Hello! This week I thought I’d shift continents and head over to possibly my favorite place in the world – London, England. In 2008, I spent a semester abroad in the London borough of Richmond, which is just southwest of Central London. When I look back, there are certain points in my life where I can see definitive breaks; new chapters starting, if you will. 2008 is definitely one of the more significant breaks in my story. Prior to studying abroad, college wasn’t exactly the experience I was expecting. There were some really wonderful aspects of college and some really awful aspects. Throughout the first two years though, I knew I wanted to study abroad. Study abroad was everything I had dreamed of and more. Living in a different country, traveling, meeting new people, attending classes – it was wonderful.
I’ve been back to Europe several times since 2008 and if possible, I always try to work in at least a couple of days in London. My last trip was in June of 2014. I spent about a week and half in London with one of my very best friends that I met while studying abroad. The great thing about London is you can visit a million times and still not see it all. Even after all the time I’ve spent there, I still find new and exciting things to do. In fact, I have a list going of new things I want to do the next time I’m in town. No matter what’s going on in my life, I always find myself scheming as to when I can return.
I shot this image on a sunny afternoon in Richmond. There’s a grassy area and ledge that overlooks the Thames where people can relax and watch the day go by. On this day, it was particularly crowded due to the nice weather. My friend and I took a seat on the ledge and enjoyed some sun and people watching. We talked and laughed about various things, among which was a great story he told me about a time that he and his friends rented a row boat similar to those in this image where, according to his account, they almost crashed and met an untimely death right in the middle of the river with a crowd of onlookers watching (you know what I’m talking about Mark!), which I still laugh about. It was just a nice, fun day with a very good friend; one of the best days I’ve spent in London, I’d say.
I’m not sure where my travels will take me next, but you better believe I’ve already been plotting my next visit to London. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later! Thanks for reading!
Camera: Nikon D610 – Aperture: 7.1 – Shutter Speed: 1/200 – ISO: 200
Recent Comments