London greeted me with gray skies, cold air, and a very real reminder—this city is expensive.
Tower of London with Go City Pass
Left my apartment at 9:00 a.m., wearing just a light down jacket.
By 9:30, I reached the Tower of London, scanned my Go City Pass QR code, and walked straight in.
No ticket counter, no queue—smooth and simple.
Inside the White Tower, the atmosphere was practical and minimal.
Less about decoration, more about weapons and military efficiency.
Then I visited the Crown Jewels—no photos allowed, but the silence inside said everything.
Everyone just stared at gold and history in complete awe.
Total visit time: about 3 hours.
So far, the Go City Pass has been flawless—entry, schedule, everything in one app.
Thames Walk and HMS Belfast
After leaving, I photographed the Tower Bridge—its gray structure matched the overcast sky perfectly.
Crossed the bridge, walked along the south bank, and spotted the HMS Belfast, a massive retired warship now turned museum.
Even without going inside, it’s impressive up close.
I continued walking until London Bridge, feeling the shift—this wasn’t “tourism” anymore.
It started to feel like daily life.
The Price Shock
Along the river, I checked restaurant menus.
A plate of pasta? £20—about ¥4,000.
Minimum wage in London is around £13/hour.
In other words, two hours of work for one pasta dish.
That’s when I knew: survival requires supermarkets.
Living Off the Supermarket
At the local store:
- Butter Basted chicken (half) – £5
- Fresh pasta (3 packs) – £10
That’s enough food for two days.
Travel mode officially switched to “budget living in London.”
Dinner: Butter Basted Chicken
Pulled the bones out easily—tender, juicy, soft fibers that fell apart.
Less salty than German festival meat, mild and elegant but slightly lacking punch.
It begged for beer, but here’s the problem:
In British supermarkets, beer is sold warm and only in 4-pack sets.
No single cold bottle.
So, I skipped it and accepted my first taste of British restraint.
Tomorrow is a free day—no plans, just living.
Takeaway:
London may be historic and grand, but its real challenge isn’t the language—it’s the price tag.
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