The Luck of the Irish #notdeadyet

The five things I think of when I think of Ireland:
     1. Potato famine of 1845
     2. IRA: aka terrorists & terrorism
     3. PIIGS: one of the five worst economies in the EU. (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, & Spain)
     4. green hills
     5. Irish accents
What can I say? I'm overflowing with Irish wisdom. It turns out I actually have an Irish great-great-great grandmother who snuck into my proud Scottish lineage, so I was pretty excited to see something she might have experienced.

Erica and I arrived in Ireland super late, and our luggage was very delayed in the unloading process. There was also a little girl with an Elsa from Frozen doll she bought at Disneyland Paris, which became annoying very quickly. We were surprised the car rental places were still opened, so we rented a car. We went out to the garage to find the car and after searching 3 flights of the car park, we went back to the counter for help. I momentarily panicked because there was no one there, but it turns out they were hiding behind the desk. The girl had to walk us out and point us the the area where the rental car was hiding. We hopped in the car and said a very earnest pray for safety so we would arrive to the hostel alive as I attempt to drive in the dark, on the narrow roads of Ireland, on the opposite side of the road, in a stick shift. No bid deal, right?

We arrived to the hostel around 1am, and I sent Erica in to figure out where to park the car. This is not a good idea when Erica is tired, as she gets very sleep-drunk. She came back not really knowing what was going on and confused....she may or  may not have been slurring her words too. lol. I had her wait in the car, while I went in to find out what was going on. Confession: it may have taken longer than it should have because they guy at the desk and I were flirting. Sorry Erica! It started with him commenting that I was British with an American accent (travelling with my uk passport), and I said something about "growing up in America with enough sass to prove I'm British." It just spiraled from there. Looking back, I could have had some more fun with that, but I'm not thinking clearly at 1am. I parked the car and wandered through this crazy path to get back to the hostel and had to tell them that it is the creepiest thing ever to make a girl walk that in the middle of the night alone. #wherearethegentlemen

Day 1: After minimal sleep, we had some breakfast. There were some guys sitting behind us, and I thought, "dang, they have think accents. I can't understand them at all" Only then did I realize they were speaking German. #iloveGermans We took to the town and went to one of the most beautiful things in the world: a library. We went to the Trinity College Library, and it felt like the end of a pilgrimage I didn't know I was taking. It was a bibliophile's dream. Beautiful.

We went to old churches, where I discovered that Dublin keeps the strangest things in their churches. I made a collage. I think the best is the mummified cat and mouse that they found behind an organ and then decided to frame them. We also had lunch at a pub, where I gave into their tricky marketing of Irish food. I have a theory that people will buy food, thinking it's authentic, just as long as it has the name in it. I had the "Irish Salmon Sampler".

I know, a day in Dublin? But it's it's really not that big. Erica was sickly, and I saw everything I wanted. We hopped in the car to go meet up with James in Belfast. It took about an hour of traffic to get out of Dublin. The cross over from Ireland into Northern Ireland was anticlimactic. There was just a sign announcing the speed would now be posted in miles. This was fine and dandy....except the rental did not have miles on the speedometer; it only had kilometers. I had Erica use the calculator on her phone to calculate how fast we should be driving, and with all the speed cameras on the highways, I was scared I would be getting tickets mailed to me back in America. After the traffic, a few hours of driving, my muscles cramping from shifting with my left arm, James not being where I told him, and intense hanger (that was not a mispelling), we arrived in Belfast and found James at a gas station. I bought some Lilt and McVitie's to up my blood sugar to normal levels, and then we went to "The Searcher" statue, which is a monument to C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. It is in front of the Holywood Arches Library. Nerdy-ness ensued.

Then they fed me...a kebab. I was going to post the picture of me and the kebab, but decided that's way to personal. It's a passionate love that I have for kebabs. We grabbed out GIANT kebabs and ate them in McDonald's. The kebab shop didn't provide napkins, and anyone who's seen me eat a kebab knows how much I need napkins. Omg. It was great and amazing. Everything I remember and more. Yum yum yum.

Next stop: The Dark Hedges. 

After lots of pictures at The Dark Hedges, we went onto Giant's Causeway. We parked at the hotel that was next to the entrance, and acted very nonchalant as we wandered down their path to Giant's Causeway. We took beautiful photos at sunset before leaving to try and find the hostel. We drove the street, not really seeing anything. I accidently started driving on the right side of the road before Erica corrected me. We stopped at this little B&B to ask where we were supposed to go, and it turned out that it was the hostel. The guy had these thick glasses and was completely adorable and sweet. 

Day 2: The next morning, we walked from our hostel to Giant's Causeway to get some lovely pictures. We then drove to the "rope bridge" nearby. We drove past sheep that were dyed pink, which was awesome. I should have pulled over, but the roads were so narrow, I didn't want to die.

This picture was inspired by Becca. I told her I did a bridge at The Dark Hedges, and she asked if I had done it in front of the bridge. GENIUS! This is my bridge over a bridge. I did not walk across the bridge because bridges freak me out. Rope bridges are too scary.

This is Erica and me at the Cliffs of INSANITY! We were driving and saw the visitor's area, and pulled over. The guy said there was free parking further onward and gave us directions like "turn right at the rock shop" and keep going. We drove for about 15 minutes on one lane pictures not really sure if we were going the correct way. We eventually ended up in front of a house with a sign saying you could park there. Then you walk this pathway between cow pastures, climbing over gates, to get to the cliffs.

'Twas sunset time. It was super windy, and I was so scared to be by the edge of the cliff, but we took some amazing photos.

We put the address of the hostel in our GPS, and found our way out of the windy streets faster than we got into them. We found a little restaurant to have dinner. We were so tired that we went to the hostel and went straight to bed.
Day 3: We woke up early to go see the Rock of Cashel, which is an old church/building/house of kings from the 12th century. It was pretty cool, and very cold. We drove onto Dublin for lunch, dropped James off, and then went to catch our flight back to England. Overall, I only stalled six times. I drove on the wrong side of the road once. There were times I had my foot on the gas 100% and watched the speedometer arrow decrease as we were going up hills. The road signs do not always translate too well...if Becca and I hadn't asked Lukas last year about most European road signs, I would have probably gotten us killed. Some of the roads were so winding that I had to go so slow to not die. The roads were so narrow at times, that I thought we run into the car on the opposite side of the road.  I will say, if you road-trip Ireland, you're going to need a GPS or you will die. Literally die. Even with a GPS, you may die. But you know what? I'm not dead yet!

We landed, caught the train, and walked to Kate's house. We knocked on the door, and Ben says, "what are you doing here?" He then tells us the Kate and Rachel went to meet us at the train station, and we must have just missed them. Oops. Kate made us a great dinner, because Kate is great. We had a great evening. I think the retelling to my mom of this evening is the best version. I told her that Ben and I were beating each other up and that Ben waterboarded me (you can see that I have water on my top in the post-attack photo). Mom just looks a little confused and says "Where was Kate?" I say "Oh, she was at the table playing on her iPad." She says, "Where was Rachel?" I say, "She was just chatting with Erica." My mom responded by shaking her head at me. hahaha. Ben also stole one of my shoes and hid it, promising to text me that night to tell me where it was. I forgot about  it until the morning, when we're about to leave for the airport. I cannot find my shoe. I have to FaceTime Ben at 5-something-a.m. and when I find the shoe, I accidentally knock it over into this space between the wall and the wood paneling. No one is as tall as Ben the Giant, so I gave up hope of getting my shoe back and start to pull out my sandals. Once again, proving her powers of being the coolest person ever, Kate retrieves my shoe, and we leave to the airport. Kate is kind and loving and took drove us to the airport ridiculously early in the morning. Thank you Kate!

The only other story I have to tell is that I ran into my high school friend, Adrian, in the airport train taking us to our terminal. He was with his wife and the end of their honeymoon, and we were on the same flight home. This is the second time I ran into Adrian this year with his wife. This is also the second time I ran into them looking more-or-less like a hobo. Seriously. If it was just Adrian, I would probably be okay with it, but his wife is absolutely gorgeous, and I feel like I should at least look presentable when she doesn't know me well. #awkwardstoryofmylife

To Paris, With (a Positive Feeling That is Not) Love

Anyone who knows me, knows I have a severe lovelike/hate relationship with France. One of the worst problems with France is so many people go there with high expectations. However, France isn't as great, romantic, or wonderful as people think, especially since most people's experience of France boils down to one city: Paris. This will be my third time in Paris, and I have corrected my previous errors and have come with very negative expectations. When things went wrong, it was to be expected. When something was nice, it was nicer than I anticipated, so I was quite happy. Don't get me wrong, Paris does two things amazingly that I love.

1. Crepes (and other pastries)
2. Versailles

Please note: Anytime you see this type of sign...it doesn't mean they will actually speak to you in English. It is more of a general statement that they understand English and will willingly communicate back to you, but not necessarily in English. Parisians generally like to pretend they don't speak English, and will *not* speak to you in English. What happens is you point, attempt words in French, and try to interpret what they are saying back to you in French. Maybe since I'm older or I now speak a second language, I feel like I was able to understand a lot more French that before. Go me! I also learned how to properly ask where the toilet is, instead of just saying "Toilet?" and trying to look confused.  #pointofpride

Day 1: We took the (super early) high-speed train from London to Paris, and I quite enjoyed it! No surprise, as I always prefer a train against a plane if the timing makes sense.We checked into our hostel, which was right around the corner to the train station, and went out for crepes before our tour. Now, I've been on a number of the Sandemans Free Tours throughout Europe, and I would highly recommend them. However, this may be the first time I've been genuinely bored during a tour. This is surprising because I'm a huge nerd, and I always stand at the front of the group to soak in as much learning as possible. France and Paris have such rich and crazy histories, but we didn't hear much about it. Towards the end of the tour, it started getting cold and rainy. Plus, the tour guide was a Londoner who openly admitted to preferring Paris, so there was obviously something wrong with her in the first place.

We bought umbrellas from a street vendor. Erica's lasted about an hour before she broke it when she was swinging it around. #badluck There was a weird ball being hung in the middle of the Eiffel Tower, which is really distracting. The guy who took the picture was a construction worker, hence the Eiffel Tower being decapitated at the top. #guillotine

I'm not even sure what's going on here, but I love it. 

Day 2: After Sacre Coeur, Saryah wanted to check out a cemetery. This led to an epic journey of trying to find a toilet, eating yummy pizza, and eating even yummier pastries. I will dream of that raspberry tartelette for the rest of my life. We found the cemetery, but there was only this bridge over it. We were about to begin a search for the entrance, but Saryah said "nah. This is good. I'm happy." I made her take a photo as proof we were there.

We were trying to find the metro and accidentally wandered through the red light district #oops

We decided to separate for a few hours because Erica wanted to see the Louvre, Saryah wanted to see the impressionist paintings at Musee de Orsay, and I wanted to go see an old church. Personally, I think I made the best choice, because I love old buildings more than art. However, I found this awesome painting at Saint-Sulpice. I have seen many old churches. Seriously. I've seen A LOT; I really love them. I have never seen them have a painting depicting Jesus Christ and God as two separate and distinct beings. I believe God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are three separate and distinct beings with one shared purpose, to help us return to live with God and Christ again. I was so happy to see that in the church!!! 

This is the view I found walking out the east side of Saint-Sulpice, and it was BEAUTIFUL! I did filter, because I wanted to make sure this photo came alive as much as the real view did for me.  I made it back to the hostel about half an hour later than we planned, but so did we all. We all arrived within 10 minutes of each other being late. #greatmindsthinkalike

Later that day we were walking around trying to find some food, and it started pouring rain. I think the best part was while we pulled out our umbrellas from our bags, the Frenchmen scattered like little ants. It was pure panic and chaos for the next few minutes. #giggles

Day 3: We debated this thoroughly last night. One of the most beautiful things about Versailles is walking the gardens and seeing Marie Antoinette's little cottage. We checked the weather last night and the forecast said 20% chance of rain in the low 70's. Saryah and I put our umbrellas and jackets in our purses for the next day, while Erica put her jacket and umbrella in her backpack...the same backpack she checked into luggage storage for the day. #badluck We hopped on the train and as we were travelling, we saw that we were travelling towards dark and ominous rain clouds. As soon as we walked off the train, it started to rain. Erica was wearing a white shirt. #badluck We decided to look for an open shop, but nothing was open so early. Instead we popped into a bakery to get some yummy food to bring and hide in Starbucks. We stayed in Starbucks for about an hour before we decided that we didn't want to go to Versailles in cold rainy weather, but I insisted we at least go and take pictures in front of Versailles. The picture above is a representation of Erica's bad luck for the day.

Since Versailles was a bust, we went back to downtown Paris with plans to eat lots of pastries. When we arrived, the sun came out and it became a beautiful day! We decided to stand in line for Sainte Chapelle, which was highly recommended to Erica. Evil Saryah with her student + EU status let her in for free. (This also happened at other museums where she was allowed to bypass the lines and just walk through). I had to pay. The stain-glass was EXQUISITE! But it was a little pricey just to walk into one room of stain-glass. We wandered around, played in a park, and saw the Statue of Liberty.

mini Statue of Liberty!

We then went our separate ways, as Erica and I headed to Ireland, and Saryah went on to Italy. But first we ate more pastries! But seriously. Our diet during out three days in Paris consisted of crepes and French pastries. #noregrets 

I Think You Misspelled "Hotel" #Hostel

Okay. This post is mainly for Americans. I have heard this so many times. Most people think I'm speaking with an accent, mispronouncing the word "hotel", or misspelling the word "hotel" if I text them. My favorite is when people ask me about staying in "hostiles".

Sadly, this is what many Americans think of when you say "hostel":

What is a hostel?
Hostels are cheap places to stay normally with dorm rooms (and bunk beds), a kitchen, and common room. The people there are normally 18-30 year old people who like to travel. A lot of backpackers.

Hostel vs Hostel.

hotel

For me, I like hotels when I don't want to meet people, but just be fancy and relaxed. Let's face it: most people who stay in hotels are not there to make friends with other people in the hotel but to enjoy their vacation. Hotels are clean; maids will clean up after you every day. Things are supposed to look nice and uppity. You can throw your stuff around for the duration of your stay and know it is safe because only you have access to the space. It's a lot easier. Room service. However, when you are travelling, unless you have people to split the cost with, the price adds up very very quickly.

I feel more relaxed at hostels. I don't ever feel like people are judging me, not to say that people are judging me in hotels, but I feel like I don't have to act so proper at hostels. I feel like I'm among peers who understand my nomadic spirit. People are just so nice and willing to be your friend if you let them. People will welcome you into their lives for the short time you are together. These people are really just there to have a place to sleep, meet people, and enjoy themselves. They are not there to rob you as you sleep or take advantage of you. As usual, be a smart and aware traveler, but don't assume everyone is out to get you in a hostel. The staff cleans the bathrooms daily, so they are cleanest during the day (when everyone is away from the hostel).

What you need to ask yourself before staying in a hostel:

• Are you okay sleeping in the same room with a bunch of strangers? If you are, stay in the dorm rooms, because it's the cheapest options. The more people in a room together, the cheaper it will be.If you're not okay with it, consider splurging for a private room or go to a hotel.
• Are you a germaphobe? The rooms get messy. The bathrooms get dirty. They get dirtier the more people who share them.
• If you are okay with sleeping in the same room as a bunch of strangers, do you want them to be the same sex as you?  Hostels mostly offer mixed dorms, female-only dorms, and, personally I don't take too much notice how often this happens, male-only dorms.
• Do you have to have wifi at all times to survive? Most hostels have free wifi in the common rooms, but it may not extend to the bedrooms.  

What you should expect:

• Communal bathrooms. By the end of the day, these can get dirty and wet. If lots of people are showering, the bathroom floors get wet. If you are showering in a communal shower, you may also want to get shower shoes if that freaks you out. Ensuite rooms have the bathroom in the room with you, so you don't have to go to the hall to use the bathroom. 
• Bunk beds. You quickly learn if you prefer top or bottom. I have seen dorms from 4 to 20 beds. When you check in, they may give you the bedding to put on the bed yourself. Then you take it off the bed when you leave. 
• Lockers for pricier personal items. Personally, I use lockers provided maybe 25% of the time. I keep my luggage out. If I'm remember or care, I'll put my electronics in the locker. Most lockers are not meant for your whole luggage, but for you valuables. I wouldn't worry about trying to fit everything you brought with you into a locker. 
• Common courtesy. Most of these people are fellow travelers and kindred spirits. They will be quiet when they see you are sleeping. They will offer advice and tips if they've been to where you are going. People won't touch your stuff because they expect you not to touch their stuff. 
• Friendly people who want to get to know you. They like to offer advice and tips if you are traveling somewhere they've been before. 
• Communal Kitchens- Most hostels will have kitchens. They will have plates, bowls, refrigerators, cooking things, and utensils. You can cook there, store food there, and reheat food there. You will be expected to clean up after yourself. Wash and dry your dishes. Put stuff away where you found it. 
• Sometimes the bedrooms are small or a little more cramped than you are used to. Hostels are really meant for people who just want a place to sleep and not hang out in their beds all day.
• You will probably see people in various stages of undressing. Many people are super okay with you seeing them in their underwear. 
• Relaxed atmosphere. 
• There may be a limited number of electrical outlets in the room. The best hostels have a plug at every bed, but sadly, this is not yet the norm. 
• There are a wide range of hostels. There are some hostels that are so sketchy, that you'll get bed bug bites. There are also hostels that feel like B&B's. There are hostels that feel like resorts, complete with pools and social activities every night. There are party hostels, where people party till all hours of the night; hostels that are known for being nice and quiet. There are hostels that are family friendly where you'll see children or old people. You really just have to know what to look for and read between the lines to know what the hostel atmosphere they are promoting before you choose a hostel. It's the same for any hotel you choose.

What you may want to bring:

• ear plugs- this is ideal because people are coming into the room late, and some are leaving early. If you are a light sleeper, you'll probably be woken up multiple times a night. Also, there is almost always that one person you want to kill because they are snoring so loudly. 
  
• sleep mask- most people will never turn on the dorm light at night if they see if off because people in hostels are generally really courteous to others. They will assume people are asleep and use a flashlight. Still, this might wake you up, or the sun in the morning will wake you up. Also, you might be trying to be courteous if you are going to bed earlier than everyone, you might just leave the light on, put your face mask on, and sleep.
• shower shoes- please see my communal bathroom comment about the wet floors.
• a quick dry towel - about 90% of hostels have towels you can rent. Sometimes they provide them for you for free. If you go to hostels a lot, I recommend investing in a quick dry towel, like the REI Multi-Towel Lite XL. Personally, I'm obsessed. You can take a shower, completely dry off, and the towel will barely be damp. I bought one for each of my siblings who like to travel. 

To book a hostel:

Personally, I always use Hostelworld.com. You can search for the hostels by city and then sort by ratings or facilities that they offer. For beginners, I would say, don't stay at a place with under an 80% overall rating. You're also going to want some place with a great location, so make sure to look at that. I check for 80%+ overall rating. 90%+ location rating. 80%+ cleanliness and facilities. Then I check the most recent reviews to see what people are currently saying about the place. You want to make sure it's near public transportation, especially if you have heavy or big luggage. Then select the room type you want. It's pretty simple. They only make you pay about 10% or 12% of the whole cost up front. This is great for one person to book for everyone, and everyone pays for themselves when they arrive and give a bit of cash back to the person who booked. 

I'm so fancy. You already know. I'm in the fast lane, from H-town to London-o!

When planning a trip, know your audience. What are the *must see* items? Is everything a must see item or are the people you with more relaxed tourists who don't care if you see everything? Are the people really into seeing iconic tourist things or experiencing the life of just enjoying *being* there? Do they like history? Do they like tours? Do they like museums? Art, history, or both? This was our itinerary for three days in London that will accommodate a mixed group of people who've already been to London and those who are there for their first time, with an emphasis on Harry Potter fun. We did not accomplish everything on our list because I was with relaxed travelers.

Day 1:
- Tower of London - £21.45
- Camden Town
- Platform 9 ¾
- 221B Baker Street
- Trafalgar Square
- Wander London
- St-Dunstan-in-the-East
- Millennium Bridge- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince opens with a dramatic sequence of the London Millennium Footbridge collapsing. A pedestrian-only steel suspension bridge crossing River Thames, the Millennium Bridge links Bankside with the City and offers dramatic views of St Paul’s Cathedral as you walk from the south side to the north.
- Buckingham Palace

- Big Ben

- London Eye

- Westminster Abbey
- Redemption Bar (non-alcoholic bar)

Day 2:
- 10am Brunch at Mr Buckley’s

- 1pm Church. 2:50 Sacrament service. London YSA Ward.
- Little Venice, London- The affluent district of South Maida Vale is is interspersed with picturesque waterways and the area where the Grand Union and Regent’s Canals meet is affectionately known as Little Venice
- Covent Gardens
- Dinner with England family

Day 3:
- Harry Potter Studio Tour+Audio Tour £35.00. Train: London Euston to Watford Junction (20 minute journey) A shuttle bus, operated by Mullany's Coaches runs from Watford Junction to the Studio Tour, with a journey time of around 15 minutes. Plan to arrive at Watford Junction 45 minutes before the time stated on your ticket, and have your ticket or booking confirmation ready when boarding the shuttle bus.

- Leadenhall Market 10am - 6pm, Monday to Friday - Leadenhall Market in the City of London was used as Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The entrance to wizard’s pub, the Leaky Cauldron, is an optician in Bull’s Head Passage in Leadenhall Market. Leadenhall is a superb example of a Victorian covered market with an ornate painted roof.
- (Tube: Bank) and approach the storefront at 42 Bull's Head Passage — the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron pub
- 7:30pm Les Miserables- Queen’s Theatre (everyone should do this. you can NEVER see Les Mis in West End too many times. Seriously)

Other suggestions:

- Tate Modern (art museum)
- British Museum. You could spend DAYS here.
- The British Library
- Victoria & Albert Museum (art and design museum)
- Imperial War Museum
- Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum
- walk through Hyde Park
- find the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens
- Abbey Road (for Beatles fans)
- Jack the Ripper Tour
- High tea at St Paul's Cathedral Crypt
- Beyonce Dance Class

Everyone on their electronics

Now onto the trip!
Rule #1. It's hard, but you have to get on a sleeping schedule or you'll suffer from jet lag longer than you want. Don't go to bed before 10pm each night, and wake up at 8am the first 2 days at least. This will help you get over jetlag ASAP. Don't nap whenever you sit down because it will throw off your internal clock. You want to be exhausted when you go to sleep because you want to be able to sleep through the night. Otherwise, you'll be able to fall asleep but wake up super early due to jet lag. 

Rule #2. Stay off your electronics, especially your phone! You're on vacation!

The Tower of London is *ALWAYS* a good idea. Saryah goes here all the time. It's a little strange. I don't think you can come here enough. The beefeaters (the guys in uniform) are always the best tour guides. I don't know how they do it, but you fall in love with them! Coolest people ever. The story of the two princes is always a fan favourite.

I wish this photo wasn't as fuzzy as it is....but I love it! There is an official queue up to this spot to take a photo. There are official people there taking photos that you can buy later, but you don't have to. They will let you take your own photos. We probably waited 30-45 minutes in line, but after we got through, the line doubled in size. Poor Erica, I was grilling her on the exact angle and time to take the picture so I could get the perfect photo. I'm intense.

 I just want to shout out to the guy in this photo who went to a crepe stand in Camden Town and just had them give him strawberries drizzled with Nutella, hold the crepe. Way to go stranger!

 The sun never sets on the British Empire. I love this poster. We were at brunch, and I felt so patriotic. #brits

Sunday was a relaxing day to walk around. We went out to Covent Gardens for a nice stroll and cool shake, since it was so hot out. Before heading over to Kate's for Sunday dinner. I adore Kate! Ben and Rachel drove down to see us too. I love family time in England! Especially when Ben and Saryah do yoga together. As we always say, a family who does yoga together, stays together.

Okay, let's be real. I'm such a Harry Potter nerd, I really just want to post all the pictures I took during the HP Studio Tour. I've been wanting to do this tour since the moment I heard it was going to open. I tried to back in 2012, but the weekend I booked, the studio was closed for some unknown reason. I'm still angsty about it.  You start off in this line to get you pumped. You then enter a standing room to see a video getting you excited. Then you sit in movie theater seats to see this little introduction video. No lie: I cried. No lie: Erica cried too. Words cannot describe how much Harry Potter has meant to me in my life, even though I tried to explain it once. 

 Wow. Could this lighting be any more beautiful?!?! Natural lighting forever! This is the back set. I have officially walked where the HP cast has walked. I loved every moment of it. Erica had her first butterbeer here.

Knight Bus! All Aboard!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to Diagon Alley

They say the Mirror of Erised would show the happiest person a reflect of themselves, exactly as they are. I can tell you, I was probably the happiest person alive when I was there. The Mirror showed true. #fangirl

I could have done the whole thing again, but Erica and Saryah were tired and hungry. We went back into London to have some fish and chips for dinner before Les Miserables (my favourite!!!)  The whole cast brought their A-game, and I was eternally grateful. Next stop...Paris.