London & Paris: Our First International Adventure

As two residents, getting a full week off at the same time feels like winning the lottery. On top of that, it was our first international trip together and we were celebrating something very special – our first marriage anniversary!

But, I almost didn’t make this trip. I had been scheduled for shifts in the ED pretty much till the day we left leaving no room for preparing or packing. The day before we left, I came down with one of the worst colds I’d had in a long time. I seriously questioned whether I’d even enjoy the trip.

Somehow, between the excitement, the adrenaline, and sheer stubbornness, my body decided to cooperate and we boarded the plane. Thankfully I felt better with each passing day. Looking back, I think my body knew I needed this trip as much as my mind did.

Quick Overview

Length : 7 Days (3 Days in London | 4 Days in Paris)

Perfect For:
✔ Travelers who enjoy walking and exploring cities on foot
✔ First time visitors
✔ Couples
✔ Food enthusiasts

Flights:

Albany (ALB) → Washington Dulles (IAD) – quick visit home to see family before the trip
Overnight nonstop: Washington Dulles (IAD) → London (LHR)
Eurostar: London → Paris
Paris (CDG) → Albany (ALB) (1 stop in Chicago)

Tips before you Go

Make reservations before leaving– anything from restaurants, high tea bookings, tours, Eurostar, to museums/attractions, booking these when in Europe are either more expensive or hard to find since everything is already booked up
Have really good walking shoes – you’ll be putting MILES on these shoes so make sure they’re comfy
Bring a credit card with no foreign transaction fees
Don’t underestimate the jet lag! Give yourself time to adjust. We overestimated our abilities to be ready to explore after a red-eye
Keep your personal belongings in a fanny or cross body – best way to avoid pickpocket-ers!
Don’t schedule every minute of your trip- Leave room for wandering and spontaneous strolls

Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and purchase something, I make a small portion of the sale at no additional cost to you. It goes without saying that I would never recommend something I wouldn’t use or do myself.

London

Length of Stay: 3 Days
Hotel: St. James Court, A Taj Hotel
Rental Car: None

One thing we quickly learned about London? You will walk… and then you’ll walk some more. We averaged nearly 15,000 steps every single day, but honestly, that’s one of the best ways to experience the city. Shoutout to my hokas (TP is an onclouds fan).

Every neighborhood has its own charm, and we loved stumbling upon beautiful architecture, quiet streets, and little shops along the way. Also our biggest surprise? London had some of the best Indian food we’ve ever eaten.

Day 1 : Shaking off the Jet Lag

We spent the overnight flight convincing ourselves we’d sleep. We did not.

We arrived to St. James Court, A Taj Hotel and were in awe on how beautiful the property was nestled away in one of the streets minutes away from Buckingham Palace. We were so grateful to the check in staff because although we arrived well before check in time, the hotel was very accommodating and gave our room early. I think they saw how pathetically exhausted we looked and decided we needed this. After taking a massive nap, we freshened up and headed straight out to explore.

Honestly, we loved this hotel. It came with complimentary hot buffet breakfast every morning, a beautiful bar inside the lobby and fresh flowers all around the hotel. Throughout the property, you could see subtle Indian influences woven into the décor, artwork, and overall atmosphere. We would definitely come back and stay here.

Our first day was dedicated to seeing some of London’s most iconic landmarks. We walked to Westminster Abbey, admired Big Ben, and wandered along the River Thames, stopping frequently for photos. We considered riding the London Eye, but ultimately decided to skip it after seeing the ticket prices. Looking back, we didn’t regret that decision since the city itself offered plenty of incredible viewpoints.

After a long day of walking (and trying to stay awake through the jet lag), we kept things simple and enjoyed dinner back at our hotel before calling it an early night.

Day 2: High Tea and Celebrations

The next morning we headed to Buckingham Palace to watch the famous Changing of the Guards ceremony. To be frank, it was so crowded that we couldn’t see anything. We had small glimpses of the ceremony here and there but generally were there for vibes. I recommend going extremely early to get a good viewing spot.

From there, we continued on foot to Harrods, a recommendation given by some of our family. Here we treated ourselves to a celebratory glass of champagne at the Moët & Chandon Bar. We looked at the menu, laughed at the prices, and then immediately convinced ourselves that since we were celebrating, we deserved a glass. After, we continued to walk through, pretending we could casually afford everything we looked at.

Afterward, we grabbed an Uber to the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Most couples probably wouldn’t put surgical specimen museums on their anniversary trip. But we do. Walking through the museum and seeing centuries of surgical history was fascinating and easily one of the more unique experiences of the trip.

That afternoon was arguably our favorite experience in all of London: High Palms Afternoon Tea at The Landmark London. We made the reservation well in advance (months ahead) on OpenTable. There were so many options for High Tea around the city, from the Ritz to Rosewood. What drew me initially to The Landmark was the reviews stating there would be plenty of vegetarian options.

Everything about the experience felt incredibly thoughtful and personalized. As a vegetarian with an almond allergy, I was especially impressed. Not only did they already offer an entirely separate vegetarian afternoon tea menu, but the staff also carefully modified every item to ensure it was completely almond-free. It’s rare to feel that accommodated while traveling, and it made the experience even more memorable.

After working our way through endless sandwiches, pastries, and tea, we figured the best solution was to walk the 50 minutes back to our hotel to help digest everything.

That evening we headed to The Shard for dinner at TĪNG. We were lucky enough to be seated right by the windows overlooking London’s skyline at sunset. Between the breathtaking views and phenomenal food, it was the perfect way to end the day.

Day 3: Indian Food Tour

Our final day in London started in Notting Hill, where we wandered through the colorful streets and visited the famous Notting Hill Bookshop. I obviously watched the movie on the plane in preparation for this day.

For lunch, we finally tried Dishoom, a restaurant that had been recommended to us countless times. Somehow, it still exceeded the hype. The food was absolutely incredible, and it’s easy to understand why it’s considered one of London’s must-visit restaurants.

Next, we made our way to Borough Market. Unfortunately, we made the rookie mistake of visiting immediately after a very filling lunch. While the market looked amazing, we simply couldn’t eat another bite.

Pro tip: Visit Borough Market hungry—you’ll want room to sample everything.

We wrapped up our London adventure with dinner at Gunpowder, which somehow managed to top every restaurant we’d visited before. We chose the tasting menu, which included multiple appetizers, entrées, and desserts for each of us. There were also plenty of excellent vegetarian options, making it easy to enjoy the full experience. What surprised us most about the place was was how affordable the tasting menu was. For a restaurant with such an upscale atmosphere and exceptional food, we expected a much higher price tag.

As a fun surprise, the staff ended the meal by bringing everyone complimentary tequila shots.

If you’re a fan of Indian food, Gunpowder is an absolute must-visit. It was easily one of the best meals we had during our entire trip.

The next morning we boarded the Eurostar from London to Paris. The train ride was only 2.5 hours. The process was surprisingly simple and stress-free. Security and immigration were completed before boarding, the train was comfortable, and before we knew it, we were arriving in Paris ready for the second half of our first international adventure.

Paris

Length of Stay: 4 Days
Hotel: 6VH Hotel Paris
Rental Car: None, between the trains and all the walking, you will never need a car here!

Day 1: Stroll through Paris

After arriving at Gare du Nord via the Eurostar, we grabbed an Uber to our hotel, 6VH Hotel Paris. If location is important to you, I can’t recommend this hotel enough. It sits just steps from the Arc de Triomphe, making it incredibly convenient for exploring the city. Within a five-minute walk, we were standing underneath the Arc, and as an added bonus, we could even see it from our hotel balcony. Rooms were on the smaller side but we didn’t mind since we didn’t plan on spending too much time at the hotel.

Since we had traveled that morning, we kept our first evening simple. We wandered through the nearby streets, admired the Parisian architecture, grabbed a quick dinner and soaked in the atmosphere before turning in early to rest up for the days ahead.

Day 2: Louvre, Notre-Dame, & Spritz

We started our first real full day bright and early with a walk from our hotel to the Louvre Museum. We highly recommend purchasing tickets directly through the Louvre’s official website ahead of time and selecting an entry time. It made the entire process much smoother.

I recommend setting aside 2-4 hours for the Louvre. To be honest if you want to see everything, a whole day may not be enough. Of course we didn’t miss the Mona Lisa. This was actually my second trip to Paris (I had gone many years prior before college) and I remember the Mona Lisa being tiny! TP didn’t believe me until he saw with his own eyes.

After spending several hours exploring the museum, we made our way to Notre-Dame Cathedral. Seeing the cathedral after its restoration was incredibly special, and it was amazing to witness such an iconic landmark back open to visitors.

By this point, we had walked miles and desperately needed a break. We stumbled upon a small neighborhood café, ordered our first-ever Aperol Spritz, and finally sat down to relax.

Hot take: We know the craze about Aperol Spritz and how it’s a favorite… but neither of us were fans. We’re team Hugo Spritz.

Day 3: Versailles, Sorbet and Dinner Cruise

Our third full day was definitely our busiest.

We took the train to the Palace of Versailles, which was incredibly easy to navigate. The train station is only about a five-minute walk from the palace entrance, making it a convenient day trip from Paris.

We were a bit intimidated by the palace from our research so we reserved a tour on GetYourGuide. The tour is great for people who want a guided path through this massive palace with live commentary about the history of each room. I think if its your first time at the palace, a tour is recommended. If this is your second or third time visiting, you probably can just skip it.

Versailles easily lived up to its reputation. Between the lavish rooms, the Hall of Mirrors, and the sprawling gardens, it’s easy to spend an entire day exploring the estate.

Before heading back to the city, we made one essential stop: Angelina for their world-famous hot chocolate. Rich doesn’t even begin to describe it. It was incredibly decadent and absolutely worth the hype.

Once back in Paris, we couldn’t resist another food stop right across our hotel—Fruttini by MO. We tried one of their signature frozen fruit sorbets served inside the fruit itself and shared a refreshing mango sorbet. It was the perfect afternoon treat after a long day of sightseeing.

After a quick power nap at the hotel, we got dressed for what ended up being one of the highlights of our entire trip.

That evening we boarded a Bateaux Mouches dinner cruise along the Seine. We booked our tickets through GetYourGuide well before our trip, and it was worth every penny.

The evening included a four-course dinner, live music, and breathtaking views of Paris illuminated at night. Watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle while cruising down the Seine is one of those experiences that photos simply can’t capture. It was romantic, relaxing, and easily one of our favorite memories from Paris.

Day 4: Champs-Élysées, Picnics and Last night in Paris

Our final day in Paris was intentionally slower.

We spent the morning strolling down the Champs-Élysées, doing plenty of window shopping—and, of course, a little real shopping too. We strolled into Longchamp and I told TP I was “just looking”.

He knew exactly how that story was going to end.

Later that afternoon, we grabbed fresh baguettes and enjoyed a simple picnic near the Eiffel Tower. For the first time in months, our schedules weren’t dictated by trauma activations or Epic Chats—they were dictated by which bakery smelled the best.

To wrap up our time in Paris, we booked the Hop-On Hop-Off Night Tour. The open-top double-decker bus drove past many of Paris’s most iconic landmarks beautifully illuminated after dark, giving us one last opportunity to soak in the city’s magic before heading home the next morning.

Looking back, ending our trip this way felt like the perfect goodbye to Paris

Would We Go Back? Absolutely.
London surprised us with its incredible food scene, while Paris completely won us over with its charm, architecture, and unforgettable evenings along the Seine. For our very first international trip together, we couldn’t have picked two better cities. They offered the perfect mix of history, incredible dining, walkable neighborhoods, and experiences we’ll remember for a lifetime.

Things I’d Do Differently

Visit food markets on empty stomach – we regretted going to Borough Market right after a meal.
The Louvre is like a never ending experience, we regretted planning other activities after because we were so tired and needed a break from standing and walking
If you sit on the upper deck on The Hop On Hop Off Bus, bring a jacket, it gets very chilly

People often ask us how we manage to travel with two demanding careers.

The truth is, we don’t always manage it perfectly. Did we come back from this trip probably more tired than when we left? Absolutely.

But instead of being tired from overnight shifts and 24 hour calls, we were tired from walking over a bajillion steps sightseeing or making the terribly difficult decision of which bakery to stop at next.

We realized how badly we needed this time off together. Time to celebrate our anniversary. Time to shift our thought processes from patient lists and traumas to shopping for another pastry. Time for our conversations to change from patient stories and schedules to hot chocolate and whether a 40-minute walk was “actually that far.” (We still don’t agree on that one.)

Do you need to fly across the Atlantic to disconnect from work? No, but wherever you choose to go, make time for yourself and each other. The job will be waiting for you when you come back.

That’s really what Off Shift is about. Not escaping our careers—but remembering to invest in everything outside of them, too.