The First Day in London

I arrived at Heathrow Airport on the afternoon of April 3rd and found my daughter quickly in the arrival lobby. We headed to our hotel near Gloucester Road. As I looked out the train window, the scenery told me clearly that I was in London—yet strangely, it all felt familiar, as if this wasn’t my first visit.

After checking in, I dropped off my 65‑liter rucksack and we went to Piccadilly Circus to buy a SIM card for my tablet at a Vodafone shop. But the shop had already closed for the day. My daughter had work to do, so she left, and I suddenly had plenty of time. I walked to Hyde Park to breathe in the London air. Soon it began to rain, and since it didn’t look like it would stop, I took the train from Hyde Park Corner back to Gloucester Road. I realized I had no money, so I exchanged the only cash I had—3,000 yen—at a currency exchange in front of the station. Then I bought some food and wine for dinner at Tesco. 

Queen's Gate


High Street Kensington


The next day was practically my first real day in London. My daughter had work, so I had to explore on my own. I found a Vodafone shop on High Street Kensington and headed there around 9:30. Walking along Queen’s Gate, I was overwhelmed by the old‑fashioned buildings and the beautiful streetscape, and I took many photos. But before long, I grew used to it.

At the Vodafone shop, the top‑up system wasn’t working yet, so they told me to come back in two hours. I browsed a nearby Uniqlo and wandered around Kensington Gardens to kill time. It was cold and windy, so I returned to the hotel to put on a thick winter sweater. It rained off and on all morning, and I kept putting my rain gear on and taking it off. Somewhere along the way, I lost the London map I had bought on Amazon before leaving Japan.

Around noon, I went back to Vodafone. I told the clerk directly that I wanted a pay‑as‑you‑go micro SIM card—1GB per month, data only. It cost 10 pounds including tax, with no extra fees and no need to show my passport.

After leaving the shop, I realized I didn’t know how to activate the card. They hadn’t given me any instructions. I went back and said, “It’s embarrassing, but I don’t know how to activate this.” The clerk told me there was no activation needed—just wait two hours. I asked again, “Doesn’t it need an APN, a password, anything?” “No,” he said. “Just wait.” Two hours later, my tablet connected to 4G.

 

I had lunch at this stand

Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace

Kensington Garden

Sign Post in Kensington Garden


Kensington Garden

Cherry blossoms in Kensington Garden

Kensington Garden

 

I bought a hot dog and a cup of coffee at a refreshment stand near one of the gates of Kensington Gardens. That was my lunch for the day. After wandering around the park, I headed toward Notting Hill. The area around Notting Hill Gate Station was very crowded—there must have been some kind of market. The station area sits on a hill. I walked west down the slope, turned right, and climbed north until I reached St. John’s Notting Hill Church. According to Secret London, the church stands at the top of the hill. This was exactly the heart of Notting Hill. From there, the land slopes gently toward the Thames, forming what seems to be called the Thames Valley. 



Notting Hill Gate Station

St. John's Notting Hill Church

Holland Walk

in Kyoto Garden

In Kyoto Garden

Kyoto Garden


 After walking back down the hill, I crossed the road and entered the narrow Holland Walk, which led me to Holland Park. Kyoto Garden there was small but beautifully designed—a true Japanese garden. I sat on a bench, took off my shoes, and rested for a while. I was already tired from all the walking. Many tourists were visiting, and I felt there were especially many French visitors. I felt a quiet pride: “This really is an authentic Japanese garden.”

 

Hyde Park

Hyde Park

Hyde Park

 

I still had plenty of time before returning to the hotel. I went back to Kensington Gardens, then decided that since I might not have another chance to visit Hyde Park, I should walk farther east. I entered Hyde Park from the north side and walked all the way to the Serpentine. After that, I headed back to my hotel in the evening dusk.


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