I had always wanted to go to London. Something was calling me there, and I couldn’t ignore it. I did everything I could to get myself there, and it ultimately paid off. I spent the effort adding extra United States passport pages, exchanging dollars for pounds, and researching power converters, and although it took a lot of planning, the memories and experiences I walked away with made it more than worth it.

A lot of people don’t travel because of all the preparation that it involves. When I was waiting to get additional passport pages, my mom and I were talking about all the things that I still needed to do. I wasn’t worried. My mom said she dreaded traveling for that very reason. Don’t let the preparation of traveling keep you from going on the vacation of your dreams. I didn’t let it stop me, and now I have what seems like a lifetime of amazing memories.

London is the epitome of the artistic world. Aside from the beautiful museums, monstrous statues, and breathtaking buildings, even the street art is amazing. Even though walking through London itself is like walking through a living museum, the museums of London are something you do not want to miss. If you have a love for art as I do, a whole week could be spent just exploring the various museums that populate the city of London. The Victoria and Albert Museum, or just simply the V and A Museum, holds pieces that span every facet of art: from ancient artifacts to fashion. Rooms filled to the brim with authentic historical pieces really put existence into perspective; it’s easy to feel pretty small when standing in the midst of artifacts hundreds or thousands of years old.

My stop the next day was the Tate Modern Museum. I was little hesitant about a modern art museum, because I generally wasn’t very impressed with modern art. However, upon entering the monstrous building, I was instantly impressed. Getting to not only look at but interact with the art pieces made the Tate a very different kind of museum experience. Some of the pieces held very strong messages, and I left the museum feeling inspired.

The peak experience of my trip was getting to experience Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. As an English major, I hold an engrossing love for William Shakespeare and his plays, and getting to see them performed at their home was a truly humbling experience. I decided that the “groundling” experience was the way to go, being a little short on money. I had hit the gift shop, and had let loose a little too much. How could I resist the “Montague & Capulet” tote bag? I couldn’t. The play was incredible, and although my feet ached a little, it was easily disregarded when getting to stand at the edge of the stage. The atmosphere was so unique, and there was a vast difference from the theatre experiences I had previously been acquainted with.

I had such an amazing time in London, and, looking back, I realize I couldn’t possibly imagine all the great experiences I would have missed if all the planning had kept me from going. If there is a destination that you’ve always wanted to see, whether it’s Tokyo, Cancun, or London, don’t miss out. Get a new United States passport or add US passport pages, book a flight, and go take your dream vacation.