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By BRENDA I had the opportunity to travel to the queen’s land and boy was it not exciting.
I visited a couple of cities mostly to catch up with friends and family plus of course explore England’s magnificence.
I’ve already written about my adventures in the more southern cities of England in another blog.
In this one, I’ll take you through my trip to London, Birmingham, and Coventry.
London
My first interaction with this city was my trip to the US embassy in London.
When I booked my train ticket, I planned to exit via London’s largest rail hub, Waterloo station, which was also a great start of the route to the embassy that was perfect for a mini London sight seeing adventure.
According to google maps, the route to the embassy was scenic and was by the river Thames—perfect for someone like me that loves to explore a city by following the water.
With an hour or so to spare, I had ample time to enjoy my mini adventure.
Stepping into this iconic city was magical.
I just couldn’t believe my eyes on experiencing its breathtaking cityscape.
The sight of the London Eye—a large ferris wheel, the Big Ben—a massive tower clock with a massive hour clock, Westminster Bridge—a road-and-foot-traffic bridge with seven elliptical cast-iron arches and the palace of Westminster—a building with stunning gothic architecture was MINDBLOWING.
I was in awe for the entire time I experienced that sight.
Along the river, I got lost in witnessing the londoner vibe which felt like a mini trip in an already ongoing trip.
Another incredible place that I couldn’t miss visiting after my interview was London’s most famous and iconic Cathedral of St Paul.
Besides its incredible renaissance architecture, it is also a sanctuary of art in carvings and domes.
Its environment was just perfect for me to have my lunch.
Truly jaw dropping.
London with Noel
The next time I happened to go to London was to visit a friend Noel who was my guide throughout my stay.
She was good y’all
From indulging in everything Ugandan, to doing Ugandan things in the streets of London—we lived!
Our first night had us going to a night bar that got us dancing in a manner only Ugandans can, so much so that one lady joked about us finishing our money by the way we danced.
This was one of my favourite memories in London.
The next day, we used every transport mode London has to offer.
From Uxbridge, a town in West London where Noel lived, we boarded a bus, then a train to continue exploring this stunning city.
Hyde Park
This was our first stop.
Hyde Park is a beautiful, expansive green space with a rich royal history.
This peaceful oasis is home to a lake and organised in such a manner that it’s accessible to anyone—bikes inclusive.
This was the perfect place to relive my cycling passion as Noel planned.
The park offers Rental bikes with docking stations, and prices starting at £3(~15,000Ugx) for unlimited 30-minute rides lasting 24 hours.
Onto these, we rode through the park and docking our bikes in places we reckoned were perfect for walking.
Some of the places we visited within the park included:
- Albert Memorial
- Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain
- Hyde Park Rose Garden—a very lovely spot where we had our lunch
- Wellington Arch
Exiting the Hyde Park, we embarked on visiting London’s outstanding monuments:
- The Buckingham Palace
- Memorial Gardens
- Big Ben(again—because why not?)
- Trafalgar Square
- Duke of York Column
- UGANDA HOUSE (I felt so seen!)
- Chinatown
- Women of World War II Memorial
- And of course, stepping in a red telephone box—this was a must for me.
I felt content after what we had gone through and everything we had seen.
But guess what?
My tour guide had more in store and I was still up for other London sights.
With our unlimited 30 minutes of riding depleted, we embarked on a walk to one of the most magnificent views of London I’ve seen, through the Thames Walk only a true London local would know.
Once we arrived at the view point, a panoramic view of the big landmarks in that area lay before us.
This included the London bridge, Tower bridge, The Shard, and other buildings with unconventional shapes.
The view was spectacular as these landmarks shone brightly in the dark, on top of their already grandiose aura.
It was magical.
Kingston Upon Thames
Speaking of family, I was able to go visit some of my family members that are natives of Kingston Upon Thames, or colloquially known as Kingston.
Ohh, how great that felt.
From eating matooke, Ugandan pancakes, millet porridge to speaking in Luganda—pure therapy.
I didn’t get to fully indulge in everything Kingston has to offer but the little I experienced was worth the trip.
The place itself is blessed with green spaces such as:
- Richmond Park—London’s largest royal park
- Green Lane Recreation Ground
- Hogsmill Wood Nature Reserve—vast enough to accommodate all kinds of outdoor activities such as walking, cycling and camping.
Besides the green spaces, it has beautiful walkways along the river Thames and florally adorned bridges that make a worthwhile stroll along the riverside.
Coventry and Birmingham
Two other cities I visited during my stay in the UK are Coventry and Birmingham.
Another friend of mine, Hannah happened to be in Coventry for school and ya know, I had to visit becauseeee why not?😉
Together we boarded a train to Birmingham as Coventry didn’t seem to serve as much source as we would have wanted on a trip of two.
We happened to be in Birmingham after the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Once we arrived, we could still feel the energy from the games as part of the city’s aura, and honestly that was amazing to experience.
So much so that I couldn’t help taking a picture close to the Ugandan flag at the Library of Birmingham—Europe’s largest public library—that served as a hub for the games.
Besides the games, we took a stroll through Birmingham’s city streets where it revealed to us its multicultural nature particularly through food.
Because I still had some time to spare after Hannah and I parted ways, googlemaps recommended a spot in Coventry that was worth the visit: Coventry Cathedral Ruins.
Coventry Ruins
These are the remains of the old St. Michael’s Cathedral, which was hugely destroyed during the Coventry Blitz of World War II.
Currently, the ruins serve as a memorial to the bombing and a symbol of peace and reconciliation.
And that is reflected in the calm I experienced as I walked through the remains.
Final thoughts
I had such a wholesome trip.
Each place offered me a unique memory I will forever hold.
From London’s magnificent views, to Birmingham’s multicultural energy and Coventry’s serenity—there’s so much each left me to reminisce about.
Would I go back?
In a heartbeat❤️