At one point in the late afternoon my sister needed to head back to the hostel to work out some airline and scheduling issues because she decided to extend her trip for an extra week. Not wanting to waste any time sitting around, I walked back through Hyde Park (really I couldn't get enough, so delightful) to the Kensington Palace Orangery where I treated myself to a delicious Afternoon Tea. Having a fancy tea party at a palace was so much fun, regardless of the fact that I was alone.
I had the most delicious herbal tea of my life, the Eucalyptus Zest (rooibos blended with eucalyptus leaves, orange blossom and orange zest). It was especially delicious with brown sugar cubes. The tea snacks (they were all mini-sized portions) included a "Coronation chicken wrap, smoked salmon and cream cheese mini bagel, an egg mayonnaise and cress bridge roll, cucumber and fresh mint sandwiches, orange-scened and currant scones served with Cornish clotted cream, English strawberry jam, Victoria Cake (white cake with a thin layer of cream and raspberry jam), a muffin with a thin layer of raspberry jam, and the most delicious yogurt / pudding (not really sure what it was) but it tasted like lemons.
After tea I headed back to the hostel to pick up my sister and continue our evening. I loved that all streets were labeled "Look Left," and "Look Right." I also liked the British terminology for EXIT being "Way Out," and I loved all of the "Mind the Gap" reminders.
Here is a picture of the outside of our hostel, the Astor. The building was very beautiful and ornate inside. I don't know how much they have changed but I did notice an asbestos warning sign on the wall in our room.
I took the bottom bunk against the wall and made my sis stay on the top. It was a fairly comfortable bed and we didn't have anyone too obnoxious in our room. I really enjoyed staying in a hostel, it was clean and safe and a great place to meet people. And really we couldn't have had a better location.
