Queen Bey Goes to London
I chose London because of Beyonce. She dropped Formation on us early 2016 shortly before the Super Bowl. Then she dropped the World Tour announcement right after the Super Bowl. My wig was snatched and as secretary of the Beyhive, I knew I had to go. The problem was I didn't want to go in the US. To solidify my executive Beyhive role, I needed to meet some international members. I was able to snag a general admission ticket for about $100 USD after conversion (I forgot the price in pounds).
I had 60,000 United points that I could use towards a flight. I acquired most of these points thru the MileagePlus Explorer Card (this card no longer exists). The flight would end up being free but I would have to pay the taxes. The taxes were cheaper for me to fly into Amsterdam instead of London. I paid $68 USD to get to Europe. I was gonna visit Amsterdam during that trip anyway so it worked out perfectly. I booked a 4 day trip to London from Amsterdam for 95 euros.
Now, where will I stay? After looking at the costs of hotels and Airbnb rentals, I was unsure of lodging because it is expensive. I was traveling solo so there would be no splitting up the costs. I'm not paying over $200 USD a night for just me. And that was a budget-friendly hotel price. I spoke with a friend who had already been and she recommended YHA London Central. I paid 89 pounds for 3 nights. The location was great and it was clean. These are the only two things I usually refuse to compromise on. I did have 2-3 roommates while I was there. Hostels give you the opportunity to meet other people. I really enjoyed having conversations with the girls from Korea. Learning about each other cultures' and discussing similarities can break down barriers. We all could learn a lot from someone who is different. MESSAGE!
On to the main event, Beyonce and me on the Formation Tour. The London Beyhive was lined up the day before. The train was packed on the way to the Wimbley Stadium. I ran to the restroom when I arrived because I knew it would be the only time I could. Remember I am standing in general admission for the entire show. After that, I go stand in line. I could not tell how many people were ahead of me. The doors were nowhere in sight. Once they opened, we all rushed through. I had a really nice place in front of the middle center stage. If there were seats, I wouldn't have been further than row 10. London Beyhive was really nice. We all had a decent amount of personal space and there was no pushing. And when the stage started moving.....I GOT MY LIFE! Always get a floor seat (regardless if it's GA or row seating), you will have the best experience. Here are a few videos from the concert.
The next day, I took a trip to the countryside to see Stonehenge. I was on the Bath, Stonehenge and a Secret Place single day tour with The English Bus. It was an unforgettable experience. And as an engineer, I don't think aliens built it. It's a stone age clock and calendar in my opinion. Humans are very capable of figuring that out. I think saying it was aliens is an insult to the human race.
The fourth of July was the last day I was there. Being an obnoxious American, I wore a shirt with our flag on it. I went sightseeing around the city. As you can see, it took several attempts to get the Big Ben picture right. I went to a few museums. I took another walking tour with Sandemans. I use their service a lot in Europe. Most tours are free. And I tip on average 15 - 20 euros.
