Anyone ever taken a trip to London?

[EarthwormJim]

hey wassup. First post ever, but a been browsing the boards for awhile now. Anyways.. planning to head out to London with a buddy in Jan for the first time. We're stayin for 5 days and plan on doin some sight-seeing, checkin out their restaurants and also their nightlife. Just curious if anyone here ever been to London. Please shed some light on nice attractions, good places to stay at, restaurants, nightlife yadda yadda. Anything and everything that can help a couple of vulnerable tourists..lol thank yahs

 

[EarthwormJim]

my bad!

 

[Yeagermeister]

No problem and to the board


I have never been to London but we do have few members that live overseas and should be able to help you.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

No problem and to the board


I have never been to London but we do have few members that live overseas and should be able to help you.

Ditto

Might want to try and PM Chrissyboy

He lives in the UK, not sure if it is around london but I am sure he probably knows it well enough.

 

[calico]

My mother is English and I am a dual citizen with the UK. I am there every few years....there is soo much crap to do in London. Are you staying just in London, or are you open to the surrounding areas?

If I were you, I would hit The Tower of London for sure. Piccadilly circus has some great restaurants and taverns. I love the nightlife in Europe. There is nothing like getting a brew and walking outside with it to mingle with the 100 or so other people outside the bar...great atmosphere.

Madame tussauds wax museum can be fun, but expensive.

You could also take the JACK THE RIPPER tour which takes you to all the murder scenes and gives you alot of info on the ripper.

If you leave London, check out Windsor Castle and the changing of the guard...I can think of some more later.

 

[EarthwormJim]

calico..that jack the ripper is tour one of the main reasons why im excited about headin to London..man i cant friggin wait!
I think we're mainly staying in London, but plans could change once we're there. We're lookin forward to checkin out the museums, and WWII sights.
I just hope we dont get lost navigating around the cities...especially when we're drunk..lol

 

[ROMOSAPIEN9]

Stop in at the Texas Embassy and have a drink and some real Tex-Mex.

 

[MapleLeaf]

...read about in your local guides such as "Let's Go" or "Lonely Planet". I'll leave that stuff to the books and you can look for those.

The place is an expensive city by world standards. Be prepared.

Nightlife and clubbing. Eat at a fish and chips joint where your fish come in a newspaper cone. Fast food in the UK.

Cheapest places to eat is the chip joints and the run down oriental restaurants. They are also open all night. Other good places are the Lebanese and muslim restaurants that serve Shawarmas and donairs. Sort of like a North American pizza joint or a Subway.

Clubbing - big names like Ahir or Ministry of Sound probably gets you alot of bang for your buck. $10.00 to get in and you get to see alot alternative lifestyles in a rave atmosphere.

If a feast for your eyes is something you would be interested in check with the local papers to see if the quarterly "Rubber Ball" is being held during your stay. Alternative lifestyles and busty ladies scantily clad in latex and leather. An eye opener for the more conservative North Americans.

The culture is also very "pub" oriented so if darts, pool and a pint are more your flavour then there's lot's of choices up and down local neighborhoods to take in.

Try the White Horse in Parsons Green. 400 years old and full of ambience. Wenlock Arms if you are looking for place like "Cheers" where regulars come to visit. Lot's of Irish singing songs of forelorn for Ireland.

Cross Keys has an unusual set up with memorabilia from Elvis and the Beatles. Lots to see on the decor.

Some place called "Camel"???? My wife's best friend is Aussie and that's where they all go. They have regular shot drinking contests and the staff really get into it.

Good luck with your trip. Make sure you have cash, but stow it safely on your body. Alot of pubs don't take credit cards or debit cards.

Word of caution, Europe has a stronger tradition of tolerance and alternative lifestyles are very prevalent. Check below by asking before you get a surprise and find out as Tone Loc says in "Funky Cold Medina" that, "Sheena was a man!" Especially if you find yourself in a Rave or a disco.

 

[roughneck266]

You will have a blast! I have been there quite a few times as I work overseas and often go there on the way home for a change of pace. I can assure you that you will not have any problems finding things to do, the Jack the Ripper tour is pretty cool to say the least. As far as getting fish and chips on news paper it isn't an easy task to do any more. They have found that the ink in the news print is cancer causing, I have tried to find some a few times but have not had any luck in a couple years I guess. Have fun!

 

[jem88]

London rules. Camden Town, all the museums, the parks (Hampstead Heath is the best), the pubs, the soccer, etc. It's impossible to be bored there. It is very expensive though.

 

[MapleLeaf]

You will have a blast! I have been there quite a few times as I work overseas and often go there on the way home for a change of pace. I can assure you that you will not have any problems finding things to do, the Jack the Ripper tour is pretty cool to say the least. As far as getting fish and chips on news paper it isn't an easy task to do any more. They have found that the ink in the news print is cancer causing, I have tried to find some a few times but have not had any luck in a couple years I guess. Have fun!

...alot of chip joints still keep up the tradition, but they line the newpaper cone inside with a clean paper.

Gives the traditional look without the ink and the greasy newspaper dripping out the bottom.

 

[EarthwormJim]

Thanks to everyone who has replied. You guys have helped me alot in giving me a pretty solid idea of how things operate over in London.
Another thing... so it has come to my attention that it is very expensive there lol. Im planning on bringing about 1500-2000, and we're staying for 5 days. Do you guys think thats enough?(Sight-seeing, restaurants, pubs/bars )

 

[the kid 05]

dude, EarthWormJim...that was the BEST game for SNES btw

 

[calico]

I have never had a chance to checkout any WWII site or ruins from the expansion of the Roman empire, but I have always wanted to. I have gotten lost many times while trying to find the many castles and what not in the country side.

Just like any city, be careful at night when heading home from a pub. I have found myself with a friend in a back alley having a drunk irishman hurling insults at me...I just smiled at him and gave a laugh letting him know I had a good sense of humor and he just slapped me on the back and went on his way...it was actually pretty funny, but could have easily taken a turn for the worse if I had reacted differently. I did not feel like fighting in a european backalley...

Another interesting thing to do is a rent a canal boat for a week or so and live on it as you travel the countryside canals.