London know-how? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

BijinMik · 01-30-2006, 11:58 AM

Whats up everyone!
Me and a group of friends are going to London for Spring Break this year and we wanted to make sure we hit up everything worth hitting up. One of my roommates linked me to the flash blog www.yutakaloveslondon.com and its awesome and really helpful. I was wondering if anybody could clue me in to other sites like this one.
Thanks oh so very much!
Miki

**space virgin** · 01-30-2006, 12:01 PM

You mean other sites such as http://www.travelpunk.com/boards ? There's a ton of great info here about London and a couple other places around the world.

First of all, what types of things are you interested in seeing? Art & culture? Pubs? Clubbing? With one week you can see quite a bit, but it would also help to have some idea of what you want to do.

**omisan** · 01-30-2006, 02:07 PM

Here's a link to my fairly extensive travelogue documenting a trip to London.. Covers a lot of musuems, sights, nightlife, etc.

**noke_travel** · 01-31-2006, 07:29 PM

omisan-
just read the london travelouge...great stories. i loved it.

**omisan** · 01-31-2006, 10:19 PM

Glad to be of service, chief.

**Canadian Bacon** · 02-01-2006, 05:50 PM

London! hahhahahahahaahaha
prepare to be poor after your break

I say, just save your money and go to Spain (but spend the last day in Amsterdam...heh heh)

**Canadian Bacon** · 02-01-2006, 05:52 PM

I'm sorry, that wasn't very supportive.

But seriously, I found that London really took a bite out of my budget, so just be aware of that. The Pound murders the Canadian dollar.

she · 02-12-2006, 11:04 AM

It is LONDON! Gotta love the city man.

I spent three months there and expenses kill but you sorta get comfortable and the city grows on you.

P/S: There are ways of cheating the transport system...and it will save you a load of cash. Buy child fares on tubes and use an old travelcard on buses. But don't get caught...it is a hefty 20pd fine! I did this for 3 months and was caught twice...got away with it both times with "Sorry sir, won't ever do it again" Hehe

Have fun!!

**bellelass** · 02-12-2006, 11:23 AM

I also like my low-tech and failsafe method of just not paying for the buses at all. Just get on. I was stopped once and the driver (A woman I may add, a man wouldnt have bothered me) just threw me off and I caught the next one five minutes later.. Though you do sort of have to be brave and be around for a while to take the bus, doesnt seem like spring break is long enough for that.
To save a shitload of money, make sure you stay in a hostel that has a kitchen, and ask reception where the nearest grocery is. Buy some simple food (veggies, a bit of meat, some pasta) and cook it up in the kitchen. Carry around some rolls and some fruit and maybe a little cheese during the day. Sooo so so sooo much cheaper and better for you than eating out. Bring some food with you, too. I did and was glad of it. And bring a carton of smokes, even if you dont smoke. Cigs are soo expensive there, and you can always trade them with people in your hostel. Its really amazing. Also, buy your waterbottles at the grocery, not at little stands all over the place around tourist attractions. They charge roughly four-hundred times as much as the regular stores (Tesco and budgens were my usuals...) Generator Hostel has 1 pound pints, but they kind of frown upon outsiders coming in. Turned me away a few times. But really its not worth staying there just for the cheap drinks. I was a big fan of drinking quite a lot before I went out, and then heading to some dive like the Shepard's Bush Walkie.
One more word on Transport. It is possible to get around London on foot, but its time consuming, frigid (snowed nearly every day for two weeks last march), and exhausting. My suggestion is to buy a Zone 1 week-long pass. its like, what, 30 quid? You'll save money. Trust me. And since your time is so limited it will be easier to just get on the train and get where you want to go. If you're flying into Heathrow dont even consider taking any other way into the city but the tube. Its like three or four pounds and much cheaper than any other way. Gatwick's cheapest option I believe are buses that go from the airport to Victoria Station in the middle of the city.
Hope this helps you out...

JeanB · 02-14-2006, 03:04 PM

If you want to know where to go in London, simply buy the magazine ''time out''. It lists practically every club

a londoner.

JeanB · 02-14-2006, 03:07 PM

P.S. if you want any advice that is more specific, just ask!

**omisan** · 02-14-2006, 03:50 PM

TimeOut is great - if you'e ever used the one in New York, it's much the same. Just be sure when buying it at the news stand that it's the *CURRENT* issue. A lot of times, the news agents will put the previous week's issue on top of the new ones to try to squeeze out a few extra pence - been burned by that one a couple of times in London!

**bellelass** · 02-16-2006, 09:41 AM

TNT is an excellent free publication, as well. Aimed at Antipodeans, but thats alright it still has excellent listings for clubs, bars, concerts, jobs, how to get around, etc. Look around at hostels and so forth. They come out on monday or tuesday and usually go fast.