United Kingdom

Visited: October 1993, August 2004, 2006-2007, August 2012, June 2018

Duration of travelling: 58 days

Duration of living: 450 days

Capital city: London

Population: 66.50 million (2018)

United Kingdom travel blog reading time: 11 minutes

• London – one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world offering numerous landmarks, parks, cultural and sport events.
• Cardiff – an extended weekend trip to the capital of Wales.
• Scotland – exploring the capital Edinburgh, while studying in London.
• Learning English in London as a student and working part time.
• Living in London for a year and a half and exploring the rest of the United Kingdom very little.

The United Kingdom is an island nation in the northwest of Europe, consisting of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Due to historical reasons, it is a diverse country with many different cultures from all over the world, wonderful nature and rich heritage. The Royal Family is still important in the nation; places to visit and stories dating back thousands of years, along with the pride of tradition, food culture, and cuisine, make for a fascinating experience.

The country’s Industrial Revolution changed the world back in the 18^th century, with factories popping up across the country. However, the industrial supremacy didn’t automatically transform into prosperity in the 21^st century, which is marked by digitalization, flexibility and new technologies. The country has been facing challenges related to immigration, economic crisis, and national identity as a member of the European Union.

The controversial Brexit, a withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union in 2020, is a rather new occurrence, that still needs to show if UK will become the super power again.

The English are proud of their iconic cuisine, although we can not call it a gourmet.

Working at a hotel while living a modest lifestyle, I grew fond of the traditional English breakfast, first serving it to guests, then enjoying it myself. Traditional full English breakfast, with bacon, sausage, eggs, baked beans and grilled tomatoes, or any combination of these is an energy bomb for the start of the day.

In the afternoons, around my English lessons, I often grabbed cheap fish and chips from casual spots on Oxford Street. Fish and chips and steak-and-ale pie with a pint of beer is the most authentic lunch or dinner, even though the UK residents voted the chicken tikka masala as the country’s national dish. This is just one example of strong toes that the former colonizer has with its colonies within the Commonwealth.

Afternoon tea is another tradition that British are very proud off. Tasteless, plain English tea with sugar and milk has been upgraded with hundred of tastes, smells and flavor all around the world, but not in the UK.  Although I’m a big fan of tea in general, especially in the winter months, the taste of English tea mixed with milk has never been to my taste.

Sport, particularly those invented in Britain centuries ago, is also a very important part of British life.

Football is by far the biggest sport in the UK, invented back in the 1800s. Tennis, cricket and rugby were also first played in the UK and are still the most popular there.

Throughout my academic career, I consistently received poor grades in foreign language courses. I couldn’t memorize a lot of vocabulary; my grammar was poor and I was shy to speak. I experienced the same situation in both English and German lessons. Somehow, I managed to elevate German to a higher level by staying with my family members in Germany in the middle school for a month during summer holidays.

English was even more important to dominate, so I decided to use the opportunity of a low-intense first semester at the Faculty of Economics in Ljubljana and moved to London for 3 months in the autumn of 1993.

I shared a dormitory in the basement of a hotel with a friend from the Czech Republic. My work involved serving as a waiter and cleaning rooms in the mornings, while I attended an English language school in the evenings. The income I earned was sufficient to cover all my expenses, and I had the opportunity to meet interesting people from diverse backgrounds in my class. I spent my weekends exploring London and its surroundings.

Hotel Slavia was located in the Notting Hill area. The owner, originally from the former Yugoslavia, provided me with additional opportunities to earn money by working extra hours in hotel maintenance or at the reception during the night. Despite the poor living conditions in the basement, my roommate Igor contributed to improving our environment by bringing a television and a heater from the hotel.

The class at language school was mixed. Students from Spain, South Korea, Egypt and Japan were obliged to communicate in English all the time, therefore my improvement was tangible. I managed to feel more comfortable while expressing in English and this was a big long-term benefit in my travelling and business career.

London boasts an exceptional array of cultural institutions, museums, and galleries that rank among the finest not only in Europe but across the globe.

The most efficient means of navigating the city is through its public transportation system, which is anchored by the Tube, the oldest underground passenger railway in the world. The inaugural route, known as the Metropolitan line, initially connected Paddington and Farringdon; however, the network has undergone significant expansion and modernization since its inception in 1863.

I had the opportunity to explore the most significant points of interest in London:

The Tower of London is integral to English history, having served various functions throughout different periods. Presently a UNESCO World Heritage site, it has been besieged on several occasions, and its control has been crucial for governance in the country. The Tower has protected royal valuables and the royal family during conflicts and uprisings.

The nearby Tower Bridge is celebrated as one of the most beautiful and recognizable bridges in the world. Its majestic Gothic towers have dominated the River Thames since 1894, solidifying its status as a significant landmark of the city.

The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its location along the Thames river, combining with the Big Ben is one of the most charismatic sights in London. The seat of the United Kingdom’s two-chamber system of democracy and the world’s most famous clock with iconic silhouette has been one of the most photographed and visited landmarks in general.

The Trafalgar Square is named after Britain’s victory in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Although Britain won, war hero Admiral Lord Nelson, whose monument is erected on the square, was killed during the battle on his ship.

The nearby National Gallery exhibits one of the greatest collections of paintings in the world.

The Buckingham Palace is the residence of the reigning monarch and serves as a focal point for national and royal celebrations, including the traditional Changing the Guard ceremony. Since 1837, it has been the official London home of the UK’s sovereigns. Comprising 775 rooms, it also acts as the administrative headquarters for the Monarch. My exploration of the interiors allowed me to appreciate the extraordinary artistry, architectural sophistication, and lavish decor found in the limited-access rooms open to the public.

Buckingham Palace stands out as the most exquisitely decorated palace I have ever visited.

In contrast to numerous other royal properties globally, Buckingham Palace is a prominent venue for numerous royal functions and ceremonies, ranging from entertaining foreign Heads of State to commemorating significant national events.

St Paul’s Cathedral boasts one of the biggest domes in the world at 111 meters high and it is recognized to host many major cultural and religious events.

The luxury and originally decorated storefronts of the most famous UK’s department store Harrods always attracted me for window shopping.

As I am not particularly passionate about football, I opted to attend the U2 concert, which was part of the Zoo TV Tour at Wembley Stadium.

The memory of watching Roger Federer playing at the central court during the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament is truly unforgettable. This remarkable experience was made possible by my friend’s insightful knowledge that spectators exiting their seats frequently resell their tickets for a small fee to those who wait at the entrance.

While living in London and during my short visits, I have consistently discovered that taking the time to explore the city’s parks and gardens is one of the most delightful and indispensable experiences.

London is among the world’s greenest cities, with the eight Royal Parks forming the core of Greater London’s park system.

These green spaces, peaceful parks, and botanical gardens are filled with people on weekends, offering plenty of things to do for all ages: socializing with friends during lunch breaks, jogging, relaxing, cycling, or simply escaping the city’s hectic atmosphere. My favorite park is Hyde Park, the green oasis in the hearth of the city.

Numerous other attractions, activities, markets, events, pubs, bars, and things to do have captured my attention during my time in London. Among these experiences, cycling for extended periods through different parts of the city has proven to be one of the most enjoyable activities I have undertaken.

In 2005 I moved from Slovenia to Greenville in the USA. A rather small and unattractive city halfway between Atlanta and Charlotte in South Carolina, far away from major cities, mighty state parks or exotic beaches. As a vice-president in a branch of Slovenian corporation, I was destined to have many attractive perks: a luxury car, an apartment, health insurance, free plane tickets to visit the homeland.

However, I didn’t last long time, since my girlfriend was living in London. She didn’t like Greenville in South Carolina and neither did I. The only option to stay together was me moving to London, which I did. I left behind a great job, excellent salary and corporative career for a new beginning in London. It was very difficult to find a job that would fit my knowledge and ambitions.

I described my professional background as an export sales manager of Central European origins with experience in Latin-American markets. After three month I was called for the second interview by American corporation, for a position of export sales manager in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The general manager was doubting about my real intention to work as a sales manager, since all my career I was doing his job – managing companies.

I settled down in Putney and commuted to the office in Wimbledon by bike or by bus. I was incredibly lucky to find a job so close to the place where I lived, that I was able to reach the office by bike in 20 minutes. Good salary permitted me high quality of life, renting a decent apartment, attending concerts, constant travelling and eating out at all kind of restaurants.

Living in London is very different than visiting it, as in any place. I was discovering different places, much less touristic. I cycled a lot around the city, especially on the weekends, when the traffic is less intensive.

Pubs and football couldn’t replace my general interest in sports, which I followed and practiced all my life. I noticed limited interest or knowledge of British people outside of there traditions and professional interest. It wasn’t easy to find local friends; most of my friends were from abroad. The expats usually have much more in common.

Although I spend substantial time studying, working and living in London, I was never much interested in exploring other parts of the United Kingdom. One of the reasons was definitely high costs of travelling, but the other, more defining, was a simple lack of interest for British history, culture and countryside, and places to visit at that time.

An extended-weekend trip to Cardiff, the capital of Wales with my Japanese friend Tomohito and our girlfriends was a nice change of the routine in London. We stayed in a nice hotel, walked around the city to visit the main attraction, ate good food and visited some pubs in the evening. I remember people being extremely noisy and self-confident after drinking a few beers. It was getting cold, but the locals were walking around much less dressed than me.

Rugby stands out as a national sport in Wales, next to football While I know the basic rules, the top teams, and the importance of the Rugby World Cup, I still feel quite unfamiliar with the game itself. The importance of rugby in Wales is visible on many occasions: from the central stadium, t-shirts, commercials to people’s informal conversation.

Some of the most remarkable highlights and landmarks I visited in Cardiff were:

• Cardiff Bay – the largest waterfront development in Europe.
• The Senedd – the main public building of the Welsh Parliament; center of democracy and devolution and symbol of the new nation that Wales has become.
• Wales Millennium Centre – home for the performing arts in Cardiff Bay: musicals, opera, ballet, circus and contemporary dance.
• The Principality Stadium, where the Welsh Rugby Team battle against opponents from across the globe.

I visited Scotland in 1993, when learning English in London. I became a good friend with Javier from Spain, and together we decided to go on a few-day trip to Edinburgh, where his friend was studying. We somehow managed to pay for the train, while his friend offered us a place to stay for free.

It was cold, cloudy and humid. With very limited budget, we visited only the landmarks that were free of charge, walked around and explored the capital of Scotland. At that time, I was still using an old film-roll camera, and unfortunately, I lost all the photos I had taken.

My relationship with the United Kingdom is quite unique. There is likely no other country, where I would spend so much time yet explore so little highlights beyond the capital city, London.

My travel to the UK has included language learning, professional work, business engagements, and family vacations. Altogether, I have spent a year and a half in the country. However, aside from my visits to Edinburgh, Cardiff, Oxford, Cambridge, Stonehenge and Bath, my exploration has been minimal.

It is difficult to rationalize my choice to remain in London for an extended period instead of traveling to other points of interest, but maybe this is a good excuse to eventually return to the Great Britain and explore other destination.