London, England

I travelled to London, UK, a little over a year ago and I really enjoyed my experience! As a first time Black international traveller, I would definitely say that London was a great city to start in! I had the chance to visit some of London’s most famous landmarks, including Big Ben, the London Eye, and Westminster Abbey along with indulging in the arts & culture scene at places like Abbey Road Studio, the Hard Rock Cafe, and the West End Theatre District. In terms of travel throughout the city, I primarily used the “Tube” (London’s underground transit) and their public busing system featuring their classic red double decker buses. I found both very easy to use and the maps were very legible. Wear good walking shoes as you will be walking a lot through the city. In terms of food, traditional English food is not beating the allegations of being bland. Outside of Fish & Chips, I primarily stuck to eating cuisines from restaurants of diverse cultures & nationalities (ie: American, French, Italian, South African, etc.) and was okay for the majority of my stay. In terms of cost, I will say London is definitely a very expensive city as the British pound is worth more than the US Dollar. Many stores accept card/ Apple Pay versus cash, making it easy to make purchases. For shopping, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Gardens, and the SoHo neighborhood all have lots of stores to shop at (SoHo has more upscale and luxury retail options). Overall, I enjoyed my time in London and look forward to the next time I visit there!