I have decided to stay in an Airbnb, rather than spend money at a hotel staying in a small room. London is an expensive big city, and there's no way that one room would be enough for all four of us. I was careful in choosing where to stay, checking the budget, its cleanliness, space, and people's feedback - these are all crucial. I have got my personal preference when it comes to where I live. I am a light sleeper, and I usually   

I  found the "one" and immediately booked it. It was a two-bedroom apartment at the Shoreditch area. People raved about the host, the place, its accessibility and much more. Comparatively with hotels in the city, the apartment appeared to be a good offer. Only two of our travelers canceled, leaving the two of us staying in this big apartment. With space we have got, we could have a party. 

We took the train from Edinburgh to London on the fourth day of our Europe trip. Three hours after a misty train ride, we finally arrived in Central London. 

And... we were lost! 

I guess we got used to Hong Kong where everything is so near, that wherever you go, directions were plenty. We figured out we needed to queue to get train tickets. But then, there was not enough staff who would offer directions. There were probably fifty clueless tourists who just arrived, and there was only ONE staff asking us whether we can pay cash or credit card on purchasing train tickets. That entire scenario lasted for thirty minutes. 

We also expected to see the train map at the platform itself. However, it only showed the line where that particular train was going. We were pulling our luggage, so it was no way easier for us. I went up again to find a staff to whom I can ask the map of London railway. I found two staff chatting and asked the directions. 

After another hour of dragging our luggage, we have arrived Shoreditch Station. We followed the direction given by the host, and another thirty minutes later, we finally sat down on the sofa. The apartment itself took some time to welcome us. Our hosts needed to accompany her Mom to the doctor, so her friend met us to give us the keys. I was aghast to inhale the combination of polluted air and the smell of sewage. Welcome to London, I heard it whisper. With the gloomy weather, it looked like it's going to rain soon. We remained an optimist, we freshened up and looked for somewhere to eat.

A few minutes walk, and we reached a big block filled with restaurants. We excitedly looked at the possibility of getting food as we were starving. We found a restaurant that serves ribs and fries. The waitress cheerfully greeted us with her pen and paper and wrote our orders one by one. She explained that their computer system was stuck, so our orders will take longer. Thirty long minutes of starvation, and soon we were looking at a sumptuous looking ribs. It was delicious, but given the circumstances, I felt annoyed.

Here are some photos at Shoreditch Area (a.k.a. hipsters area):

After the late lunch, we went back to the apartment again to rest for a while. We better figure out how to go to the Matilda theater show. We realized we needed to get Oyster cards as buses do not accept coins! How inconvenient! 

We reached the theater with a few more minutes to get drinks. We enjoyed the show thoroughly, even if we got the seats near to the last row. Finally, something positive happened. The songs were brilliantly written. The artists were awesome, most especially the enthusiastic girl who played Matilda. 

We took the bus back to our home. It has been truly a long day. On the way to the apartment, I can't believe we got catcalled. There was also a drunk man shouting on the street. That night, I was supposed to sleep in the other room, but the room felt creepy that I went to stay with my friend instead. We decided to eat instant garlic noodles that evening, promised ourselves that the next day would be better.