Now that the Harry Potter movies are over, it’s no surprise that Warner Brothers has decided to open Leavesden Studios to the public next year. When they announced it a month or so ago, I was very excited!
I’d already taken a picture at Platform 9¾ in London’s King’s Cross Station in 2008, flown to Chicago to see Harry Potter: The Exhibition in 2009, been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando last year, and scored an early invite (and got sorted) into Pottermore this year. Yes, I’m a Harry Potter nerd. I’m a PROUD Potterhead!
Anyway, I had been pondering returning to London* for some time now. It was also a good excuse to schedule in a day trip to Paris as I didn’t get a chance to go to the Louvre when I went in 2008. Plus, I wanted to ride the high-speed Eurostar between London and Paris.
So, I proceeded to look up airfare and hotel prices for a potential week-stay in London. I was very disappointed to find out that—because of London’s hosting of the summer Olympics next year—airfare and accommodations were more expensive than usual. It seems that it’ll cost me the same amount of money to fly to London as it would if I had flown to the Philippines, which is about more than 3x the flight time!
In the end, I decided to postpone the London/Paris trip, and to try for a trip to Japan instead. I’ve never been to Japan and it’s on my list of countries to visit, so I thought, “Why not?”
*I was in London earlier this year, but it was only for a 6-hour layover, so that doesn’t count. Plus, there was only time for eating and some light shopping.
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Nothing wrong with being a Harry Potter nerd I hate airport layovers, I got stuck in NJ for the same amount of hours as well when I got back from the Philippines in April. It was awful having to go through security checkpoint twice and being send back and forth to the same building facilities after they cancelled my flight back home a couple of times.
I’m following you on GetGlue if that’s OK ^^; I love that site!
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I could have done the same thing in Illustrator (the patterns and stuff) but I just got lazy afterwards. I had other things that needed to be done
No offense to the people who live in NJ, but I wouldn’t really know what to do there. Take the ferry to NYC? At least with London there was a lot to do, right? What did you end up doing during the layover? Just staying at the airport?
Ugh, I’m sorry they cancelled your flight. That’s the worst! Did you get anything for your trouble?
No problem! I’m following you on GetGlue as well, and on Twitter
I didn’t leave the airport area because I was originally supposed to be out of there by 3PM, then they cancelled it, changed gates & flight; the new schedule was just as bad because we weren’t even told the gates changed or if it was officially going to change again after that. Flights were being cancelled left and right when I got back into the US.
I just kept myself entertained on my iPad when I was there. I just wanted to get home ASAP.
I hate the way airlines treat their passengers nowadays. It’s as if they don’t understand that it’s their customers who are giving them the money they need to run their businesses. And, if they treat their customers terribly, they’re less likely to come back and give them their money.
It really is bad customer service on their part, and sometimes they forget that and that’s how they lose customer loyalty.
I love Harry Potter! I use the excuse ‘HP is better!’ when I try to explain my dislike towards Twilight… it never works as they are both different but it is worth a shot.
I wish I had all of those HP experiences lucky you!
Layovers suck… and what is even more pathetic is when your flight is delayed or you miss it entirely. Not a fun wait. I want to go to Japan for a holiday
Hahaha. I tried to read it, but just couldn’t get into it. Must be the girl power fan in me, but I don’t like weak girl leads. Whenever I think of a human loving a vampire, the top of my list is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She loved a vampire, but didn’t let that consume her; and when he threatened her safety and the safety of her family & friends, she sent him to hell!
As Stephen King said: “Harry Potter is all about confronting fears, finding inner strength and doing what is right in the face of adversity… Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend.”
Omg you life is full of excitedment O_O!
I love Harry Potter too ~ but not as much as you do haha! I wish I had all these HP experiences that you have as well
I wish I can plan for trips like you do! I can only makea wishlist of the places I want to visit next time – in a few years!
Japan is fun! But my mother mentioned something about the radiation not being over yet though… not sure what she meant.
Thanks, but it’s really not that exciting! It’s really incredibly nerdy
Your trips don’t have to be anywhere exotic. Even just going to a new city works! Just save money, that’s what I did. It’s also great to take advantages of good deals/packages on trips. That’s what I do. I don’t like to pay too much to travel, and the Internet offers a lot of chances to find something more affordable.
I think she means the Fukushima reactor that was affected by last year’s earthquake? The trip would be mostly in Tokyo, I think, so I probably won’t be affected that much…
Yikes. sorry to hear about the price increase ’cause of the olympics! that sucks! but then, JAPAN sounds cool too ENJOY!!!
Thanks! I’m surprised, though. They’re gonna want to make as money as they can from the Olympics
Have you been to Japan? If so, did you enjoy it?
Hi! Thanks for the birthday greeting and the comment!
Oh my God. I would love to visit London especially Leavesden Studios someday!!! Just like you, I’m a Potterhead!!! I envy you for being able to attend all those HP exhibits and things and getting an invite to Pottermore. I’m so jealous
I’m so sorry to hear about the postponing your London trip though….. It’s only expected that London hotel accommodations and such to be more expensive than the usual next year. However, Japan is a nice country to visit. Have fun!
The HP exhibition is supposed to be making their way around the world. Maybe they’ll come to the Philippines soon. Set up an exhibit at MoA or something! That would be fantastic!
Don’t worry about not getting into Pottermore early. It’s not as fun as they hyped it up to be. At this point, I’ve pretty much gone through everything on the site, which you can get through in a few hours. I only log on to brew potions so I can help Slytherin win the House Cup.
You’ve been to Japan? Do you have any recommendations on where to go?
I am not really an HP fan but I would be glad if I would be able to take photos there. haha. AND YES, I SUPER DREAM TO GO TO LONDON! hahaha.
So mas mahal pala ticket dahil sa Olympics. Tsk. Should you grab it? Or wait till the Olympics is done?
Oo mahal. Parang almost twice as much. No, thanks Postpone na lang. Sa Japan nalang… hopefully…
ooh, lucky you! i am a Harry Potter fan, though not as much as my son. lol
too bad about you postponing your London/Paris trip…am sure you’ll have a lot of fun going to Japan instead!
Yes, that’s what I’m hoping. Honestly, I just really want to get out of the country. I’m getting quite bored here.