Sunday morning came with a sunny disposition. As our flight was leaving in the afternoon, we had time for one more pilgrimage: Portobello Road market and Notting Hill. This obviously doesn’t have anything to do with the movie. We went there purely for the architecture – not. We had to see the fake and “real” bookshops of the movie. Since we were up early again, we wandered through Hyde Park again, this time heading via Kensington Gardens and Palace and then by the Diana Memorial Playground before walking to Notting Hill.

By the end of our walk, the weather started feeling like summer but alas, it was time for us to head for the airport. All in all, even though we only had three absolutely compulsory visits, me managed to cram a lot of sightseeing and 20-30.000 steps per day into this trip. And there’s plenty of things left to see.

So what’s my take on visiting London? Definitely worth the time. For short trips like ours, you need to prioritise what you really want to see and what you can live without. For popular sites, book well in advance, especially if you’re going during high season. I wouldn’t consider March prime tourist season, and even though I booked some spots a couple of months in advance, some of the time slots that I would have liked, were already booked. 

Getting around London is easy. I would have liked to take the bus, but being stuck in traffic is not my idea of good time management. So we opted for the Tube, and flashing your own credit card was really convent. With the maximum limit of 8,50 pounds per day, it was a no-brainer even for shorter transitions. But we also walked a lot, that’s our touristy thing. 

Food and drink? We concentrated on the museums and other venues and hadn’t planned any special dinners or lunches. So mostly on the go and what was convenient, like Pret a manger. Jaana had made one request. A traditional afternoon tea. We would have had to make reservations to the top spots, and our agenda just couldn’t cope with that. So we chanced it, and got a spot at the British Museum. How aristocratic! History and traditions intertwined.

One obligatory visit to a local Fish’n chips place also happened conveniently. There’s just something special about the vinegar at these places, and I can’t seem to find the same stuff at home. Great experience.

A traditional steak pie, mash and green peas suddenly materialised as well. We were hungry and stepped into the first available place close to Tower Hill tube station. On their menu as a special was this truly British portion. And it was good. And the peas weren’t mushy. 

We also found a “real” Italian restaurant, but missed out on good curry. Apparently the best Indian restaurants in the world can be found in London, but that is something we have to verify another time.

Final verdict? London is a lovely place. There are so many things to see and do. I find it helpful to really question my needs and wants and plan according to those desires. It was Jaanas first visit, so the compulsory touristy things had to be done. The Tower of London and the jewels would have been a jackpot. I had bought Roman Fox’s guide to cool places to photograph and tried to fit as many as possible along our walking routes. Next time, I believe that we will be visiting more off-the-beat locations and quaint markets. And definitely not during tourist season, even if the weather is worse. The tourist masses just aren’t compatible with a sailor’s desire for the peace and quiet of the archipelago.