What the Split Life of a Solo Traveler in a London Pub Is Like
The pub was a dark, moody green. I knew I would love this place the moment I first walked in since I have a meaningful relationship with the color green. The bar was a mix of dark wood and old metal strung with white Christmas lights. The place was loud, with people chatting in multiple accents, and it brought a warm smile to my face.
I went to dinner with my Chrissy, her daughter, and her friend. This was my second night in London, and I was still beaming with happiness that I was in this country that I hadn't been to in over ten years. Chrissy's friend and I were chatting about traveling for the longest time. We were similar in so many ways, especially our love of traveling. Chrissy did say I would like her friend, and she was right; I really did. I felt understood and seen. The traveling kind always knows when they meet one of their own.
We finally ordered dinner. My choice was fish and chips with a Guinness. I wanted to test the theory again that it tastes different in America, something I was told when I was in Iceland. And indeed, it does taste different, just like in Iceland.
We kept chatting about the election results since it was a couple of days after the American election. We were all wondering what the hell America was going to do. My friend Chrissy allowed me to chat away with her friend. The only time I stopped the conversation was to call dog to come over or to say how cute the dog next to us was. This is England, where dogs have the same rights as humans, at least in the sense of allowing them into establishments like coffee shops and pubs. This is America's nightmare with OSHA, but it’s one of many reasons why I love England.
I looked around and listened to people chatting away as we took a moment or two to enjoy our meals.
If you don't know this about me now, I love to people-watch. I was taking in this dinner that I hadn't had in a long time: the smells, the laughs, the dog barks, the accents, everything. As I sat there and danced in my chair a little for my fish and chips, I thought, I am in London, in a different city and country, over the pond from America.
When we are out with friends, we typically don't think about what is happening in another state, let alone a country. But I was thinking how I was so lucky to be here soaking up this moment thousands of miles away from my life. Here I am, taking in every second of this moment and wondering what this moment was like back in DC. Who is having a late lunch with their boss or co-workers? What are they talking about besides the election? Probably not anything else besides that unless they had a terrible commute on 495 or the metro.
For a split second that night, I lived two different lives: one back home and one while traveling. Have you ever felt like that when traveling?
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A few days later, it was my last night in London. My friend Chrissy suggested the same pub again for dinner. I was out in Central London chasing a sunset. It was foggy all day, in typical London fashion, so foggy that we could barely see Tower Bridge as we walked towards it. I wanted to do my last headstand in the last iconic place in London. After that, we went to the London Eye, something I hadn't done since I was 23. The fog was as thick as the traffic on 495 during rush hour.
But that afternoon/early evening, the sun came out after we returned from a late lunch. My friend had to pick up her daughter from school, and I was planning to write at a coffee shop near her flat. But the sun was out, and I felt like I had to go to Big Ben and see if I could chase that sunset.
My first one in London!
After frolicking around Big Ben, I grabbed a gin and tonic at a pub across the street and soaked up every minute. The hustle of tourists and locals rushing by, the horns of the cabs, the buses driving by, people asking others to take pictures of them… it felt like I was in a different life, like this could be my life in London. Ever since my first trip, I have wanted to live in England. But over the years, that dream took on a different form: Colorado. I had another moment about what life was like back at home, not because I was worried about something, but because it felt like my dream of living overseas could be possible again.
My friend Chrissy, her daughter, and I went to dinner that night. As we walked in, another smile came to my face because of the moodiness of the place. However, it was less packed compared to the other night. The guy did tell us it was Pub Quiz that night, aka Trivia Night. We planned not to stay for the pub quiz since my friend's daughter had school the following day.
But our food came out later than expected, and we decided to play our trivia game. I am 100 percent sure we were the only Americans in the back of the pub. Chrissy's daughter and I went rounds and rounds, trying to beat each other at buzzing in (putting our hands on the table) and answering the questions. We both have a fun, competitive spirit!
The table next to us was two guys, I am guessing father and son; if so, the son looked at least my age and was cute! Both were from Italy. They asked if we were playing Quiz Pop, and we told them yes, but our version. They enjoyed our competition because they kept looking over with warm smiles.
We finally left since it was past the time we were expecting to leave. I said ciao to the guys and wished them safe travels.
This pub is not magical like the airport, but I believe it led to two magical nights. When traveling, I take a minute or two to live at the moment I am in, whether grabbing a pint in a pub or having a meal with friends or strangers in a different country or state. I firmly believe magic happens. Just think: millions of people worldwide are working, eating, drinking, shopping, having doctor's appointments, etc., at the same time that you are living your life.
Pause for a second and think about that. This is what traveling is all about; the magic of making memories in new places on an ordinary night.
Thank you to my friend for two magical nights.