Here is the next chapter of my book. It deals with safety. I am sure there are far more safety tips than what I discuss, and I shall investigate further. But here is what I have for now. Enjoy... Safety Like Rick Steves says “if there are two thieves in town, you will meet them”. Don’t be vulnerable to thieves and pickpockets. It is really simple. Wear a money belt. It is a cloth wallet that goes around your waste and you tuck it under your pants. In it you store your passport, tickets, credit cards, driver’s license, etc. In your pants pockets, only keep a days’ worth of spending money. My advice would be to wear pants with zipper pockets or a wallet with a zipper and a chain attached to your belt ring. That way if you are to be pickpocketed, it will be less likely that they will be successful in robbing you. Also, don’t keep valuables lying out in the hotel room. It is unlikely that anything will be stolen in the hotel, but there are rare occasions when staff can have wandering hands while cleaning your room. When it comes to medical safety, just ask for help. For minor things like headaches or stomachaches, if you did not bring any medicine, stroll down to the neighborhood pharmacy. Ask the pharmacist for help if you can’t find what you are looking for. Most British and European pharmacies will have the same products we have here in the US, just maybe under different brand names. Also, if you run out of prescription medicine, take the bottle to the pharmacy with the name of the medicine, dosage and doctor’s name and they may be able to assist you. For real medical emergencies, the number to call in Britain is not “911” it is actually “999”. That number is the same for police as well. I hope you get some useful tips from that short narrative. For Rick Steves' safety tips, click the button under the picture below. Cheers!
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Here is the next section of my travel skills booklet. This chapter deals with Food and Drink in London. Enjoy... Food and Drink Gordon Ramsay said in an interview that “there is nowhere better to eat anywhere in the world than London”. Whether it’s a classic breakfast fry-up or a fish and chip supper, London has it all. Many people will also say that there is nothing better than a traditional London curry. Brick Lane is said to have the best curries in London. Even with London being so expensive, you don’t have to empty your bank account every time. My advice would be to stock up your hotel room with snacks from the local convenience store. Stop by one of London’s many markets and grab a bunch of items to take for a picnic in a park or on the street. Street food from stands and trucks are a good idea. For dinner, go for a pub dinner or quick bite at a fast food chain. Of course, splurge one night at a good restaurant like the Hard Rock Café or another big London name restaurant. Just remember, you don’t have to be rich to eat well in London. Also, while you are in London, you absolutely have to go for a traditional afternoon tea. Many hotels offer this as part of your room rate or as a separate cost. One of the great names for afternoon tea in public is the Diamond Jubilee Tea Room at Fortnum and Mason’s in London’s famous Piccadilly. It was opened in 2012 as part of Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. I hope this is a good basis for planning on how to eat and drink in London. For Rick Steves' Food tips, click on the button below. Cheers! Hi readers, here is the next section from my book. This section is titled "Tickets and Passes". This is the smallest section of my book. It all dials down to one thing...save money! Enjoy...
Tickets and Passes London is site crazy. Buying dozens of tickets can get stressful and expensive very quickly. Luckily most “government funded” museums are free (British Museum, National Gallery, etc.), but a lot of places are not. I make a chart of the sites I want to see and I divide them between which are free and which require tickets. That shows what tickets I have to buy. I also divide them into subsections based on location in the city. What it all comes down to it, save money when you can. That way what money you save can be used for dinner splurges or for all those souvenirs you will bring home. I have found one sightseeing pass in particular to be the best idea. It is called the “London Pass”. It gains you access to over sixty London attractions and gives special discounts and offers on sites that are already free. You also have the option to get a London Pass with Travelcard. With this it gives you free use of the London Underground Tube system and bus system. Unfortunately, as you can imagine, not all of the sites you might want to see are not included. For me I get into the sites I want to see and only have to end up buying maybe one or two tickets separately. For example, the London Eye is owned by British Airways and requires a ticket and St. Paul’s Cathedral requires a ticket. It is well worth the money. For £108 for a six day pass and Travelcard, you get over £500 worth of sites. I hope this inspires your trip planning. If I were you I would really consider opting to buy the London Pass. Instead of dozens of separate fees and paper tickets, you get one fee and one card. Less stress on your mind and your wallet. For more info on the London Pass, click on the photo below to be linked to the Official Website. Hi readers, here is part two of my "Planning a Smart Itinerary" Chapter. This part is basically just my own personal itinerary that I will use when I go to London. I have spent four months working on an itinerary. Learning the routes, streets and memorizing the streets of London. After about 10 revisions, this is the final product, and I believe the best itinerary for myself to follow. This includes sites important to me. This is in no way to tempt others to follow. Others may want to visit other sites. I am just giving you a backbone example of how smart planning can pay off! So here you have it. The final part of the first chapter of my London Travel Tips book...
I will now give you an example of a smart itinerary. This is my personal itinerary. I shall list the sites and the part of London it involves, and give prices and whether they are included on the London Pass (which I shall discuss in a later section). The sites are listed in order of how they will be visited. My itinerary begins on a Monday and ends on a Sunday. Day 1- Monday (Westminster): · Westminster Abbey- entrance fee is needed, unless buying a London Pass, in which case it is free admittance. · The Queen’s Gallery @ Buckingham Palace- entrance fee is needed, unless buying a London Pass, in which case it is free admittance. · The Mall · Trafalgar Square and The National Gallery- National Gallery is free admittance. · Covent Garden- It being a Monday means it is antique day at the market. Check website for schedule of events. · Horse Guards Parade- No Admittance. Photo or video opportunities only. Changing of the Guard at 11:00 am. · Downing Street- No Admittance. Photo or video opportunities only. Day 2- Tuesday (Southbank/ The City): · Tower of London- entrance fee is needed, unless buying a London Pass, in which case it is free admittance · Tower Bridge Exhibition- entrance fee is needed, unless buying a London Pass, in which case it is free admittance. · Tate Modern Gallery- Free attraction. · St. Paul’s Cathedral- Ticket required. Not included on the London Pass. · Borough Market- Food market. Free admittance. Day 3- Wednesday (Bloomsbury/ Westminster): · King’s Cross Station- My purpose of checking out this premier London station is my being a Harry Potter fan. There is the Harry Potter Shop @ Platform 9 ¾. As well as a trolley disappearing into the wall at the platform. · British Museum and Library- Free London Attraction. I would suggest if planning this as a spot on your itinerary, prepare to spend at the least 3-4 hours at this museum. · Churchill War Rooms and Museum- entrance fee is needed, unless buying a London Pass, in which case it is free admittance. · Houses of Parliament- Free entry when Parliament is in session. Enter through the Cromwell Green Visitors entrance. Upon entering you will be asked if you want to visit the Lords or Commons. I would suggest the Lords, due to long lines to see the commons (plus once you finish over at the Lords you can wander over to the Commons). Expect long lines and long wait once inside. It is worse on Wednesdays when the Prime Minster is there for questions. The best time to go would be in the afternoon. · Thames River Cruise @ Westminster Pier- Ticket are required, unless you have a London Pass. The London Pass gives the bearer benefit of a 1 day hop on and off. I shall be taking a cruise from Westminster Pier down to Tower Bridge and back. A one way trip is around 30 minutes, roundtrip about an hour. If you want a longer trip, you can stay on all the way down to Greenwich. Day 4- Thursday (Hampton Court/ Kensington/ Westminster): · Hampton Court Palace- Ticket is required, unless you have a London Pass which then it is free. For transport you must take a train. It takes around 30-35 minutes by train from London. · Harrods Department Store- Largest department store in Europe in the midst of Kensington in West London. · London Eye- Ticket required. Tickets are sold through British Airways. Day 5 – Friday (Kensington): · Kensington Palace and Gardens- entrance fee is needed, unless buying a London Pass, in which case it is free admittance. · Natural History Museum- Free attraction. Plan to spend a good 2-3 hours. · Victoria and Albert Museum- Free Attraction. Directly across from the Natural History Museum. Again, plan to spend a good 2 hours. Day 6- Saturday (Windsor/ Piccadilly): · Windsor Castle- entrance fee is needed, unless buying a London Pass, in which case it is free admittance. Transport by train from London takes around 35-45 minutes. · St. James’ Palace- No Admittance. Photo and Video opportunities only. · Shopping in Piccadilly- (Fortnum and Masons, Waterstones, Lillywhites, Cool Britannia). · Piccadilly Circus- The famous square is a tourist flocking destination. Day 7- Sunday (Westminster/ Airport): · Changing of the Guard @ Buckingham Palace- 11:00am-12:30pm every day. Best to arrive by 10:30am for a good viewing spot by the gate at the Palace. · Head to the airport for home…. This of course is my personal pleasure list for London. I of course want to see more but like I said, you can’t possibly fit everything you want into one trip. If you don’t get to everything on your London Travel dreams list, don’t worry. Always assume that you will return. Like I say, once you visit London it will be your next mission in life to return. For Rick’s planning tips click on the link below. I hope you enjoyed my personal itinerary for London. I shall start chapter 2 soon.... |
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