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The Dorling Kindersley Guide to London
is excellent - I live 100 miles away from London, and I still use
this book. You can buy your copy at home or wait until you get here
to purchase it. If you don't mind carrying it with you, do it. I suspect
the book will be more expensive here in the U.K. |
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There are loads of interesting and free things to do in London,
you just have to know where to look. Most of the museums are free
- the Natural History Museum (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/)
in South Kensington is worth a visit (although, in my opinion, the
Science museum next door is not so
fab). Another lovely stop is the Geffrye
museum. This is a converted building that was used as housing
for retired people who had worked in the Navy. It has since been divided
into a series of rooms, each furnished in the style of a different
century, going chronologically. At the end, there is an exhibition
about more recent interior design trends, and a shop (fairly pricey)
where you can get goodies and inspiration to do up your own place.
Visit their website at: http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/ for hours
of operation, current exhibits, and a virtual visit of the displays. |
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The Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood
is also free - although I haven't been there yet. I imagine it would
be extra special if you are travelling with your JourneyKiddies. Website:
http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/nmc/ |
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Attention JourneyBankers and JourneyAccountants! A site not many
people know about is the Bank of England
Museum (Bartholomew Lane) situated between Liverpool Street
station and St. Paul's on the tube. The Museum is housed within the
Bank of England itself so it is closed on holidays and weekends. It
details the history of banking in the UK -- visitors are invited to
hold a real gold ingot and read documents relating to famous customers
such as the Duchess of Marlborough, George Washington and Horatio
Nelson. Entry is gratis. |
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 My absolute favourite museum in London is the Museum
of London (nearest tube Barbican). Their website describes
it as, "a quarter of a million years of history ... our collections
include over a million items." It's
built right next to part of the old city wall and offers changing
exhibitions as well as different galleries giving the history of London.
Recently they built a mock-up of a Roman town and employed actors
to staff it. It's got a great atmosphere and also has a garden with
examples of gardening styles throughout the ages. All galleries and
most temporary exhibitions are free. Website: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ |
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Another fun "no cost" thing to do is to visit the parks -- you can
even hand-feed the squirrels in Regent's
Park; they're so tame. There are also lovely children's play
areas if you are travelling with youngsters - Coram's
Fields (near Great Ormand Street hospital) is the most amazing
play area I have ever seen. They also run workshops and drop-in sessions.
For further information, click here. |
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One of the least expensive ways of seeing the sights is to get a
travelcard and find one of the bus
routes that goes past all the attractions. Take a guidebook if you
like, sit on the top deck of a city bus, and hey-presto, you're doing
a sightseeing tour without having to fork out loads of cash for an
open-top tourist bus (freezing most of the year anyway). Travelcards
also give you a discount on the river boats - another nice way to
see the city relatively cheaply. |
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Take a trip to Greenwich where
you can see the Cutty Sark ship,
Tiger Moth plane, the world's only
fan museum, play in the park and
go to the Royal Observatory - where
you can stand on and jump over the meridian line. The most fun way
to get there is by DLR (Docklands Light Railway) - these trains are
part of the underground system, but are overground, go up and down
hills and have "no driver." It feels as if you're on a very slow roller-coaster.
Once you get off the DLR, take the foot-tunnel to Greenwich. If you
want a bit of variety, I believe you can get a river boat back to
London. Lots of fun for children, too. |
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It costs nothing to walk the Millennium
bridge from St. Paul's and then have a look round the Tate
Modern. The museum is housed in a converted power station --
interesting even if you think you don't like modern art. Bonus --
This building has a lovely, large space in the old turbine halls which
is perfect for exercising toddlers on a rainy day. Website: http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/default.htm |
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Carrying on your
circular riverside walk, go along the South
Bank where  there is an interesting pancake stall on the plaza
near the film museum. Then when you choose, walk back across the next
bridge and retrace your steps to the Tate. This is best done just
before sunset (but take note that while it may be romantic in summer,
bridgewalking is freezing during the winter). |
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If you have the budget for an extravagance, experience the London
Eye (also called the Millennium Wheel).
Try to get there just before dark, then you
can see London in the light and floodlit. Pre-booking is advised.
There is a nice playground out the back - the ride itself takes about
1/2 an hour. Apparently, you can even get married or book a conference
in one of the capsules if you'd like! |
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If you're involved in Girl Guiding there are several places in London
you can stay centrally, safely and quite reasonably. These include
Baden Powell House (http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/hq/bph)
and Pax Lodge (http://www.paxlodge.org).
Discounted rates include breakfast as well. Groups can stay for one
night at ICANDO (which is also a
hands-on Guiding history museum - lovely shop too). It's located at
17-19 Buckingham Palace Road. Visit:
http://www.girlguiding.org.uk
to find out more. |
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If you want to eat cheaply, make use of all the mini-versions of
the big supermarkets that are in central London (e.g. Tescos,
Sainsbury's etc). This is much cheaper
than eating out all the time. |
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Shopping is never free but Oxford Circus
has two huge budget-shopping H&M
stores. Walk along the road with the Borders book shop on it for the
slightly less crowded H&M -- you'll find more bargains there. I hear
that Camden market sells weird and
wonderful things. I haven't been there myself but it might be fun
to try. In both these crowded places hold on to your valuables. This
is where pickpockets love to hang out. |
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 Lastly,
don't forget to get out of London - go camping in Epping
Forest (nearest tube -Theydon Bois). There's a lovely campsite
there, or get a train and explore the rest of the country. I recommend
East Anglia, but then I'm biased.
I live there. Happy inexpensive travelling, everybody! |
some of them in very attractive tins, real British biscuits
-- also some in tins, marmalades, chutney, etc. Whenever I have a friend
traveling to London I ask for a box of Harrod's Camomile and Spiced Apple
Tea - or Herbal Infusion - a delicious combination I haven't found anywhere
else. A box of 25 tea bags (oops - I mean sachets) costs 3.5 euro (under
$US5.00)!