💂 Email #2: Greetings from London
This post is part of the Europe & Asia 2005 Retrospectives series. It is a raw record of the journey, preserved exactly as it was written in internet cafes and sent as an email to family and friends. While my travel style has evolved, the desire to experience the world and the wanderlust expressed in these notes remain the same.
Original Email Date: October 5, 2005
Location(s): London, UK
Greetings from London!!!
Many of you have already been here and probably have your own opinions. My thoughts are that it's a big city with old buildings, a long history, and a lack of trash cans for a city that is so clean. Anyways, I'm so glad I started here, cause everyone speaks English, and everything is well marked (though it did take me a while to figure out that the street signs are located on the buildings). I have completely mastered the Tube, which is better than any other public transportation that I have been on.
So what have I seen - so far, the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Kensington Palace, the Houses of Parliament, the National Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery. Needless to say, my feet hurt, and I have a few blisters from all the walking through these very touristy attractions. Tomorrow, I head to Hampton Court and to the Victoria & Albert Museum (per HH's suggestion). Then, I'll be having dinner with a friend I met in Australia last year. It's been fun here, but I'm ready to head to Dublin.
Thanks for all the messages and the tips. J, I'll let you know soon where I'll be meeting up with you. M, let me know what the plans are for Paris.
More soon....
Corissa
The Retrospective Reflection (2026)
Looking back at this first email, I am struck by what caught my attention: the lack of trash cans, the placement of street signs, and the novelty of the London Underground. At the time, having never experienced mass public transit on this scale, I stated that it’s “better than any other public transportation that I have been on.” After living and using the transit system in Singapore, my standards have certainly evolved, but I can still feel the excitement of that first sense of urban independence. This post also served as a reminder of how travel connects us. Meeting up with a friend from the previous year’s Australia trip was the first of many times I would connect with friends while traveling.
