at various pubs for delicious pints that are not called Peja.

We caught up with a friend from home that made us laugh until we cried and then made us cry because we didn't want to leave.

We drank Starbucks -- and I'll tell you, I have never been so freakin' happy to fast drip coffee in my whole entire life.

We ate Indian food until our stomachs hurt, and we couldn't even finish our beers.

We shopped for things like taco seasoning, GAP clothes, fitted sheets, couscous, lanterns, batteries, smoke detectors, and Splenda.

We, most importantly, emailed and remembered my amazing dad {while sitting at Anchor Bar looking at the Thames River} who celebrated his 62nd birthday on Sunday! {Don't you think he should have met me in London?!?!}

Cheap Tix {To London and Venice}.

From Skopje, Macedonia, Venice, Italy is a 1 hour and 25 minute plane ride. It also cost approximately 30 euro when flying W!zz Air. We had no problems with W!zz Air at all, and the price is so worth the first-come, first-serve chaos. However, make sure your bags are under 10kg {about 22 pounds}, and you only get 1 carry on total! Also, you get no free drinks, snacks, or entertainment items, so plan in advance.

Same is true when flying RyanAir which we took to London. Always on time and easy, but no frills for no price!

Happy Wedding Week!

Congratulations Catherine and William! The beginning of your marriage is almost here, and with the celebration of your love, comes a very fun souvenir for the London tourists and locals.

I only wish that my Oyster card had been ordained with these classic faces ... however, I would have then kept the card thereby foregoing my 5 pound deposit. Some things are worth the moolah!

Read more info on obtaining your own commemorative Oyster card by clicking on the story below.

< http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/news/uk-england-london-13149284 >

PS I'm going to a wedding viewing party to celebrate the lovebirds' big day (and to remember my recent trip to London)! What are you going to do to celebrate?!

A Wee Bit Cheap!

Yup. We actually did this. To save money on an audio tour at the Tower of London, we whipped out a headphone splitter. I mean ... 4 pounds is an extra ale.

Changing of the Guard

Every day, Buckingham Palace practices a formal changing of the guard at 11:30. At the same time on Saturdays, an amazingly large number of people flock to the grounds, filling the streets and sidewalks to peer through the gates to catch a glimpse of the traditional handover accompanied by a marching band.

I am glad to say I witnessed the longstanding tradition first hand; however, I must admit that the tourist-created madness was an almost equally profound event to witness.

The following footage should illustrate the common conflict at the intersection of historic tradition and modern sightseeing.

Even the locals needed to get in on the action! Deuce sign goes to Nicola for providing a little lift for Meg.

London love is ...

Renting Barclays bicycles with Meaghan and Nic.




Enjoying the scenery in Hyde Park.




Remembering Princess Diana at her memorial fountain.




Eating Nutella-filled crèpes in the Notting Hill Market.




Stalking the travel bookstore from the film Notting Hill only to discover it did not contain a travel book on Kosovo. :(

My Mouth is on Fire

And I'm not sure who lit it. I do know my birthday is shared with London local, Jason, who we met at a pub overlooking the Thames.

Lesson Learned: when on vacation, have fun. Dive in. Be free. Light your mouth on fire.

Today's deuce sign goes to Jason, a London ARMED security enforcer. I hope 37 is great ... keep living YOUR dream.

Sidenote: Mr. Umbrella's mouth was also, at one point, on fire.

Hello 29!

It's interesting that as a I turn 29, I am finding myself in much the same place that I was when turning 18. Knowing that I am finishing up one part of my life and moving on to another, is a refreshing change and yet it is accompanied with certain feelings of remorse, regret, and even raw sadness.

The truth be told, I have such an amazing life just as it is. And I know that every day, I will miss it. Especially the people.

And so today, while in London, while enjoying the sh@& out of my 29th birthday, I will celebrate the life I live right now.


So cheers

to cheap cans of beer under the London Eye at sunset.

to healthy parents who raised me to love adventure and kindness.

to Susan, for all you are.

to Mr. Umbrella for choosing to love me.

to every honest and true friend and companion I have ever had, whether lasting or fleeting.

to being in love with my career - to falling in love with 100 9th graders who are funny, brilliant, and beautiful - to working every day with great teachers - to Emily for dealing with me.

to travels, skiing, mountains, roommates, little dresses, Target stores, happy hours on patios, pedicures, macaroni and cheese, the gym, the tavern, excitement about newness, Facebook stalking, blogs, bookclub, cooking club, and everything else.

to loving 29.

Tea Time

When in London, have afternoon tea in an atrium styled balcony.





For 28.5 pounds, tea at the Terrace Restaurant includes tea or coffee, an assortment of miniature edible delights, homemade jam and cotted cream, an excellent view of the sky without hassle of the elements, and a glass of champagne. For a cheaper price, skip the champagne.




Deuce sign for livingsocial, London. Well before visiting a new city, sign up for groupon and livingsocial in your place of destination. They may not only save you some moolah, the daily coupons may suggest unique and authentic places to see and eat.

xoxo, allison

Location:Terrace Restaurant, London

Love is in the air

Quite literally actually.




Big shout out to Vertigo 42 Champagne Bar (http://www.vertigo42.co.uk/) located on the 42nd floor of Tower 42 for the beautiful sunset sky view of the city. A perfectly late celebration of Valentines Day.












Definitely reservations are in order, and girls, pull out your heels. Whether a romantic evening or a night with the girls, dress to impress.

Location:London

More Scared Silliness

It's always a great idea to follow up a murder tour by grabbing a couple beers at one of the murder sites, The Ten Bells, and crashing a first date for two little love birds. Apologies to Sean and Gerta*. Let's hope that one day they get married, and fondly tell the story of their first date when they were approached by a charming American couple who had one million and five annoying questions about everything London. The best part: Gerta actually lives in Germany. Sean is South African but recently moved to London. If Cupid's arrow strikes, their international relationship will still be more convenient than Mr. Umbrella's and mine.

Reiteration of a previous lesson: enjoy the romance, Gerta and Sean … it's so fun and worth the travel time.

New lesson learned: drink hand-pumped beer while in London. It's warm and flat, but so very London.

*Unsure of real name so I did just enter the most stereotypical German name ever.

Scared Silly

I'm not sure why Umbrella and I thought it would be a good idea to pre-book Jack the Ripper tour tickets at night on the first day we arrived. I mean, we had only been up for approximately 48 hours straight, and who doesn't want their first introduction to a new city to focus only on gruesome, unsolved murders in the exact places we were walking. Bahaha … who are we fooling? It was so. much. fun. The walking tour included a walk tracing the exact footsteps of the famed killer, stops at places he struck, and clues to his actual identity and reasons behind the murders.

Although tourists have their fair share of choices on which tour company they want to book, I highly recommend the company we went through--tickets were only 8 pounds apiece and the tour guide, Richard Cobb, got straight to the important and most gruesome details without droning on and on about the non-important. Also, Mr. Cobb used a hand-held projector to portray pictures of the murders, events, and historic recreations. We'll throw up a deuce sign to Richard for scaring us silly!

Check out the company's website here: www.thejacktherippertour.com.

Take away: make sure to use the loo before the tour--there are no bathroom breaks. Poor Mr. Umbrella had to run into an alley. First day in a new country, and I'm at risk of dating a "public urinator".