SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to the Truly Expert Travel Podcast, where I chat with experts about their favorite holiday destinations. Let's be honest. Expats are some of the best travelers around, always planning the next adventure, exploring hidden gems, and finding the best spots wherever they go. So who better to ask for travel inspiration? So today is quite special. I've got a very special guest with me. My niece, Carla Bareka, is coming on. She's she's now an expat. How long has it been now? Eight months.

SPEAKER_00 0:41

It flies. It really does. It feels like six months, but yeah, it's been like a year and a half, which is crazy.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

It's the last time I saw you, we were in Sicily. We were in Sicily. Yeah. On my road trip. Yeah. So thank you, Carla, for coming on. I really appreciate it. Let's get stuck into who you are and how you became an expert and what kind of traveller you are.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

Yes. So um, yes, thank you for having me on. I'm very excited. As my auntie follower said, my name is Carla. I am 25 years old and I live in London. As I said, I moved to London 18 months ago from Australia. I grew up in Sydney, Australia my whole life. I've never lived anywhere different before that. So yeah, I moved here 18 months ago, I think at the time I was wanting change. I was wanting to be closer to Europe to experience different cultures. And I think I was at a period in my life where, you know, I was in my early to mid-20s. I kind of was thinking about what I wanted for the next few years. And I think travel has always been a really big part of my life and something I've really enjoyed. So yeah, that's why I kind of moved over and became an expat myself, which is I've never actually heard myself referred to that, but it's kind of fun. And what type of traveler am I? I think I seek when I'm traveling different cultures, different experiences. I love going to new cities and just walking around, eating the food, meeting local people and kind of getting their recommendations of what to do and where to go. I think obviously touristy things are nice to see and they're really pretty, but often those really cool cultural experiences are what you remember from a place.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

So yeah. Exactly. So which gets us into what is your holiday, Christmas uh destination that we're gonna chat about today?

SPEAKER_00 2:32

So I thought I should talk about London because I live here now and it's my home. I came to London the first time in 2023. I did like a big like most Australian 20-year-olds did a big Europe trip to kind of see Europe. I'd only been to Paris before, so I was here for about four months. And during that trip, I spent a week in London. That was the first time I'd been to London. I loved it. I thought it was obviously it's really easy change for English speaking countries because it is all English here. So yeah, thought that London would be my pick because I live here now and I've spent a Christmas here. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

And I guess Christmas there is very different to being like a summer invitation.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

Yes, yes, definitely. I mean, I've only ever had summer Christmases up until living here. So I'd always been in Sydney where it's warm, we have a barbecue and it's you're at the pool. So it was very different having my first Christmas here. It was such a good experience. The way in which Europe does Christmas is amazing and it feels like Christmas movies, which I love. So yeah, definitely, definitely the top part.

SPEAKER_01 3:43

If you were to advise anybody, if someone was thinking, okay, I'm gonna go to London or for Christmas, what would a three, two, three-day itinerary look like, or what could you give them in terms of advice?

SPEAKER_00 3:57

Okay, in terms of a two, three-day itinerary, I think there's a few items that you have to tick off the list. I think London does decorations and Christmas lights amazingly. So all of your favorite tourists destinations and your sites you have to see, the big streets, Oxford Street, Regent Street are just covered in beautiful lights, and there's just such a pretty vibe. There's always so many people out. So I would say you definitely have to just do a big walk around the city and just see all of the Christmas lights, which obviously it's really cold, so it gets dark at about three o'clock in the afternoon, so it's not something you have to wait late to to do, but yeah, you can do a big walk through all the streets, see all the Christmas lights, and London also, like a lot of Europe, does Christmas markets. So a lot of the different places you'll find little Christmas market. You get your hot chocolate, you've got all your different little mobs, and lots of little stalls as well, and making cute little Christmas decorations, gifts, and make it really feel like the vibe. So I would say that you could definitely do a day of just seeing the Christmas light and doing all of that. The other thing I would say to do, which I didn't know about, and I did for the first time yet last year, which is massive here, is Winter Wonderland. So in Hyde Park, it basically is transformed into like this massive Winter Wonderland, as they say, and it's just a massive like carnival show. There's all these stalls, there's food, there's rides, yeah, everything you could think of Christmassy. How long does that go for? Does that go through all of December? Do you know if it hits? I think it goes through all of December and until the start, like early January, I think, of the last few days. I'd have you'd have to check, but it definitely goes for a long period of time. You do need to buy tickets. It is a ticket event, but you can buy tickets like the week before. They're not that expensive. It is obviously it's like a show, so it's expensive in there in terms of buying food and different things, but definitely is worth it. It's yeah, it feels very Christmassy, it's packed, there's lights everywhere, and there's different like areas to the show where there's like a German inside area. There's a like yeah, so it's really nice. It's really nice. So yeah, that would be the other thing I'd say you'd have to do.

SPEAKER_01 6:19

And are there any specific shows or anything? Is it any Christmassy shows?

SPEAKER_00 6:24

Yes, so I guess you could always the West End is always packed with shows. One thing that actually I've never I hadn't heard about, I don't know if other places do it, is it's really common for them to do Christmas movies here with a live orchestra, which is a really cool experience. I didn't get to do it last year, but I definitely want to try and get tickets this year. But I know that they show like love actually, and then they have a live orchestra playing the soundtrack, which obviously is such a cute little experience. I know that they do those type of shows leading up to Christmas. Also, like your traditional Christmas shows, I guess they would show probably on the West End, and all your normal West End shows will probably go on as well. The West End is always pumping with shows and things to do, so that's definitely something else you could keep doing.

SPEAKER_01 7:10

And is Christmas Day in London a place where everyone goes home and celebrates, or do they celebrate in restaurants and hotels?

SPEAKER_00 7:19

So we found last year that a lot of people go home. I guess I wasn't directly in the city. I'm sure in like London City there's still lots of people in the city because of lots of tourists. Where I live was obviously a little bit out, and a lot of people around here kind of went home or were traveling. So I guess you only kind of have some certain pubs open that will do like a roast. We last year spent time with a family that we're friends with, and yeah, I think it's really, really traditional to do like a roast or sit down. Obviously, it's cold. You do presents like anywhere. They have the three o'clock address by the king, which is so we were so excited about because we'd never heard about. Basically, he comes on at three o'clock and says, like, Merry Christmas, everyone, and kind of has a year and reflect. So I guess that's a different cultural experience than anywhere else you don't really get. So yeah, for us, it seemed as though a lot of people around us went home or went traveling. But I'm sure in London, city and like your touristy areas, you'd have a lot more open, and you've always got pubs for a roast.

SPEAKER_01 8:24

And do you have anywhere you can go ice skating outside? Is it not that type of place?

SPEAKER_00 8:29

Well, it's definitely not cold that there's anywhere to ice skate that's real. But fantasy palace station, um, which is actually just near me, is they put on a big Christmas parade show market. So they have a Christmas market and they have a big ice skating ring, which you can go and ice skate there. So I think there's that one, and I'm sure there's another one probably closer to North London. Yeah, so you can definitely do that if that's something you want to do.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

And are there big Christmas trees somewhere?

SPEAKER_00 8:58

Yes, yes, there's a big everywhere in like the city. So like Oxford Street, Regent Street, there's big Christmas trees, lights everywhere. Yeah, you'll see all of it.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

And if someone was coming there for Christmas, would you suggest that they buy Christmas presents there or bring them with them?

SPEAKER_00 9:14

You definitely can buy Christmas presents here. The shopping is crazy. Obviously, all your big streets, Regent Street, Oxford Street, that uh London's known for, has every shop you could think of. Specifically, if you're traveling with kids, Hamley's the um kids' store is three levels, and there's every possible toy you could think of. Just also such a fun little thing to do with kids because they always have live shows at the front every 20 minutes. There's a little ice cancel and gretto ice cream parlor in there. I think at Christmas that's just obviously wound up. That's Santa, there's everything. So definitely could buy things here. There's lots of shoppings. There's two big Westfields in London, which huge. Yeah, they're really big and they have every shop you could ever think of. Yeah. And coming from Australia, I guess the access here to every brand ever is so much easier. Because yeah, they're so much closer.

SPEAKER_01 10:07

Is there a food or a drink that you have to try at Christmas in the UK? Uh would you say mince pies are a thing? Not quite. Hot mince pies, the ones with the, you know, the little ones that have Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:22

We didn't really eat all of that. I'm trying to think. There's a so like a Bailey's hot chocolate, but then there's also it's a hot, like red winey. Mulled wine? Mulled wine. Okay, yeah. My favorite. Yes, mulled wine is definitely everywhere. All the Christmas markets, you can get a mulled wine, which I actually was surprised that I quite enjoyed. Also, like a Bailey's hot chocolate. Anywhere that does hot chocolates will do like a Bailey's hot chocolate, and they go all out on that with the marshmallows and the cream. So, yeah, they're probably the two drinks. Yeah, in terms of food, nothing that really stood out. I think still England is very traditional in terms of like you still get a roast, it's still cold. So that's still the go-to food. But I guess you've got a lot of your markety food. I guess Christmas pudding as well. Like, yes, Christmas pudding, yeah, that's massive here, I guess. Yeah. Any one that you would eat when it's cold.

SPEAKER_01 11:18

Yeah. I think I wonder in the supermarkets, do are they selling Christmassy products? Like, do they sell bonbons and stuff if someone wants it? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:29

Definitely could get, yeah, definitely the supermarkets sell like your bonbons or your traditional Christmasy stuff as well that you can get. It's also great, like our department the department stores here, sell fridges, John Lewis, even just walking into them at Christmas, like the Christmas areas and the decorations and Harrods, like the floor. We made like quite an effort last year to just go in and walk around the department stores around my Christmas section because like the amount of like the decorations they have for your tree, the bonbons, the advent calendars, it's just everything is there. So that's also something that you can definitely do that. I don't think they have that's quite unique to hear that Harrod's self-produced journalist, they really make an effort and yeah, go all out with their little Christmas displays.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

Is everything closed on Christmas Day there or no? I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 12:18

I don't I think yes, it is closed. Yeah, I I would imagine so, but I don't know about the city. I wonder whether things in the city kind of open up because of a lot of tourists. Yeah, I don't know, to be completely honest.

SPEAKER_01 12:31

Okay, that's fine. Did anything surprise you about Christmas in London?

SPEAKER_00 12:36

Maybe. I guess it was my first winter Christmas, so everything felt different. I think I was surprised at how much I enjoyed a cold Christmas, how like it did feel quite Christmassy and quite cute. It was my first Christmas away from family, so I think it was nice to have that real different experience. Yeah, I think that was the nice part. It didn't snow, we were all praying that it would snow, but it's reference to snow in London. So I think we were praying for a miracle. But yeah, I guess that was the only thing also that didn't surprise me. Because obviously, in love, actually, it's snowing on Christmas, of course it should snow.

unknown 13:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:13

Was there anything you wish you knew before your first Christmas? Maybe to kind of plan ahead a little bit in terms of when you're going into the cities. Um, obviously, Christmas in London is a really busy time, it's really toothy. So getting on things like the tube can be really hard, especially if you don't know where you're going in new to London. I guess even knowing where I was going, getting on and off the tube and changing was quite complex because there's so many people around. So I guess for someone that's new to London or doesn't know London, I can imagine it'd be quite overwhelming to do, especially if you've with kids and a family. But I guess usually getting around by car is really, really hard in London because of the traffic. So definitely kind of planning where you're going, mapping it out, and having a plan on your phone when you get on the tube so you don't end up in the middle of a station split with losing people and trying to figure it out.

SPEAKER_01 14:08

In places in London, is there free Wi-Fi?

SPEAKER_00 14:11

I can't remember. I don't know. I guess like all your chains, like Starbucks and things like that, have free Wi-Fi. One thing though, the tube often doesn't have service. A lot of the tube lines, yeah. So when you're down there, you're not getting anything and you're kind of stuck. So you know, you need to know where you're getting off. You need to know, yeah. You need to have screenshot and gonna care. I'm getting off here or I'm changing here because yeah, you're not you're not looking it up on the tube. And often you're squished in. Everyone squishes in like sardines. There's not there's no personal space on the tube. So I guess I think also the phone out.

SPEAKER_01 14:46

I think the thing for me with the tube, it's so hot in there in winter. It is.

SPEAKER_00 14:51

It's like and that's I think dressing in London, which I guess this is winter, and I don't know if this is everywhere that's quite winter, but one thing coming to London is inside it's so warm, everything's so well heated. The tube is so hot because there's so many people on it and it's underground. You need layers, you don't need clothes that you're all rubbed up and you can't get in and out. You need layers that you can get on, take off your coat, take off your jumbar, and so you're at a normal degrees because yeah, it does get really hot on the tube. Often you're really close to people, and yeah, it can be quite gross if you're then really, really sweaty, you get off and you've gotten to a destination, you're like, Oh, I feel a mess. So, yeah, definitely layers rather than being rugged up. Make sure you have stuff that you can take on and off and kind of change.

SPEAKER_01 15:40

Is there any tips that you could give anybody that's thinking of going to London for Christmas?

SPEAKER_00 15:45

As I said, plan ahead, be on top of what you want to do. Um, if there's anything specific, like a show, um, went to London, make sure you get tickets before so you avoid disappointment. I guess where you stay is often as well really important. Like, I think making sure that you stay somewhere that's nearer to the blind so it makes it easier to get around, but also maybe kind of thinking about staying right in the middle of the city during that time. Like, obviously, it's really, really busy at night, people walking in the lights, so getting in and out, whether you want to stay somewhere a little bit further out. Nothing's far in London, um, but staying somewhere like Kensington, staying somewhere a little bit further away, so you can kind of go into the city, which takes 10 minutes, but you're not in the middle of the chaos all the time. I think also like one thing about London is it's not just the city, like all your little areas have so much going on and are always so worth exploring. I know Ken Venon loves Christmas markets, King Street has like beautiful lights. So, like, there's so many places that you can go that aren't just your typical touristy ones. So I guess it's about exploring all of those places and making a real effort to do that.

SPEAKER_01 17:00

Is it right? Does it rain much around that period?

SPEAKER_00 17:02

Didn't last year. We were quite lucky, but yeah, it always rains in London. So I think you always need an umbrella, always in an umbrella, always have waterproof gloves and be prepared that yeah, it may be raining. Boots, boots that are waterproof. Yeah, because yeah, it does rain, and I think it doesn't rain hard, I think, and there's not a lot of rain, but sometimes it it rains often. So it's good.

SPEAKER_01 17:27

I mean, it's good advice because if people are packing, they're not quite sure what they're packing for. Definitely, definitely.

SPEAKER_00 17:32

I think, yeah. I think it's it's all seasons. It'll be warm, you'll be hot, and then it'll be freezing, then it'll be raining, and it'll be warm again. So that's right. Layers, an umbrella. You can never be too pet. You always need your gloves, you always need a scarf, you always need an umbrella, but you always need to be wearing a t-shirt just in case it gets really hot. You just want to make sure that you've got all of your layers covered. So I think that's really important when dressing for London. Is there anything else you'd like to add? No, I think cover is Christmas in London. I think everything, I guess just London in general, there's so much to do. So I guess my biggest tip for just coming to London in general would be explore all the little different areas, try and get out of just Soho, Oxford, and kind of go into all the little different other areas and see there's so much good food, there's so many events. No matter what you want to do or what you like, there's always something going on in London that you can find. But I think, yeah, it's really important to get out. And the green spaces, there's so I think moving to London, I thought that I'd be surrounded by buildings all the time. But there's so many lovely parks. Holland Park, Hyde Park, all the commons. It's really nice to always walk around those and yeah, have a look at that. See if there'll be my other one and tip.

SPEAKER_01 18:45

That's awesome. Thank you so much for coming on and sharing your tips about London for Christmas. And I hope to have you on again soon.

SPEAKER_00 18:56

Hey, thanks for having me. Thanks.

SPEAKER_01 19:00

So join us again next week on Truly Expat Travel Podcast, where I have another exciting destination in a world that's too big to be left unexplored. Jason.