As international travel is on hold for the moment, I’ve been looking through some old photos and reminiscing about past trips. I still have many experiences I’d like to share, and where better to start than my first international trip?
My college study abroad year in the U.K. was the first time I left the U.S., and I traveled with family to visit London, Edinburgh and the Highlands before traveling down to Brighton. Each of these destinations deserves a post of its own, but for now, here’s an itinerary overview of what we got up to:
First stop: London
We landed in London and had our first experience with U.K. border entry at Heathrow. All I can say is that it was long, hot and involved a lot of lines. Since then, U.S. passports (and people with passports from other specified countries) can enter through the e-gates, making it a breeze.
We took the tube from Heathrow to our hotel, which was a manageable experience, but as first time travelers, beginners to public transportation and with excessive baggage, we regretted our ambition and definitely crashed as soon as we arrived.
Day 1 – Kensington Palace
After our recharge, we made our way to Kensington Palace and continued to stroll through Hyde Park after our tour. The goal was to ease into the first day, as we had never experienced an international flight or time zone change. This was a great way to take advantage of the sights nearest our hotel, while also taking the afternoon at our own pace.
Day 2 – City bus tour
The next day, we did a hop-on hop-off bus tour of London and enjoyed previewing some popular sites, while also selecting some places to spend a bit more time. We started at Trafalgar Square and made our way around the city, stopping to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and the gates of Buckingham Palace.
Second stop: Edinburgh
Day 3 – Royal Mile and Edinburgh castle
After our two-day stint in London, we flew to Edinburgh – a very quick flight – to spend two days in Scotland. On the first day, we walked the short distance from our flat to the Royal Mile, where we visited Edinburgh castle, enjoyed the cafes and walked down to see the Palace of Holyroodhouse to complete the entire stretch. We ended the evening with a glass of Scotch – of course.
Day 4 – The Highlands
While staying in Edinburgh, we took a tour across the Scottish Highlands. We booked a Rabbie’s tour through Viator with stops including Glencoe, Loch Ness, Fort Augustus and more. The scenery was beautiful, and after a few days of squeezing in as much sightseeing as possible, it was nice to sit back and enjoy the view.
Final destination: Brighton
Day 4 – Exploring Brighton
After our quick visits to London, Edinburgh and the Highlands, we spent a day in Brighton before my family departed, leaving me to begin my study abroad year. We browsed the Lanes, walked along the seafront and explored the City Centre to make sure I had a good grip on where things were around my new “home.”
To learn more about some of the things you can see while there, check out my post A Walk Through Brighton.
As with quite a few of the trips I’ve been on, we tried to do a lot of things in a short amount of time. I have since been back to London and Brighton and look forward to sharing more of what I have learned in my repeat visits. Until then, where was your first international trip? Where would you like to go next?
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