July 5–7, 2026

Slovenia Days Eleven, Twelve & Thirteen: London, Wands, and the Long Way Home

“Have a safe journey, little one.”

🗺️ The Plan

Day Eleven: Long travel day, Ljubljana to Belgrade (5 hour layover) to London
Day Twelve: Tattoo #2 in London, Hampstead Heath, Cecil Court, Twinings, wand shopping
Day Thirteen: Breakfast, Heathrow, 11-hour flight home to LAX

✈️ Day Eleven: The Long Travel Day

Woke early at the butt crack of dawn, wore the same grey shirt, sweats, and brown jacket combo from my very first airport day of this trip (thank god they dried overnight). Got to the Ljubljana bus station only to learn three buses had been cancelled. WHAT! Normally busses have been great- this is weird. The next one wasn’t coming until 7:00, which put my arrival at the airport around 8:00, for a 9:25 flight. Taxis swarmed the station like buzzards, Uber only showed taxi listings at €29 to 39, and my credit cards weren’t working (yippie), so I just decided to wait it out. I’ve waited longer for worse reasons.

While waiting, I watched a British woman calmly eating a plain cucumber, plastic wrap peeled halfway down, taking bites like it was completely normal. My brain decided this was somehow a “brave” public snack choice. No idea why. Can I snack be brave? Got to talking with her and a Polish woman about history jobs and war, genuinely interesting conversation while we waited. I love travel, dawg.

The bus finally came at 6:55 and left at 7:03. We made it to the airport by 7:30, plenty of time. TSA took five whole minutes. Grabbed a coffee with milk (€4.40), a water bottle (€2, I caved), and a blueberry muffin (€4.50) before the flight to Belgrade.

Sitting there before boarding, I found myself reflecting on the whole trip so far: it hasn’t felt difficult or strange even as a first solo trip, Slovenia is remarkably easy to travel, and I’ve felt safe the entire time. Bled and Piran genuinely reminded me of Studio Ghibli, Spirited Away or Kiki’s Delivery Service, magic everywhere.

Boarding got delayed with no explanation, and my rolling suitcase got checked (unlike the four girls nearby with Osprey backpacks, apparently backpacks skip that step- note to self, just because it’s carry on, doesn’t mean they won’t check it!). The 5-hour layover in Belgrade came with a wifi mystery: bars showing but nothing loading, no apps working, VPN off, low power mode off, nothing. Ate a microwaved hamburger that was shockingly not bad (hunger is the best seasoning), wandered deep into the terminal to find a quiet gate that might or might not have been mine, and started Automatic Noodle on audiobook. Fell asleep after 35 minutes. Turns out I’m the person who gets sleepy listening to audiobooks, unlike reading, interesting discovery about myself.

Eventually got wifi back after a hard restart (blaming the eSIM), and went back to reading This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me instead, deep into main character Maggie’s five competing potential love interests by this point.

The flight to London finally boarded around 5:08 PM (instead of 4:35), a tiny plane, and they actually fed us: a hoagie roll with pickles, six slices of salami, cheese, and mayo. Hunger is the best seasoning, truly. Watched the altitude tick up to 11,582 meters, landed at 7:02 PM, earlier than expected- yay!

Found the Tube from Terminal 4 (loving tap to pay), took the Piccadilly line toward Paddington. The scrolling signboard read “Cockfosters,” and I reminded myself that British naming conventions weren’t exaggerated. After my first solo trip to London, this almost feels like home! Gosh, I’d love to live here. If only I had a ton of money. Wowww.

I see ads for deodorant (how do they know…), mini travel fans (omg I have one wish I brought it), and an ad for the British army, comparing it to sports, specifically targeting women. Interesting! You can tell a lot about a culture by its ads. I love hearing a British accent. Remember when tumblr was obsessed with British people in the 2010s?! I think it’s because of one direction, Sherlock, Dr. Who, etc. To the point where the British flag (union jack ig) reminds me of the mustache tattoos and putting bacon on everything. Sorry, England.

Travel is a lot of sitting. Sitting on the bus for 30 mins to Ljubljana airport, sitting on that plane for 2 hours, sitting in the layover for 5 hours, the plane from Belgrade to London for 2 hours, now a tube for an hour. I am craving a yoga class right now. Another day of this and I’ll get bed sores. Actually- I do have another day of this- not tomorrow but the day after. Thank god the direct flight from London to LAX is 11 hours. I’ll try to stay awake on that one to reset my sleep schedule so I can go to bed when I’m driven (again, a few hours) from LAX to finally, home. I’ll want to run a marathon afterwards.

Made it to the Airbnb around 9:30 after a genuinely ridiculous check-in process involving three different keys (noting for next time: just get a hotel).

Multiple British neighbors leaned out to check if I needed help- not a half-hearted “you good?” but genuinely offering assistance, at least three separate times. People are good everywhere. I am tearing up just thinking about it. A man helped me step by step on how to get in with no ask for anything in return. A random lady asked me if I was lost and I said no she said you sure love?” I truly felt like Paddington in London. Thank you, kind strangers.

The uplifting bubble of kindness was definitely what I needed to approach the dragon’s den that was my apartment (flat). Found a loaf of bread in the kitchen so moldy it had gone green with white fuzz, bathtub that didn’t drain, and no dinner place open in walking distance. No tea that night. Too tired to eat anyway. Tomorrow is a new day.

💉 Day Twelve: Tattoo Day and Hampstead Heath

And a new day it is!!!! I wore a sleeveless top for better arm-access for my tattoo artist, denim skirt, and a red belt.

Okay, I caved. I bought 3 gb of e sim for 3 days for 8.50. It was really scary yesterday when I couldn’t get into my Airbnb because the instructions were not available in the “how to get in,” but instead in the guy’s MESSAGES to me. Maybe it’s my teacher brain, but I think instructions should be clear.

Off to breakfast!

OH MY GOD ENGLISH BREAKFAST IS SO FREAKING GOOD!!! Why did no one tell me the beans are warm and tomatoey? The sausage is spiced, the mushrooms and tomatoes and chips are sooooo good. My mouth is watering as I type this. I bought Heinz English beans from Amazon and will attempt to recreate this masterpiece. Needless to say, I ordered way too much. A hot chocolate and espresso was a little treat to myself. Breakfast at the Corner Cafe was excellent. The waiter guy was so nice- called me “love.” The place was full of locals- to be fair, it is before 7:00 am lol. Every time I open my mouth I am reminded that I’m an American. When it registers in people’s expressions- I can see it- the little moment of recognition that I’m a tourist, I feel a mite embarrassed for some reason but they just smile. I love nice folks!

Little Walks Through London

I LOVE how old London is- built by the Romans around 43-50 AD 1,983 years ago, there is so much history here. Not even how old it is- I mean, everywhere is inherently old- but how much the city has seen, has been. You can’t take two steps without seeing incredible beauty, even in the hidden parts. This was on my walk from the Corner Cafe to the Lambeth North Tube Station. Like, ten minutes, tops. Crazy cool!

Bus Thoughts

Took the 88 double-decker bus (first time, I think! Woohoo! I felt like a San Franciscan taking the trolley or the BART. Man I love public transport) out to Hampstead Heath since nothing was open yet at 7:17 AM. Genuinely lovely ride: linden trees, middle schoolers in uniforms getting dropped off at William Ellis School like it’s Harry Potter, and interesting signage (it says a lot about a city- what can I say! PETA Pig dude?! Anti cat calling ads? Tap to pay? I love this place).

Hampstead Heath

Oh my gosh, this one older lady was throwing a tennis ball to her dog in the water who ran in another old lady with her dog, grabbing a stick out of the water. She talks to the older lady and says: “oh your dog is a quite a mix of things isn’t she?” and the old lady goes, looking at both of us, “Aren’t we all?” I smile and walk on. Oh my gosh I love old ladies. I love women. I love all these random things. Oh my gosh, I see a sign: “dog owners, your dogs love this pond but nearby residence love their sleep please keep your dogs from barking from before 8 AM.” I love that respect. Also, no dog poop to be found! I see way more walking in the suburbs than even this dog park where presumably you’re not even expected to pick up after your dogs. Starting to think English people really are more respectful than Americans.

There’s a water fountain and flushable toilets near Kenwood House- ugh, the one time I leave my steel water bottle behind! Oh well.

Eurasian Magpie
WOW!

Kenwood House and Gardens

Hampstead Heath is SO nice. 10/10 recommend. Lots of dog walkers- professionals with like 6 dogs on leashes and locals bringing their dogs off leash to swim and fetch. A fancy lady and her Dalmatian almost made me want to get a dog- he just looked so regal!. I stopped by Kenwood house, got a still water (£2.50 yikes but at least I can refill it!), and sat to collect my thoughts. Freshly watered and feeling springy, I then wandered around the coffeeshop garden. The Garden Shop opens at 10:00 to buy plants, and what a good advertisement the outdoor plants are! Beautiful scenery. Wish I could take them home.

A British dog walker lady asked me if I could watch her dogs for like five minutes while she got a coffee. I said sure totally no problem! The look on her face made me think she didn’t expect me to be American- everyone around here speaks with lilting English accents. So cool. Also it’s a bit early for tourists usually. I noticed everyone around me also watched her dogs with me- a worker gal in a hi-vis vest even came by to pet one of her six dogs, the teddy bear looking one. After she came back she thanked me profusely, and I said it’s really no problem! It’s so nice to sit in and take in the garden.

From there, I routed myself to Cecil Court via bus 310 and the Northern line (£4.85 total), sharing the bus with a Hasidic Jewish man in full traditional dress, and a mother and young son chatting in some non-English language full of soft “zsh” sounds, the boy giggling the whole ride. London is incredibly diverse. The bus driver waves to a little kid. Little kid says “morning!” in a cute little baby voice as he steps on with his mama.

Noticed charity shops on seemingly every block (they call them that here, not thrift stores) and passengers thanking the driver on the way off even though he’s sealed behind plexiglass and can’t really respond.

And what the hell is GOODGE street?!?! I love this place.

Book Shopping and Occult Shops

Found Waterstones and Watkins Books, a genuinely enchanting occult bookshop. Got a compliment on my hair from a random stranger in the street, which I appreciated immediately (I’ve learned to say the compliment the moment I think it, before anxiety talks me out of it).

I love shops like these! I got dnd tarot cards (£20) at Watkin’s Bookshop! Very cute occult bookshop- the smell of incense right as you walk in was very enticing. I got nervous about missing my tattoo so I ran to the underground (£3.10) to head there (my data didn’t work for a good ten mins so I wandered around that part of London and restarted my phone twice until I finally caught a signal lol). I should get there early, so I do think I’ll grab a focaccia and nibble on that until it’s time. I might message her and say I’m early even. We’ll see. And then yay, just chillaxing around London! I might still hit up the imperial war museum and thrift, then the three stags, then home and shower and sleep. Maybe a Boots in between to grab some Aquaphor (do they have that here?) for my tattoos, snd stop in a Tesco’s for chips (crisps) for tonight, but we’ll see. I’ll watch paddington tonight. Or sherlock. Wow! What an easy day!

Grabbed a focaccia sandwich (£9.50), light, crispy, pillowy focaccia with prosciutto, arugula, mozzarella, and tomato, absolutely worth it.

The Tattoo

Mercury Design and Tattoo, 18A Victoria Park Square, Bethnal Green. I have been wanting the Hermit Lamp for years- since I was in high school, to represent independence and my inward journey. Getting it in London, the place of my first solo trip, jsut made so much sense. The map itself is from Soul Cards Tarot (art used with their permission of course! Artist Blair was wonderful, and the design ended up smaller than I expected, small enough that I actually had to ask her to size it up, which I’ve never done before. It took nearly two hours with setup, stencils, and sizing.

I forgot the hardest part is when they wipe the tattoo with a paper towel- it burns so bad, like sandpaper. That or when they go over a freckle or mole hurts like hell. And shading in dark spots. But luckily it was in an easy, less painful spot. Blair put her AirPods in to focus, and I actually fell asleep partway through, a first for me. She put on vaseline and plastic wrap and secured it with painters tape- strangely no second skin? Total cost: £280 ($374). I’ll be honest- it’s a tad overpriced. Basically $400 smackaroonies for a tattoo that’s pretty simple and small. However, the linework is detailed, she worked really hard to make it perfect, and- when in Rome. Glad to have another travel tattoo, especially one I’ve been meaning to get since I was in high school!

More Cool Things to See Walking Around London

I love how vastly different London is in just a few minutes! It’s hot as hades, my plastic wrap and tape covered vaseline smeared arm wound is coming apart in the wind tunnel of the tube, but wow, all the things to see. Okay! Off to Twinnings tea because apparently I’m trying to run out of money!

Twinings and an Accidental Shopping Spree

I popped by Twinings because I’m no better than a tourist, but MAN do they always deliver.

I grabbed their Soulful tea collection (5 bags each of: Peace, Reset, Pause, and Little Lift). I also nabbed a salted caramel biscuits tin- again, I normally never would, but something possessed me. I ate these later and forgot that British biscuits are rock solid (meant to be softened b a warm beverage). Don’t think I’d get those again, but it was a fun try!

My favorite bit about Twinings: their free samples. They still had their mango ginger loose leaf (now in packets too), which I failed to make a meaningful dent in over the course of a year. 1. I’m afraid of consuming fancy stuff because I don’t want to “waste it” on a normal occasion (anything is a special occasion is you make it) and 2. I am intimidated by loose leaf. How much water? How long to steep? How hot? Okay, that’s only three things and there are directions literally on the box.

Anyways, I taste tested their new blackcurrant and lavender one and at first I wasn’t going to spend money on something I barely drink, but the free sample lady convinced me. She even gave me a little recipe card! I adore her! I’ll make some of that and some mango tea for an upcoming tea party with a friend of mine. We’ll mix ours with sparkling sweet lemonade and have tea sandwiches.

Thrifting!

Yay thrifting! Blackout Vintage was cute, if a bit small. It’s exactly what it says on the tin: 50s and 60s authentic dresses, and priced like it. Nearby Pop Boutique is an insta-fail- my shop visit got cut short by an older gentleman employee who wouldn’t stop hovering and “reorganizing” near me no matter which aisle I moved to, always staying within two feet of me and eyeing my hands. I tested him to see if I was being paranoid and hopped behind around a column in the shop. Seeing him whip around to look for me was both funny and genuinely unsettling. Luckily, the cashier lady called him over for something, and I made my move out of there.

Modern-Day Ollivanders

Fleeing the previous store, I quickly ducked instead into the first shop I saw that didn’t have overly loud music blaring or neon bright hospital lights: a Harry Potter/Wizarding World merch shop that turned out to be the highlight of the day.

The Harry Potter merch actually looks realistic rather than just squishmellows and keychains (not my thing), and I ended up exploring for longer than my intended “pause and breathe in the AC here to figure out where to go next.” It was so cute! The staff were also really nice. I chatted with a man who helped me pick my wand! It felt like a modern Ollivander’s experience. I am not a huge Potter fan by any means, though my favorite part of the series when I was a kid was when Harry was wandering around the shops with Hagrid and getting Hedwig and his wand- I was obsessed with that part of the website too when I was a kid; same time period as Webkinz and Club Penguin and Runescape and the Warrior Cats online games. They really shaped my childhood- being in the computer room and disappearing into fantasy and play.

Anyways, he told me that the brand has been around since the 90s, but the store for around 9 years. I trotted downstairs to explore (3d printed kitschy stuff I don’t love, upstairs is best) and stumbled across a staff photo, and recognized like all the same people in the store on that day! Imagine working with the same group of people for nine years? How sweet!

I ended up getting two wands what the heck? I am NOT a wand person. Well, I say that, but when I was a kid I ordered a wand from Etsy that I still have, some small thing from a whittled down chopstick. These wands are resin replicas from the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movies. I really wish those movies were better. I ADORE the 1920s American aesthetic, and a Gatsby esque wizarding fantasy world (where it’s not centered around a school) sounds SO cool. I need someone to write some epic fantasy fiction around that stat. I’ll take fanfic even. Just such a fun fantasy to explore. I love that she took the idea of a school textbook from the original series and spun it into its own story.

Anyways, I wasn’t a huge fan of the fantastic beasts series (so much potential!! Omg a kind magical animal keeper is amazing and can be so cozy!), but the wands were irresistible. I got Queenie Goldstein’s and Lally Hick’s wands for £13 each- what a steal! All the wands in the shop looked so unique. Do you remember being a kid and picking out your own wand, and imagining designing your own wand? Wow, what magic. I quite like Fleur Delacour’s wand with the swirly loop. I also like how understated Cedric Diggory’s wand is. I just can’t choose! I could do the wand choosing ceremony every year and get something different. Maybe I should do that- bring a little magic into the year, like a vision board.

Sidetrack over! I did NOT expect to spend all this much, but I am glad to have the things.

Dinner at The Three Stags

Waitress at The Three Stags is upset- she chatted with me about it. Dark denim shorts, orange tank top, brown skin, hair up- I cannot get over how cute her outfit is. She said was up all night because of football, and jerked a thumb behind her. Remembering that I walked by a field with kids playing on it to get here, and I wondered if she meant the one nearby. I asked, “Oh, to play or to watch?” She leveled me with a look that called me crazy and stupid at the same time.

Narrowing her eyes, she snapped, “Are you playing or something?” It was then that a lightning flash of memory struck me- duh. “Oh,” I replied meekly, “The world cup.” She rolled her eyes and explained that she didn’t sleep all night because the game was over at 4:00 am and she wanted to see who won- glad it was the English. I brightened, “You guys won the world cup? That’s great!”

The way I’m not exaggerating when I say she almost physically jerked back from me- disapproval radiated off in waves. “No- the match. Listen, I knew you were American from yesterday” [last night, I had, unfortunately, dropped by around 8:45 pm with suitcase in tow to see if they were still open- to which this very same waitress had drily replied “we close in fifteen.” I ran outta there so fast my wheels practically squealed- I must say, I was a bit surprised and embarrassed to see the same waitress was there when I came by at a more reasonable hour the next day], but I didn’t know you know that little.” She then went on about how Trump was crazy for requesting some decision change by the referee- that I could understand would be frustrating, though I was drowning with how badly this conversation was going.

Dare I go on? I tried getting some social points back by discussing the weather- usually an easy small talk method- but somehow flopped there too. We both lamented the magma-thick heat, and I guessed it was what, 40 degrees? She was looking ever more exhausted by our conversation by now: “It’s 32.” I cringed. “Ah. Still, very hot.”

“Uh huh. Let me get you that drink,” and she left. I let out a sigh and returned to my journal. You know, as far as interesting conversations go, that was at least near the top- interestingly terrible. I’m not very good around prickly people- I tend to fawn and nervously laugh until they go away. Oddly enough, I’m glad she told me why she was upset- I would have inadvertently blamed myself (stupidly) if she just stayed passive aggressive with me. She came back and dropped off a way bigger glass of water with ice- love her for that.

The only other waiter is a pale man, about the same age as her (mid twenties? Early 30s?), with a head full of strawberry blonde curls and round eyeglasses. He darts around serving the multitude of customers outside- I’m the only one inside, until a couple wanders in- busy as a bee. He comes by my table to drop off a pie and makes a joke that I certainly did not hear. I laugh politely before he whisks away.

Waitress and he hold the place down- she, more lethargic (she’s sitting down at a table on the far end watching a show on her iPad as I write), and he seemingly hopped up on energy. The two giggle together when they cross paths- she sings along to the bar music as she absentmindedly wipes a glass. It’s a cute dynamic. I feel like they could be characters in a sitcom- Friends, or something. I love people watching and making up stories about their lives- they’re so terribly interesting.

Anyways: steak and ale pie, glass of wine, and a Sarti Rosa Spritz. Yum!

✈️ Day Thirteen: The Long Flight Home

Last day YAY! Checked out, wandered to Rise and Dine and had the best interactions with the sweetest waitress! I got eggs florentine that was so good (oh how I miss fresh veggies! Spinach and avocado my queens) and a matcha latte that was ginormous. I then got a mocha to go because I’m afraid that the caffeine in the matcha won’t be enough (I’ll wean myself off when I get back) and a red velvet croissant. Omg I have the best snacks for the plane. Twinnings salted caramel biscuits (I really hope these are actually good instead of lardy crunchy coasters), other half of the focaccia sandwich (don’t judge me! Actually yeah you can. The only thing I’m afraid would go bad is the mozzarella. I’ll give it the old sniff test), and the red velvet white chocolate croissant.

Reflected on how different this London stay felt compared to last year’s trip, more compressed, less “soak it all in.” Walking through different neighborhoods really drove home how varied the city is: fancy shops in one part of town, graffiti and people sleeping rough in Camden, crisp suits and quarterly-deadline conversations near Fleet Street that felt almost like The Truman Show. Passed a woman offering a homeless man food bank information, which got me thinking about how much more baked-in charity culture feels in London compared to the US.

Small transit observation: the Bakerloo line is grimy and graffitied, the Central line cleaner, and the Elizabeth line feels genuinely futuristic.

Heathrow security was shockingly fast, under 5 minutes, no additional screening, on the one day I had a full 4 hours to spare. “Air Floorce One” are you kidding me. A worker caught me video taping the cleaning robot and laughed and said “I know.” I LOVE PEOPLE!

I am so excited to unveil my travel goodies. In the airport, I grabbed a Paddington doll that I’ve been meaning to get since last year- £11 and he’s in such a cute little bag! The checkout lady asked me where is he going- and I stupidly replied “On my bag?” To her straight face, I fumbled to say tack on, “and California!!” And she smiled and patted him gently and said: “Have a safe journey, little one.” Oh my god. I’m crine. You can’t get more adorable.

I also got vaseline for my tattoo (£2). My arm itched in line at TSA and I absentmindedly scratched at it- INSTANT fiery hot pain. YEOWCH that smarted. I cringed in line and gently patted my open wound to ease the pain. I just put on some vaseline and it feels a little better. I so wish I had a second skin on it. Oh well. It’s luckily on my upper arm and I rarely wear tank tops so I think it’ll be mostly protected by the sun. I mean, it’s been three years since my (first, eeeee!) dragon tattoo and it looks like it hasn’t aged a day. I should take a pic and send it to the artist. I always felt weird because he never posted the original- so would I just be bugging him? Eh, it’s me being nice, I’ll do it anyways.

Spent the wait organizing notes, snacking on the red velvet croissant, and daydreaming about building an actual display armory at home for the wands, tarot deck, and travel costume pieces, something like a Hobbit house or a Skyrim weapon rack. Set a small summer intention list too: a daily tarot pull, daily art, more fruits and vegetables, regular movement, tea instead of late-night scrolling.

Flight home was nice, 11 hours, saw a dude in front of me watching Harry Potter and thought oh yeah! And then I absolutely crushed three movies. Chugged along on my This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me book (it’s good! Would recommend) and audiobook Automatic Noodle. Trying to stay awake to reset my jet lag. For now, I miss home. Until next time, travelers!

🧭 Suggested Alternate: 24 Hours in London (If You Only Have One Day!)

I have a more through look at London travel from my tour {last year.} Since my own two days were shaped around a tattoo appointment and jet lag recovery rather than sightseeing, here’s a more classic single-day version for anyone else planning a quick London stop:

Morning

Start with a proper English breakfast, beans on toast, eggs, and all, at a local café rather than a chain.
Walk or bus out to Hampstead Heath early before crowds arrive; Kenwood House and Parliament Hill Fields are both worth the detour.
Alternatively, head straight to Hyde Park or St James’s Park if you want central-London green space instead.

Midday

The Imperial War Museum (free entry) is an excellent midday stop if history interests you at all.
Grab lunch from a Tesco meal deal (genuinely great value) or a proper sit-down at a focaccia or sandwich shop.
Browse Cecil Court for antiquarian bookshops and the occasional occult/tarot shop tucked between them.

Afternoon

Wander Camden for street art and market stalls, or Chinatown if food is more your focus.
Charity shops (the UK’s thrift stores) are genuinely everywhere and worth a browse if that’s your thing.
Twinings’ flagship shop is a fun, free tea-tasting stop near the Strand.

Evening

A proper pub dinner (fish and chips or shepherd’s pie) at a classic local like The Three Stags.
If energy allows, a walk along the Thames at dusk for skyline views.

Getting around

Tap-to-pay works everywhere, including buses (which don’t take cash at all).
The Tube and double-decker buses are genuinely easy to navigate with Google Maps.
Budget extra time for Heathrow transfers; the train into central London can take close to an hour.

🎡 Fun Facts About London I Learned!!

London’s buses have accepted only contactless and card payment (no cash) for years now, making it one of the most tap-to-pay-friendly transit systems in the world.
Charity shops are a genuinely major part of British high streets, tied historically to Victorian-era women (often “ladies of the manor”) who ran charitable causes as one of the few forms of public influence available to them at the time.
Hampstead Heath is one of London’s largest and wildest green spaces, known for its many swimming ponds still used by locals daily.
The Elizabeth line, London’s newest Underground line, is considered one of the most modern rail systems in Europe.
Twinings has operated continuously from the same original shop location on the Strand since the early 1700s, making it one of the oldest continually running businesses in London.
Cecil Court, nicknamed “Booksellers’ Row,” has housed antiquarian bookshops for over a century and was reportedly one inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films.
The Imperial War Museum is free to enter, one of many major London museums with permanent free admission.

🧭 Traveler’s Guide (My Trip)

Travel days

Build serious buffer time around layovers and connections; buses and flights both ran late multiple times on this leg.
eSIM data (mine was 3GB for 3 days, £8.50) is worth it if your Airbnb instructions are buried in host messages rather than the official check-in guide.
Always keep snacks and a portable charger on hand for long layovers with unreliable wifi.

Tattoos abroad

Ask your artist to resize the design if it looks smaller than expected, most are receptive.
Protect fresh ink in transit; plastic wrap can and will come loose in transit (mine blew off in a subway tunnel).
Vaseline and gentle care go a long way when you can’t easily reapply second skin on the road.

Money

Pounds add up fast between tattoos, tea, wands, and impulse charity shop finds, budget extra “fun money” if you know a wand shop is in your future.

What I Learned These Three Days

A single unprompted offer of help (or three) from strangers can completely change how safe a new city feels.
Letting a stranger’s honesty (like an exhausted, blunt waitress) land instead of assuming it’s about you is its own small skill.
Sometimes the best travel souvenirs aren’t the ones you planned for, they’re the wand shop you wandered into by accident.

📸 Traveler’s Notes


Favorite moment	Being asked to watch six dogs by a stranger at Hampstead Heath
Kindest interaction	Neighbors repeatedly checking if I needed help during a chaotic Airbnb check-in
Best food	Eggs florentine at Rise and Dine
Biggest surprise	Falling asleep during a two-hour tattoo session for the first time ever
Favorite photo: I still miss my cream cheese croissant. That thang was GOOD.

💶 Expenses

Item	Cost
Ljubljana bus to airport	€20
Coffee, water, muffin (Ljubljana airport)	€10.90
Second tattoo (Mercury Design and Tattoo)	£280 ($374)
D&D tarot deck	£20
Focaccia sandwich	£9.50
Twinings tea + biscuit tin	A lot
Two Fantastic Beasts wands	£26
Paddington Bear doll	£11
Vaseline	£2
eSIM (3GB, 3 days)	£8.50
Flight Ljubljana–Belgrade–London	$136
Flight London–LAX	$666
Two-night London stay	$216
Total:	$1,458.98. Zoinks. I don’t have to tell you how sad that was to calculate. It’s over now! Still, worth it.