DAY02 OF MY QLC OE - Waterloo, Promise to Love you Forever More

KiaOra Blogtastic world,

Travelling alone for the first time is very liberating. It doesn't really matter if you don't have a plan, or can't figure out the transportation, your free to make split decisions on which direction your going to walk, what train you're gonna hop on and what stop you jump off.
I found myself sat on the train today, a line that went all the way to London Waterloo, with no idea where I might hop off, only that wherever I did hop off I was sure I would see new and exciting/beautiful places and things. I ended up riding it all the way to London Waterloo, thinking I would have a look at those touristy bits and pieces, the London Eye, Big Ben, The St Pauls Cathedral, I didn't really know where I was going, I would just wander in the general direction whenever I saw a glimpse of the Eye or Big Ben. It's liberating to be able to decide when you want to walk and how long for, and when you want to stop and rest or take in the scenery.

Upon looking for wifi I wandered into an insane, psychedelic-like arcade, the kind of place that had I been with someone I would have been all about riding the bumper cars and playing games and competitions that briefly made me want a partner in crime.
My data roaming ran out so there was no way for me to contact my brother though we had agreed to meet, I managed with difficulty to find some wifi and arrange that he come and meet me by the London Eye.

Being without any way of contacting anyone or using data for directions or social media out of everything about travelling alone for some reason is the most scary, the accessibility to help, information and distraction has become so entrenched in my life that without it it's almost like losing a sense, a sixth sense of having everything I could ever need to know at my fingertips. In saying that however I also found it very freeing, if I had had to meet someone or go somewhere or be there at a certain time it would be different and extremely debilitating not having access to my technology, but as I was wandering around predominantly without destination, just taking in the sights, it was freeing to not have any way of people contacting me or social media distraction. According to others my generation has many problems, most of which are complete nonsense and I don't believe are problems at all, some of which in fact are hugely positive qualities, I do however believe that you can't have pro's without con's and a con of our hugely digital lifestyles is that it has become harder to live in the moment, part of your mind always with someone or something else online, when people can contact you all the time it can become a burden. So I certainly believe in having breaks and going 'off the grid,' even just for a single day, to allow yourself to remember how to live in a moment, and how to give yourself entirely to that moment.
Tony and I met and although I loved walking around aimlessly it was nice to have someone who then knew where they were going and the best way to get places, a google maps with personality.

So far in London I am surprised by how green it is, great big trees line all the streets and there are awesome park's everywhere! I am astounded by all of the brick, I knew there was a lot of brick in London but it's weird coming from somewhere with no brick to everything being brick. It reminds how much architecture can influence not just the look of the place, but the entire atmosphere. Everything here is so ooold, again, this is something I already knew but it's different to see it and really feel the history of such an old city. So far I am loving London, am still yet to nail down exactly what I love about it, there's something in the air, something that I can't quite yet put my finger on, that I find exciting.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's contemplations and observations of a 20 something year old and their journey to themself. . . (Cause there aren't enough of those already).

-Emsy x