My first stop was the British Library. As a bibliophile, I always enjoy a trip to a bookstore or library. While I only spent about an hour at the library, it was well worth the visit to walk through the exhibit. I saw various texts of religious, political, and scientific importance including the Magna Carta and works by Albrecht Dürer, Florence Nightingale, and Leonardo Da Vinci. There are also some of the original, handwritten lyrics from The Beatles (no photos allowed!). I wish I had done a little more planning for the library to really make the most if it but enjoyed it regardless. 

My next stop was one that I have been dreaming of visiting since I first learned about ancient Egypt in grade school … the British Museum. The museum is massive and contains some of the most interesting artifacts of history. I was awed by the gorgeous jewelry pieces, Cartier among them, the intricately decorated Arabic tiles, the scientific instruments, and everything in the Egyptian wing.

Let’s rip the band-aid off this one with two major, need to know takeaways. First, visiting in March means that there are a lot of school trips to the museum. There were children everywhere and I was nearly mauled by the throngs of overly energetic students on no fewer than three occasions. Second, it is probably better to plan a full day at the museum or do some advance research and highlight the areas/rooms you want to be sure you see. I did not do much advance planning and didn’t have a map of what I wanted to see until I arrived and that was a mistake that meant I was only able to explore portions of the museum.

St. Ermin’s called to advise me that my room was ready shortly before noon. I quickly realized I was hungry, tired, a bit cranky, and my phone battery was dying. Not wanting to be completely on my own in London with a dead cell phone, I decided to grab a quick bite at the museum café and head to my room. The café lunch options were absolutely solid and I selected one of the cold sandwiches, chicken with avocado and spinach, with a Coca-Cola and I immediately felt better. I left the museum knowing I was able to see some of the things I found interesting and only scratched the service of all the museum has to offer. A return trip with proper planning is a must. 

The hotel had my room keys ready for me and the bellmen brought my bag up within a few moments. The elevators are very small compared to American hotels but they comfortably fit 1-2 people with luggage. Similarly, the room was small but nice, functional, and very clean. I enjoyed a short, though much needed nap. I unpacked a bit after my nap, feeling like a new person will increase productivity that way.