I don’t know what day it is and I’m not sure if I want breakfast or dinner (or another 5 hours of sleep!) but we are in London! I was able to get some sleep on the plane, though not as much as I would have preferred, and R didn’t get much sleep at all. We were offered breakfast on the plane which consisted of yogurt, a granola bar, and a blueberry muffin which was served shortly before landing at London Heathrow Airport. I have mixed feelings about airplane breakfasts but it did help us wake up. 

We deplaned and joined the queue for immigration which was quite backed up. The line actually formed in the walkway well before immigration but staff were present to help guide passengers with connecting flights to other terminals. Staff were also in place to keep the immigration queue moving and it did, quickly. Heathrow uses the electronic passport scanners and it takes approximately 1 minute per passenger to process. Each passport holder goes through separately which is a little different because typically R and I would go through together. Baggage claim was a slight mess … our baggage carousel changed and there were bags from other flights on the belt when we arrived. When the belt started moving, airport staff moved passengers away from the belt so they could remove baggage remaining from the earlier flight(s). It was odd and confusing because there wasn’t good communication from the airport staff but we were able to get our bags with minimal inconvenience and move on. Customs is an incredibly easy process so long as you don’t have anything to declare and we were soon exiting the airport. We got a car from the airport to the AirBnB where we are staying which is about an hour to from the airport. 

My friends J and J were already at the AirBnB and let us in. R and I both needed a nap and we took advantage of being able to stretch out in an actual bed. We woke up not feeling rested, but at least feeling a little better. The four of us took the London Underground, also known as the tube, to the theatre district.

We were hungry and decided on a favorite from a previous visit to the UK, Nando’s. Nando’s has good food and an interesting story to boot. Nando’s was “born in South Africa with a blend of Portuguese and British culture” when two friends tasted peri-peri chicken in Johannesburg. Peri-peri is another name for African Bird’s Eye Chillies, which have been used in Mozambiquan cooking for centuries. Portuguese influence added a squeeze of lemon and touch of garlic to make a peri-peri sauce which can be used on practically anything. Today, Nando’s restaurants are paying homage to peri-peri flavor with menu items like my personal favorite, the Fino Pitta. The Fino Pitta is a toasted pitta filled with two flame-grilled chicken thighs (you select your heat level), grilled halloumi cheese (another personal favorite), caramelized red onion relish, wild garlic aioli and lettuce. It is a filling and satisfying meal without being too much. I finished my pitta sandwich and shared an appetizer of grilled halloumi with R. Did I mention that halloumi is a favorite of mine? We were satisfied without feeling too full and uncomfortable. 

We walked the short distance to the Palace Theatre for part one of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I am so excited to see this performance! R and I grew up reading the Harry Potter books and we have visited both Warner Bothers Studios London and Universal Orlando for the Harry Potter experiences. We’ve wanted to see the show for years but the timing hadn’t worked out until this trip. The Palace Theatre is beautiful and the interior looks like it belongs within the walls of Hogwarts. There is a quick security check, souvenir stand, and bar you can stop into before the show. We found our seats and settled in for the 2 hour 40 minute show, 20 minute interval included. 

We, admittedly, struggled during the show. The time difference, travel, and lack of sleep combined with sitting in a dark theatre created a potent blend of sleepiness. However, the performance was incredible! The casting is brilliant, the performance impeccable, and the special effects beyond amazing! The entire show was like stepping into the books and/or movies! The interval offered a much needed opportunity to stand up and move around which all four of us took advantage of. After the conclusion of part one, we had some time to walk around the theatre district and decided to go for a drink across the street at Brew Dog. We ordered an appetizer and had a beer before continuing our walk. R needed a coffee so we found a cafe and got him some caffeine before going back to the theatre. Part two has a 2 hour 30 minute run time, also including a 20 minute interval. Again, the show is incredible and should be on the itinerary for any Harry Potter or theatre fan! It is A LOT to see both parts in one day, totaling nearly six hours of theatre time. That being said, I wouldn’t want to go too long between part one and part two because I think some of the story may be forgotten. If we were to do it over again, I would try to go back-to-back nights. Very much a worthwhile show!

At this point, all four of us were zonked and ready for bed. The tube back to the AirBnB was uneventful and it felt good to stretch our legs a bit. None of us were awake long after we got back which, all things considered, seems like a successful first day.