Last week, I headed over to London for just over 24 hours. That may not sound like a lot of time in such an amazing city, but I managed to squeeze a lot into my short trip.
We started at Belfast City Airport, which is just a five-minute drive from the city centre. We parked at the Premier Car Park and made the very short walk into the terminal - a huge help when you are lugging heavy cases.
Once in the terminal, we headed straight to security which was quick and effortless, and we were through in no time at all. You don't even have to remove anything from your bag any more at Belfast City Airport’s security area, which makes the process so much more convenient.
While we waited for our flight, we took some time to chill out in the Aspire lounge, which was absolutely fantastic. It comes with food and drink included in the price, as well as great views of the planes coming and going as we relaxed before our flight.
Soon it was time to head to the plane, which was right on time, and we were in the air and on our way to London. Once we landed on the other side, we headed straight to our hotel near Paddington Station.
We had a Thames dinner cruise booked for the evening, which I thought would be a really unique way to see the sights while also getting to enjoy some great food. We were welcomed onto the boat with a glass of prosecco, along with a singer who performed for us. After we were shown to our seats by the window, the first of the four courses was there in no time.
The food was fantastic, and the views were absolutely spectacular. We were on the boat for around four hours, which flew by because there was so much to look at and take in. As the sun set and night fell, it was amazing to watch the city come to life with the bright lights and to see world-famous sights like Tower Bridge and The Shard from such a different angle.
Once the cruise came to an end, we headed back to our hotel to get an early night so we could make the most of day two. After a good night’s sleep, we grabbed some breakfast and headed out to explore even more of this great city.
Because we only had 24 hours, I wanted to make sure we could see as much of the city as possible during our short stay, so we headed to Darwin Brasserie in the Sky Garden for lunch and to take in the views. I couldn't fault the food and service here at all, and it was a really special experience to dine while overlooking the city from the 36th floor.
After lunch, we popped down to the viewing space - and the view was absolutely breathtaking. We sat there for around an hour just watching the hustle and bustle of London but soon, sadly, it was time to head home.
When we were on our way back to the airport, I had time to think about how simple it was to get from Belfast to London. You may think that 24 hours isn't long enough for any trip away, but flying to London Gatwick from Belfast City Airport really made this trip worthwhile.
It makes such a difference when travelling is made to feel this easy.
