This weekend I had the pleasure of taking a free bus tour throughout London. This was my very first time ever taking a bus tour, and what this experience taught me was it’s not worth it. My advice is, take the opportunity anyways, since it’s free. Everything is worth trying at least once. If you’re going to study abroad in London through FIE’s program, then you will most likely be staying in a quaint flat in Manson Place. Once you walk through your bedroom door for the first time, you will see a tote bag filled with travel guides, coupons, a free ticket to a play and a free ticket for a Big Bus tour on your bed.
My roommate and I took the journey on the bus together, and the reason why I didn’t like it was because it was a strange and boring way to learn about the city. Instead of having a tour guide speaking on top of the bus, we had an automated speaker that we listened to through headphones. I personally also didn’t get much out of the experience because I had already seen most of the attractions. London College of Fashion’s various campuses and its courses forced me to already explore these areas.
Borough Market
Regardless of my lack of interest throughout the trip, my roommate and I happened to make a stop at one exciting place we haven’t visited yet. Borough Market, a farmer’s market selling local goods and food, was one of the stops on the tour. There, we saw a plethora of mouth watering meals, drinks and of course, desserts. There was such a wide range of ethnic food, and everything was freshly made. From many cheese and wine tents, to unique mushroom and oyster tents, there was so much to look at. Our absolute favorite part was definitely the dessert. There were so many delicate and pretty pastries, including cheesecakes, cookies, macaroons and Turkish delights. One trip to Borough Market isn’t enough to satisfy your taste buds, since there are so many wonderful selections of food. Therefore, I will definitely be coming back for round two. Although I loved discovering this brand new place, what this bus tour made me realize was that bus tours aren’t for me. I may be coming back to Borough Market again, but I’m never going to waste money on a bus tour for future cities I visit.
