Travelogue

"London is a riddle, Paris an explanation" ~G. K. Chesterton

Destination: UK and Europe

Places you visited: London and Paris

Best cuisine: British High Tea and French dessert

Breathtaking moments: 130meters high on London Eye, Harry Potter Studios in its full glory, first view of picture perfect Eiffel Tower and when it lights up.

One local word that you learnt: Sortie (Exit)

Few Lines about the people there: There are variations. The French know English and there are places in London where the people don't know English! There are those who would go out of the way to help and those who are matter of fact and busy. People in general though, will not treat you like Royalty in hotels or shops unlike India. 

One Must Try / Best Things to Do there: Don’t just do tourist spots. Do something that matters to you. In London, do something literary. It is home to so many authors and has  many author and book based museums. In Paris, spend some time on monuments besides the Eiffel Tower also. Do take a city tour: it could be coach/cruise or hop on hop off bus. It gives great historical insights.

Your advice for ‘Essentials to carry’: Thin raincoat, rainproof boots, longish coat, some layers, multiple scarfs and hats and you are done! 

And books, if on solo travel! 

A good internet connection to navigate. And a portable charger. Carry cash and cards. Carry only a little cash a day to avoid stress in touristy places. 

 Details: 

For my solo travel, I started off with London Paris, probably the most visited cities in UK and Europe. It gives a whiff of European flavor while one is rooted in English normalcy. The connection between the two cities was easily covered by a 2.5 hours Eurostar train.

What enthralled me were the quaint British houses and lanes. It's a pleasure just walking through different lanes. And well, a greater part of my journey was on foot and through tubes. The tubes give great accessibility and a greater sense of the city; not just geographically but also a sense of people's lifestyle and also fashion sense! This was common to both cities.  In Paris, the structures, monuments and statues hold on to you.and so does the views of the Eiffel Tower through the different hues of the day and different views of the city. 

When you are travelling alone, it's  completely ok to custom-plan based on the experiences you want to take back rather than standard tours. But it may just make sense to stretch a little more and see a little more. Generally 1-2 landmark points a day is good, keeping  a buffer day in each city. UK and European hotels generally don't offer great room service, if at all, so plan your dinners ahead of time or stay near a lot of good food options.

The culinary journey across these two cities is a delight. Whether it is the traditional English Breakfast, Sunday Roast or High Tea, it's worth trying. It, however, takes a lot of effort to find traditional British food in London which is a Hub for all nationalities, especially India. 

The French have some fabulous desserts. I personally loved the Madeleines and crepes. 

In London, do see Westminster's Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace but also take a detour to James Park or Hyde Park. Do ride the London Eye, one of the largest Ferris Wheel in the world, it's not overrated. Visit the Tower Bridge at night when it lights up (not London Bridge). Spare time to walk along these places.

In Paris, there is a lot more to the city than the Eiffel Tower and a lot more to Louvre than the Mona Lisa. Whichever part of Louvre, one visits, it is astounding in beauty, art and craftsmanship. Even the walls and ceilings are bejewelled and painted. The first view of the Glass Pyramid at  one side and Eiffel Tower on the other with sunset hues of pink silver and ocre is a sight etched into my memory forever.

"London is a riddle, Paris an explanation"

G. K. Chesterton

Destination: UK and Europe

Places you visited: London and Paris

Best cuisine: British High Tea and French dessert

Breathtaking moments: 130meters high on London Eye, Harry Potter Studios in its full glory, first view of picture perfect Eiffel Tower and when it lights up.

One local word that you learnt: Sortie (Exit)

Few Lines about the people there: There are variations. The French know English and there are places in London where the people don't know English! There are those who would go out of the way to help and those who are matter of fact and busy. People in general though, will not treat you like Royalty in hotels or shops unlike India. 

One Must Try / Best Things to Do there: Don’t just do tourist spots. Do something that matters to you. In London, do something literary. It is home to so many authors and has  many author and book based museums. In Paris, spend some time on monuments besides the Eiffel Tower also. Do take a city tour: it could be coach/cruise or hop on hop off bus. It gives great historical insights.

Your advice for ‘Essentials to carry’: Thin raincoat, rainproof boots, longish coat, some layers, multiple scarfs and hats and you are done! 

And books, if on solo travel! 

A good internet connection to navigate. And a portable charger. Carry cash and cards. Carry only a little cash a day to avoid stress in touristy places. 

 

For my solo travel, I started off with London Paris, probably the most visited cities in UK and Europe. It gives a whiff of European flavor while one is rooted in English normalcy. The connection between the two cities was easily covered by a 2.5 hours Eurostar train.

What enthralled me were the quaint British houses and lanes. It's a pleasure just walking through different lanes. And well, a greater part of my journey was on foot and through tubes. The tubes give great accessibility and a greater sense of the city; not just geographically but also a sense of people's lifestyle and also fashion sense! This was common to both cities.  In Paris, the structures, monuments and statues hold on to you.and so does the views of the Eiffel Tower through the different hues of the day and different views of the city. 

When you are travelling alone, it's  completely ok to custom-plan based on the experiences you want to take back rather than standard tours. But it may just make sense to stretch a little more and see a little more. Generally 1-2 landmark points a day is good, keeping  a buffer day in each city. UK and European hotels generally don't offer great room service, if at all, so plan your dinners ahead of time or stay near a lot of good food options.

The culinary journey across these two cities is a delight. Whether it is the traditional English Breakfast, Sunday Roast or High Tea, it's worth trying. It, however, takes a lot of effort to find traditional British food in London which is a Hub for all nationalities, especially India. 

The French have some fabulous desserts. I personally loved the Madeleines and crepes. 

In London, do see Westminster's Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace but also take a detour to James Park or Hyde Park. Do ride the London Eye, one of the largest Ferris Wheel in the world, it's not overrated. Visit the Tower Bridge at night when it lights up (not London Bridge). Spare time to walk along these places.

In Paris, there is a lot more to the city than the Eiffel Tower and a lot more to Louvre than the Mona Lisa. Whichever part of Louvre, one visits, it is astounding in beauty, art and craftsmanship. Even the walls and ceilings are bejewelled and painted. The first view of the Glass Pyramid at  one side and Eiffel Tower on the other with sunset hues of pink silver and ocre is a sight etched into my memory forever.

"London is a riddle, Paris an explanation"

G. K. Chesterton

Destination: UK and Europe

Places you visited: London and Paris

Best cuisine: British High Tea and French dessert

Breathtaking moments: 130meters high on London Eye, Harry Potter Studios in its full glory, first view of picture perfect Eiffel Tower and when it lights up.

One local word that you learnt: Sortie (Exit)

Few Lines about the people there: There are variations. The French know English and there are places in London where the people don't know English! There are those who would go out of the way to help and those who are matter of fact and busy. People in general though, will not treat you like Royalty in hotels or shops unlike India. 

One Must Try / Best Things to Do there: Don’t just do tourist spots. Do something that matters to you. In London, do something literary. It is home to so many authors and has  many author and book based museums. In Paris, spend some time on monuments besides the Eiffel Tower also. Do take a city tour: it could be coach/cruise or hop on hop off bus. It gives great historical insights.

Your advice for ‘Essentials to carry’: Thin raincoat, rainproof boots, longish coat, some layers, multiple scarfs and hats and you are done! 

And books, if on solo travel! 

A good internet connection to navigate. And a portable charger. Carry cash and cards. Carry only a little cash a day to avoid stress in touristy places. 

 

For my solo travel, I started off with London Paris, probably the most visited cities in UK and Europe. It gives a whiff of European flavor while one is rooted in English normalcy. The connection between the two cities was easily covered by a 2.5 hours Eurostar train.

What enthralled me were the quaint British houses and lanes. It's a pleasure just walking through different lanes. And well, a greater part of my journey was on foot and through tubes. The tubes give great accessibility and a greater sense of the city; not just geographically but also a sense of people's lifestyle and also fashion sense! This was common to both cities.  In Paris, the structures, monuments and statues hold on to you.and so does the views of the Eiffel Tower through the different hues of the day and different views of the city. 

When you are travelling alone, it's  completely ok to custom-plan based on the experiences you want to take back rather than standard tours. But it may just make sense to stretch a little more and see a little more. Generally 1-2 landmark points a day is good, keeping  a buffer day in each city. UK and European hotels generally don't offer great room service, if at all, so plan your dinners ahead of time or stay near a lot of good food options.

The culinary journey across these two cities is a delight. Whether it is the traditional English Breakfast, Sunday Roast or High Tea, it's worth trying. It, however, takes a lot of effort to find traditional British food in London which is a Hub for all nationalities, especially India. 

The French have some fabulous desserts. I personally loved the Madeleines and crepes. 

In London, do see Westminster's Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace but also take a detour to James Park or Hyde Park. Do ride the London Eye, one of the largest Ferris Wheel in the world, it's not overrated. Visit the Tower Bridge at night when it lights up (not London Bridge). Spare time to walk along these places.

In Paris, there is a lot more to the city than the Eiffel Tower and a lot more to Louvre than the Mona Lisa. Whichever part of Louvre, one visits, it is astounding in beauty, art and craftsmanship. Even the walls and ceilings are bejewelled and painted. The first view of the Glass Pyramid at  one side and Eiffel Tower on the other with sunset hues of pink silver and ocre is a sight etched into my memory forever.

Disclaimer: When I travelled, the coronavirus was just at its onset with only a single case in France and travelling was not at all inadviseable.