“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around every once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller
As cliché as it sounds, one of my biggest worries in life is that I’m not living it to the fullest – that I’m merely floating through life rather than seizing every possible opportunity. Last summer, one of my best friends and I made a promise that we had to make every single day memorable. I think about this promise all the time… I’m constantly trying to fill my days with moments I’ll cherish forever. Time is constantly flying by, and I’m terrified that there’s not enough time for the amount of life to be lived. There’s just so many places to be seen and so many people to be loved.
Weekdays here in London are incredibly busy. I’m almost always awake by 7 am… yikes, I know. Even crazier, somedays I’m up by 5:30 to workout with London’s most fun and bizarre fitness group called Project Awesome. I spend lots of time interning for a literary agency – where I get to drink tea, eat biscuits and decide which works should be published. I can confidently say I’ve read more in the past three weeks than I have in my entire life. (On a side note, one of the biggest perks of my internship is that there’s a dog park right across the street. I fall in love with new pups everyday during my lunch breaks here.) This internship, combined with classes and commuting, pretty much takes up all my free time throughout the week.
On the bright side, this just means I appreciate my weekends even more. I’m always sure to fill them with the best adventures. Last weekend I went to Cambridge, where we spent the day punting (similar to riding in a gondola) along the river… gazing at all the stunning university buildings (buildings that could be mistaken for castles) and picturesque bridges.
Although I already have lists of unforgettable London memories like these… and even more – such as watching the sunrise on Primrose Hill, spending days wandering around London’s unique markets and eating entire baguettes… there’s just so much to do. It boggles my mind. So here it is, my London Bucket List. Aka, my way of coping with my fear of not living enough. With this list (combined with spontaneous adventures and other European travels), I’m 122 percent certain that when June 19th rolls around, I’ll return to the states knowing I truly experienced London.
My LONDON Bucket List –
- Go to the London Zoo
- Paddle boat in Hyde Park
- Find London’s best burger
- Go to a rooftop movie
- See a play at Shakespeare’s Globe
- Watch a rugby match and football game
- Enjoy a sunny day at St. Katharine’s docks
- Visit London’s ‘Little Venice’
- Go for a run, have a picnic and take a nap in each of London’s main parks – including Hyde Park, Regent Park, Green Park, St. Jame’s Park, Hampstead Heath, Greenwich Park Kensington Gardens, Clissold Park, Kew Gardens, Richmond Park and Holland Park (oh golly, so many parks… but yes, that means lots and lots of naps)
- Watch the sunset from Waterloo bridge – supposedly a perfect sunset-watching spot, with a view of Big Ben and The London Eye
- Try caramelized nuts – sold all over sidewalks in central London
- Have High Tea
- Take a tour of St. Paul’s Cathedral and The Tower of London
- See “The Lion King” musical
- Get a drink at The Shard (the tallest building in London)
- See the Queen
- Buy flowers from Columbia Road Market and hand them out to random people
- Go to an outdoor concert in Regent’s Park during springtime
- Find and eat all of London’s best cupcakes
- Pick my favorite museum spot… so far it’s either the Enlightenment/Curiosity Cabinet room at the British Museum or the Cast Courts room at The Victoria and Albert Museum
- Ring the bell at Southwark Cathedral
- Go to Gordon’s Wine Bar (aka, London’s bar that’s in a cave)
- Actually make a call from a London phone booth
- See all of Banksy’s street art
- Take part in International Pillow Fight Day (a giant pillow fight in Trafalgar Square on April 4th)
- Go to Harry Potter Studios
- Perfect my graffiti skills with London’s free street art workshop
- Feed a squirrel in a park
- Climb The Monument of the Great Fire of London (commonly known as ‘The Monument’)
- Try out Brick Lane’s famous bagels and curry
Well, there it is – a list to inspire me each and everyday here in this lively city. I’ll keep you posted on my progress and all other bucket-list-worthy experiences too! 🙂