Sweden!

Running off to Sweden for the weekend! 

Stay tuned for a recap this coming week!

Traveling Stateside!

Today, I'm headed back to the States for my last four weeks of spring break!

I'll be in the air as you read this...but the majority of my break will be spent writing final papers, preparing study outlines, playing with donkeys, and relaxing! 

Get ready for me, America!

Surviving the Tube Strike

If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that I've been delayed a day getting back to London due to the Northeast storm. It's an all familiar event as the same thing happened when I flew back after winter break. Oh well, flights are changed, and I'll be landing back in London on Saturday.

New LSE Tshirt that sums up the school!

I've covered the big events over the past week in my post on JPIA. Yet, last week was another crazy week. I had a few job applications due last week on top of capstone work and preparing for the JPIA weekend.

Tube Strike Madness 

Last week was also the big London tube strike.  The last tube strike that I faced was when I studied abroad in 2010. We faced a tube strike almost every month during my four months abroad. So, I was really excited for the past year and a half to not have one. However, this past week, the talks went forward and the strike happened starting Tuesday evening and lasting into Thursday. 

Traffic Madness

Luckily, I have a bus that runs straight from my flat to LSE. Normally, it takes around 45 minutes to get from one end of the city to another. Note, my bus takes the Oxford Street route which makes up for the majority of the time on the bus. 

Unfortunately, during the tube strike, my commute to campus took almost two hours. I had planned on walking, but of course, it was down pouring.  I got through an entire book and cleaned up my iPhone during that time. 

On my way home from LSE, I actually walked halfway home to just avoid the traffic and idleness of sitting on the bus. 

Thankfully, on Thursday, I had booked a Heathrow Express ticket in advance to avoid the chaos of trying to figure out how to get to the airport. Needless to say, I was happy to say goodbye to the strike! 

Now Boarding!

I'm headed to the homeland today!

It's the annual reading weekend for the Journal of Public & International Affairs. I went last year as a contributing editor, and as it's a two-year position, I'm headed back!

Today, I leave for Newark and am spending the night, there.  One of my best friends from college is coming to meet me for dinner. We haven't seen each other since before I graduated, so it will be a great evening to catch up!

Friday- Sunday, the reading weekend takes place on Princeton's campus.

And, on Sunday, I get to sneak home for a few days of snow and relaxation before returning to London!

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around." -"Love Actually"

The quote above is one of  my favorites from "Love Actually." Actually, it may rank up there on my list of favorite quotes, in general. 

I often think of this quote whenever I travel. Each time I pass through Heathrow airport, it resonates with me.  I'll think of it today as I return to London to begin my second to last term of grad school. Cheers for now! I'll be blogging from across the pond once more!

Luxembourg City!

Last weekend, I took a quick trip to Luxembourg City! 

As most readers will know, I am a huge advocate of traveling alone. It's a way to relax, think, and just grow in minute ways. So, this short trip was a solo one, and it was well worth it!

I flew out of the London City Airport bright and early on Saturday morning. I had never been to the City Airport before, but I will be going back! One of the quickest security lines, a silence policy, and a breathtaking view of the city during takeoff!

Upon my arrival in Luxembourg City and checking into my hotel which was just outside the main city centre, I ventured out to the American Cemetery. The American Cemetery in Luxembourg is to honor those men and women killed during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. General Patton is also buried in the Cemetery despite not dying there. 

It was a bit of a trek to the location because I did not have a car. Yet, thanks to TripAdvisor, there were fairly concrete directions via public transport. I took a bus ride for about 30 minutes, and then I had about a 20 minute walk on some backroads and makeshift paths. I'm sure I was a sight to see as I was trekking through the Luxembourg countryside!

When I got to the Cemetery, I found that I was the only one there. The Visitor's Center was closed. There was a guestbook outside under a small kiosk, and I had noticed that others had been present earlier in the day. Yet, I soon quickly looked around and realized I was the only one there.  It was a very moving experience as I took in the monuments and viewed the graves.

General Patton's Grave

After I returned to the city centre for a quick lunch, I grabbed a spot on the Hop-on-Hop-off bus to view the city!  Here are a few shots from places around  the city that I didn't have too much time to visit.

Building General Patton used for his HQ in WWII

European Investment Bank

Luckily, I was in Luxembourg on the first day of their Christmas Market! I grabbed a coffee with Baileys, some macaroons, and danced my merry way around the market looking at the crafts.

The rest of my evening was spent wandering around and taking in the old parts of the city that are separated by the valley.

Sunset

On Sunday, I had a few final hours of being a tourist before I headed back to London. I grabbed a quick coffee at the hotel before wandering back to the city centre to check out Notre Dame Theatre, the famous square of Place D'Armes, and the palace! 

Place D'Armes

Good Morning, Luxembourg!

Royal Palace

It was a great, quick weekend away! Perfect way to relax before the final few weeks of the semester!

And a bonus on my landing back in London? Flying by the Shard and Tower Bridge!

Airport Playlist

TSA got you down? Baggage fees out of control again? Layover Blues?

If you answered yes to any of those, or are looking to shake up your routine while waiting for your flight, I've got a new playlist for you! 

I'm often having subject to long layovers due to flight schedules into upstate New York after landing back into a major hub airport from London.  Yet, I try to enjoy myself during those layovers. My recommendation: get some Starbucks and go window shopping, but a playlist like below on, and time will fly!

What music do you enjoy listening to in airports? How do you pass the time?