10 Alternative Things To Do in London

You're in London, but done Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Oxford Street and Portobello Market but still want some more?

Here's a few more ideas of Alternative Things To Do in London as I actually made this bucket list for myself.

You're welcome.

Guide to Instagram Famous London's Secret Mews

It's no secret that London has endless thing to offer. There are always some new things to do and it will never stop. I've spent almost half of the 2012 in the city, but still I didn't manage to conquer every single thing! It happened as well to Mary, my Airbnb host last summer said that even she's been living in the Big Smoke for 15 years, she said "There is always something new to do!"

Afternoon tea in sketch London

I forgot when and where did I find this gem, was it on Instagram or was it on Tumblr or when I was blogwalking from here to there; I just fell in love instantly.

Postcards from London

London Travel Diary

London is my favorite city in this entire world. Well, it's a public secret. 

Other than my favorite city, London is also one of the city I've keep coming back to..... well, not that often like every other month, since the tickets are hella expensive, and actually last time my parents allowed me to go back was because I will most probably off for clinical years next year (fyi, I'm a medical student), so we all know that there won't be any time to play around during those hospital-based period since I also want to graduate as soon as possible.

So, back to topic again, we all know that London has so many things to offer. Like, literally, there are ALWAYS things happening. I don't think you will ever have enough time to explore London completely. Even my AirBnB host, Mary, who has been living in the city for 15 year and has done so many things, said that, "Things always surprise you when you're in London."

And yes, I agree with that in any aspect. From Southbank summer food trucks which I just discovered this summer to the ridiculously expensive price of a small apartment in Zone 3. Wow.

And this time, I want to tell you a bit a few thing I've done in the city last summer which has a big amount of difference since that was my first time visiting in summer. Noticed a lot of greenery...

I walked around London for adorable houses, mews and facades.

I went to Columbia Flowers Market on Sunday Morning. So happy.

I finally went up to Sky Garden. 

PS: Free admission!!!

My friend and I rented bikes.
We were cycling around for about five hours and it was one of my happiest moment of my life, like honestly.

I finally went to ride The Eye.

I visited Warner Bros Studio for the third time in my life.

I used to live in South East London four years ago, but have never visited Greenwich - and this time, I regret why didn't I go there during those time especially in autumn?

Greenwich is like an adorable countryside-looking neighbourhood which reminded me a lot like where my aunt living in Glouchestershire.

The Shard. We spent 20 GBP for this. I don't know if I should be happy or annoyed.

How London Has Changed Me

I remember that time when I told one of my friend at class, that this summer I will be going back to England, she went all excited because she knew how much England meant to me, but then she asked again, "But, London again? Why?"

Confused, I asked back, "Why why?"

"No, I mean, this is going to be your third time, right? Like, instead of a place you've been before, why don't you pick a new one?"

Most of the times, I got quiet for a second after being asked with that kind of question. But then, all I can give for the answer is only, "I don't know, London feels like home. A home far away from home."

The more I think about it, the simpler it gets.

I don't know if you knew, four years ago when I was only 17, my parents impulsively sent me there for almost half a year. I had zero expectation. I even had no idea what London would look like beside Big Ben, Harry Potter and Royal Wedding. But I was extremely excited about it, two months of preparation felt like forever because I couldn't wait for all the adventure ahead of me. Was I scared, if you ask me? Not at all.

I was only excited. This is London, after all.

But because it happened after graduating high school, where I supposed to continue my education to university, so there were actually people who went, "Are you sure? You're going to waste your time." or like, "Is that necessary?" and honestly I got so annoyed that time. Will I waste my time? I'm still 17, it's a young age, and I finished one of my responsibilities which is finishing school. Does it mean if I'm taking a gap year I'm going to waste my time?

Then, one night I talked to Mum and there she said, "Do you know if the time wasted for new experiences and leaving your comfort zone is not wasting time?"

and that hit me hard enough until I can remember that I smiled so wide I almost exploded with excitement. My mum is right, completely right.

So, off I went to London. And the rest is history.

Well, not really.

The thing is, the reason why I'm so obsessed with London, not because any reason such as Union Jack flying high is cool and fancy, or any English football clubs, or The Beatles, or anything related to Double Decker, Red Phone Box etc are cool (though THEY ARE); but it's simply because I truly had the best time of my life there.

Out of expectation.

Beyond my imagination.

They just happened.

I met so many amazing people, that forever will be friends of life. I experienced things on my own, which I think I was young enough to live alone without my parents or any Indonesian relatives/friends. I witnessed differences, and I learned how beautiful differences are. And I couldn't thank my 17-years-old-self enough for making the right decision.

For the first two weeks at my new school, I completely felt out of box. It wasn't easy when those cool new friends won't be friend with you just because what you wear. Believe me when I say I felt so inferior, it was only two of thousand students who wear Hijab and one of them was me. But, then I moved to a new class and met Daniel my coolest teacher ever, Yusuke, Petra, Kim, Yvette, Angelica, Mari, Richard, Tiago and the list goes on and on who kept saying that I'm the cutest girl they've ever seen (yes, they really said that to everyone, even to my crush omg). 

Or that one night once I got off my train, I heard a woman screaming infront of me and later on I realized that there was a man, lying at the opposite, empty rail road, crying helplessly, then soon I realized that he was going to commit suicide. I stopped dead, completely shock. I heard another woman screamed, "Help him!" and there were a few men running and finally took him back to the platform. 

It wasn't a nice memory, I know, but when I called Mum and told her about it, she said, "It is one of the moment when you may reflect on what you have in your life, Dek. Kamu bersyukur, kamu punya Tuhan, tempat untuk pulang dan bercerita. That He keeps you safe, stay in faith, everywhere."

I don't think I can ever forget that day, but I hope wherever you are, Mr. Man, you're living your life full of love and happiness right now.

Or, another one, when my aunt, Ellen, invited me to spend a weekend break at her house in British countryside, Bourton-on-the-Water and she and her family took me everywhere, like literally everywhere, from the cutest countrysides like Stratford-upon-Avon, Stow, to Bath until taking me to a birthday lunch of one of their friends. Yes, a real British family and the whole day I spent there was super fun and I didn't feel like I was a stranger they just met. It felt like they've known me well for a long time and it just made me feel so welcomed... and loved.

And finally, it's the little thing that makes everything so special. Getting on and off the buses or tube, grocery shopping at Tesco/Sainsburrys, walking around the park, cycling with the friends, ordering a cup of hot choco in cold winter nights, bookshopping at Waterstones or even just sitting at the corner of a coffe shop and watching people walk-by. Those little things. Most of the days I feel like missing it so much it physically hurts. I often wonder why too, there are those people who went for a longer time, but not as pathetic as me. Is it because I was young back then? Or is it because I'm completely tired of my homecountry? Or what?

Again, it alwaaays feels like home once I step back onto London's ground. It feels so good when I look around and see red double deckers over here, red phone boxes over there and british accent everywhere around me. 

So, after such a long post, I want to say that it's simply because London has helped me becoming the way I am today. If you're looking at me now, those experiences which had completely shaped the girl infront of you. I'm not saying I've became the best person once I got back, no. But, the girl that is curious, fearless enough toward new things and experiences, spontaneous and got so many dreams to chase; she met herself when she lived on her own in London.

She didn't waste her time, you see. It was still the best time of her life and have you known that it's been only good things happened after she got back from London three years ago. 

London has been the best thing that ever happened to me so far and most probably it will never change. 

Alhamdulillahirrabil'alamin.

Postcards from London

London: First Time

I'm right now busy in the middle of exam weeks and writing and complaining how fat I am, then this morning I scrolled through my pictures and felt like I need to do some throwback post on this blog because why not. I will never move on from this city and I don't even think I could do that.

Favorite spot of mine.

 London's skyline from my apartment in Balham

You can say that this trip was my first solo trip ever. I flew to Paris all by myself (wandering around Dubai Airport alone too), strolled through every corner in Paris then took a eurostar from Gare du Nord to St. Pancras bymyself and for the first time ever too took a LONDON CAB, you know the black one, that could ripped your wallet off and knocked the door of my also very first AirBnB apartment.  (there were so many first time ever, I'm so glad)
And I really love AirBnB oh godness! It really gave you the idea of being a local even it was just for a week. My host was a middle-aged British woman who was really lovely and kind.

No proper breakfast at hotel because why not setting off to Old Spitafield Market and had an English scone there while absorbing the beauty of the market and sitting with the freezing weather?

That day in the afternoon I finally met up with my old London friend whom I spent my 18th birthday and new year with: Happy. Yes her name is Happy and we both were so happy for finally seeing each other again after two freaking years!!!
It was so annoying that she grew a lot taller than I do.

Aaaand we went straight for lunch in Nando's! Because why the hell not! I miss Nando's roasted chicken very much I cried.

Quoting Pete Wentz: "In all my London's dreams, it rains Nando's."

We went to St Paul after lunch just because I really needed to go to Millenium Bridge, idk why. It was so fun that we laughed and talked about so many random things together. As we walked across the bridge with so many photosesion, we decided to go to Tate Modern. It was my first time there and I liked it a lot.

I present you to my ol London pal, Happy.

Anyway, there was one funny moment when we walked back toward St Paul Station, we were laughing and talking and gossiping about the strangers around us in our mother language, then we didn't notice the guy who past by us with his bicycle. Then in all of sudden, he stopped by infront of us and greet us, like: "are you guys talking in Bahasa Indonesia?"
and we were like, "yes?" and he responded in Bahasa "aku seperti mendengar kalian berbicara dengan bahasa dan tidak bisa menahan untuk menyapa kalian" and we were so surprised hearing him talking in bahasa and we laughed so hard together. Then yeah, we chat for a while and he told me that he was living in Yogya for three years and he couldn't wait to go back there because he missed every single of Indonesia (ironic isnt it? while I'm dying to move out to England and he just wished he could go back to Indo). After a while, we waved goodbye and exchanged "have fun for the trip" and "thank you for stopping by" we finally left.
It was funny and I felt so glad, everytime I went for a trip there are always so many interesting strangers I met along the journey which made my trips even more unforgetable and precious, and I always count them all as a blessing.

London Houses

 Balham Neighbourhood

 Nothing Hill

 Kensington 

 Camden houses from Primrose Hill

 A view from my window

London houses and neighbourhood are one of the endless reason why I adore this city so so so much. 

It was one cold morning after a little snowstorm the night before I set off to Nothing Hill and just wandered; went to the Nothing Hill bookstore, took hundred pictures of those houses, got in the real estate agent as I just want to buy a house, came in and out of the stores without buying things, and walked as I was a real Londoner.  All by myself. And it felt so much happiness. 

Sometimes I think of myself, why I never get tired of this city, you know, I didn't dream about this city before I came here for the first time. There was nothing like I have to go here to see Big Ben or Buckingham Palace or anything like that, there was nothing like Union Jack flag hanging on my wall, people giving me presents related to English thing--nothing like that, even since I've been fangirling over Harry Potter, I have never had that feeling to want to visit this city.

But, then, my dad impusively sent me here. And I fell in love with it ever since. And I don't think I will ever get over with it.

And, again, it's not about Big Ben anymore, or London eye, or Oxford Street, or The Beatles, or Arctic Monkeys or whatever you name it, yet this city fully took my heart in such a short period of time. I truly discovered myself here, met so many people who worth a lifetime experience, got to see and learned so many things beyond my thoughts and eventho until this very moment I still couldn't get myself over with someone I met and spent time with two years ago there, but this city is a thing.