(05 Feb 2015, 8:51 pm)Adam wrote Finally getting the wheels in motion for my train trip to London and back (I'm very sorry) with the tickets I won in East Coast's Bid For a Seat competition. The trains are booked and the tickets are currently in the post.
Has to be a Saturday when I go, so on Saturday 21st of this month, I'm going down with my cousins. Getting there, we're travelling on the 06:55 service from NCL, a Mallard 225 operated service. To come back, we're getting the 21:00 train, an HST operated service, so I suppose I do get to sample both types of train.
I still have no idea what we're doing when we're there. Does anyone have any recommendations? I've already been to WHSmith and bought an A-Z of London, but knowing my non-existent sense of direction, I will still probably get lost...
Get yourselves some Oyster Cards before you go down. Make sure everything is topped up, because using the bus and the tube will come in very handy, and a lot better than taxis. Speaking of which, while you're down there - try a London Cab for the sake of it.
I would recommend a walk in Covent Garden, maybe visit the gates at Buckingham Palace but it's probably going to be rammed with foreigners. Perhaps you could book yourselves on a river boat cruise down the River Thames?
Try out a Borismaster while you're there too, the M&M Factory somewhere near Leicester Square, and the Haagen Dazs café there too.
Trying to think of what else I did in London...I wouldn't recommend any of the shows because it'll be pointless with you're return time and the fact that most are way too overrated.
Knightsbridge tube station is the one for Harrod's, I would recommend a visit there. Go to Hamley's on Regent Street - dozens of buses pass through there every minute. Speaking of Regent Street, lots of other things like an Apple shop there too.
I would use Leicester Square tube station for all of your Covent Garden/Leicester Square things - you'll end up waiting ages for the lifts at Covent Garden and when I was last down there in November, one platform was out of action and caused absolute chaos. Dodge Covent Garden tube station at all costs.
So yeah, get Oyster Cards for each of you and you'll find everything is much less stressful. But always be wary of your surroundings - tramps and the others know all the tricks in the book, and also, without wanting to sound racist, always be wary when you get on a tube or a bus. Never forget 7/7.
Anyway, enjoy your trip, Adam!
