The First Day Trip to London

Tate Modern, Tower Bride, & St Paul Cathedral

Our very first London outing started off with a bang... meaning I tripped on the pavement, face-planted, and skinned my knees all before we even made it to the Canterbury West Train Station. Nothing like a little pavement meet-and-greet to kick off the adventure, right? Despite my dramatic start to the day, we made it onto the train and then navigated the Tube, which, let me tell you, is an experience in itself. From Canterbury to Thames, I quickly learned that bustling through underground stations is both an art form and a cardio workout.

We kicked things off at the Tate Modern Museum, soaking in the vibrant mix of modern art and quirky installations. It felt like stepping into another world where creativity knew no bounds. The photography displays were breathtaking—each image felt like a story frozen in time. I was especially drawn to a series capturing everyday moments in urban life, with lighting and composition so striking that I couldn’t look away. There were several images from the destruction of 9/11, it was very interesting to see how this tragedy is looked at in another country. 

From there, we strolled along the river to the iconic Tower Bridge, snapping photos and marveling at the incredible views. By the time we crossed the bridge, our legs were begging for a break, but our eyes were set on finding gelato. A little sweet treat was just what we needed to recharge before heading toward St. Paul’s Cathedral. The walk was long but totally worth it when we finally saw that majestic dome peeking through the skyline.

Before the day wrapped up, we couldn’t resist the classic tourist stop: photos with the infamous red phone booths. Hanging out near St. Paul’s, we struck all the poses we could think of and had way too much fun trying to avoid the photobombs from passersby. It was a day filled with laughter, a little chaos (mostly courtesy of me), and so many memories I’ll never forget. London, you’ve already won me over—skinned knees and all.