It's not always raining in London.

After 40 hours of travel and a quick stop off in sweaty Bangkok we arrived in London Town. Departing Sydney the day after a freak hail storm in the midst of an unusually cold winter we shed our layers the moment we landed. We screamed tourist by walking around in summer clothes during a cloudless, 25 degree day. Weather so good we got sunburnt on the first day of our holiday.

Skip the hop on hop off bus and hit the pavements. 

Familiarise yourself with the city by hitting the streets and doing your own walking tour- we took the scenic route from Bayswater to the heart of the city. We meandered through Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and finished at Buckingham Palace. It was great to soak in the outdoors after hours spent sitting on a plane. Take things at your own pace and allow time to stop for photos, a couple of pints and a british pub lunch on the way.

Test out the metro.

The underground is great. A word of advice- if you don't have an oyster card you can tap on and off with most chipped eftpos/credit cards. This was a life saver when we needed to grab the tube/hop on the bus and wanted to avoid queueing for tickets.

Absorb some history. 

Make sure to check out the British Museum- any doubts that the British were the first real explorers of the world will be dispelled when you get here. They have everything. There are walls and rooms with artifacts detailing some of the most important history throughout the world. Despite being a bit overrun by gaggles of school children, you could get lost in there for hours. The mummy exhibition was definitely a highlight- It is a true testament to how far technology and science have come when you can watch 3D scans showing in detail what is beneath the wrappings of 2000 year old mummies. 

If you aren't ready to commit to an english breakfast... 

Seek an amazing Australian breakfast from Granger & Co in Notting Hill. Huge brunch fans- I had the prettiest, most delicious scrambled eggs I've ever eaten . I will forever be trying to recreate them in my own kitchen. Arrive early and make sure to order a real piccolo or flat white.

- Words by Kelly. Pictures by Daniel.