Two Weeks in London
- Jordan Blaza Olsen
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
I’d been looking for an excuse to go back to London, and finally landed on two: my birthday and MCM Comic Con. So I booked myself a solo trip from October 24 to November 6, 2024—almost two weeks to just exist in a city I already knew I enjoyed. MCM had been on my list for years, but I always let other people’s opinions talk me out of it. This time, I listened to the only voice that mattered: mine.
Slow Roll
Instead of hopping between countries or racing through “top 10 must-see” lists, I picked one city and one goal: slow down and actually be in London. I landed at Heathrow around 10 a.m., running on that weird combo of jet lag and adrenaline. The drive to London’s ExCel Centre—where the convention is held—was packed with traffic, and by the time I pulled up to the Novotel it was noon. Too early for check-in, just in time to join a lobby full of con-goers in half-finished wigs and armor. Instead of stressing about the wait, I wandered around the area, soaked up the pre-con buzz, then had a late lunch at the hotel restaurant.
My room eventually opened up, and while it didn’t come with a dramatic skyline view, it did overlook a narrow slice of the docklands waterway. It felt oddly grounding—not a movie set, just a real place I got to borrow for a few days. I unpacked my cosplay pieces and laid them out, a little pre-con ritual to officially kick off the trip. The next few days were full-on convention mode, which I heavily documented on my Instagram. Once MCM wrapped, I swapped con floors for cobblestones.
Contrasting Architecture
I moved back into the city and checked into The Chamberlain Hotel in Tower Hill, a cozy spot with Edwardian character, a pub downstairs, and—best of all—a rooftop deck. From there, I could walk to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, places I’d rushed through on earlier trips. That night I sat down for some Chinese food at a nearby spot called Cloud Land and afterwards I celebrated my birthday on the rooftop with a sticky toffee pudding a la mode. No big party, no packed nightclub—just a soft, quiet birthday that felt exactly right.
The next day, I walked to Leadenhall Market for one of my stops. One entrance perfectly frames a clash of old and new: a shiny modern building with a shiny metal wrapped staircase backed right up against a grand Victorian arch. That futuristic-looking structure is Lloyd’s of London, famous for its “inside-out” style where the building’s guts live on the exterior, aptly called “Bowellism”. Inside Leadenhall, the covered walkways and ornate details make you feel like you’ve wandered onto a movie set. Most shops were still closed when I arrived, which was actually perfect—I had space to wander, stare up at the ceilings, and just exist there without rushing.
Food Motivation
From there, I walked toward my brunch reservation at Duck & Waffle. On the way, I passed The Gherkin, the giant pickle-shaped glass tower that looks like it escaped from a sci-fi film. At Duck & Waffle, I scored a table with a clear view of it and ordered their signature dish: a crispy fried duck leg and a runny egg on top of a waffle. It was one of those meals that makes you say, “Yeah, I’d come back for this.”
A lot of people say London is their favorite city, and on this trip, I really started to understand why. I traded late nights for long daytime walks, slow brunches, and aimless wandering. If you’re new to travel, London might sound huge and intimidating, but here’s what I learned: you don’t have to “do it all.”
Pick one neighborhood, one experience, one little dream you’ve had in the back of your mind—like a convention, a market, or a single restaurant—and build around that.
When you give yourself permission to move slowly, the city changes. It stops being a checklist of tourist spots and starts feeling like somewhere you could almost belong, even if it’s just for a couple of weeks.
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