Over Spring Break, I was able to visit my favorite city for the second time. The first time I experienced London, I was with my parents and relied on their help and navigation. This second time however, I decided I could tackle London without them and decided to explore the ins and outs of this beautiful city with my one friend from John Carroll University, and two others that are studying abroad there at Regent’s University. This being my first across seas adventure without my parents, I became more aware of several travel tips and thought they could be useful to anyone considering traveling to London.
1. Packing
There is of course a 50 pound limit that you can not exceed before you get charged additional fees for the bag you are taking onto the plane, which is something to be mindful of while you are packing. The attire in London is also different from the United States. I do not know how to describe it other than, trendy/classy? Although “anything goes” while in London in terms of apparel, you will find that everyone, especially the women, dress modestly. You do not typically see anything too tight or revealing, and that was actually refreshing! I decided to pack 2 pairs of jeans, multiple “casual tops” (no t-shirts), casual dresses, and 2 pairs of shoes (1 casual, and one heel). The only thing I felt I was missing out on while over there was a good pair of ANKLE BOOTS! Like who knew those could be worn with EVERYTHING?! Luckily, I was quickly introduced to Primark and got a cute pair for only 5 pounds!
2. Money
London is very expensive. There is no other way to say it. I decided to bring a travel debit card (courtesy of Triple AAA) with what I thought was more than enough money for the week. Let’s just say, by the end of the week I had to call home just to make sure I had enough money for food for my last few days. The biggest money eaters were definitely the transportation, food, and pubs. Those were essentially the “basics” of traveling to London, but who travels and doesn’t get souvenirs? I would strongly advice anyone traveling to London to make sure and budget everything, even make a log of how much you will spend every day! Keep in mind that the pound and dollar weigh a different amount, so what you give in American Dollars to the exchange places is not what you get back in British Pounds (bummer).
3. SIM Card
The SIM card was a very useful, but not essential purchase I made while I was over in London. With the SIM card, I simply stuck it into my iPhone, and then had a working phone that didn’t need Wi-Fi! The SIM card came with unlimited talk and text minutes, as well as 1 GB of data! I initially bought the SIM card to keep in contact with people back in the States, but found it was very useful in everyday situations. I was able to use it for maps if we were lost, Uber rides when we needed them, and of course for pizza delivery. Although they say Wi-Fi is common in London, it wasn’t as common as I would have liked, and it was definitely not reliable. The SIM card is by no means an essential purchase and when traveling you may prefer to not have your phone, but for me I enjoyed having it if I needed to and it was probably the smartest investment I had made (only 10 pounds)!
4. Tube
In my opinion, the tube is the best way to navigate around the city. It is fast, runs all the time, and takes you virtually wherever you need to go. The Tube was where I learned some “new things” that I was not aware of from my last trip to London. One of those tips was to stand on the right side of the escalator. Literally, people are so vicious trying to catch their ride and they WILL be running right next to you on the escalator. The rush of getting onto the escalator to reach the Tube is so bad they have signs posted about the number of injuries per year people have, while also urging people to slow down. Lastly, the second thing I learned about the Tube is that you should not be the loudest person talking. Apparently that is highly frowned upon.
5. Free Attractions
A large part of London is seeing all the neat attractions such as Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and The Eye. Guess what folks? It doesn’t cost a thing to see these places. You simply find a place to take a good picture (there are plenty of locations) and BAM you get to see the “hot spots” of London. The other free attraction that was new to me this year was the market scene. I never knew London had so many markets but I am so glad I got to discover them. The best parts of the markets included the amazing (and somewhat cheap) food, and the awesome souvenirs. At these markets, it is important to bring cash and make sure you know how to negotiate! These sellers want to sell their product as much as you want to buy it and they are willing to negotiate a pretty low price! Don’t sound too eager to buy anything, they will sense it and not knock down the price very much!
I would recommend London to anyone that wants to travel abroad from America that may be timid. A great part about London is they speak English, which is very comforting because you can be aware of what is going on at all times and can seek assistance rather easily. Other than the “cost of living” that London has to offer, they do have so much to offer that is free or reduced just by showing your student ID. Be brave! Go explore! London has great things to offer.