We landed this morning at 10 AM, London time, after an overnight flight from Pittsburgh. None of us got much sleep on the plane, so we were all completely exhausted by the time we arrived. The flight itself was pretty quiet, but not especially comfortable, which made it harder to rest. The food, though, was surprisingly decent. We had butter chicken with rice for dinner and a bacon, egg, and cheese burrito for breakfast, which helped a bit.
When we landed in London, the airport was busy and a bit overwhelming, especially running on very little sleep. Still, everything moved along fairly smoothly. After getting through, we boarded a bus for the 2.5-hour ride to Birmingham. I don’t remember much of the journey itself since I was either asleep or at least trying to be, but I do recall noticing some differences in the roads compared to back home, which was interesting even in my half-asleep state.
Once we arrived, we stopped at the hotel and dropped our bags off in the business center before heading straight out again. There was no time for a nap, even though we definitely could have used one. From there, we went to lunch at O’Neill’s, a local pub. I decided to go with fish and chips, which felt like the right choice for being in England, and it did not disappoint. The food was really good, and the atmosphere was relaxed. There was a soccer match playing on screens throughout the pub, visible from pretty much every table, which added to the experience without making it feel too loud or overwhelming.
After lunch, we spent some time walking around Birmingham. The weather was really nice, with clear skies and temperatures around 55 degrees, which made it perfect for exploring. We checked out the canals, which were a cool part of the city and gave it a different feel than I expected. Overall, Birmingham seemed like a mix of modern and historic elements, which made it interesting to walk through even while feeling pretty jetlagged.
One of the highlights of the afternoon was visiting the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. It was a nice, slower-paced stop where we could take in some art and history without rushing. After that, we made a quick stop at Tesco and Sainsbury’s to grab some snacks and drinks. It was interesting seeing how the stores compared to ones back home, with some familiar items but also plenty of differences.
The most challenging part of the day so far has honestly just been the exhaustion, and at one point climbing up a pretty steep hill definitely did not help. Jet lag has been hitting pretty hard, but at the same time it is exciting to finally be here and starting the trip.