BIRTHDAY TRIP TO LONDON

Last Saturday I turned 19 and to celebrate, my boyfriend kindly paid for a trip to London. So on the Friday we morning, we made the journey from our little town to the busy streets of city life. The journey actually went really quickly, (around 2 hours) though we were both very hungry when we got there!

We stayed in The Grange St. Pauls hotel which was absolutely gorgeous and I would 100% recommend it to anyone. The room itself was a perfect size - spacious but still felt cosy and the bed was super comfortable, something I was very appreciative after the long day! However my favourite part and one of the reasons I chose this hotel were the leisure facilities. The pool itself was amazing and it was so nice to be able to use it on the Friday afternoon and again on the Saturday morning before we checked out. There was also a jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and a gym, as well as a spa, which you could book various treatments at. Unfortunately we didn't really use too many of these as most of the time we were out and about, however, if we were there longer then I would definitely have made the most of it!

On the Friday evening we went to see The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre, something we booked fairly last minute but I'm so glad we did because it was so interesting to watch! I'd seen the film but it was so fascinating to see how they used dramatic devices and elements to bring the story to the stage, especially as it was performed by only two people! The actors themselves were fantastic and they created the perfect atmosphere and with the addition of lights, sound, props etc. you really felt like you were a part of the action! We sat in the upper circle and despite having to lean forwards slightly, we could see the stage perfectly well most of the time - especially since they were discounted seats that I found last minute! All in all, I would urge you to go and see the play if you get the chance as it was a great watch!

For food that evening we actually went to a Frankie's & Benny's that was a 5 minute walk from the theatre, we were pushed for time and it was very busy but there service and food was fab! I had the Chicken Penne Romana Bake and as a massive pasta lover, I was very happy!

After going for a morning dip in the pool and relaxing in the jacuzzi (the perfect way to start your birthday) we took the bus to the National History and Science Museums. Considering that admission is free, we thought it would be a great place to wander around and clearly so did everyone else as it was packed! Both museums were really interesting and despite having awful blisters on both feet (stupidly I wore new shoes), I really enjoyed it!

We then got the bus to Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, I know the tube is much quicker but taking the bus meant that we could see various sights on the way! This area is one of my favourite parts of London, especially at night and we got there in the early evening so it looked so pretty! We had a nose around in M&M World which is much too tempting and then decided to grab some dinner at Chiquitos. I absolutely loved Mexican food and I actually did a post about my love for Chiquitos a while ago so I was more than happy to eat there! Since there were so many things I wanted to try, I went for their 'Street Food' offer which allows you to chose a few smaller dishes, this was perfect for an indecisive person like me! Once again, Chiquitos didn't disappoint and I felt well fed for the journey home.

However, before actually getting the train back we did have to go back to the hotel to pick up our bags. Leaving the hotel made me realise just how quickly the weekend had gone and I wished we could do it all over again! Once we arrived back at Waterloo we walked to the London Eye entrance as we had a bit of a wait for our train. I hadn't seen it all lit up in the dark for a while and we also had a perfect view of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, across the Thames. After taking a few 'necessary' pictures, much to my boyfriend's disappointment who had been waiting for me to take pictures of everything the whole weekend, we walked back to the station.

Once we had finally found out what platform we needed to go to, we grabbed a quick Starbucks and began the journey back home. I was sad that the weekend had come to an end but also very grateful to finally be able to sit down, my feet were in absolute agony at this point! All in all, this was definitely one of my best birthdays ever! I did some amazing things and of course, spending it with my boyfriend, (who spoilt me rotten) was just perfect!