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Living in London
flowerhoney
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hi friends, so I'm going to be studying in London for about 4 months starting in january (I'm so excited I think I might start throwing up)
Does anyone have any advice for living in the UK/a big city? Portland is about the biggest place I've ever experienced and people tell me its really not that large at all, but maybe they're fooling me. I'm going to be living in Kensington and pretty much all I know about London living so far is that I should look swag all the time and I can take the metro to get places. I think wandering around with my mouth open like a desperate fish is inevitable, but maybe you guys can help me from making a total american fool of myself
How do I read streets? I've looked at addresses and they've all got these weird numbers like "W1F 0DB" what does that mean? How can I meet people in London without being creepy? I've heard the stereotypes for americans are that we're loud and overly talkative, is there anything else I should watch out for? If I want to travel to other places in the UK or out of the country, are there any tips I should know?
any advice is greatly appreciated!
thanks everyone!
EDIT: thought of another question, is it safe to wear my headphones at night while I'm walking around?
Does anyone have any advice for living in the UK/a big city? Portland is about the biggest place I've ever experienced and people tell me its really not that large at all, but maybe they're fooling me. I'm going to be living in Kensington and pretty much all I know about London living so far is that I should look swag all the time and I can take the metro to get places. I think wandering around with my mouth open like a desperate fish is inevitable, but maybe you guys can help me from making a total american fool of myself
How do I read streets? I've looked at addresses and they've all got these weird numbers like "W1F 0DB" what does that mean? How can I meet people in London without being creepy? I've heard the stereotypes for americans are that we're loud and overly talkative, is there anything else I should watch out for? If I want to travel to other places in the UK or out of the country, are there any tips I should know?
any advice is greatly appreciated!
thanks everyone!
EDIT: thought of another question, is it safe to wear my headphones at night while I'm walking around?
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Also, no talking on the Underground.
Haha, SpongeCake is correct, no talking on the underground!
London certainly is huuuuuuuuuuuge! The first thing you should invest in is a London A-Z, these are sold everywhere.
Get an Oyster card, too. That should be your second purchase (it's for travelling on the underground/buses).
Be sensible, I've always felt safe in London, but it is a large city and there are pickpockets around, so just keep stuff in a bag that's closed with a zip, and carry it close to you.
There are a LOT of things to do for cheap in London. Most museums and art galleries are free, so have fun!
In terms of 'reading streets' you don't do that as you would in a modern city you'd find in the US, and until you get a feel for the area, you'll probably be needing to use a map to get from A to B.
We British are generally friendly, but as the others have said approaching a stranger to talk is just generally a bit weird, especially on the Underground. Try not to make eye contact on the Underground. Not dangerous, just a breach of etiquette.
The places to meet people are various clubs and of course, pubs.
There's so much to do in London, you're pretty much spoiled for choice. It's also the heart of the country, with most mainline train lines running from the capital to the major cities of the UK. Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, Bath etc. are all less than an hour away on train. Book as far ahead as possible to get the cheapest tickets, with two singles often being the cheapest. However the ticketing system is fairly byzantine, and I'd recommend using nationalrail.co.uk, then comparing those prices with say, thetrainline.com to get the best fares. The Eurostar runs out of St Pancras if you fancy a trip to continental Europe.
So, would it be weird to ask someone for directions or help getting somewhere on the underground?
But is it weird to strike up conversation with people in these places? I'm only 20 so I don't really have a lot of (read: any) bar experience
Thanks everyone! We're really lucky on my program, we get our own oyster card so I'm good there. I'll make sure to get that map too!
So if you'll be reasonably close to central London, I would encourage you to learn to walk the city whenever you can. You'll pick up a great deal more colo(u)r.
The Houses of Parliament, Downing Street, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul's Cathedral, The Tate Modern, and National Gallery are all very close to each other and make for a good morning's walk the first few days you are there.
Also, not really advice, but coming from somewhere like Portland you may be surprised at how busy London can get. One reason people don't talk to each other on the tube is that it can be so crowded that it can be very awkward to make eye contact with the five people pressing in on all sides of you! And on a weekend in London's more popular districts (for shopping, etc.) you'll likely see streets packed like this:
We're talking about seeing St. Paul's, the National Gallery, and the Imperial War Museum. Obviously the IWM is across the river, so any suggestions for other cool stuff to see around the St. Pauls/National Gallery area? I'm also thinking about the British Museum.
WHAT THE FUCK
how can it even be so crowded!
Helpfully, a guide to British pub etiquette is provided by the organisation that Kate Fox works for, it's quite a fun little read:
http://www.sirc.org/publik/ptpintro.html
I found this, might be helpful for getting around while you're there. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/visitor-guide.pdf
My favourite London museum is probably the Natural History Museum, but that's mostly because I'm a sucker for dinosaurs. Both it and the British museum are huuuge and quite impressive, visually. Still, I'm not alone; I know a lot of people who looove the Natural History Museum! (Okay, it's not near the area, but it's a short distance away by tube!)
The Tate Modern is right across the Thames from St Paul's, you should at least walk across the bridge. There's also the London Eye.
Yeah, I immensely, giddily second checking out the Natural History Museum - if for no other reason than the dinosaurs. The entire place is a wonder, but the dinosaur specimens are truly fantastic.
Coolest part? Realizing I was looking at displays in person that I once marveled at in books as a kid.
that picture would be Oxford Street. It is the UKs most famous high street (or main street in America?) aka where all the major shops are. If you want to go shopping anywhere in London, i'd say go there, if just for the experience of shopping on the most crowded street you will see. plus you have even more shops along all the adjacent streets.
As for getting around on the underground there are maps all over the place at each station and everyplatform so its hard to get lost on it. but it does get crowded especially at rush hour. its a nightmare then.
I'll second visiting the Imperial War Museum and The National History Museum both are world class museums in every respect and well worth seeing.
Agree with this - the tube map is useful, but quite deceptive. I was very surprised at how easy it was to walk. It helps if you get a sense of where certain landmarks are though, as it's easy to get turned around in the twisty streets. I used Oxford Street and the Thames sort of mental anchors, yours may vary based on your area.
If you can, avoid the tube at rush hour, especially at the beginning before you've gotten the hang of it.
I don't really have much to add, other than the fact that I'm American and was simply there on holiday. My friend had been living there for 6 months by the time I came to visit, so he knew how to get around fairly well. I had an amazing time, so I'm sure you will too. (Oh, and we also had a lot of people tell us they liked our accents. It was kind of flattering, albeit odd to hear.)
Really, don't. It's a shithole, the shops are rubbish and it's full of morons. If you want to go randomly shopping somewhere (i.e. you don't actually need something from somewhere) try Covent Garden, Bond Street, High St. Kensington / Knightsbridge, Notting Hill / Portobello Market, or Hampstead. They will all still be plenty busy. You probably won't be able to avoid passing by Oxford St at somepoint, but nobody wants to go there as an actual destination (morons aside).
I've known a number of people on semester exchanges from the US - they tend to be pretty good about finding you people to hang out with, as I assume you'll be doing some kind of university stuff in the day. Many of them, however, may also be new to the city.
Days out: Museums etc all as above...the British Museum is probably the best, and only go to the Tate Modern if you like a lot of pretentious wank. Also there are some quasi-museumy places like the Globe Theatre, a reconstructed Shakespearean playhouse which doubles as a history tour and actual theatre. If you can get a pass in (university?) the British Library is also pretty interesting. There are places like the London Eye which I understand tourists find fun, but no real Londoner actually goes on these things. Depending on when you are around in the year, places like Hyde Park, Regent's Park / Primrose Hill or Hampstead Heath are nice to hang out in summer or spring, but don't expect anything too mind-blowing - they're basically loved for being a bit like the country by people who never see the country.
Nights out: Places to go out...Soho is also a shithole but it's central and everyone seems to pass through at some point (it's next to Oxford St). There are some good places there hidden away underground and such, but which you'll like depends on you. Investigate. Camden is also popular, but a more alternative / gothic night out. Standard clubbing and shagfast fare is in Clapham. Knightsbridge has plenty of posh celebrity / royalty type clubs but only go if you are very rich or attractive, young and female (and not afraid to play off it). At some point someone may suggest going to Hoxton / Hackney / Shoreditch as a night out. Avoid unless you are easily impressed by expensive places aiming to be cool just by being expensive, and the kind of idiots who buy into that.
Other stuff: There are lots of comedy clubs, gigs and other things going on, you just have to be aware of them. Getting something like Time Out is a good idea to know what is going on. Equally, there are tons of good places to eat - Time Out is particularly good for this.
Danger: Aside from a few places which you are unlikely to go to (Brixton is the only place you might want to go to for actual entertainment reasons - go in a group), London isn't dangerous. Just don't look like a lost sheep, and it's highly unlikely that anyone will bother you. But the usual drills of living in a big city apply: keep purse / wallet / phone in places which are hard to pickpocket; big streets with people on are better than dark, empty alleys; and be generally aware of what is going on around you.
Travel: Edd is correct about travelling around - it's a lot smaller than you think. Most things in London are in a relatively small central area of about 6 square miles. The rest is a suburban sprawl which only those who live there go to. Much of central London can be walked to / around if you have the time. It's also cheaper and nicer than the Tube (unless, of course, raining, which is often). Also, bear in mind that you can get to most places in southern England and also bits of Europe very easily from London, so it's worth considering weekend / day trips out of the city (edit: Anarchy Rules already did this...he's right!).
Money: Everything is very, very expensive here at the moment. And it's probably about to get worse. Bring all the money you can, and then have a bank heist plan on the backburner as backup. Also, quickly identify the places you can get/do stuff for free, or at least cheaper than very, very expensive and use them much of the time, or you'll be broke in seconds flat.
Questions: But is it weird to strike up conversation with people in these places? [pubs, bars] Generally, yes. Honestly, it depends on situation. If you are young and female and you strike up a conversation with a bloke, you probably won't get shot down. But expect people to be a little surprised. Judge your audience.
So, would it be weird to ask someone for directions or help getting somewhere on the underground? As mentioned, an A-Z is a good idea. However, if you don't want to identify yourself as a tourist / lost sheep, don't be seen carrying or reading one. You can download these things now (I presume you'll get a pay-as-you-go phone). Getting tube maps, the A-Z and other useful bits of information on a smartphone / iPod will mean you are much less identifiable as a tourist and thus less of a target for general idiocy.
Is it safe to wear my headphones at night while I'm walking around? Yes, everyone assumes everyone has a phone, wallet, iPod etc on them, so displaying it makes little difference. But as above, be aware - don't go wandering alone down a dark alley with some desperate looking tramp in it because he's probably a nice person really.
I'd say it's never safe to distract yourself while walking around any city at night, looking down, messing with stuff in a bag, etc. should all be kept to a minimum. especially in an area you have no familiarity with.
Although I'm not the best person to give advice about shopping because I really don't like doing it anyway.
Just in case this didn't jump out at you right away, I'm calling attention to it here. Pay-as-you-go phones are cheap and easily available in London. Don't bother trying to sort out an international plan with your American carrier unless your pockets are literally bottomless.
Well, if your pockets are literally bottomless you're going to have a hard time holding onto that phone.
And I love the Tate Modern. :P I guess I'm a pretentious wanker...
I am young and female so it seems everything is to my advantage =P
I guess I'm still unsure about how to actually meet people in London if everyone is gonna think I'm either rude or a weirdo by talking to them
Also one major thing I've noticed is that Americans often seem to have different ideas about personal space. It works roughly like this in England: If I can stretch out my arm and touch you, then one of us is too close to the other unless we both definitely want it to be that way. In situations where you have to be closer to someone than this (eg: busy tube train, bus, crowded pavement, etc) then the correct thing to do is to utterly ignore them (while at the same time being spatially aware of them enough not to fall over them or anything, obviously). You will see exactly what I mean the first time you get into a rammed tube carriage with 200 people who are meticulously unaware of each other's presence.
As said above, this isn't because english people hate all other humans, it's because in a place as huge and as crowded as London, maintaining your tiny little zone of solitude the only way to stay sane.
As far as rough areas go, yeah, there are a few parts that I frankly would not venture into even though I look big and mean. (I'm not mean, but I look it) As a young lady, you will want to be rather more careful, especially at night. London isn't neatly divided into "good side" and "bad side" - like most British cities, it's kind of a patchwork in this respect. Kensington is fairly nice. Places like Hounslow, Brixton, Harringay, Tottenham, New Cross... not so much. but pretty much anywhere you'll be OK in the daytime on main streets, so don't panic if you've accidentally got off the train at Rotherhithe (ghetto) rather than Richmond (lovely). Practice some basic security hygeine (ask someone about what kind of area you're headed to, make sure someone knows where you're going, always carry a phone, don't flash your phone about in ghetto areas, etc).
Expect to take a certain amount of responsibility for your government's foreign policy. Yes, that's unfair. Yes, ours isn't much better, and yes in the days when we had the means, made yours look like a game of patty-cake. Nevertheless, you will sooner or later run into people who are upset about it and will expect you to explain it. We somewhat like your new guy: we didn't like the previous guy at all. If you did like W, then I suggest not mentioning it to anyone until you're sure they'll be OK with it.
Finally, London is an incredibly international city. There are large communities of Indians, Poles (lots), Czecks, Somalies, Kenyans, Romanians, French, Germans, Americans, Brazilians, lots of South Africans, Australians, New Zealanders, Japanese, Chinese and a load more. Londoners are quite used to seeing people from other countries and they will not think you're especially bad or amazingly good just for being American (once you've got that foreign policy thing out of the way anyway).
Just because you like pretentious wank doesn't necessarily make you a pretentious wanker. But you have to admit there are a fair few of those who hover around the Tate Modern drinking extra-skinny bambucchinos like it's some kind of artistic Mecca. And Hamley's is on Regent's Street!
PS For non-Londoners, the joke is that's about 100m away from Oxford St. Which is a good point - in London, places regularly change from rubbish to great within about 50m, so don't take any of this stuff too literally and start avoiding whole areas.
New Cross is fine at night, the biggest danger is hordes of art students! Just for the love of God don't go into Peckham... I was staying there when I first came up to London and was explicitly told not to do so by a PCSO. Though I suppose unless you're at Goldsmiths or have a friend there there's not much reason to go there.
3DS friend code: 4811-7214-5053
I've been to New Cross. It's high on my list of mistakes not to repeat.
Oh yeah I forgot to mention: Stratford* - don't go there either. Unless you like getting beered up, doing fat rails of K (and seeing 10 year old kids doing the same) and being knifed, in which case it's the place to be. In fact, basically avoid the whole north-east corner, because it's mostly horrible and there's little of interest or value there.
Camden is still pretty good fun, although it's not what it was. A good place to get your pocket picked, buy dope, and party.
*That's the London Stratford, Not Stratford-upon-Avon which is the Shakespeary one.
Hilariously, Oxford street has had to be closed the past couple of days to prevent crushing:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16022393
Don't fucking do that in London. They have names. Use them. There are 5 lines which are all one shade of blue or another. I once wound up in Aldgate rather than Acton Town because I mistook the Metropolitan Line for the Piccadilly Line.
If you're going to be far away from home at night - make sure you actually know what time the tube stops running. If you ask yourself "What time does the tube close?" and your answer starts with the words "I think," then you don't know. Ask someone. You can get across the city drunk at 3am if need be, but The Night Bus only runs every half hour and from one side of the city to another is literally a four hour trip. (Granted, you're unlikely to need to go from one side to the other at 3am - but the center of London to the outskirts took me two hours... and they don't stop for drunk bathroom breaks.)
Also - I don't know how old you are or how much you drunk, but be aware of the fact that ABV in Europe and the UK is roughly twice what it is here in the US. Most of the kids I studied abroad with who ended up in A&E (Accident and emergency, their version of an ER) got there because of alcohol poisoning. One EU Beer = 2 US Beers.
Oh, and if you need to call the cops/ambulance, it's 999, not 911.
Add "Angel" to the places you should avoid.
Tylenol is called Paracetamol.
If someone lets you walk in front of their car, don't give them a peace sign.
Ear plugs are impossible to find in Europe. If you're used to using them while studying, bring like 300 pairs. Seriously. Im.Poss.I.Ble.
whoooaa, thats good to know cuz I've got the tolerance level of a kitten
What? You can buy like 8 different kinds of earplug in any Boots or Superdrug.
Yes. It is literally quite mad. I stumbled onto one place this year that did this that actually blew my mind.
Yes you should get one, but if you're going to be using the tube much you should also pay the £26 - £30 pounds for a 16-25 railcard, and take your oyster card and railcard to the tube station and ask them to apply the railcard to the oyster card. The result will be that you get an additional 34% off of off-peak (anything after 9:30am) fares on the tube. This adds up very quickly and will probably pay itself off within two weeks if you use the tube with any frequency.
If you're into animation there's a monthly meeting of animators at one of the pubs in Soho. They just put on a bunch of short films and it's a good chance to chat/network. I can't remember what it's called though :-S A google search might turn something up.
yeah I said in the OP that I'm living in kensington
Oh cool!! Thanks ponge, I'll see what I can turn up
To be a "real" cab driver (licensing thing) takes considerable understanding of the roads of London, there's an exam and everything, and no doubt to obtain/maintain certification is not cheap (not too long ago NYC taxi medallions were going for $1mil).
However, when visiting my sister who lives there, we'd occasionally make use of informal taxis, or hired cars. She'd call a number, say where we are, where we're going, pre-negotiate the fee, and then get a call back. Get picked up in what seems like someone's personal car. Not sure how unsafe it is, but I'd imagine there's no regulation or oversight like there would be with the normal black cab.
Usually we made use of a combination of the underground, buses, or land trains to get from place to place on any given day; though we once used a passenger ferry, which may have taken longer, but was a smooth ride (no stops) and you get to see a lot of the city.
You will come to despise tfl (Transport for London, the company who run the public transport), but that feature is very handy.