“Make sure to pack a good raincoat!”
“Why would you choose London to study abroad? It’s always cold and rainy there. Why not go somewhere sunny like Italy or Greece?”
“Get ready for lots of grey.”
I was offered many warnings before I took off for a summer abroad in London — a majority of them revolving around the infamous chilly climate.
I’ve never minded the cold or a good rain shower (hence why I go to Penn State), so I wasn’t turned off by London’s typical forecast.
The last thing I expected when I got here was to see temperatures up to 93 degrees on my weather app and not a drop of rain for two weeks straight.
At home, I usually love sitting in the sun on my back deck with a book, hoping to build up my base tan, but I’m always greeted by a gust of cold air when I step into the house afterwards.
In London, air conditioning is exclusive to large shopping malls, certain hotels, newer residential buildings, public institutions like libraries or academic buildings and that’s pretty much it.
My flat doesn’t have it, my internship office doesn’t have it, the train stations don’t — you get the point.
I had to get creative during my breaks from work and weekends during the heatwave, and here are some of the places I found refuge over the past couple of weeks.
Warner Bros. Studio London
One of my first and favorite indoor activities I’ve done to escape the heat was to tour Warner Bros. Studio, and see the set pieces, costumes and magic behind the “Harry Potter” film franchise.
The “Harry Potter” books and films sparked my fascination with London at 12 years old, and I’d dreamed of visiting the studio since then to truly come full circle.
I spent almost five hours meandering through the streets of Diagon Alley, the Forbidden Forest and drinking a cold Butterbeer in the air-conditioned studio.
There was even a special exhibit celebrating my favorite Potter film, “The Goblet of Fire,” which had a giant green maze and poor Cedric’s Hufflepuff outfit (rest in peace).
Kaitlyn poses during the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, a “Harry Potter” fan’s dream.
Courtesy of Kaitlyn Murphy
The Jellycat Store inside Selfridges
This was another really special visit for me, as I’ve been wanting to get a Jellycat for so long but have resisted until now.
This Jellycat Store recently went viral for its fish and chips experience, but I opted to browse the shelves to see what spoke to me.
I chose to take home a little green frog that I named Naveen after my favorite Disney prince, and also my former pet African dwarf frog (may he also rest in peace).
Shelves lined with frog and turtle Jellycats in Selfridges.
Courtesy of Kaitlyn Murphy
The cinema
Twist my arm, I’ll go to the movie theater.
While the frigid icebox environment of the cinema was welcome in the heat wave, I’ll take any chance I get to see a movie.
I would go so far as to say I’m never more at peace than when I’m in one of those soft seats with a bag of buttered popcorn, box of candy and a half-blue-half-red ICEE in my hand. Luckily, this summer is stacked with blockbuster after blockbuster.
So in the words of The Terminator, “I’ll be back.”
Kaitlyn and her friends at the cinema seeing “F1.”
Courtesy of Kaitlyn Murphy
Foyles and Waterstones bookstores
Who needs a Barnes & Noble when Foyles and Waterstones are both massive, fantastic bookstore chains with every genre of book that’s ever been written.
This isn’t the smartest place for me to avoid the heat because if I spend too long browsing, I’ll end up needing a whole new suitcase just to fill with books to bring home.
Even so, there’s no shortage of books, magazines, movies, CDs and more to see in these stores on a hot day.
McDonald’s
Good old reliable, McDonald’s.
My favorite cure for homesickness across the pond — a six-piece nugget meal, fries and a flat hamburger.
While the McDonald’s here doesn’t taste exactly the same as home, it offers blasts of air conditioning and sodas with actual ice inside them, which can be a rare find in London.
Sometimes it’s the simplest things that bring us the most comfort.
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