LONDON, ENGLAND
First Day in London
After a 9-hour flight, we finally arrived in London, just in time to check into our Airbnb. We were exhausted, but there was no way I was going to sleep right away. As soon as we dropped off our bags, we went out for a walk around the neighborhood. And somehow, the exhaustion disappeared. Maybe it was the excitement of finally being here, or maybe it was just the feeling of stepping into a place I had only ever seen through photos and movies. Either way, I was instantly captivated.
It was my first time in London, and everything felt so different from home. The architecture, the streets, the old buildings mixed with modern ones, the little shops and cafés, the red buses passing by, and just the energy of the city - it was all so much to take in.
I kept looking around thinking, Wait, I’m actually in London.
We didn’t have a plan for the evening. We simply walked around and explored whatever caught our attention. I found myself stopping constantly to take photos because everywhere I looked, there was something worth capturing.
Even after a long flight, I didn’t want to rush back to the Airbnb. I wanted to keep walking, keep looking, and take in as much of the city as I could. It was only our first few hours in London, and I already knew I was going to love photographing this place.
Day Two: Portobello Road & Notting Hill
We left our Airbnb around 9 a.m., and honestly, I was so tired. After walking 17,000 steps the day before - which is probably the most I’ve ever walked in my life - my legs were definitely feeling it. But despite being exhausted, I was so excited for another day of exploring.
Our first stop was Portobello Road Market. We took the train over, and as soon as we came out, I fell in love with the neighborhood. The colorful houses instantly reminded me of San Francisco - rows of pastel homes, each with its own personality. They were so charming that we had to stop for photos, and of course, Karen chose the pink house out of every color on the street.
By the time we got to the market, it was already packed. There were people everywhere, but that somehow made it feel even more alive. We wandered through all the little stalls, looking at the cutest things - tote bags, souvenirs, jewelry, clothes, and all kinds of little knick-knacks that you probably don’t need but somehow convince yourself you need when you’re traveling. Of course, we ended up buying a tote bag that said Notting Hill Bookshop. Because apparently, we needed a souvenir to remind us that we were, in fact, in Notting Hill.
Not long after, we found the famous Notting Hill Bookshop.
It was absolutely packed, which wasn’t surprising at all. We didn’t stay long, so we just managed to steal a couple of quick shots of the bookstore and of us in front of it.
This was one of those moments that felt a little surreal.
Notting Hill has always been one of our favorite movies, so being there in person felt completely different from seeing it on a screen. I remember the scenes with Hugh Grant walking through these exact streets, and suddenly, I was standing there myself.
I honestly couldn’t believe it.
