London and I have a checkered past. Even though it’s only an hour train journey away, I seldom venture into the heart of England for spontaneous day trips. However, when your friend’s flight to America on her birthday is delayed you make an exception and you go get brunch.

I met up with Mary at Waterloo and we got brunch at a restaurant called Natural Kitchen. It was really nice to catch up with Mary before her flight, especially since it was her birthday and I was just happy to see her before she disappeared across the pond for a little while. The food was really, really good, and that’s coming from someone who doesn’t normally go for breakfast food at all.

After Mary went to catch her flight I started walking around London. I don’t think I’ve ever really walked around the city before, but the weather was brisk and sunny so I felt like the odds were in my favor. I ventured over to Southbank and walked across a few bridges and along the river. There are so many great photo opportunities in London. I’ve found that living in a small town can be a little frustrating in terms of finding inspiration on a daily basis, but places like London seem to be bursting with endless possibilities around ever corner! If it weren’t for the pollution and the extortionate cost of living, I could see myself dreaming of living there some day.

By the time I got out of the Tate Modern I was shocked to learn that I had successfully killed three hours just by wandering around and taking way too many photos. I caught a train back home and the whole time I felt uplifted as I reflected on my morning. I expect I’ll do much more walking around London the next time I visit, especially if the weather is decent and the sun is out!