I promised myself to write more often—and here I am.
My lifelong friend recently came to visit me in the UK. Let's keep it at that, even though she was here to celebrate her wedding anniversary and take some time off work. Oh my days—having close friends to go out with every other weekend, shopping, sightseeing, coffee dates. It feels like a dream because you know you have to be all productive when your friend is in town, squeezing in every moment, since normal days will be filled with everything else life throws your way. That’s what makes it special—you want to make these moments the best ones.
What’s even more special is that we’ve been traveling together since we were 18, mostly around Asia. Who would’ve thought our travel adventures would last this long, now taking us to a different continent? Life has a beautiful way of surprising you.
The first was Fatin in 2021, then Laila in 2022, and now Zulaika in 2025. The list of my lifelong friends visiting will keep growing as long as I’m here.
Let’s get to it.
Day 1 – London
The first thing in the morning was look for a nice breakfast spot. She wanted Eggs Benedict; I just wanted some bread and coffee. We strolled around Carnaby Street, wandering down its colorful lanes until we found Nessa in Soho. It looked nice—comfy, cozy, and welcoming—so we went in. Later, we realized we’d just had breakfast at 1 Warwick, known for its exclusive members-only social and wellbeing spaces. Not bad for a spontaneous choice!
After breakfast, we headed to the famous Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio in Watford Junction. Neither of us are huge Harry Potter fans, but we still enjoyed it because it brought the magic of the series to life. We learned more about how the films were produced, the details behind the sets, and the creative process that shaped it.
I’d been there before in 2021 with Hanis and Bella, but this time felt different. It made me think—one day, all of this might be gone. Kids today, including me, aren’t as into it anymore. It’s a little sad to think about all that effort fading into the past. Maybe they could update some of the displays with newer technology to keep it fresh. Like how Bicester Village kept things fresh all the time.
We spent five hours there and caught the last shuttle bus back to the train station, heading to Euston. From there, we made our way to Bayswater for dinner at MedSalleh.
Day 2 – Bath, Spa
I’d been to Bath once before, right after COVID, when not many places were open, not even the Roman Baths. This time, we caught the 10 AM train (because we’re not morning people).Our first stop was the Roman Baths, where we learned about the ancient waters that were once believed to cure any illness and I of course drank it like a holy water.
We had a couple of Portuguese tarts by the Pulteney Weir, then walked up toward the Royal Crescent. Unfortunately, Bath Abbey was closed for a funeral, so we couldn’t go inside. By 5 PM, we were back on the train to Paddington, arriving around 6 PM—just in time for dinner together with Shaz, the husband before I headed off back to Bicester.
It was a quick trip for me, but it felt just right because the trips were not really about the places we're going, it's actually the time spent, sharing thoughts and inspirational insights, not to forget the great laughters that make the journey worthwhile.
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