"Tips for first time London visitors" London by guardianof5

I just got back from London and I wanted to give all those who are going to London for the first time a few tips:

Before you go:
1. Go to your bank and order some pounds. I ordered 100 pounds and did not use all of them and I was there for 7 days. The bank charged me $5.00 for the transaction. I used my credit card in London, which was easier and less of an exchange rate.

2. Get a voltage convertor and transformer. I bought one from Walmart for $20.00.

3. Buy Rick Steve's book on London and an London Underground map, so you can get use to the tube system. If you are familiar with the subway system, then you may not need it. I had never been on a subway before so I figured out the system before I got there. You can get it at Amazon.com.

4. Call your Credit card company and tell them you are leaving the country.

5. Call your celluar company and set up an international calling plan for the time you are gone. If your company does not offer such a plan, then order a UK phone for $29.00. http://www.mobal.com/international-cell-phones/?gclid=COun4ryF5KkCFUHu7QodJWVLZg
I ordered a UK phone, which worked very well.

6. Go to www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1london and print out any vouchers that you may want to use in London. You pay for one ticket and get another one free. They were always received without any problems.

7. When gas starts going down, so does airline tickets. Watch for the trend. Check fares on Tuesday. Leave from a weekday to a weekday, such as Tuesday and come back Tuesday. Remember you lose two days in air travel. If you want to stay 7 days in London, then set aside 9 days. Leave from the east coast if possible. I left from Houston and it was 9 or 10 hours in the air. If I left from an east coast city, it was about 6 hours. That is a big difference!!!

8. Find a hotel that is close to a tube. I stayed at Copthorne Tara Hotel close to High Street Kensington Tube. It was very convenient to everywhere. Make sure that your hotel has air conditioning if you are going in the summer and a bathroom in your room. The rooms are very small compared to the US. A double room means you get a double bed. Get a minifridge in your room for bottled water and drinks.

9. You do not need a car. If you are in good health, take the tube or bus. Walking was always enjoyable, because the scenery is beautiful.

10. Get a hand blender if you want to make breakfast shakes. This saves time and money and makes a nutritional breakfast.

11. Book any tours before you go. I took a day trip to Paris with Premium Tours on the Eurostar for 119 pounds. This included a metro ticket, river boat ride down the Seine river, and Eurostar tickets. They picked you up at your hotel at 5:15am. It was a long day!! It I had to do it again, I would spend the night and come back the next day. You cannot see Paris in a day!! Order tickets to the Louvre in advance, otherwise you will be standing in line for 2 hours in the sun. http://www.ticketnet.fr/Resultat/idtier/138989/?ipSearch=musee+louvre

12. Pack a washcloth-there are none in London. Take your raincoat or umbrella-you will need it. Bring a backpack to carry water, raincoats, maps, travel books, snacks, cameras, passports, etc. You see backpacks everywhere so you will not look like a tourist.

13. Are your passports current? They cannot expire within the next 6 months. Carry them at all times while in London.

14. Once you decide on your hotel, go to google maps. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Check out the restaurants close to you that others have recommended.

15. Londoners dress very nice. Only tourists wear jeans and tennis shoes. If you want to not look like a tourist, dress for the occasion.

When you get there:

1. I flew into Heathrow Airport. Find an Underground station and buy a one day travel card for London about 7 pounds. You can get one out of a kiosk if you have pounds. It would not take my credit card. Find the Underground Station and head towards your hotel. This is the cheapest form of transportation. If your hotel is close to the tube, then you will not have a problem.

2. After you are settled in your hotel, get a 7 Day Travelcard for zones 1 and 2 from the National Rail Company. Look on your London Underground map and this shows you all the National Railway stations (Red railway signs) and go to the one nearest your hotel. This is the only Travelcard that will work with your 2 for 1 vouchers. Kensington station was closest to my hotel, so we walked there.

3. Ask for directions, if you are not sure where you are going. Londoners are very cordial and very helpful. I had several of them walk me most of the way to my destination. I never met a rude Londoner!! What a change from the States.

4. Go to the grocery store to buy snacks, wine, drinks, things for sandwiches, bottled water. We went to the Whole Foods Store down the street and bought chicken salad sandwich spread and made sandwiches for snacks. Every morning we made a breakfast drink with bananas, vitamins, yogurt, etc. Be sure to get plastic knives to spread the sandwich meat while you are there in the store. We bought wine to drink in the room at night before we went to bed. The stores in the hotels are usually very expensive.

5. Ask the concierge for a map of London and to get you any tickets that you may want for the theatre. My concierge could get me discounted tickets even for WICKED. He was awesome!!

6. City Cruises has a great ride down the river and you get 33% off when you show them your travel card.

7. If you go to the Tower of London, go early during a week day by 9am and go straight to the crown jewels, or you will wait in line a very long time. Then go back and get a guided tour. Go next to Tower pier-very close ot the Tower of London. Take City Cruises from there to Greenwich and see the prime meridian and the Painted Hall-a must see!! Then hop back on city cruises and go down to Westminister pier and hop off and see Big Ben and Parliament and #10 Downing Street where the prime minister lives. Depending on how much time you have, check your map for other close attractions in the area.

8. Most museums are free. Check out what is free in London and take advantage of this. You must go to the British Museum and the National Gallery, which are both free. http://golondon.about.com/od/thingstodoinlondon/tp/free_London.htm

9. You must eat in at least one pub and have fish and chips. I really liked the Salisbury and the Golden Lion (300 year old pubs). By the way chips are french fries. Crisps are potato chips. The meat pies are also delicious. Experience London by going to a pub. There is one on almost every street.
Go to http://pubs.com/ and find some pubs you want to visit.

10. Go to Harrod's. It is worth the experience. If you like Vintage stores, London has some excellent ones. My son wanted to find skinny ties, vests, hats, suspenders, and old shoes. http://blog.hostelbookers.com/travel/cheap-days-out/vintage-shops-london/

How to use the Subway (Tube, Underground):

1. Use the London Underground Map to plot your course with the least amount of changes. Every time you change a train, you have to go up and down flights of stairs to get to your next train.
2. From Heathrow, take the Piccadilly Line. My hotel was next to High Kensington Tube station, so I had to change to the Circle Line at Earl’s Court before I could get to my tube station.
3. There is a ticket terminal as you walk in the station. You must put your travelcard in the slot at the bottom face up and it will come back out on top. Don’t forget your card!!!
4. Each Line has a name: Piccadilly, Circle, District, etc. Look for the name of the Line you want to travel on. The stations are well marked and signs are everywhere with arrows pointing in the direction to go. An employee is by every ticket terminal, if you need help.
5. My biggest problem was whether to do eastbound or westbound. Look at the very end of the line in the direction you are going and whatever that destination is, then the train will be going towards this place. When you are leaving Heathrow on the Piccadilly Line, the announcer will say you are heading towards Cockfosters. This is the destination at the end of the Piccadilly Line.
6. On the train as it enters the station, the end destination will appear on the train.
7. Before you get on the train there are maps on the wall, which show you which train to get on. Make sure your stop is listed on this map before you get on the train.
8. Once you are on the platform, there is a sign telling you when the next train is coming. Wait for your train to come. They usually come every 2 minutes. We never had to wait very long. The service was very efficient.
9. There is a map inside the train that shows you all the stops. The announcer will tell you what stop is coming up next. Just look at the map as you travel along.
10. Everyone is usually very quiet in the tube. Everyone is very polite. There are not seats for everyone, so you may have to stand until someone gets off and gives you a seat. Hold onto a pole if you did not get a seat, and enjoy the ride.
11. Afford rush hours, because the trains are packed.
12. Watch your purse in the trains. This is the best place for something to be stolen.
Once I understood the system, I loved traveling by tubes. You can do this! Go for it!

• Pros:Friendly, clean, free things to do
• Cons:expensive so plan your trip well before you go
• In a nutshell:London is an amazing city....want to go back soon!!