There is something special about seeing a place through the eyes of a friend who lives there. When I went to visit my friend Stuti in Harrow on the Hill for a week, I expected a fun trip of catching up and exploring the town. We had good food, great conversations and a cozy pub evening.
Flying in from Munich
Watching buses while waiting for SL9
- a strike day is not the best to arrive -
Stuti lives in Harrow on the Hill, a quiet and beautiful corner of northwest London that somehow feels far away from the rush of central London. The area has that classic English charm: winding streets, old brick houses, and little hills that make you stop and look out over the city. Staying there felt like having a peaceful home base while spending the days working or exploring London.
Harrow on the Hill
Most mornings began with a Tube ride into central London. Some days, it was fast, others slower and once my fast Metropolitan line train ended already in Baker Street and I had to wait ages for the next bringing me to Moorgate where S&P Global has its office.
Office stop
Dragon dance in the office
Friday night, a colleague invited me for drinks at her place in Pinner and I met another old colleague at ChinChin - the place to be in Pinner with Asian Fusion cuisine.
Sheetal & Chris
When I returned in the evenings, Stuti and I enjoyed some late night chats on the couch about all things in life and beyond.
Saturday, I experienced small town life in Britain: walking around Harrow on the Hill, drinking tea in the community café and relaxing. Food was naturally a big part of the week, and Stuti had great food for me. Saturday night, we went to Coffee & Cocktails downtairs before ending the evning in a local pub.
English Pub
On Sunday, I headed to Covent Garden. Even though it is full of tourists, it still has such a fun atmosphere. Street performers filled the square, musicians played outside the market, and every corner seemed to have another café or shop tucked away. I spent time looking through the street stalls offering jewelry, art and many other things and a tea with another alumna in the sunshine.
Covent Garden
Close by, I visited the London Transport Museum, which ended up being one of the highlights of the trip. I thought it would be interesting, but I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much. The museum tells the story of London through its transport system, from old horse‑drawn buses to vintage Tube carriages. Walking through the old trains felt like stepping into another era and made me realize how much the city has changed while everyone has always been trying to get from one side of London to the other.
150 Years of London Transport
The timing of the trip also turned out to be perfect because London was celebrating Lunar New Year while I was there. When I arrived in Chinatown, the streets were absolutely packed. Red lanterns hung overhead, people lined the streets shoulder to shoulder, and there was an excitement in the air that made the whole neighborhood feel electric.
China Town
Then came the dragon dance. The music started first—drums, cymbals, and cheers echoing through the streets—and suddenly the dragon appeared, weaving its way through the crowd in bright colors, twisting and turning above everyone’s heads. It was impossible not to smile. For a few minutes everyone seemed completely caught up in the same moment: tourists holding up their phones, kids laughing, and strangers squeezing together to get a better view.
Full streets while the dragons parade from shop to shop
For Monday night, another colleague and I went high up - more than 40 floors and dined at the Duck & Waffle - reservation necessary. And enjoyed the night time view of London with all its glittering lights and our food - neither of us able to finish it. So, I took mine home and had my lunch secured for the last day in the office.
London by night from Duck & Waffle
What made this week special wasn’t the places I visited, even though Covent Garden, Chinatown, and the skyline from Duck & Waffle were all unforgettable. It was the feeling of spending a few days living like a local with a friend. Taking the Tube every morning, wandering around Harrow on the Hill, discovering great food on different days, and spending time with colleagues and friends made the whole trip feel wonderfully ordinary and exciting at the same time.
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