I spent a week by myself in London after university. Victoria and Albert Museum was my favourite museum! Also really liked the Tate Modern. I think I watched a play at the the Globe if you’re into that. I thought St Paul’s Cathedral with its dome was just gorgeous. I just liked walking everywhere.

I think I saw a photo of Marsh Library on a Microsoft background and it looked so gorgeous haha. Have fun on your trip, @copa!! Maybe you can also look at Waterford crystal, heh? I don’t know much about Ireland either.

We are actually just finishing up our honeymoon/first international trip! We spent five days in Prague and now are in Dubrovnik. It’s been amazing! It’s been my first time away for a longer period of time since COVID and it has been hard disconnecting with work though I’ve been really trying not to check emails too much. Actually logged on here to see what other people’s experiences are with emails on vacation.

I saw that Airstrait tool too. Looks very effective but not really useful for me I think since I already have straight hair.

@Copa I’m SO excited for you! The UK is my absolute favorite. I spent 2 full years there as a student (undergrad and then as a graduate student) and I miss it every day.

London is awesome and I bopped around it solo for an entire year, lol.

My recommendations:
1. Definitely take a Big Bus, hop on hop off tour. It’s super convenient, you get a ton of great information and you can, as it says, hop on and hop off wherever you want to sightsee. Also the top of the bus is fantastic for selfies…and I took them when you actually had to turn your digital camera around, click and pray. Haha!
2. Oxford Circus is where all the great shopping is, there’s a giant Topshop right at that stop and it’s like 3 floors and legit glorious.
3. My favorite part of London was getting off the tube at Oxford Circus, shopping, and then walking down to Piccadilly Circus, then Leicester Square, then Trafalgar Square where you can see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. There used to be a Mexican restaurant right off of Trafalgar Square by the British library tucked under some architecture, it’s been 15 years so it’s probably no longer there but that’s where I would always go if I wanted (almost, lol) good Mexican food.
4. Wetherspoon’s pubs are all over London (always have unique names but they’re a pub chain) and have pretty reliable food.
5. The Globe is amazing and well worth the visit.
6. Victoria & Albert museum is a must.
7. Try chocolate sponge pudding with custard if you see it on a menu. Just do it.
8. LAYER your clothes! British weather is super unpredictable.
9. The tube is super easy to navigate, grab a day pass/Oyster card and you’ll be good to go.
10. Try to get some real curry/Indian food there because dang it’s delicious.
11. If you’re a history/literature person, I highly recommend a day trip to Bath. I’ve been several times and would go again in a heartbeat.
12. Be prepared for very few places outside of major retailers to have air conditioning, including the tube. Might have changed in 15 years but it was HOT in the summer with no A/C.
13. Harrod’s and Harvey Nichols are worth the visit for the shopping experience! I got my first ever MAC makeup in Harrods in 2006. Yes, I was a sheltered country girl lol.
14. OK this is just for me but if you can stop in Lancaster/Morecambe/the Lake District on your way from Ireland…it is truly the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen and represents more of the “real” England than London does. Try cottage pie (the proper name for shepherd’s pie!) and a hard cider in a pub, or fish and chips if you like that.

Gosh I miss it so.

Kate, I added your pic in your reply above and I’ll add here, too. It looks really good (so polished!).

That’s wild to interview with 9 people! Was it a big or small company?

Thanks! Stick-straight isn’t my favorite but it’s good for work, and now very easy.

Got it, I have no experience with academia, but makes sense that it would run slow for hiring. I hope you get an offer soon!

@Ange, there are options that may be less drastic than chemical straightening if you like your wave but need it to calm down. Once a year in June I get an amino acid treatment called Inca Glow that lasts 4 months and stops frizz but allows me to wear my hair wavy OR easily blow it out smooth. It’s (allegedly) just made of like flowers, not anything harsh.

Or there are more temporary products to smooth things out, like Color Wow Dream Coat (there’s a version for curls).

Or if frizz isn’t your problem, just a bit of a wonky curl pattern, maybe a different cut and a little touch-up with a curling iron could work. That sucks though to have your texture change.