"Home sweet home - for now!" London by MishyM

London is where I call home at the moment, like half of Australia, I decided to move here after I graduated from University, to work here, earn some pounds and most importantly travel!

It was actually through a friend in London that I found this website. She recommended I sign up as she thought I would enjoy it, and she was certainly right (so thanks Carolyn!)

London is a really great city, it has allowed me to make friends from dozens of different countries - Spain, Italy, South Africa, Lithuania, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands, New Zealand and even new people from Australia. (oh and British people as well of course!) The multiculturalisms is probably the main thing I enjoy here, and the absolute variety of things you can do, largely influenced by the fact that there are so many people from so many different countries, and they have all brought something to London and made it such a diverse and exciting city.

I love the fact that you can go out for a traditional British meal at a pub, but then go salsa dancing at the club next door. The museums here are some of the best I have ever seen, and they are free, which I think is fantastic, considering how expensive London is in general (which is probably the main downside to the city - even if the pay is supposed to be relative... my first tip is not to convert how much you are spending here into Australian dollars if you are Aussie. You are likely to have a heart attack. I learnt this lesson after my first big shopping trip here)

A really good thing is how easy it is to walk around! (and how easy it is to avoid delayed tubes if you want to!) Once you get into the city centre you can easily walk to all the main attractions in London (it really is like a monopoly board!) - and this is coming from a very unsporty person, so don't worry, you don't need to be a marathon runner to do it! If you start at the Museums in South Kensington, you can then walk to Harrods, then to Hyde park, from there to Marble Arch, Buckingham palace, the Ritz and Westminster.... etc (I have covered this in my walking tip section for London)

You may also have heard of the infamous London weather - that being it supposedly rains 99% of the year. To be honest I haven’t really experienced this at all, it is often overcast, but it hasn’t seemed to rain that much, so don't let that influence your decision to move/visit here! There have been random miniature snowstorms (I use the term storm lightly) when I have been walking home lately, but that’s actually quite fun!

Basically, to cut a long story short, and not re-type what everyone else in the universe has written about London, London is a brilliant city, with lot’s to do (ok this is what everyone else has said… but cest la vie!) there are heaps of places to go out clubbing if that is your thing, plenty of nice bars, if you prefer that, lots of FREE museums, the ballet, opera, 100’s of plays and musicals to see, lot’s of markets, great shopping (but only go to Oxford street if you don’t have a problem with crowds – it is very very busy normally, and only go at Christmas time if you have a deathwish!), great food as well and plenty more – which I will add when I can think of it!

Check my general tips as well for information on moving to London and finding jobs – this is stuff I’d have liked to know when I moved here. Feel free to message me if you have any other questions – although I really do know more about the cultural side, rather than the best bars to go to… I’ll have to work on that!

More to come soon! (tips, random comments, photos!)

(In no particular order)

1. The Museums/Art Galleries
They are free, there are many (V&A, Natural History, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Science Museum - and many many more) and they are great! I have been to some museums in the world that leave me wondering why on earth I paid such an exorbitant amount of money to see nothing particularly special - this is not the case here.

You always seem something amazing you have read about or seen on tv - like the Rosetta Stone, paintings by famous artists - like seeing John William Waterhouse's painting of the Lady of Shalott (or maybe its just me that got excited about that!) I also got quite excited seeing the colossal states of the winged bull from Nimrud at the British Museum. There are also really cool dinosaurs in the natural History Museum

2. The Markets
I worked just near the Borough Markets for about 6 months, and they are great. This is a food market, with so many amazing things to buy, from the normal butcher, vegetable, fruit etc shops, to amazing baked goods, to bowls of dozens of different olives, feta, sun dried tomato mixes, to traditionally made cheeses from all over England as well as French, wine stands.

There are also the Camden markets which have things other than food, and are a lot more alternative (Camden Town is a really cool, eccentric part of London)

The markets in Covent Garden are pretty good too (a bit more touristy than the other two)

and many more...

3. The Nightlife
There are 1000's of places to go out here. I will put some in my tips section when I get the time. Not just nightclubs, but also places to go for latin dancing classes, or for dinner or even just quiet bars to have a good chat to friends.

4. Walking
I seem to be saying the same things over and over - so as I said above, walking around London is great : )

5. My house
I live in a really friendly house, filled with lots of people from all different countries. I realise this isn’t a tourist thing to add, but London wouldn’t have been the same for me without all my lovely housemates

5 things you should do when you go to London (yes stereotypical I know! But they do epitomise London)
1. Call someone from/take a photo of a red London phone booth - they are very cute/traditional
2. Ride a red double Decker bus
3. Visit Westminster/Buckingham Palace. Walk over Tower Bridge/walk along the Thames
4. Have high tea or a traditional British pub meal
5. Visit Hyde park/Harrods

5 things I have yet to do here that I should:
1. Drink tea without milk like the British do (and I have found most of my European friends do as well). This is just too scary a thing for me to consider doing yet... but I am building up to it.
2. Say hello to the Queen - or at least wave at/hug a guard at Buckingham palace.
3. Go to a ballet
4. Go on the London Eye
5.Say 'Hiya' or 'youalright?' Although I have asked to be shot by my friends if I do say this.

• Pros:Lot's to do, see, taste etc
• Cons:very expensive