Sightseeing in London

For the first-timer and solo traveler like me, Hop-on Hop-off is the best decision and the best way to explore a foreign city including London. There's a few operators available and I choose "The Original Tour" because they have more main departure points. I bought the 48-hours ticket @ RM 220 (pre-booked in KL), inclusive with River Cruise. Besides The Original Tour, you also can try other companies such as Big Bus, City Sightseeing and Golden Tours.

That morning, after breakfast at Zest Cafe (hotel's cafe) I took a Tube ride to Tower Hill station. From there, I looked for the hop-on hop-off meeting point. I showed the officer my e-voucher then they gave me a 'slip'. Need to keep the slip because every time I want to take the ride, I need to show that 'slip' to the driver. They provides me with the earphone (for the audio-commentary) and also the route maps.

   

Then... I began my double-decker ride tour from Tower of London at 9:45am. This Yellow Route tour has 25 major attraction stops including Tower of London. Pass-by London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Chinatown, Green Park, Hyde Park, Marble Arch, Victoria, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. Unfortunately Big Ben is under major repair L (expected until 2021).

Due to the weather getting colder and the wind getting stronger (that morning was 12°c and sunny); I stop somewhere at Aldwych, nearby hotel. Luckily the bus is going to St. Paul's Cathedral via Fleet Street. So, I went back to hotel, change my outfit to the thicker clothes and took a sip or two of hot chocolate in my room. wow... heaven!

Continue my sightseeing tour from 12:30pm; and pass-by St. Paul Cathedral. When it starts raining, I decided to embark on the complimentary Thames River Cruise from Gate A @ Westminster Pier; at 2pm. The City Cruises also stops at London Eye Pier and Tower Bridge Pier. Since I had bought the 48-hours Hop-on Hop-off tickets, I also got the extended cruise up to Greenwich Pier.

It takes 1½hours cruising from London Eye Pier to Greenwich Pier. Actually I really wanted to see the Cutty Sark - one of the last tea clipper (sailing ship) and one of the fastest. Built in 1869, the Cutty Sark cost £16,150 to build but £50M to restore. And from what I heard, Cutty Sark once save UK's economy from debt by speeding tea from China and also became the Australian wool trade. Impressive! However, the rain is getting heavier (raining cats and dogs) once we arrived the jetty L. So unlucky. So I stayed in the boat - doing nothing - waiting time to depart from Greenwich Pier at 4pm.

Around 4:30pm, I disembarked at Tower Bridge Pier. Just to take some photos with one of the landmarks in London which is the Tower Bridge. Yeayyy... I was here! 

For your information, during winter time the Hop-on Hop-off services only operated until 5pm.
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Taking the Tube ride from Tower Hill station to Blackfriar station to meet my husband. He finished his workshop at 5pm that day. We went to Oxford Street, but... nothing much there! Thus, we went to Bayswater for dinner. Again, at Gelgela Restaurant.

= End of Day 1 'Self-Exploring' =