Before this posts sounds too depressing, I just want to say, I don’t regret a single thing about my time in London. These Top 10 are just a few things I wish I had gotten around to, things I meant to do but didn’t have the money/time/motivation to do.
1. Tour of Houses of Parliament
I was lucky enough to go to the Houses of Parliament for Rock The House, a yearly concert on the summer terrace. And once I saw the gorgeous interior I always meant to go back to have a proper tour, learn more about the history, the current political climate and quirky facts about old buildings you always manage to find out. Just never got around to this one.
2. Lived on the North Side
For those who don’t live in London, there is a bit of a North/South divide when it comes to where you live. As much as I love the South West and its green parks, beautiful terrace houses and proximity to about 90% of my friends, I always kind of thought I’d like to live up North. Angel/Islington/Farringdon would seem like a fab area to me and then I could find out why the North Londoners are so smug about.
3. Gone to Fabric/Ministry of Sound/Big Nightclub
So I’m not much of a clubber. I like pop music and stuff you can sing to so club nights out with the *unnz unnz* isn’t my idea of fun. Still, I would have like to have done it just once. Gone and saw a great DJ, drank too many red bulls, stayed out until the tube ran and danced around with glow sticks.
4. Cocktails at The Savoy (or some equally swanky iconic hotel).
I’ve always wanted to get properly dressed up, in a fancy dress and heels and have cocktails in a established British swanky hotel. The Savoy always appealed because its right near the thames and it would have been a great place to have a Tom Collins or a Bramble or something equally as British sounding.
5. Stalked Celebrities at a Leicester Square movie premiere
I’ve always worked about a 10 minute walk away from Leicester Square so don’t ask my why I never though to pop by when there was a movie premier on and see if I could spot a celebrity. I mean I was here when both the last Harry Potter films were released! Just another thing I never got around to and the only celebrity I’ve ever seen in London was Mischa Barton in a pub!
6. Ice Skated at an outdoor rink
This one I can’t ever do because of a bad knee injury. As much as I would be wary of falling on my bum and breaking my leg, I would give it a go if I could physically do it. Sadly, it would cause me more pain and damage than fun so I’ve always had to sit it out while my friends have done it. The upside is I can always start drinking earlier in the night than them!
7. Pedalos in Hyde Park
I’ve always wanted to take a pedalo out onto the Serpentine in Hyde Park, ideally with a date. Even when my boyfriend and I got together we never seemed to be in Hyde Park together during summer and it always seemed like such a mission to go into Hyde Park, just to do it. Laziness meant I never got to do this one. Maybe one day when I come back for a visit.
8. Been more interested in football
Everyone knows that the Brits are football fanatics and everyone has heard of the big premier league teams. I kind of assumed when I came over, i’d sort of get more into it by osmosis but I didn’t. Although almost every day at work or socially someone brings up a football game and team, I never really made the effort to pick someone to follow and stick with it. It seems like such a big part of british culture that I should have made more of an effort. That said – I don’t really follow AFL either!
9. Watched the Cambridge VS Oxford Boat Race
For some reason, every year this event sneaks up on me and I always seem to have other plans. I’ve even heard its not that exciting – especially if you didn’t go to Oxford or Cambridge. However, once again its just one of those London tradition things that I feel like I’ve missed out on.
10. Been inside The Gherkin
Sadly I’m not that important to go into the Swiss Bank for an actual reason and unfortunately I never got a chance to go inside during Open London. The year I did Open London, it was closed and every other year I have been away on that weekend. It is just such an iconic part of the skyline I am sorry to miss it.