Today we finally left the party hostel in the east (London Bridge area) for the high rated hostel in the west (Queensway/park area). I didn't even attempt to repack, opting to drag along my secondary backpack that was attached to my suitcase. A few trains later we were finding our way to the next hostel. This one is in a very touristy part of town, with lots of money exchange store and ethnic restaurants. Even our hostel is located on a row of hotels of varying types. At first I thought I had picked the wrong place and that we should have stayed at London bridge but my anxiety was quickly quelled when we entered the tv room and instantly were welcomed by the staff. This place is part of the Youth Hostel Association and I can see now why it was so highly rated. The staff instantly makes you feel like you're amongst friends.
While sitting in the tv room we managed to start talking to one of the staff who was hanging out there. He asked us what we did already and recommended a bunch of things to see in the local area including Hyde Park and Notting Hill. We decided to take his advice and head to the park. We're lucky that the weather held up as long as it did because the sunshine made for a perfect combination with the crisp air.
A leisurely stroll through the park is just what we needed. Eventually we made it to the main path, viewing the pond and a statue of Queen Victoria. Then JP had the brilliant idea to cross of another one of the items on our trip list - cycling. The park just happened to have bike share stations at each end. Riding from one to the other was a real trip. I only wish that my knee didn't feel so awful so that I could have enjoyed it more. Then again anyone who knows me knows that I'm always happiest on a bicycle. It didn't hurt that the bike share bicycles are identical to the ones in NYC and DC.
After riding around the park we decided to head off to find some food. I hadn't eaten anything since the amazingly fantastic Japanese dinner the night before, and the smell of bacon had been wafting through the air in our new part of town. It was then I set off to find bacon.
I'm honestly not sure what it is about English bacon but its amazing. So much better than the stuff we eat in America or that I've had in Central an South America. It's salty and meaty and just generally amazing.
Anyway we found a pub were I could get some bacon and JP could have some form of Yorkshire pudding. The sandwich I had was listed as chicken bacon sandwich, however that lured me into a false sense of security that it would be free of mayo. The cardinal rule of sandwiches in England, I've learned, is that they all have mayo no matter what kind or what is says/doesn't say on the label. Regardless the sandwich (removed of mayo) and chips were top, and JP enjoyed his roast beef too.
With full bellys, new friends and good tv it was hard to tear myself away from the tv room once we returned to the hostel to check in and head upstairs but I'm glad we did. Since we were the first people in the room we had the ability to really spread out and get our things sorted before the end of the trip. I managed to repack everything back down to two bags instead of three. Once that arduous task was completed we headed out to Camden Lock Market.
Now when JP first proposed we visit Camden Market I was skeptical. A lot of shopping and booths for what purpose? What could possibly make it with the bus ride there? Oh boy was I wrong.
The market is truly a site to see. With three separate components there are so many things to do and see (and eat) that it is instantaneously gratifying and overwhelming to the senses. We walked through in amazement seeing all kinds of shops and even a store that specializes in rave/black light clothing. I wanted so badly to buy a t-shirt there but for 25£ it's hard to justify the cost. I did end up finding a Chelsea jersey for my brother at more than half the cost of what it would be back home. It may not have a players name on it but for 30£ I'm not complaining, hopefully my brother won't either.
After our shopping spree we headed back on the tube to Queensway again to find something to eat and hang out in the hostel til we found somewhere to enjoy a few drinks. Originally we had planned on joining a Camden pub crawl but in the end it was easier to just come back and start again than continue our journey.
Starving getting off the train we headed to the Moroccan restaurant directly across from it. JP and I both had delicious grilled lamb and chicken as well as hummus. It took nearly forever to get a check and pay since the entire staff decided to vacate the restaurant to hang out outside and once we did get a check we weren't allowed to use charge cards. If the food wasn't so good I'd have said something about the service.
We then headed to the supermarket next door to pick up a couple drinks and snacks for the hostel while we figured out what to do with the night. Well upon our arrival we noticed the tv room to be quite full. I knew we'd find a spot somewhere and sure enough everyone was kind enough to shift over and make room for us. We ended up sitting with all the staff watching Grease, singing along, and having a great time. Two more Americans joined us later, both from California and traveling solo. We ended up going with one (Julie) to a club in the next town over along with her Brazillian friend Hicardo who's here on holiday from studying German in Dresden. Getting to know them both was a treat. Julie is on her first trip abroad and was full of questions and stories. It turned out that she stayed in the same hostel brand as we had just come from so she was familiar with the layout and culture of it. Her stories were quite unique. She told us the tale of how he got her passport and wallet back from a gypsy who pickpocketed her on the Italian rail. She said that when it happened she knew something was amiss and saw the woman who bumped into her. She demanded back her passport, grabbing the woman, and was eventually rewarded as the woman dropped it back on the ground and Julie picked it up.
The club itself was absolutely dead. So while it gave us a chance to swap stories and get to know each other better it offered little in entertainment value except for the outrageous prices. After having a drink we went back to the hostel to the kitchen area where again the staff was congregated.
We had a lot of awesome conversations there, particularly about our cultural differences, visa laws, and the Kardashian family. It was so cool to be able to learn directly from people who grew up in such vastly different cultures from my own and equally interesting to see how similar we are when it comes to certain things.
Part of me thinks that making the move to this hostel earlier could have created a much different experience on this trip. On the other hand I can't imagine not living in the party hostel or meeting the people we met there along the way.
Tomorrow's activities are the British Museum, notting hill, and dinner with Jerry!
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