Missing the Bus: Adventures from London to Germany

“The station will be closing in 15 minutes. Please leave the station at this time.”

After watching my 10pm bus out of London leave the station in the mere seconds after I arrived at the station, I couldn’t imagine how things could get worse. That was, until, I heard this announcement. As I looked around in a panicked, sleepy, frustrated haze, a stranger assured me, “They always say that. Don’t worry it stays open.” With my re-booked ticket for the early morning in hand, I settled into a seat. After all, it was only just a few hours wait. But at 2am, a policeman eventually approached me to tell me that due to renovations, the station was actually closing. The station was ACTUALLY CLOSING.

With no other choice, I left the protective walls of the bus station and stood outside, layering on the light cardigans I had packed – the only time in my entire journey that I was glad for my 50 pound bag companion. It was a bizarre moment to begin friendships, but those of us thrown outside were naturally inclined to begin conversing. Where are you from? What time is your bus? Where are you going?

Soon I knew that the stranger who told me that the station would stay open was a Scottish man, an aspiring writer, a history enthusiast, and a fan of Andy Murray (who is DEFINITELY from Scotland and NOT an Englishman). Incredibly, there were also two Gambian men who could not hide their surprise when I recited all the Wolof phrases I could remember from studying abroad in Senegal. While limited, this bit of common language and our shared love of ceebu jen and bissap juice turned into remarkable conversation filled with intimate nostalgia.

Eventually the station reopened, the bus to Cologne came, and my adventures in London ended as I continued my journey towards Berlin. I will never forget the overwhelming sense of awe I felt upon seeing the panoramic views from the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral. No words can describe the grandness of Big Ben or the intricate architecture of the Palace of Westminster. The hidden works of street art in the shadows of the city were equally inspiring as the famous works displayed in the Tate Modern. However, the most memorable experience of London was momentarily humanizing the diverse strangers in this bustling and overwhelming city, thanks to a series of unfortunate events.

View from the top of St. Paul's Cathedral (London)

London Eye

A really great and affordable way of learning about the street art culture in London is through taking The Alternative London Tour. 

We even ran into a street artist, Louis Masai. His aim is to spread awareness of a project called Save the Bees, advocating the importance of creating space for bees and stymie their population decline.