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London calling
Evil Multifarious
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So on Monday my girlfriend and I are flying to London, England to visit her sister, who lives just outside the city. We are staying for a week and doing various stuff with said sister and the sister's English boyfriend. I wish I had more than a week, but alas.
Anyways, due to my parents not having much money as I was growing up, and the pressures of school and work, this is, at 26 years old, my first real trip. The only time I've ever left Canada was to drive to Syracuse. That was about as thrilling as you'd expect. Hell, the only time I've ever left Ontario is to go to Quebec. So I am a total travel virgin.
This will be my first time overseas, my first time on a plane, and my first time in England specifically, obviously.
So! The main purpose of making this thread is to ask: what should I do in London and environs? What are some fun touristy things, what exciting sights are there in this enormous, ancient city, what nearby areas should I visit, etc etc? If I go to a museum in London, how can I avoid waiting in line until my knees buckle and I collapse delirious with thirst? And so on.
Ancillary questions include:
-What advice do you have for a first-time flier, particularly one who vividly imagines plunging to a fiery death in a metal tube that dared to touch the sky in defiance of the laws of God and nature?
-What advice do you have for a first-time traveller in general, for a short trip to a country where I speak the same language (depending on the dialect, har har)? Sneaky shit like electrical devices with different plugs or what have you, big stuff like whether I should use cash or a credit card (I don't even know how that business will work) or how bad roaming charges on my phone will be, etc.
-Where is the best beer? This is important.
-Where is the best food? This is also important. A little bit less important probably.
A final note: my girlfriend and I don't want to spend too much money, but we are both working well-paying jobs so we can afford to hit a play or a high-end restaurant or etc.
Anyways, due to my parents not having much money as I was growing up, and the pressures of school and work, this is, at 26 years old, my first real trip. The only time I've ever left Canada was to drive to Syracuse. That was about as thrilling as you'd expect. Hell, the only time I've ever left Ontario is to go to Quebec. So I am a total travel virgin.
This will be my first time overseas, my first time on a plane, and my first time in England specifically, obviously.
So! The main purpose of making this thread is to ask: what should I do in London and environs? What are some fun touristy things, what exciting sights are there in this enormous, ancient city, what nearby areas should I visit, etc etc? If I go to a museum in London, how can I avoid waiting in line until my knees buckle and I collapse delirious with thirst? And so on.
Ancillary questions include:
-What advice do you have for a first-time flier, particularly one who vividly imagines plunging to a fiery death in a metal tube that dared to touch the sky in defiance of the laws of God and nature?
-What advice do you have for a first-time traveller in general, for a short trip to a country where I speak the same language (depending on the dialect, har har)? Sneaky shit like electrical devices with different plugs or what have you, big stuff like whether I should use cash or a credit card (I don't even know how that business will work) or how bad roaming charges on my phone will be, etc.
-Where is the best beer? This is important.
-Where is the best food? This is also important. A little bit less important probably.
A final note: my girlfriend and I don't want to spend too much money, but we are both working well-paying jobs so we can afford to hit a play or a high-end restaurant or etc.
Evil Multifarious on
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-What advice do you have for a first-time flier, particularly one who vividly imagines plunging to a fiery death in a metal tube that dared to touch the sky in defiance of the laws of God and nature?
Breathe, Wear comfortable loose clothing and enjoy it.
-What advice do you have for a first-time traveller in general, for a short trip to a country where I speak the same language (depending on the dialect, har har)? Sneaky shit like electrical devices with different plugs or what have you, big stuff like whether I should use cash or a credit card (I don't even know how that business will work) or how bad roaming charges on my phone will be, etc.
The voltage is not the same. pick up a adapter.
Cash is great, Credit card is just like home but tell your card issuer you are using it in another country.
Leave your phone off in your bag. Do not turn it on unless you are with Wind, In that case get a pre paid sim card from orange when you get there.
1) leave at night from the US, take sleeping pills, sleep on the plane. most of the trip will be ocean anyway.
2) pack as light as you can, 1 rollerbag and 1 carryable bag (like a laptop bag). make sure all of your liquids are in 3oz or less containers and put them in a 1Quart bag in your suitcase. don't wear a sweater or jacket to the airport. wear shoes you can take off easily. PUT ALL OF YOUR POCKET ITEMS IN YOUR BAG BEFORE YOU GET TO THE SCANNERS. get a voltage converter for all electronics, they sell them at the airport but its twice the cost. look up the regulations on importing gifts and taxes if you plan on bringing back souvineers.
I would say DO NOT take sleeping pills on the flight over, especially if you are leaving from the east coast. It's only a 5.5-6 hour flight, and the pills will leave you fucked up well beyond that. Just drink a lot of water and avoid caffeine/alcohol for the day and you'll be fine. The best way I've found to avoid jet lag is to eat breakfast as soon as you land and then each lunch at a normal time followed by a nap. I'm usually aces after that.
PM Kropotkin, he lives there and will have loads more ideas than I do.
Have a brilliant time!
For paintings in progress, check out canvas and paints
"The power of the weirdness compels me."
1. Wear comfy clothing, you'll be on the plane for fucking ever. Also sandals or laceless shoes, if possible
1A. Security ain't no thang, just remember to empty your pockets into a bin, dump your belt (if you have one) into same bin, and separate your laptop. Done. Also, if they ask you to do something, fucking do it, as they have the ability to make your life hell, but you do not have the reverse.
2. Understand that you can do nothing to influence what happens in the plane. Accept this.
3. Bring some nice books to read or be ok with watching random TV. Get up every few hours.
4. Drink water.
5. Have fun!
Best Pubs:
White Horse in Parsons Green
Princess Louise in Holborn
Nags Head on Kinnerton St
Greenwich Union in Greenwich
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Science_and_Industry
my credit card has a chip so it should work, which is wonderful
apparently we are going to some kind of cider festival, which will involve camping out because it is far away from the city
i didn't even know there was still wilderness in england
You may want to make a photocopy of your passport and keep it separate from your actual passport. If, god forbid, you lose your passport or its stolen, this will make it much easier to replace it.
In case it needs mentioning, do not buy anything from that "Visit Britain" site. They're selling an Oyster Card (bus and underground travel card) for $21.50 (Canadian dollars).
You know what this thing costs? NOTHING. You go to any underground station and ask for one. They ask for a £2 deposit and then you put however much money you want on to the card. £10 will be enough for one day. When the credit on the card gets low, you just go back to the ticket window (or use the machines) and put more money on it ("top it up").
Anyway, definitely get the Oyster card because that's what everybody uses and it gives you the cheapest fares. But don't give some scammers at "Visit Britain" (I don't think that's some sort of official site, by the way) $21.50 for this FREE card.
I also checked out that blog regarding this so-called "London Pass" (price: $67). You can go to St Paul's Cathedral. St Paul's Cathedral is an active place of worship. It costs NOTHING to go there. You don't need any pass.
You can also go to the National Portrait Gallery with this pass. Or without the pass, as it turns out. Again, it doesn't cost a penny to go to the National Portrait Gallery. The blog even says this. Some exhibits cost money but you don't need to bother with them.
The London Bridge Experience is just hokey haunted house. If you're older than 13, take a pass on this one.
They mention Borough Market. It's just an outdoor market. Again, it costs nothing.
There's also mention of the Globe Theatre. You do not to see a tour of this place. It's a 1997 reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre. So you're getting a tour of a building from 1997. Total scam.
I don't know why they highlight all of these random places. Tower Bridge, for example. This is a bridge. There are pedestrian paths on both sides. Totally free to walk over the bridge. Not too exciting, though.
Design Museum, never heard of it. Oh wait. Maybe I have. Yeah, that looks god awful. A museum of like corporate design. Probably pass on this one.
God, I'm not going to mention every little thing mentioned here. Trafalgar Square...again...it's free. It's an open square for fuck's sake.
London Brass Rubbing Centre. That sounds exciting. Well, if you really want to try your hand at a brass rubbing, just pay the £4.50.
Maybe my favourite is Curzon Soho. Sounds impressive. Soho? That's where all the hookers, are right? Some seedy stuff going on there.
It's just a cinema. Mainstream films, mind. And Curzon is a little chain of cinemas.
So yeah, total rip off that "London Pass".
If you really want to see a film while on vacation (which seems odd but I've done it so I don't know), I recommend the Prince Charles Cinema. It's a small cinema in Leicester Square. It's a busy area but the cinema is like in a little alleyway so you have to look. They show independent films, slightly older (i.e. stuff from last week) films and classic films. It used to be quite good but for past couple years, I've noticed a real decline in quality. The quality of the patrons has also gone down considerably. But still, it's like £5 a ticket or so. They also sell beer which is unusual for a cinema.
Then Chinatown is right next to it. You can pick up some Pocky at some of those Asian grocery stores. But what I recommend are Choco Pies. They're Korea's answer to Moon pies. I always get a box or two when I'm there. There are some weird coated nuts from Thailand too which I like called Koh-Kae or something.
A lot of walkup prostitute places around there too if that's what you're into. I don't partake myself but I'm not here to judge.
Your credit card very well may not work in the machines because you need a "chip and pin" card. But stores will usually take other credit cards. In tourist areas, certainly. You just have to sign for it like normal.