London-my favorite city in the world! To me London is a place like no other, it gives me a bigger rush than Disney World. London is home to magic, adventure, royalty, history, and love. I hope to one day call this city home, but for now, I love day dreaming about my past trips there. During my study abroad experience, I took full advantage of the quick train ride to London, and visited frequently. Here are some of the items I found necessary during my time in this wonderful city:

1.  Fashionable Sneakers.

People in the UK, especially London, are obsessed with fashion forward sneakers. I found millennial pink sneakers to be quite the hoot (omg I hate that word I’m sorry) when I was there. Also, you are going to do a lot of walking, you’re going to step in a lot of muddy puddles, and you’re going to take a lot of metro rides, so sneakers are definitely your best bet. I’m absolutely obsessed with these Nike ones I got from ASOS UK for 67 pounds/ about 90 USD.

2. A tote.

I find a tote much easier to carry around than a purse! Especially when traveling, I always find myself needing a hundred different things when I walk outside, such as a phone charger, my passport, or a pen and paper, and a tote can hold all of those things. Also, know that London doesn’t have a whole lot of pick-pocketers, so you don’t have to worry about losing your goodies in a tote. Additionally, stores in the UK charge you for plastic bags, so by using a tote you’ll save a little bit of money to buy extra things, and then you can store your extra things in your tote lol.  Peace Love World has some amazing totes, and they’re running a promotion right now where you can save an additional 30% OFF SALE using code: MEMDAY At PeaceLoveWorld.com + free shipping on $100+ orders, only for a limited time! Here is the link!

3. A camera.

Whether you bring your phone camera or a DSLR, you definitely need something to capture every moment of your London excursion. There are so many photogenic places in London, and you will experience so many surreal events that you’ll always wish you had taken more photos. Also, make sure you have a lot of space on your devices, so you can truly get that perfect snap.

4. A journal.

I love journaling on all of my trips, and being that London is my favorite city, I found this to be a necessity. There were so many moments that I had to pinch myself and I could only describe all of my thoughts and emotions by writing them down. For any trip a journal is an essential experience, but especially for London when you want to remember the sunset over the Thames and the fall leaves that gathered around your feet in the most blissful way. Redbubble has some of the best journals that are easily customizable to fit your style.

5.  A rain jacket.

The rumors are true, it rains in London! As a floridan, I found the rain to not be quite as aggressive as I’m used to, but rainy days are not a rare occurrence in this city. So, come prepared with a light weight rain jacket that you can wear if you’re visiting in the summer, or you can layer with in the winter. Lane Bryant has some amazing plus size jackets that go on clearance during the summer. Or I highly recommend checking out Target, as they have a great online selection for an affordable price.

6.  A portable phone charger.

Going along with taking a million photos, and trying to access free wifi at cafes, your phone battery is going to die very quickly. Before I left I bought the best reviewed and most reasonably priced portable charger on amazon.

7.  Pounds.

Get your pounds before you leave! Most ATMS in the UK charge you a fee for international cards, and your bank might charge you an additional fee as well. Also, do not wait until the last minute, as some banks may have to speciality order pounds that can take a couple of weeks. Therefore, be prepared in advance because the worst case scenario would be for you to arrive in London without any cash, and a frozen credit card, which often happens when you travel abroad.

8. Extra room.

The shopping in London is wonderful! Primark, New Look, River Island, and more; these stores are going to break your bank account. Make sure to leave extra room in your suitcase so you can get some super cute London souvenirs or high fashion clothes at a reasonable price. Trust me, you are going to want to buy everything.

 

Have any more London or travel questions? Leave them down below. Have a wonderful day superstars!