So, I spent a month in Nottingham. Yes, that Nottingham. Home of Sherwood Forrest, the Lace Market and of course, its most famous legend, Robin Hood.
Nottingham has never been on my travel list, that is until my niece asked me to visit because she felt lonely in the big city.
She goes to school in London and lives three hours away in Nottingham of all places. So, I booked my flight and the rest is history.
Let me be the first to tell you that I didn’t know what to expect. What I didn’t expect was to get fined by the tram police. More on that story, later.
I had been to London once, but only as a commuter heading to Dublin. So, all I saw was Heathrow Airport. Nottingham, however, was a totally different place.
This was my first time travelling so far away from home alone. My brother accompanied me on my last trip to Europe. I wasn’t scared, but I was anxious.
What’s Nottingham Like?
Nottingham gave me cool, small city vibes.
It had enough people and activity to feel like a bustling city, but it also felt very scaled down, compared to London.
I spent a great deal of time in Old Market Square – it’s the largest public space in the UK after Trafalgar Square.
My family and I spent a great deal of time in Nottingham’s city centre, where we dined at many restaurants.
Where To Eat In Nottingham?
There were countless restaurants to pick and choose from in Nottingham from in-and-out spots to the high-end. It was hard to choose.
I tend to look for places with a great atmosphere. If I pull out my camera, it’s where I’m eating.
One spot that caught my attention is Mowgli Street Food on 1 Stoney St. I can’t recommend this place enough.
This Instagram-worthy spot serves up creative Indian cuisine in the most beautiful setting.
The restaurant has swing seats, lanterns, twinkling lights to name a few. It almost feels like you’re in some tropical destination, like Fiji or Bali.
The natural light poured into the building due to its large windows, which boast spectacular city views.
So, as we ate, we people-watched.
I feasted on Fenugreek-Kissed Fries (they were ok), Mowgli Sticky Chicken, Mowgli House Chicken (to die for) and so many other tasty items.
The Mowgli House Chicken was so good that my niece and I ordered two each.
Don’t think bland chicken.
This rich, bold, flavourful dish features marinated chicken simmered in coconut, curry leaves and a spiced yogurt sauce. You will eat underneath your fingernails. That’s how good it is.
Another spot my niece introduced me to was Sushi Mania.
They ran specials every day that students, like my niece, love taking advantage of.
I am not a sushi lover at all, unless it’s tempura. That’s right. I need my fish fried and set to the side.
Luckily for me, they had a wide range of dishes outside of sushi, and everything I tasted was delicious.
When trying a restaurant for the first time, I prefer to select several things from the appetizer section to give me an idea of their selection.
Beeston, Nottingham – Another Excellent Choice For Food
During my trip, I mostly stayed in Beeston – a place ranked as one of the best places to live in Nottinghamshire for 2024.
Beeston boasts some of the cutest cafes and lots of outdoor markets. If I lived there, I would never cook.
I frequently ate at a spot called Bistro 66 that features casual Mediterranean dining.
If memory serves me correctly, the owner is of Iranian and Belgian descent.
The food was a hit every single time. How is this even possible?
I loved this place so much that I ate here most of my trip. Even my niece was like, “give it a rest, already.”
Aside from the food, one of the things I noticed is that Beeston has a lot of second-hand stores, from book shops to clothing stores. There was always something fun to buy on a budget.
Considering that my US dollars were dwarfed by the British pound, I needed to spend carefully.
Nottingham Is Perfect For Families
One of the things I observed during my travels throughout Nottingham is that is the perfect little town for families.
Every day, I would see parents picking up their little ones from primary school and taking them for snacks when school ended, be it slices of pizzas or Boba.
The city of Beeston, where I stayed, was quiet, except for the occasional noise from the tram, but it seemed like the perfect place to walk, which I did quite often.
It’s also a perfect spot to get together with loved ones.
I saw tons of parents sitting with their children at local ice cream shops, asking them how their day was.
Just being there reminded me of a much simpler time in life.
Nottingham’s Transportation Is Top-Tier
On my flight to London, I was sandwiched between two Brits. Damn you, centre seat.
During our seven-hour conversations, they bragged extensively about how great the UK’s transportation system is.
Once I was on the ground, I realised they weren’t kidding. The trains ran like clockwork and the best part? The train workers were really helpful and knowledgeable.
As I said earlier, I have only travelled through London, so I didn’t know what to expect in terms of the train system.
I got to Heathrow at 8am and was on my train at 9am heading towards Nottingham. Every train came when it said it would, but they sometimes left a minute or two before they were scheduled to.
A word of advice: never be late. Not even by a minute.
While in Beeston, we took the tram a lot and one of the things I observed is that there are warning signs plastered everywhere cautioning passengers not to get on the tram without paying. Major fines were attached.
I don’t play about following rules, especially in other people’s country, so my niece and I made sure to always have our ticket.
How I Got A Fine?
My niece and I were heading out for a day of activity at city centre. Instead of buying our group ticket on her phone, my niece decided to use the kiosk near the tram.
After she got our ticket, I noticed that it spit out a receipt and was about to reach for it when she told me to leave it alone; we didn’t need it.
I am a receipt hoarder by nature. I like to have proof, just in case something pops off.
Anyway, we left the receipt, hopped on the tram and went out for a day of activity. We were in the city for hours.
Where It Gets Real
As it started to get dark, we decided to go home. We saw our tram approaching and ran towards it.
Once on board, and out of breath, the tram attendee approached us and asked for our tickets.
We asked him to be patient as we caught our breath because we had ran so far.
He said, “no problem” and quietly stood by.
That’s when my niece started searching for the group ticket and couldn’t find it. She must have dropped it during our run.
The worker said, do you have a receipt. Surprise, surprise; we did not. He told us to get off at the next stop.
This Story Is Like A Scene Out Of The Movies
I was so embarrassed. I started thinking, this guy thinks we’re a bunch of shysters, lying about having a ticket.
Once off the tram, he informed us that he was fining both of us £70. That’s over $90 each!
Another officer on the scene asked me if I were from America. I said “yes, I’m here on vacation.”
She said, “if you can show me a return ticket to America, I won’t fine you. I’ll just let you buy another ticket, but your friend will get fined because she lives here.”
I’ve never cut a deal with the feds so quickly.
I whipped out my phone and showed her my return ticket and she let me buy a new ticket. My poor niece got fined.
It took three weeks, but my niece was able to get the ticket dismissed because she had proof on her bank account that she had indeed bought the ticket.
That was an experience.
My advice to anyone travelling via train or tram in the UK, buy a ticket, take a picture of it, keep your receipt and hold on to it for dear life.
Stay tuned for part 2 of my Nottingham blog.
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