UK Roadtrip

Hi,
I know it's been a while, so sorry about that, lots to do.
A few weeks ago I went on a road trip through the UK with my dad and sister.
It was an amazing week where we had a lot of fun and of course we also did a lot of driving :)
We did 4 cities in one week, Oxford, Leeds, Edinburgh and Brighton. On the road we also made some other stops and about a few of them I wanna talk about today.
If you wanna see all what we've been up to on our trip you can see it on our youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpiKGAm1dEcAOUiFoFQsY6w
We did our first vlog week and it was so exciting I hope you'll enjoy watching it.

But today I wan't to talk about 2 specific stops we made and they both are related to Harry Potter!
The first stop we did was in Oxford where they filmed for one of the movies was the new college, we couldn't get in but you could see at the outside of the building that it was in the movies. Another stop was a the museum of Oxford, where they also filmed, we did't go inside cause the line was so long and we only were one day in Oxford. But a pleasant surprise was that the museum actually was the home of the father of Alice from Alice in Wonderland. We also found the candy shop where Alice went to buy her favorite candy, now it's named Alice's shop. Another we learned is that this city was the home of a lot of great stories, like Narnia and also JRR Tolkien called Oxford his home. I didn't know a lot of Oxford but it was a really pleasant surprise to learn so much of this beautiful city, I would recommend it to everyone and especially if you like stories like me :)

Another stop I wanted to talk about was Malham Cove where they filmed for Harry Potter and the deadly hallows part 1. This was first of all quite a drive to find it, we had to drive on the smallest roads ever! But at the end we arrived, but not before taking the hike of our life :) First we had to walk a little while till the bottom of the cove, i think it was about a half hour, but it went quit fast. We took a lot of pictures and then we started the climb till the top, because there they filmed for the movie. I'm not gonna lie, the climb was killing me and my dad, my sister did quit well :) We had to stop 3 times until we made it till the top. But once up there it was so beautiful we forgot all the pain of making the climb. Also there we made a lot of pictures and had our picnic. After staying there for about an hour we went back down, what was also painful with all those stairs, we had quit the workout that day :)
It was a beautiful day, but sadly enough we found out a few days later we deleted all the pictures of that day on my sister her canon, luckily we also took pictures with our phones.

Those where the 2 main stops I wanted to talk to you about, if you want to see more of our trip you can see pictures on my instagram:theadventure_oflife or on youtube with the link on top. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. I would love to go on a trip through Scotland in the future to because it's such a beautiful county to. I loved traveling through the UK and the company was also the best :)

Love,
Sarah

Harry Potter Dinner

Hi,

I'm back with a new blog today.
Yesterday I went to a Harry Potter themed dinner with my cousin. We were super excited!
A friend of mine found it on a website and told to me about it. After looking on the site I was sold, it looked awesome!

So we had to be there at 19:20 and the line was long, I think that there were around 400 people. But on the outside they've put some colorful lights and you could here the music from inside.
Once at the door we showed the tickets and you could take a picture, there were also some little shops with Harry Potter gadgets. But I already have a lot of things so I didn't buy anything.

When you entered the great hall you could see the tables like in the movie with the banners hanging over them. At the end you had the table with the teachers and you also had the flying candles.
In the middle of the room you had a stage where something was going to happen. On the tables you had butterbeer and water. Honestly I had the butterbeer in the London studios and it was way better there, here I think it was a lemonade with vanilla extract, so totally not my thing.
You also had 2 tables with the dessert buffet. I didn't think it would be enough for all those people and other people shared the same feeling, but it looked amazing.

After everyone entered and took a seat the show began, professor Dumbledore took the stage and started the speech. It was literally the same speech as in the movie, then professor Umbridge interrupted, also like in the movie. It was ok and funny to see. Then on the center stage you had professor McGonagall who did the sorting hat ceremony. That was nicely done, except for the part when you see people who are totally dressed in a house and you put them in another house, you saw there disappointment, I thought that they could do that part better. The people who registered to get sorted but didn't got called on stage were asked to go to the photo area where a personalized letter would wait for them. But when we got there they said that there were no letters, but you could take  your picture with the sorting hat on.
Then they announced that we could get in line for the buffet, but table by table to keep some order. Buy that time everyone was hungry and waiting to get in line. We were at the third table and you already could hear people wonder if there would be enough for everyone. By the time it was our tables turn there was less choice than in the beginning I felt, the buffet tables were less full. But in we go! We got a little of everything, but the pieces we got were not normal slices of cake, there were like mini slices and we could only take one of each. Like I don't like whipped cream on anything so I could choose from less, so I asked of one if I could have a second one and they said no. Also when you booked your ticket you could let them know if you had an allergy and I heard the people in front of us complain about that, cause there son had an allergy and they didn't got anything in the place like they said online, so the kid had to eat a few chocolate frogs instead.

When we got back to our table we started to eat and honestly it were the worst cakes I had ever eaten. We were so disappointed by that time. And we weren't the only ones, we heard a lot of people complain about several things.
While eating my cousin saw that there were owls standing in the corner where you could take pictures of them, so after our meal we got to see them. I found it a bit sad for the owls cause of the lights in the room and all the noise. Then we got back to the table and everyone wondered if something else would happen, maybe another show... And indeed then there was a video they played about Godric Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff, it was weird but funny, the content wasn't quite correct with the original storyline. And after that it was finished, they said that the bar would stay open for a little while more but that was it. Before we left my cousin saw a guy walking around with a real life snake on him and I wanted to get out of there :) but he passed us and we both touched the snake, but again I felt so sorry for the poor animal.

I hope you enjoyed my blog more then I enjoyed my night. Everyone just expected more cause on the site it looked all so nice. I just gonna have to go back to the London studios or maybe to the park in the USA. But for the first time that they organized this it was ok I guess, they only can take the comments of the people and do it better next time.

Love,
Sarah

Harry Potter and the cursed child

Hello,

I know it's been a while since I've made a blog, first I was on holiday in London, this is where this blog is about and after that I've got sick. So sorry I couldn't write in this time.

When the tickets came out for the Harry Potter theatre I was one of the first to want one, the day they came out I've been on my computer the whole day trying to get tickets. It really took me the whole day, but at the end I've got them.
One year later it was finally time to go to London to see the play. We've took a few days to stay to make a city trip out of it.
I went with my sister and my cousin, and we had the best time.

We left the Monday and we went with the Eurostar, first thing we did is go to the hotel to leave our bags there. What you should know is that my sister  made me promise not to take the subway because she's afraid with all the terror going on in this world. So we did most of London by foot or by cab at night. The first day we went shopping, I love shopping in this city, it's the best. In the evening we wanted to go eat at Jamie's Italian but we made a wrong turn and never made it. But we found Chipotles instead and I love me some Chipotles! The people there were so nice there, my sister has a lot of food allergies and the people working there managed to make her a nice meal anyway. We had a very nice first day and evening.

The second day we walked so much! We wanted to go from our hotel to Regent Park and Primrose hill, we thought it wouldn't be that far, but we were wrong. In the afternoon it also started raining, but we still got going. On Primrose hill you have such a nice view of London. This you really should see if you're in town. That evening we did find Jamie's Italian, because we went with a cab :) It was an amazing evening, we were laughing all evening. Our waiter was looking like someone famous and we couldn't come up with who he was looking like, so I finally asked him if someone ever told he that he looked like someone famous, but that wasn't the case, oops awkward!

Then finally the day came to go see Harry Potter and the cursed child! I was so excited! We left after breakfast to get our tickets at the box office. We walked all the way till there, a 2 hours walk, but we saw a lot of nice things on the way. After we got the tickets we went for lunch at a Starbucks, so we also got some wifi. Then we went in line to see the first part of the play, no spoilers, but it was so amazing. If you already read the book and you wondered how they would do the magic parts, all that I can say is that they did a wonderful job. By the end of the first part we were all blown away by how good it was produced and brought to life. In between parts we went for diner at Jamie's Diner a few minutes away from there. Part two was as good as part one, I just loved this play, I would like to go back if I could it was just that amazing. If you have the chance to go I can really recommend it and if you're going to see it know that you're in for a ride.

The last day we went to the science museum, a museum that is so good for everyone, you have something for everybody there.
After the museum we went to get our bags and then we went to catch our train back home.
So sad to go back home, but that's how it is.... To all good things come an end.

I hope you liked my story about our trip to London.
Let me know if you saw the play and what you think of it.
Love,
Sarah

Harry Potter : studio tour

Hello,

This is by far the best Harry Potter experience I had, and I did it twice, once on any other day and one in the winter when there's snow in the studio. Both of the experiences were amazing.
The first time I did the trip in one day with my mom, sister, aunt and cousin. That was a lot in one day, the driving and then the excitement, I was so tired and feeling sick at the end of the day. The second time we did it in two days, with my dad, sister, aunt and cousin. This was beter, the first day we made the trip and went to the studios, we stayed at a hotel in a town a bit further and the day after went back home. This way was more relaxing.

The studios are just amazing! When you buy your tickets it's with a timeline, so you don't have to stay in line to long. Only the income is already amazing, with pictures of all the actors. The people who work there are also so nice and funny. After the line you go in a dark room, where someone say welcome and ask some questions to settle the mood. Already so excited by then. After that you go in a cinema room with a huge screen, there you see a montage of all the movies. The magic is getting started, all the memories. Then the screen goes up and you see the doors of the great hall, and then they open... Let's go in!

You enter the great hall and it's really great. You have the tables, the costumes, all just amazing.
Then you continue to the rest of the studios, you have everything. The rooms and the costumes to belong with, the houses,.. There's something of each movie. Because my sister was under the 18y/o she got a little book to get stamps in, so we searched for all the stamps. Yes, I have that book now :)
You also have a place to take pictures on a broom with a robe on, what I did :) And you can take a group picture in the car from Ron's dad. Yes we did both.

Then you get outside and there you could eat and drink, yes there's butterbeer. Yes, we got one and it's so good! You also have the house were Harry grew up, the house where his parents died, the bridge and the bus. The outside area is pretty big.

When you get back in you have all the masks and beasts they had in the movie, just amazing. Also all the mechanical needed things you could find there, very interesting. It's so cool that you can see how they made all of it, just great to see. At the end of all this you have the castle, literally the castle and it's huge. The room was so big, you could walk around the whole castle and see little lights in it and shadows, this was maybe even the best part of the whole thing.

If you're ever around London and a Harry Potter fan, big or small, this is a must see experience for all. I could only say, go and see for yourself. I had so much pictures of it I had to choose which to put on here. The next Harry Potter thing I wanna to is the theme park in Florida, one day I will. But in the mean while i think I will go back to the studios, very soon.

Love,
Sarah

German Comic Con

Hello,

Today I'm going to tell you about the time I went to Comic Con in Germany. It was in Dortmund and I went with my sister, my best friend and his girlfriend. We went for the whole weekend and for all of us it was the first time going to Comic Con. I was amazing!

There were a hall full of little shops, a retro game area, catering and the artists alley. The other hall was with a laser game, wrestling area, photoshoot area, game zone, back to the future photoshoot, tardis photoshoot,... And you also had the panel room, I was there the most of the time :)

The first day we went to see everything, first we went by the second hall, with the laser game. There was so much to see, and the costumes were amazing, the people there brought their A game.
The first hall with all the shops was so big, when we did half of it we ate something first before doing the rest. OMG when I saw the artists alley I flipped a little, I have to admit. So many of them; Jason Isaacs, James Marsters, Laurie Holden, Manu Bennett, Rory McCann, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sylvester McCoy, Thomas Jane, Michael Madsen, William Baldwin, Stephen Lang, Sam Jones, Melody Anderson, Lea Thompson, Michael Dudikoff, Chad Rook, Stanislav Ianevski, Keith Allen, Pisa Pao, Russell Hodgkinson, Addy Miller.
That day we saw The walking dead panel with Laurie Holden, so sad no one was there who's still on the show. We also saw The Hobbit panel with Sylvester McCoy, he was so funny, an amazing panel, maybe the best. We saw The Harry Potter panel with Jason Isaacs, I was so excited!! Oh yes I'm a big Harry Potter fan!

The second day I went early with my sister because we wanted to see the panel with William Baldwin. So that was the first thing we did. We saw the Z-nation panel with Keith Allen, Pisay Pao & Russell Hodgkinson, I don't really know this show, but after this panel I might start watching it. We ate some nachos as lunch, because there were so many panels that day. Then it was the Game of thrones panel, so excited for that one, with Rory McCan & Nathalie Emmanuel. Such a good panel, they were so funny to. After that we went for a real meal and saw some of the shops again. Then we went back to the panels and saw James Marsters. Yes we saw The hobbit panel again, today Manu Bennet was there to, Sylvester McCoy is really so funny. Loved that panel. After a long day we went back to the hotel and had an early night before driving back the day after.

I hope you liked this as much as I did, my first Comic Con was a good one :)
My dream is to go to the one in San Diego!!! Hopefully one day.

Love,
Sarah

Harry Potter : The Exhibition

Hello,

Today I'm gonna talk about when we went to the exhibition of Harry Potter in Brussels. With we I mean my sister, her best friend and my friend. We had a wonderful time!

So when we ordered the tickets we had to choose a timeline of when we wanted to enter the exhibition. We chose to enter at 1pm so then we had the time to get there.

Once we got there we could enter without having a waiting line, so that was nice. First we could take a picture as a group with wands. This was a very nice extra, of course you had to pay for this picture, we chose not to. Me and my sister already did this in London, I will also make a blog about that.

Then we could enter the exhibition! First we came in a room with the sorting hat. I was one of the lucky ones who could sit and go through the experience. I will have the video on my instagram, the adventure_oflife , you can also follow me there. Then we saw a little montage of all the movies!

And then we could enter the exhibition. You had the rooms of Gryffindor and the clothes they wore during the first movie. Then you also had a room full of quidditch stuff, the clothes they wore, the equipment they needed,... That was so nice to see. You could also throw some balls in hoops like in the movie.

You also had Hagrids house and all the creatures of the dark forest. This was so dark so the pictures weren't so clear. Of course you had Voldemort and the dead eaters, so nice to see that.

And then their was the great hall, with the different houses and all of the foods. You also had the costumes of their ball and of all the professors.

The only thing that I found a little less about this is the souvenir shop, I hoped their would be more stuff, but maybe thats just me.


If you're in Brussel this summer and you're a Harry Potter fan, this is a must see!
So I hope you can visit this exhibition and that you have as much fun as we did.

Love,
Sarah

Halloween in London

Hello,

In 2010 I went with my sister, parents and family friend to London for Halloween. Because in Belgium we don't really celebrate it enough, we think, we wanted to go somewhere they did.
Here's our story.

We went with the Eurostar and left from Lille (France). Once at the checkpoint they see my identity card is expired and i can't get on the train. I call the taxi driver from my travel company and ask him to go back to my home and get my international passport, then I call my brother who is home that the driver will get my passport. The rest of the group took the train and I waited for the driver and could take the next one. Once also I arrived in London we first went to the hotel and dropped the bags of. We stayed at the Holiday Inn and I was really pleased with this hotel, really nice service.
Then we took a bus to Buckingham Palace and visited around. Then we went to the London Eye because my sister, my dad and Stéphanie had tickets to go on it. Me and my mom went for a cup of tea while waiting for them. After an hour I guess they where back, but they didn't get on the London Eye, they had tickets with the time on it but the waiting time was still 3 hours and they didn't felt like it anymore. So then we went shopping :)

The second day it was Halloween!! After an amazing breakfast we went on a 2 hours walk with the Harry Potter tour, we went to all the places where they filmed for the movie, daigon alley, the leaky cauldron,... It was so much fun, cause we all are great fans of the books and movies! At one point it started raining and I fell but apart of that it was amazing. After this tour we went eating at Burger King. Then we went to the London Dungeon, yes we did that on Halloween :) My sister was so scared, I think she even cried at one point, but she was only 12 at the time so she did good for her age. It was scary, I have to admit that.

The thirth and last day we went to Madame Tussauds after breakfast. It was so much fun and we laughed so much and at the end it even was scary. You had so many actors there :) They just had made a private section for Robbert Pattinson where you could let take your picture with him. But at that time it was closed and I really wanted a picture... So Stéphanie got ready with my camera and I jumped over the rope to get a picture with him. Just at that time the photographer arrived, he was friendly and asked if I wanted a picture he took from me, and yes I did it :)  In the afternoon we did a little shopping before we had to go home again.

This was an amazing Halloween trip! One day we will go to the U.S.A. to celebrate it, who knows... I always love traveling with my family! Let me know how you feel about traveling with family ;)

Love,
Sarah