I'm going to London!

[leverhelven]

Soooo, precisely one week from now, I'll be going to London!!! :D :D

 

I'm so very excited and very very nervous: this is my VERY FIRST international trip EVER!!! I'm flying British Airways, so it's also going to be my first time on a really big plane!

 

You might find the timing of the trip odd, after all it's winter there, but it's because next week Carnival is going to start here in Brazil, so we have a week-long holiday and most people travel :) I decided to seize the opportunity, as my cousins were going, so I'm going with them!

 

We've already gotten tickets/reservations for the London Eye, Madame Tussaud's, and the Warner Studios (HARRY POTTER, WOOHOOOOO!!!). I also have a London Pass worth 2 days.

 

I wonder if you guys have tips and suggestions for me? Not only about London, but about the trip itself, surviving a 12-hour-long flight and everything... Also about clothing. Here in Brazil the "coldest" I've ever experienced was... 18º positive Celsius :P I bought those so-called "thermic clothes" and I managed to borrow some coats, gloves and scarves, and I have a pair of boots, but I wonder if there's a risk of snowing?!

 

Anyways, yay :)

 

 

[.Brianna.]

Ah! So excited for you! You're going to have a blast! I went a few years ago and it was amazing! I easily could have spent months there though lol.

 

Personally, I would say make sure you check out Harrod's. The size alone is astounding! Also, if you get a chance try to do a tour of Buckingham Palace. I think they only run certain times of year though (if I remember correctly?), but it is beautiful. Westminster Abbey was lovely to tour also. If you're into theater, try to see a show at the Globe (although with it being winter I'm not sure how that works either). :)

 

 

For your flight, make sure you wear comfortable clothing and drink lots of water! Depending on what time you're landing local time you may want to sleep or stay up to help adjust to the time zone difference...it's nice to be able to get off the plane and go instead of trying to catch yourself up to a new schedule when you arrive.

 

This is everything off the top of my head, but I'll keep thinking for you!

[jellysundae]

I'm excited for your trip, it's going to be such a different experience for you! I'm glad you're getting some warm clothing together, do you have much in the way of sweaters? Multiple thinner layers keeps you warmer than one or two thick layers, also, easier to take a layer off and pop it into your bag if you get too warm, or carry one with you to put on if you're shivering! As the temp's gonna be a totally new thing for you and you don't know how you're gonna cope with it, some flexibility with your layering's going to help you a lot. A scarf and gloves are gonna be great, don't forget a hat though! Especially one that will cover your ears, ears got so cold they hurt are a misery that people from warmer climes never have to suffer, so a soft fluffy hat to ward that off is a must. After your first time out in the cold you'll have a far better idea of what to wear though. :) The cold's gonna give you a perfect excuse for things like hot chocolate though, isn't it? ;D

[Mouseykins]

Congrats on your trip! Sounds like it's going to be a blast!

If you're concerned/curious about the weather while you're going you can check out The Weather Network. The page I linked to should take you to the weather forecast for London England. I hope that helps you prep for your trip. :)

[Lia Seeya]

That's awesome! :D I hope you have a super awesome time, and make many awesome memories. <3

 

Tips? Hm, maybe for dressing for warm weather. Bringing one really good coat is more important than bringing several different coats. Like, a really nice trench coat or something like that. Or if you want to keep it flexible, I like bringing one coat for real cold days and one lighter coat for days when it's not too cold. :) Keep your head and neck warm, boots are great for keeping your feet warm.

 

Have a great time!

[Marae19]

Ooh! Have fun! I'm so jealous of you going to the HP studios! I went to London with my mom two years ago, and she was supposed to get us tickets, but she forgot and they were all sold out, and I'm still kinda upset over it...

Anyway, tips for the weather, like other people have already mentioned, layers. Layers layers layers. In West-Europe this time of year it tends to get quite cold (nowhere NEAR 18C, that's summer for me), so make sure you have warm socks, shoes, a scarf, gloves, and don't forget a hat or earmuffs or something like that. And just wear a good warm winter coat over a sweater over a t-shirt over a tanktop, and you should be fine. I'm not quite sure what the weather is right now in London, but there probably is a chance of snow.

Have fun and maybe update here how the trip was!

[Kute]

awe yay im so happy for you! I am also planning to go to london and harry potter studios with my mom. I just sent out for my passport. but its going to be for spring 2016. Remember to take lots of pics! I hope you have lots of fun! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Cloysterbell]

Ooh, congrats! I studied abroad in London so I recommend definitely hitting up museums including the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Tate Modern. They're all free entry as far as I can recall. If you're into Sherlock Holmes, definitely head over to Baker Street and check out the SH museum there. I would 100% recommend seeing a show at Shakespeare's Globe and hanging around the Southbank because that's a really lovely part of London, right on the Thames. If you're into history and stuff, the Tower of London is a great thing to check out, as are Buckingham Palace Parliament and Westminster Abbey (which is a ten minute walk from the Eye). London's also got a lot of great parks like Hyde Park and Regents Park if you want to just hang out somewhere and it's really easy to navigate the Tube so you should have no problem. You'll love the HP Exhibition though, it's such an amazing experience.

 

Seeing as it's England, I would worry more about rain than snow. While it might snow, I can almost guarantee it will rain at some point so bring waterproof things. The average temperature around now is between 1-10C so bring lots of warm things and you'll be fine.

 

But yeah, you'll have a blast! London is such a great city with so many things to do.

[jellysundae]

Oh! Cloysterbell reminds me of what I was gonna say to make sure you definitely had with you...an umbrella! xD As a Brit, I don't go anywhere without a brolly in my bag. ><

[leverhelven]

Thank you guys!!

 

You know, it is really weird for me to think I'll really, actually be using heavy winter clothes I had never used before in just a week. I mean, here in Rio we're in the middle of summer (average of 40~45º Celsius!), so it seems almost surreal that I'm gonna wear winter clothes! It was a pain having to try them on at the stores already; I was sweating like a pig! :P :P

 

Although I assume chances are slim, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for at least a little bit of snow: I've never seen it! Also, I'm definitely going to Baker Street, not only is it close to Madame Tussaud's, there's also Sherlock's Museum (love the books!) and a Beatles store, it seems! (LOVE THE BEATLES SO MUCH SINCE I WAS SEVEN MUCH LOVE SO FAN WOW)

 

I'm very scared of getting lost in the tubes, though. Rio has a very simple (and quite useless) subway system that is quite literally made of a straight line. London's tube is like a spider web! Scary... :sad02:

 

I also hope I'm taking enough money. Pounds are SO expensive compared to the Brazilian Real I'll probably be broke till the end of the year, lol. Hey, does anyone know how much in pounds is a McDonald's meal, on average? That way I can have an idea...

[jellysundae]

I should be able to help you with McDonald's prices, but I don't eat fast food so I'm not much help :* Plus I can't help but wonder if the prices would be higher in London anyway. Where are you staying? Maybe you can ask someone in the place you're staying, like a staff member, if they can suggest any good local places to eat, as local cafes can be cheaper (and maybe healthier) than the fast food franchises. Plus you'd get to eat some British food, which is good when it's done well =3 Bacon sandwiches ....D:

[Various]

Long range weather forecast is that it's going to be pretty mild for the next couple of weeks (which I'm really hoping for as I'm fed up of falling over on all the snow and ice (I'm nowhere near London BTW)). This is your friend for checking the weather: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2643743

 

Prepare for rain more than snow. If it does snow in London, even if it's only a very light dusting, prepare for all of London to grind to a halt and the national media go into melt down. (I'm only half joking here, the media's response to snow in London is pretty much to panic like the apocalypse is coming.)

 

I would highly recommend getting one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/London-PopOut-Map-pocket-size-Popout/dp/1845879481. You should be able to get them at the airport or any tourist shop. It's very handy as it fits into a pocket so you can pull it out quickly to check the tube map. I used that plus the citymapper app to get around London. But I don't think you'll be able to use your phone because of the data charges so possibly getting a bigger guidebook will be a good idea as well?

 

Everytime I go to London I'm always on a tight budget so my list of things to do are nearly all free! British Museum and the Natural History Museum are a must! At the Natural History Museum, if there's a long queue at the main doors, go out of the gates in front of the door, turn left, and then at the corner turn left again to go up the road to the side of the museum and you'll come to another entrance that is usually much quieter. V&A Museum and the Science Museum are pretty good as well. The National Gallery is good.

The performers in Covent Garden can be really fun. There's also an amazing tea shop in Covent Garden but I can't remember what it's called.

I really enjoyed just walking around London. I got to see a whole lot more than if I'd just gone on the tube everywhere. I spent an afternoon going from the British Museum, doing Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey (just from the outside) then went for an explore around Hyde Park, before going to Buckingham Palace and wandering back up the Mall. (But I walk miles every day for my job and am terrified of being underground so that's why I did it. )

Oh! The river bus! That wasn't free, I think I paid £4 something (I had a travelcard for the tube so got a discount on the river bus) but I really enjoyed it. I just caught it from by Big Ben to the Tower of London.

Oh! Tower of London and the Crown Jewels are interesting. But pretty expensive to get into, something like £20 (I went when I was a child, couldn't afford it when I was there in November. )

I've never been to Greenwich but really want to. But again it's pretty expensive.

 

McDonald prices were the same in London as they are where I live. I'm vegetarian so I only eat the vegetable deluxe but a large meal of that is something like £4.80. From what I've seen on the menu most of the meals are about £5 to £6 for a medium and only a little bit more for a large. Food can be pretty expensive in London but seriously try some other places apart from the fast food ones.

 

Oh! Handy slang term, which I should tell you because I've had to correct my writing here so many times, in the UK a quid is a slang term for £1.

 

As for clothes, for tops, lots of thinner layers: vest, long sleeved tops and a few fleeces plus a good coat. They work better than a few thick tops as they trap your body heat between each layer. Plus, heating will be on inside places so you may end up too hot so you might need to take a few layers off. If you can get hold of a pair of thermal leggings, they are wonderful under jeans. (I work outside, it's been about minus 3 most mornings this week. Thermal leggings are the best. )

 

It's gone past midnight now so I'm going to finish off but I will come back tomorrow with more suggestions. :)

[leverhelven]

I've got one pair of thermal leggings and one thermal shirt! I had never heard of such thing before starting to prepare for this trip :P

We also bought a ticket for a trip on the Thames! That should be interesting :)

 

One thing I'm wondering: is it safe to stroll around/cross Hyde Park on foot? I'm just asking because most parks in Rio are quite dangerous to wander about...

 

OH and another important question: are cabs usually very expensive? D:

[jellysundae]

It's probably safer than it is in Rio, as long as you don't wander about on your own at night with a bag that can be easily snatched.

[JenErik]

I think you get to tour The Globe for free on your London Pass - also the Thames River Boat Cruise is nice, and free on your pass. You can get off at the London Eye, which might be fun to do, although it isn't on the pass. (It's about £20.) I'd also use your pass for the Tower of London (see the crown jewels). It's also a hop off place of the Thames River Boat Cruise, so you could do that all together.

 

The tube is really straightforward - very well signposted. Just remember, when you go down the escalators to stand on the right, so people who are rushing can get by on the left. If you buy an Oyster Card (and I'm sorry , I don't know where you get them - my daughter just handed me one when I visited) you can top it up, then just touch in and out when you journey by tube. (And on buses, but I think you just touch in on the buses, you don't need to do it again when you get off.)

 

I don't think I've used a London taxi since my sister's wedding, many years ago, so I don't know about the prices. But transport in London is so good, you probably won't need taxis. If you do, make sure they're licensed. I don't think London is particularly dangerous, but you have to watch out for pickpockets in the tourist areas.

[leverhelven]

I think you get to tour The Globe for free on your London Pass - also the Thames River Boat Cruise is nice, and free on your pass. You can get off at the London Eye, which might be fun to do, although it isn't on the pass. (It's about £20.) I'd also use your pass for the Tower of London (see the crown jewels). It's also a hop off place of the Thames River Boat Cruise, so you could do that all together.

 

The tube is really straightforward - very well signposted. Just remember, when you go down the escalators to stand on the right, so people who are rushing can get by on the left. If you buy an Oyster Card (and I'm sorry , I don't know where you get them - my daughter just handed me one when I visited) you can top it up, then just touch in and out when you journey by tube. (And on buses, but I think you just touch in on the buses, you don't need to do it again when you get off.)

 

I don't think I've used a London taxi since my sister's wedding, many years ago, so I don't know about the prices. But transport in London is so good, you probably won't need taxis. If you do, make sure they're licensed. I don't think London is particularly dangerous, but you have to watch out for pickpockets in the tourist areas.

 

I already have tickets for the London Eye! And it's a "Champagne Experience" thing, we're gonna be given champagne flûtes :D (we actually bought that by mistake; we just wanted normal tickets! But oh well, can't complain with champagne! :P )

 

I'm gonna collect my London Pass at their official stall, which is a bit far from my hotel (the shipping for Brazil was too expensive!). It's actually close to the tube, but as I told you I'm a bit scared. So I might get a taxi/cab to get there (by the way, do Brits say cab or taxi?). How do I know if a taxi is licensed? Is there a way to recognize it from the outside?

 

I'm from Rio, so I can say I'm pretty street-savvy when it comes to protecting myself from potential muggers/robbers and the like, lol. But still, it's a new place so I get a little frightened xD

[jellysundae]

If you're going with someone else, try to be brave and go on the tube. If I can do it, you can :) It's only scary for you now because you don't know what to expect, but it is well signposted and the trains themselves have the map of their route on the inside. I'd not want to brave the tube on my own, but if you're with someone else it becomes an adventure instead of being scary :D

 

We call them taxis :) Licensed cabs (see I say we call them taxis then call them cabs ;D) have a plate fixed on the inside that tells you they're licensed, with their number and so on, I don't think there's likely to be many unlicensed ones though, especially if you go for the proper black cab.

The name thing is amusing me now xD Those are London taxis, but they're also black cabs! But in general conversation a Brit will use the term taxi. But you can call them what you like, we won't judge you :O

 

Here's the Wiki page for London taxis is anyone's the slightest bit interested ><

[leverhelven]

If you're going with someone else, try to be brave and go on the tube. If I can do it, you can :) It's only scary for you now because you don't know what to expect, but it is well signposted and the trains themselves have the map of their route on the inside. I'd not want to brave the tube on my own, but if you're with someone else it becomes an adventure instead of being scary :D

 

We call them taxis :) Licensed cabs (see I say we call them taxis then call them cabs ;D) have a plate fixed on the inside that tells you they're licensed, with their number and so on, I don't think there's likely to be many unlicensed ones though, especially if you go for the proper black cab.

The name thing is amusing me now xD Those are London taxis, but they're also black cabs! But in general conversation a Brit will use the term taxi. But you can call them what you like, we won't judge you :O

 

Here's the Wiki page for London taxis is anyone's the slightest bit interested ><

 

Wow, I opened the page and... hackey carriage! Now that's a name I'll never use! xD

I'm so silly, I was looking at your pic and I thought "What is that floating hand on the passenger's seat?? :whaa:". Then it hit me: that's the driver's seat! I totes forgot that in the UK the driver is on the right! Duh me! xD

 

They look beautiful! Like vintage cars <3

 

Hey, will people think I'm crazy if I walk the streets singing Beatles, David Bowie, Queen, The Clash, Sex Pistol and all those other awesome British bands?! I'll totally feel like it <3 OOOOH WE COULD BE HEROES FOREVER AND EVER!

 

Oh, by the by, I had a friend who once went to England and actually wore this t-shirt. He said people would look at him weird, but OF COURSE!! I'm not that crazy to do anything like that, tho. :P I'm gonna wear THIS ONE <3

[jellysundae]

God shave the queen... :laughingsmiley: That's great xD The people with a sense of humour who saw that shirt would have thought it was awesome xD The taxis are great, aren't they =3 Newer ones don't look anywhere near as cool. London's full of crazy people, so you walking about singing shouldn't raise any eyebrows ;D

 

I never even noticed the driver's hand in that pic, nice observational skills there!

[leverhelven]

AW MY GAWD IT'S TOMORROW GUYS

 

I'm seriously so stressed, my luggage is ready but I keep checking if I haven't forgotten anything, and I keep checking my hand luggage to see if there's nothing forbidden in it. OH MY HEART!

 

Chronic anxiety will kill me one day...

[jellysundae]

You're excited too though, right? What are you taking in your hand baggage to keep yourself occupied during the flight? Will you be able to nap? I tried to sleep on a transatlantic flight, ear plugs and everything, but I had no success :(

 

The weather's still not looking hopeful for snow for you next week. Suits me though, means I can use the heating less and save myself a bit of money <.< >.>

[leverhelven]

I'M BOTH EXCITED AND NERVOUS OMG I'M GONNA FAINT

 

*breathes deeply*

 

I'm taking a book (Horns by Joe Hill!) to read while waiting at the airport (due to intense car jams I'm gonna leave home 6 hours early - and I'm so not kidding!); also I've got my mp3 player, my cell phone games... and a sleeping pill. Yep, I plan to sleep the flight away! xD

[nightfall8705]

Aww, I'm excited for you, and a bit jealous too! I've never been overseas, but it sounds like you have a huge trip full of fun ahead of you! Stay safe and have a great time! (And bring us lots of pictures, lol!) <3

[jellysundae]

I'm hoping to can get on here while you're in London and keep us up to date about what you're up to :D I woner where you are right now :O Sat in traffic on the way to the airport maybe!

[leverhelven]

GUYS I JUST CAME BACK

AND OMG WOW

CAN I SAY BEST EXPERIENCE EVER

I'M SO TIRED RIGHT NOW BUT TOMORROW I'LL TOTALLY MAKE A TOPIC ALL ABOUT IT

 

Sorry about the caps I'm just so excited and alert and full of energy like I'm on caffeine drinks or something but I'm not I'm just super duper excited about everything I did and saw and bought and everything asdfghjkl