My sister had told me months in advance that for my birthday she wanted to give me an experience rather than a tangible object and so I gave her the dates of reading week for this mystery trip. When she handed me the envelope, I truly had no clue what she had booked. To my amusement (and my father's disappointment) she had got us tickets to see Magic Mike Live in London.
We stayed in the Travelodge in Wimbledon that had opened the week prior. Out of all the Travelodge's I have stayed in over the years, this was the nicest one by far. If you're visiting London anytime soon, I wholeheartedly recommend staying in Wimbledon. It's got a good high street with everything you could need: shops, supermarket, cinema, restaurants, bars and importantly a local Wetherspoons. The Travelodge was conveniently just round the corner from Wimbledon station which has plenty of connections.
Now for the main event: Magic Mike Live. The staple show at the Hippodrome Casino, the audience was almost exclusively made up of women though I did spot several boyfriends/husbands who had been dragged along. My sister had gotten us seats on the ground floor that turned out to be amazing placement as some of the dances began right next to us (or on my sister). I don't quite have the words to describe the experience but it's an exhilarating 90 minutes that I doubt I will ever forget. As expected, the drinks were pricier than what we are used to up here in Newcastle! Ladies, if you're looking for a girl's trip or birthday celebrations or a hen do, Magic Mike Live is well worth a consider.
For our second day we decided to explore Notting Hill and the Portobello Road market. I am ashamed to admit I am yet to watch Notting Hill (1999) but I did spot a shop referencing the film. It was peaceful walking around the colourful streets of Notting Hill, and I did spot several influencers in the wild (can't blame them it's a beautiful neighbourhood). Portobello Road market is great for jewellery, books and unique clothing. I spotted a vendor selling copies of the earlier editions of the Harry Potter books vendors selling unique leather jackets and one lady selling beautiful handmade cardigans that tempted me. Portobello Road market is less intense than Camden market and is filled with hidden gems.
For just two days, we certainly managed to fit a lot of it in. I do advise that if traveling to London to have a back-up plan for transport, particularly if you have something planned for a particular time. Of course, a huge thank you to my sister for an amazing weekend.