The United Kingdom (UK) is a country known for its "rich" history, for lack of a better phrase. The influence of this country is felt worldwide, particularly in my home country of Singapore. For the longest time, I have always wanted to visit with numerous friends, commenting on how it is surprising that I haven’t gone yet. To put it into context, I have been privileged and fortunate to travel to all six inhabited continents. Yet, I achieved this milestone without setting foot in the UK. This would change with a nine-day whirlwind trip to the UK quickly becoming one of my top solo trips.
This trip initially came about after more travel restrictions entering Singapore were lifted following the introduction of the country's Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs). (Important note this has since been replaced with a significantly easier entry process under what is now called the Vaccinated Travel Framework). I just returned from a trip to Germany to visit my old friend Cedric from my arguably illustrious university days. While my trip to the UK was initially planned as a family holiday, complications due to the omicron variant and scheduling meant I would be venturing out solo. The trip took place this past April, focusing on London along with a day trip to York and a last-minute trip to the seaside town of Eastbourne. All in all, it ended up becoming quite the solo adventure. I soon boarded the recently reintroduced Airbus A380-800 and settled in for my 13-hour flight.
Trip highlights:
One of the top highlights of this trip was seeing the treasure trove of museums in the UK. For many of these museums, it is important to note how these artefacts were obtained, and they were, for lack of a better word, stolen from former British colonies. The collection of these artefacts is a by-product of the UK's illustrious imperial past. One such museum was the famous British Museum. It is difficult to fathom the museum's size as exhibits range from almost any area of human history. It is hard to visit the museum unless you spend an entire day there.
I did enjoy the British Museum during my visit there, with a notable exhibit on currency catching my eye. It details the history of money in human history and examples of coins from every UN member state worldwide. Another top highlight was the National Art Gallery, with the exquisite Van Gogh art pieces being a top highlight along with the Haywain, a seminal work in the exhibit. However, out of all the museums I visited, one stood out the most as my personal favourite, The National Railway Museum in York.
Ever since I was a kid, I have been fascinated with all things rail-related, whether they’re legendary steam trains or the latest in high-speed rail. I first learnt about the National Railway Museum of York while reading and watching everything to do with Thomas the Tank Engine. I then decided to make it a point to visit, and despite one exhibit being closed, it was well worth the trip. I preface this statement with blatant bias and my general predilection for trains and rail travel. My journey to explore rail history in the UK and, in general, started with the most modern train running in the UK today. It was a nice contrast in comparing the current and historical methods of rail travel. Upon arriving at the museum in York, I genuinely felt like a child again being in that space as I got to witness important trains ranging from Rocket - the genesis of locomotives, Mallard – the fastest steam train ever made, and the 0 Series Shinkansen Bullet Train – The OG high-speed train so to speak and the first generation Eurostar – an international high-speed train linking the UK to France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The added benefit was exploring the town of York, which was absolutely stunning due to its Roman-era architecture. I was fortunate to explore the city without the stereotypical English rain getting in the way.
A part of this trip that particularly drew my excitement was the opportunity to see friends whom I had not seen in at least a couple of years. These groups of friends would be from a mixture of my "adventurous" university years and my quieter days during my UWCSEA tenure. Having not seen many of these people in what felt like aeons, we had plenty to catch up on and, in the process, felt a newfound connection with them. We looked back upon old memories and shared some of our new experiences. What really made my time with them was being mutually candid with each other. We felt comfortable sharing high and low points in the years since we saw each other. I learned much about my friends and ended up with a newfound appreciation for who they are, not just as friends but as people. I know that whatever they do, they will accomplish some great things in their life.
On the topic of friends, many of them took the opportunity of it being my first time in the UK to introduce me to some of the diverse restaurants, markets, stalls and cafes that call London home. Their recommendations did not disappoint, and one thing that impressed me the most was the comprehensive range of cuisine. Their suggestions ranged from exquisite mushroom risotto to flavourful Indian food, creamy gelato, classic and vegan fish and chips, sublime Peruvian ceviche and sushi conveyor belt restaurant, where instead of sushi, it was various cheeses and matching accompaniments.
In addition to some top-notch food, my friends also introduced me to some equally brilliant drinks at some fun bars. While the UK is synonymous with pubs, where I imbibed in many a pint, there were also some delightfully enjoyable cocktail bars; Opium in London’s Chinatown immediately springs to mind. While synonymous with beer, the UK is also known for its gin. I decided to partake in a gin tour and tasting, a must for any gin enthusiast. A distillery I highly recommend is the City of London distillery, as you get to try some superb craft gin along. The tour was brilliantly entertaining due to the charismatic tour guide, Steve. At the time of my travel, live music was not yet up and running back in Singapore but was in full swing, pun fully intended, in the UK. A top recommendation among many of my friends was the blues kitchen, and boy did it live up to their hype, especially with its casual atmosphere, potent drinks and fabulous music (at least on the night I went).
While most of the trip centred around culture, food, drink and friendship, it also allowed me to develop new familial relationships, namely, with my mum's cousin's family. Growing up, my mum had a close relationship with her cousins and would speak fondly of their shenanigans. I was rather keen to meet them for the first time, and from what they've told mum, I managed to scratch up a decent first impression. Remarkably, I ended up bonding with mum's cousin's husband, whom I'll refer to as my uncle for simplicity's sake. I spent two full days with my uncle, one in his home in Eastbourne and the Seven Sisters on the south coast, and one in London, where he kindly took me on a walking tour of the sights. We were fortunate with good weather on both of our tours, and since it was our first ever meeting, we took the chance to get to know each other from the get-go. I found we formed quite a bond, and to this day, my mum and her cousin affectionately refer to us as newfound best friends.
Final Thoughts:
As I boarded my flight back home, much like my Germany trip a few months back, I returned with a generally positive attitude about my travels. The main highlight, however, was finally being able to cross off this country on my bucket list. The UK, with London in particular, surprised me in many ways, and I could see why many of my friends enjoyed living there. It is a remarkable treasure trove of cuisine owing to the diverse citizens that call London home. I eagerly look forward to revising the UK and hopefully heading north to Scotland, where my brother and I can partake in discovering the magic of scotch. I hope that trip will come sooner rather than later.