Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping by.
Lately, I’ve been feeling totally drained — maybe it’s the summer heat, maybe it’s just burnout from work. Even studying for my certification exam hasn’t been going well…
But! I’ve finally managed to sit down and start blogging again!
This time, it’s all about my Europe trip!!!
From June 27 to July 3, I spent 5 nights and 7 days traveling through London and Barcelona — two cities I’ve been dreaming about visiting for years.
Back when I was studying abroad during COVID, I never got the chance to explore these places. So now, in my third year of working full-time, I decided to spend my entire bonus and make this long-awaited trip happen!!!
This post is basically a travel diary — but I hope my experiences can be useful for anyone planning to visit London or Barcelona, especially if you’re doing it as a short but packed trip like I did. 😊
Let’s get started!!
***How do you find your hotel in another country? Agoda will help you!***
Contents
1. Straight From Work to the Skies
After finishing work on Friday night, I went straight to Haneda Airport and boarded JL41 — a late-night JAL flight to London.
Now, here’s something I found interesting:
There aren’t many direct red-eye flights from Japan to Europe, but JL41 lands in London at 6:00 AM local time, which is perfect! You can drop your bags at your hotel and start exploring from the morning.
And guess what?
Even economy passengers get access to the JAL Lounge.
(Yep, it’s official — you can check the details here!)
The reason is that meals aren’t served onboard until around 8 hours into the flight.
So, to avoid flying on an empty stomach, JAL encourages you to enjoy a proper meal in the lounge before boarding.
Physically, red-eye flights can be rough, but with good service and the chance to enjoy London from the morning — JL41 is a solid choice!
As I sat in the airport lounge, sipping tea and looking at my boarding pass, I couldn’t help but feel excited.
“This is really happening…” I thought.
The plan was to start in London and hop across cities in just a few days — I was buzzing with anticipation!
2. Good Morning, London! The City Woke Me Up
We landed at Heathrow early in the morning.
Even though I slept most of the flight, stepping into the crisp London air completely woke me up.
It was a rare sunny day (yes, really!), and the cool summer breeze felt so different from Tokyo. It instantly reminded me, “I’m finally in London.”
First thing to do: get an Oyster Card — London’s version of a Suica.
You’ll need this for subways and buses. Just pay a £7 deposit and top up any amount you want. There are machines near the Tube platforms at Heathrow, so it’s easy to grab one before heading into the city.
I dropped my bags at the hotel — Hyatt Place London Heathrow.
Since my flight to Barcelona was early the next morning, I needed a hotel close to the airport.
It was around ¥20,000 per night (London is expensive…), but booking off-season helped a bit.
I used Agoda for this one. Yes, I know it’s had some bad press lately, but they offer great deals on overseas hotels, especially with promo codes.
(Just make sure you pick a trustworthy hotel! 😅)
🛏️ You can check the hotel I stayed at here.
3. The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
My first stop: Buckingham Palace.
Seeing the guards in their bright red uniforms and black bearskin hats was like walking into a movie.
The atmosphere, the marching, the precision — it all screamed British. And yes, it was packed with tourists, but so worth it.
I took tons of photos and videos on my phone and kept rewatching them later.
If you’re visiting, note that the ceremony happens at 11:00 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
It gets super crowded, so arrive at least 30 minutes early to grab a good spot.
4. British Museum: An Afternoon of Awe
My afternoon plan was the British Museum, which I booked for 2:30 PM.
(Tip: it’s free, but you still need to reserve your entry time online.)
Once inside, I headed straight for the Egyptian section.
From the Rosetta Stone to actual mummies, the exhibits were jaw-dropping. It felt like walking through a textbook — but better.
There’s no way to see it all in one visit. I was overwhelmed (in a good way) by the amount and quality of the artifacts.
FYI: Some sections reminded me of Tokyo National Museum in Ueno — not bad, but familiar. But the Egyptian and European collections? Absolutely world-class.
Reserve your spot for the British Museum here.
5. Early Night – Getting Ready for Barcelona
After a jam-packed first day, I headed back to the hotel early to rest.
I’m terrible at sleeping on planes, so even on long-haul red-eyes, I just close my eyes and hope for the best.
I was running on pure adrenaline, but with another early flight the next morning, I forced myself to check in by 5pm, take a shower, and crash.
A bit jet-lagged, a bit sleepy — but mostly, just excited that the adventure had finally begun.
***Here is my travel memories in another countries.***
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