Monday, 05/05/25 Arriving in London:
We took off from Hannover at around 10:40 AM, heading to London where we will spend the next four days. After a smooth flight, we arrived at Heathrow Airport around 12:10 PM (British time). We scanned our passports and reclaimed our luggage, after which we took the Underground from London Heathrow to South Kensington. The train ride took about 40 minutes. Upon arriving at South Kensington, we exited the Underground and made our way to the Astor Hyde Park Hostel. The Underground, by the way, is quite different from the Hannover U-Bahn. The narrow walkways and tunnels are oddly constricted, and many advertisements are plastered on the walls, often repeating the same ones for some reason.
After navigating the narrow, New York City Subway-like tunnels, we had to pass through a very large tunnel that’s hard to describe. It had a late 1800s vibe; you could tell it wasn’t well cared for, resembling a canal. It looked dated, to put it simply. After running around the tunnels for what felt like an eternity, we finally made it to the surface. Welcome to London! The walk to the hostel wasn’t particularly long, which was a relief after carrying luggage for 20 minutes, sometimes even up a flight of stairs!
When we arrived at the hostel, we were assigned our roommates and divided into six individual rooms. One person from each room received a little paper with the passcode to the hostel entrance, and each occupant got a key card to enter and exit the room at will. Everyone settled into their rooms and secured their luggage in crates under the beds to prevent theft.
We had free time until 5:30 PM! You could gather your whole room or just three people to explore the Kensington area, go to the store, grab some food, or just wander around. Why only until 5:30 PM? Because at that time, all participants of the London trip gathered to walk in Hyde Park towards Buckingham Palace! The lush green grass and trees were so beautiful; it almost felt unreal. The Serpentine, a lovely lake, was also a stunning sight.
On our way to Buckingham Palace, we walked under the Wellington Arch and past the Commonwealth Memorial Gates. To our right, I noticed a green-tinted brick wall topped with barbed wire, which apparently separates us from the Buckingham Palace Gardens. Almost there! We also passed through The Green Park, with its massive trees—how old they must be! Otherwise, it resembled any other park in spring, beautifully green.
Here we are at Buckingham Palace. It’s hard to describe. The gates look stunning with their golden accents and British symbolism. Interestingly, my attention was diverted from the massive, historic sight of Buckingham Palace to another historical structure right in front of it: the Queen Victoria Memorial. Again, it’s difficult to find the right words to describe it. I love the golden figures on top, including an angel and two other figures—you have to see it for yourself! I wonder how much time and resources went into creating these massive structures, especially Buckingham Palace. All that space for essentially just one person? King Charles III? The lanterns on the palace gates are enormous, not to mention the entire structure.
Wait, I just noticed the Canada Gate. This is another example of “You have to see it for yourself,” as it’s nearly impossible to describe. I realize it’s disappointing that I can’t convey the grandeur of these landmarks in words, but you truly have to witness them for yourself if you haven’t already.
After seeing Buckingham Palace, we searched for a souvenir shop for some unknown reason. I believe no one ended up buying anything. On our way back to the hostel, a cyclist passed us and suddenly started yelling for no apparent reason. Such is the duality of London: on one side, stunning historical structures, and on the other, unpredictable citizens.
On our return, I noticed something I hadn’t seen before, despite having walked past it: the Royal Artillery Memorial. I won’t even bother describing the structures we saw on our way back to the hostel. Come to London and see for yourself. We returned to the hostel at 7:50 PM after a two-and-a-half-hour walk through Hyde Park once again. Nothing of note, as I’ve already covered Hyde Park earlier. Now we’re free to do what we want until 9 PM, with lights out at 10 PM.
(Alex, 8.2, P. Richter)
