A Long Journey Over the Pond
The plane ride was long and all of the excitement kept me up. After months of planning, shopping, and packing, we were finally off to begin the adventure of a lifetime. After doing some last minute shopping and adding the final items to our suitcases, it was ready to say our goodbyes. Leaving my parents was not easy. Knowing I wouldn't see them for over two weeks was daunting, and a few tears may have been shed before we finally made it to the airport. After checking our bags and going through security, my nerves had calmed and my excitement was through the roof. We patiently waited to board our first flight to Toronto, and I could barely contain my anticipation. After a short flight to Toronto, we had a small layover before we would hop on the flight to London. Shortly after grabbing a quick bite to eat, we boarded the plane and patiently waited for take off. Madeline, on the other hand, utilized my shoulder as the perfect pillow. When the long plane ride was finally over, we climbed into our black, English taxi and headed to our hotel. The drive was so exciting because it was my first glimpse of European life. When we arrived at the hotel, we had a bit of time to wait before our room was ready. We were all so tired that we found some comfy chairs and relaxed until we got our room. As soon as we got to the room, we passed out. It was 9:3o in the morning and we were planning to take a quick nap. This was a terrible mistake. We ended up sleeping for six hours, until 3:30 in the afternoon. As soon as we woke up, we decided that we should go out and explore.
Rick Steves has an awesome web page about beating jet lag that I will link to here. From experience, the tips that are the listed below should help you out.
- Reset your time zone on the plane. If you are arriving in Europe during the night, you might not want to sleep during your entire plane ride. On the contrary, if you are landing in Europe in the morning, the plane might be the best way to get a good rest before getting to your destination.
- DO NOT NAP! Try your very best to stay awake until an early bedtime. My family made the mistake of sleeping for six hours after arriving in London, which caused me to have a terrible night's sleep that night. Take a walk, explore a museum, and keep active.
- Arrive to your destination at least a day ahead of time. Arriving ahead of time will ensure that you will fight off jet lag before your tour starts. The worst thing that can happen is being too tired to have a fun first day with your group.
Regent's Park
We soon found ourselves at Regent's Park, surrounded by beautiful greenery. It was a short walk from our hotel, and seemed to be the perfect afternoon activity. When we arrived, we knew we had chosen the right place. There were breathtaking flowers everywhere, and ponds dotted the grounds. Charming statues met us at every corner. We strolled around, enjoying the nature and perfect weather. After a few hours of exploring the park, we decided it was time for dinner. We talked to the helpful concierge and he suggested a little strip of restaurants. As we were walking, a quaint Lebanese eatery caught our eye. We were not disappointed! We had a delicious dinner of fattoush salad, hummus, fresh pita, and lentil soup. It was an unlikely, but exceptional find. After our dinner, we found a gelato shop and Madeline and I had our first taste of European gelato. Even though we were not in Italy, the gelato was outstanding! We walked back to the hotel eating our chocolate and mint gelatos, with full stomachs and happy hearts after our first day in Europe. The next day our tour would begin, and I couldn't wait for our adventure to really get started.