Just spent the weekend in london....

LordSutch · 09-05-2016 04:13PM

s15r330 wrote: »

Was thinking of going to Salisbury (Stonehenge) by train, 2 hour trip, 166 pounds return for 2!! Needless to say we gave it a miss.

Next time fly into Bristol.

s15r330 · 09-05-2016 04:25PM

bigpink wrote: »

How was it that much?

No idea, they were standard tickets too, you'd understand if it was 1st class. Only paid €73 return flights for 2!

s15r330 · 09-05-2016 04:26PM

HensVassal wrote: »

Rent a car? Stonehenge is very underwhelming though. Long and expensive journey just to say you were there. And you can't get up close and forget trying to get your dream photo of you with the stones in the background under a brooding druidic sky. There are other tourists all over the place to spoil your shot.

Looked up car rental, was still around the hundred pound mark for the day.

Mint Sauce · 09-05-2016 04:27PM

For those commenting on the cost of travel! Get an Oyster Card and plan in advance. Made several journeys on Commuter Rail in London couple weeks ago, including Gatwick to the Surrey/London boundary and back, due to connections had to pass though Zone 2. A few bus journeys as well, and only deducted £20-30.

For long distance Intercity Rail travel, check out thetrainline.com. Tickets can be bought 3 months in advance. I have done London to just outside Birmingham, to Liverpool, and the SW of England, paid between £40-70 rtn for all of them, day or two before and your talking at least double.

Going from Heathrow into London, use the Picadilly Line instead of the Express. Gatwick into London, or to Brighton, use Southern Rail instead of the Express.

As for facial hair, its still in.

Mint Sauce · 09-05-2016 04:30PM

s15r330 wrote: »

Looked up car rental, was still around the hundred pound mark for the day.

Where were you looking from? I hired from Gatwick, 3 days including Insurance, removing all excess, for about €70. No mileage limit, for a VW Polo or equivalent, A Golf was an extra tenner.

Dr Crayfish · 09-05-2016 04:30PM

Shint0 wrote: »

That's the price for the unlimited off-peak one day travel card. So if you take one tube trip or ten it's all the same but £12 for just one journey is madness.

If he had an Oyster it would have been half that price or less.
It's a great city. It's cheaper than Dublin in a lot of ways too - eating out for e.g. Way more competition there and cheap eats. Brick Lane for e.g., some good Indian food there and you can get a couple of courses with free booze for 11 quid if you pay your cards right.
You can also visit the best museums in the world for free.

Tilikum · 09-05-2016 04:34PM

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

If he had an Oyster it would have been half that price or less.
It's a great city. It's cheaper than Dublin in a lot of ways too - eating out for e.g. Way more competition there and cheap eats. Brick Lane for e.g., some good Indian food there and you can get a couple of courses with free booze for 11 quid if you pay your cards right.
You can also visit the best museums in the world for free.

I had an Oyster card too. Bus/tube & trains excellent value.

smash · 09-05-2016 04:35PM

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

You can also visit the best museums in the world for free.

Yea but 'Ripples believe it or not' is like £30 a ticket!

:pac:

XR3i · 09-05-2016 04:35PM

haven't been to london in years

anytime i was there if i'd money i'd spend the day drinking in that pub across the road from victoria coach station

can't remember the name of it was something like "the duck and dog"

Dr Crayfish · 09-05-2016 04:36PM

XR3i wrote: »

haven't been to london in years

anytime i was there if i'd money i'd spend the day drinking in that pub across the road from victoria coach station

can't remember the name of it was something like "the duck and dog"

The area around Victoria station is pretty grim tbh. Some of the hotels there are total dives.

BrokenArrows · 09-05-2016 04:37PM

smash wrote: »

I was there recently and needed to take the tube to somewhere just 30 mins away. £12 return. Holy shít!!!!

They charge way more for paper tickets on purpose.
If you gor a contactless oystercard it probably would have been £6

Mint Sauce · 09-05-2016 04:43PM

smash wrote: »

Yea but 'Ripples believe it or not' is like £30 a ticket!

:pac:

They said the best museums.

Shint0 · 09-05-2016 04:45PM

BrokenArrows wrote: »

They charge way more for paper tickets on purpose.
If you gor a contactless oystercard it probably would have been £6

I think the £12 ticket is the cheapest if you are just there for one day and need to make two journeys, for example. Otherwise I think it's £5 for the card and minmimum top up of £10 although I may be open to correction on this but Oyster is obviously better if there for more than one day.

BrokenArrows · 09-05-2016 04:45PM

Depends on what you're doing in London.
I live here are there is great value to be had with the exceptions of:

1. Hotels and accommodation is general is very expensive.
2. Transport is pricy but it is very good.
3. Certain tourist attractions are massively expensive, however most museums and art galleries are free. Better value if you book in advance and get special offers.

Prices of food/drink:

If you know where to go and what to do then you can get very good value.

1. Want a curry then you can go to Brick Lane. If you have a group of people 4+ then you can haggle starters, main and wine for about £10-12 a head.

2. A normal price of beer ranges from £4 -£5 (5-6.30 euro). Same as Dublin if not cheaper. £5+ would be rare, 4.60 would be normal.

3. Plenty of pubs offer great deals for food and drink. Pub beside my house is buy one mean get one free. Means about 4.50 per great dinner. Or Pint and meal for 8.50

s15r330 · 09-05-2016 04:55PM

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Where were you looking from? I hired from Gatwick, 3 days including Insurance, removing all excess, for about €70. No mileage limit, for a VW Polo or equivalent, A Golf was an extra tenner.

I was already in London when I thought of it and it was the May bank holiday. That on top of I wanted it the next day probably didn't help.
€70 for the 3days?

Mint Sauce · 09-05-2016 05:02PM

s15r330 wrote: »

I was already in London when I thought of it and it was the May bank holiday. That on top of I wanted it the next day probably didn't help.
€70 for the 3days?

Just double checked my CC to be sure. €67, and £50 for a tank of petrol whilst I was there. Booked it about a week before from Gatwick, checked London Collections and Drop Off which were over €100 for the same period.

maudgonner · 09-05-2016 05:03PM

smash wrote: »

Yea but 'Ripples believe it or not' is like £30 a ticket!

:pac:

The Hunterian Musem is free. And creepy as fúck!

https://evareynolds.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/l1030605.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qoxy3re4aN4/TUgS8EH0wGI/AAAAAAAAADk/iP4odwoBFNs/s1600/PICT0025.JPG

That's a real 'Believe it or Not' place.

Dr Crayfish · 09-05-2016 05:11PM

maudgonner wrote: »

The Hunterian Musem is free. And creepy as fúck!

That's a real 'Believe it or Not' place.

Damn, turns out I used to work right beside that and never knew about it. I wont sleep tonight after seeing that slice of face in the jar.

ToddyDoody · 09-05-2016 06:26PM

Men's fashion trends started in Ireland anyone?

LordSutch · 09-05-2016 06:53PM

Next visit will definately involve going to the Globe to see a production, any production. The London Eye will also feature, as well as a trip up the Shard, and hopefully (just hopefully) a proper curry in brick lane if the wife allows (she hates curry) so it might be a solo run

)

I also love travelling on the Tube, and more recently the Borismasters!

09-05-2016 07:11PM

London is a beautiful city, and has some of the best museums in Europe if not the world. All the museums are free. Transport can be pricey if you don't book yonks in advance or have an Oyster card. Food in touristy places costs a fortune, but thats true in most cities.

Londoners are wonderful and, crucially, know how to stand to the right on an escalator. I'm a Londoner, I'm adorable and I stand to the right. Ask my granny, she'll tell you.

LordSutch · 09-05-2016 07:16PM

Incedentilly Candie, re the Borismaster, which camp are you in?
http://d1ptninktvvbva.cloudfront.net/www.boriswatch.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/20130713_135145.jpg

Love em, or hate em?

Elessar · 09-05-2016 07:23PM

I really want to visit London for a weekend soon - is it good for solo travellers? Anyone any experiences of doing a few days in London solo?

09-05-2016 07:25PM

Boris didn't do nearly as much as he could have (or promised). Some improvements on the tube, no real difference in law and order, air quality has slightly improved but no real improvement in the local housing crisis. I also have a problem with him playing up to his bumbling, pally image. Anyway, he's history and it was time. Just not a Tory fan generally either.

It'll be interesting to see how Khan gets on, but I think he's going to get a lot of undeserved criticism off the bat just because he's Muslim, given the climate.

Mint Sauce · 09-05-2016 07:26PM

Candie wrote: »

London is a beautiful city, and has some of the best museums in Europe if not the world. All the museums are free. Transport can be pricey if you don't book yonks in advance or have an Oyster card. Food in touristy places costs a fortune, but thats true in most cities.

Londoners are wonderful and, crucially, know how to stand to the right on an escalator. I'm a Londoner, I'm adorable and I stand to the right. Ask my granny, she'll tell you.

They're polite, until someone stands on the left! I'm from London originally, amd will go straight into Londoner mode when using Public Transport, I will wait till you get off the tube/train before I get on. I will give up my seat on buses, tubes, and trains. I will have my Oyster Card ready long before I reach the barriers. But if you are standing on the left, I will say excuse me, I will give a friendly tap on the shoulder, but I wont slow down.

Such a shame that a number of stations are experimenting on getting rid of the age old rule/tradition.

09-05-2016 07:26PM

Elessar wrote: »

I really want to visit London for a weekend soon - is it good for solo travellers? Anyone any experiences of doing a few days in London solo?

If you're into seeing the sights and checking out the galleries and museums, its a fantastic place for a solo trip. There's so much to do, free of charge, if you're into those things.

Mint Sauce · 09-05-2016 07:28PM

Candie wrote: »

Boris didn't do nearly as much as he could have (or promised). Some improvements on the tube, no real difference in law and order, air quality has slightly improved but no real improvement in the local housing crisis. I also have a problem with him playing up to his bumbling, pally image. Anyway, he's history and it was time. Just not a Tory fan generally either.

It'll be interesting to see how Khan gets on, but I think he's going to get a lot of undeserved criticism off the bat just because he's Muslim, given the climate.

I quite liked Boris, until he started supporting the Britexit, now not sure what to make of him. The cable car was one of his weaker moments though.

LordSutch · 09-05-2016 07:32PM

Anybody want to come back on 53?

Personally I love em, specially since Ken got rid of the originals.

Mint Sauce · 09-05-2016 07:34PM

LordSutch wrote: »

Anybody want to come back on 53?

Personally I love em, specially since Ken got rid of the originals.

The 14 was my local one.

wolfmoon87 · 09-05-2016 07:56PM

LordSutch wrote: »

Next visit will definately involve going to the Globe to see a production, any production. The London Eye will also feature, as well as a trip up the Shard, and hopefully (just hopefully) a proper curry in brick lane if the wife allows (she hates curry) so it might be a solo run )

I also love travelling on the Tube, and more recently the Borismasters!

Tip: Unless you're dead-set on going to The Shard, I'd recommend going to the Sky Garden instead.
It's opposite The Shard, and it's free! You just need to book in advance.

Just spent the weekend in london....

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