* The resort is in Surrey - about 15 miles from central London. It is very easy to find, just a few minutes off the A3 in Surrey. Parking is free of charge.* Opening times vary according to the season.…Read More

* The resort is in Surrey - about 15 miles from central London. It is very easy to find, just a few minutes off the A3 in Surrey. Parking is free of charge.

* Opening times vary according to the season. The website lists all times and dates. Get there early though, if you are ready to go the moment the park opens, queuing times will be better. The first couple of hours of the day are the best time to visit the new attractions, before the queues really start to build up. If you stay at the Holiday Inn hotel on the resort, you can enter the park 30 minutes before general opening times. Not all rides are open though, but some are available to ride before the general public.

* Tickets cost around £108 for a family of 4 for a 1 day ticket. Shop around for discounts and vouchers though, there are plenty of these available. If you buy in advance, on-line you also pay a cheaper price than at the gate.

* There is a lot to see and do. There are some (but not a lot) of thrill rides - Dragon's Fury, Vampire, Dragon Falls and Kobra are the main ones. They have a little SeaLife where you can see sharks, rays and other sea creatures. There are also a lot of rides suitable for younger children and Toytown caters for toddlers and has lots of gentle things on offer.

* If you want to ride the Thrill rides, go straight to the back of the park when it opens, and work your way around these rides first. The queues build quickest at these rides too. Start with Vampire, the rollercoaster - queues are fastest to build for this ride.

* There are plenty of places to eat and buy food. Have an early or a late lunch to try and beat the crowds. You are also allowed to bring your own picnic - they have lots of great picnic areas - the grassy area around the zoo is really nice. Buy the refillable soft drinks - they cost £6, but then you can refill it around the park as often as you like.

* Make sure you wear comfortable shoes - you will do a lot of walking. Also make sure you can fasten your shoes if you go on some of the intense rides.

* There are a couple of electronic notice boards at various locations throughout the park. These are updated regularly and tell you the queue times for the rides.

* There are months of the year when it is quieter than others - March/April for example (but not Easter) and September/October. I read also that Fridays tend to be the busiest days. We found Saturday was not busy at all - strange but true.

* They have lots of animal talks in the zoo, you definitely need to get there around 15 minutes before the start time, otherwise you won't get close. I also think you need to walk around the zoo area at least twice. The animals are active at different times throughout the day, so you may miss something if you only spend a morning there. The zoo was our favourite part of the park as well, definitely a highlight.   Close

After visiting Buckingham Palace we took a cab to the gate of Kensington Garden. I have to admit, considering the amount of pain I was in; I was not too enthused to have to walk through the park up to the Palace. There really isn’t…Read More

After visiting Buckingham Palace we took a cab to the gate of Kensington Garden. I have to admit, considering the amount of pain I was in; I was not too enthused to have to walk through the park up to the Palace. There really isn’t an alternative that we knew of so I bit the bullet and did the walk. This is not a terrible walk normally. It is uphill but not too steep and for healthy, two legged people, this is easy.

By the time we got to the palace, I really needed to get off my leg for a bit and this coincided nicely with tea time at the Orangery. I will issue a warning; tea at the Orangery is expensive, very expensive about $40 a head. There is a small casual café in the Palace but there is no comparison. We chose the Orangery.

We were seated at our table with starched white linen and presented with the choices of tea. We chose the English Breakfast and we each received a pot and then our three tiered tray with the goodies. There were the sandwiches, two scones with clotted cream and jam and the sweets covered the top. It was more than we could finish and I carried the sweets around with me in my purse for a snack later back at the hotel. After taking drugs for my knee, I was ready to hit the pavement again.

We walked over to Kensington Palace. The last time we were here, Princess Margaret had just died and we were able to see a couple of the rooms that were a part of her suite of rooms. Those are now closed and have been included in the apartment that Prince William and Kate will occupy.

One of the things I love about visiting Kensington Palace is that it is never the same. This is at least my 5th visit and every time there has been new and interesting things to see and do. The same is true now. If you think you remember you way around, forget what you remember, it is different. It is warmer and friendlier here and there is even a room where there are a few uniforms that you can try on if you have always wondered what you would look like as an officer or a gentleman.

The rooms that were used by Princess Victoria are even more interesting than before and everything has been displayed better and in a more interactive way. A very successful update in my opinion. Entrance is not inexpensive but well worth the price. The gift store is much nicer here than at Buckingham Palace and there are some really great books for sale if you want to know more.
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Whilst discussing what to do or New Year, some friends and I looked into joining one of the party boats down the Thames. For New Year's Eve it was £150 per head however, and we pretty much all decided that was too much and…Read More

Whilst discussing what to do or New Year, some friends and I looked into joining one of the party boats down the Thames. For New Year's Eve it was £150 per head however, and we pretty much all decided that was too much and made alternative plans. However one eagle eyed chap spotted that we can go the Friday before Christmas (21st Dec) for £30 and we got booking our tickets.

We all booked our own tickets online at http://www.londonpartyboats.co.uk/ and it was an easy process with a credit or debit card. My ticket was e-mailed to me and I printed it out and took it along for the night.

Our boat, the M.V. London Belle holds up to 120 people and we were sailing from Westminster Pier at 7pm. The pier is situated right outside Westminster tube station (just follow the signs for Exit 1).

As you board the staff check your tickets and will check larger bags (they do not want you taking your own drinks on board). They were all helpful and friendly as they escorted you on the boat. The boat has two levels and most of the chairs with tables are on the smaller, lower level. We boarded quite early and managed to get a table for 6 (there were 25 of us, but we rotated when we ate). After greetings, card exchanges and drinks bought the boat set off.

There are two bars on board, one downstairs and a small one upstairs. A spirit and mixer was £4 and a wine £3.50. I was concerned that with a captive market they would have really expensive drinks prices, but this is quite reasonable – especially if you think how much some of the riverside bars would charge! A round of a small cider, a wine and two spirits and mixers came to about £14.

The food was pre-prepared and distributed at one end of the lower deck. It is fairly cramped here and the queue took some time to go down. There seemed to be plenty of food so you won't go without if you are patient. As we were seated downstairs I got in the queue quite promptly For meat eaters there is chicken, plus quiche for the vegetarians, this is served with a jacket potato, salad, coleslaw and a bread roll. There are people serving the food in a production line on paper plates, then you can help yourself to butter and plastic cutlery. Michelin star dining this is not! I had low expectations of the food but it was certainly edible. I e-mailed them to check I was catered for as a vegetarian, which may be a good idea, but it didn't seem to be a problem. The eating area was cramped and we rotated seats so that those coming back with food could sit down. Others we seated right near the food area and people had to lean over them to reach the rolls and cutlery. They were quite annoyed about it as there is not enough seats for everyone and the catering team did well to serve 120 people in such a confined place. It is worth noting that taller people (my friend Tim is 6' 5") may not be able to stand upright downstairs.

Once food was more or less done we moved to the upper deck where the DJ was. Earlier in the evening he had been playing some Hip Hop and I was concerned that the music would not get people dancing. However it soon went the other way and became a cheesy, Christmas dance-fest. I don't use the term 'cheesy' lightly. I am all for cheese at Christmas but I draw the line at Agadoo (I kid you not – they really did play this). The DJ apparently has an extensive play list and requests are encouraged. I only hope that Agadoo was a joke request, rather than part of his normal playlist! The top deck has bench seating all the way round and the windowsills have ledges on them to stop your drink from sliding off.

Lavatories were out the back (outside) – down a flight of stairs from the upper deck. The floor was wet and although there were always soap, a working hand drier and toilet roll, they were very grubby. I used to have to balance my bag on the top of the hand-drier, and hover over the loo whilst holding my trousers off the wet floor. This is after having negotiated with the smokers to guard the door as the cubicle I ended up using didn't have a lock on it. It was fairly undignified and unpleasant. There are two ladies' cubicles and two gents'. No one seemed too worried about the gender on the door (hence the wet floor in the Ladies').

The boat set off from Westminster pier and cruised eastwards past the city, docklands and through the Thames Barrier before coming back. We got a good view of the sights along the river. The windows tended to get quite a bit of condensation and photos taken through the windows (and indeed in the boat) could sometimes be a bit blurry. This could be due to the motion of the boat, although I am willing to concede that the combination of 4" heels and vodka may have played their part. Better photos are available if you stand on the deck. I didn't suffer with any motion-sickness, but those that felt a bit queasy stayed outside or on the lower deck where movement was less obvious.

The cruise lasted four hours and as a group we had a lot of fun for £30. Non Christmas party tickets are available on various dates in 2012 for £29, plus £1.50 booking fee. The company have a fleet of vessels, details of which are on their website. The boats can also be hired for private functions, where they can seat up to 60 people when tables and chairs are laid our fully. As I mentioned we all had a very fun night, but the situation may not be suitable for all:

SUMMARY
Cramped – may have to queue for food or balance plates on your lap.
Food acceptable
Not enough seating for everyone.
Not that easy to move about (not just if wearing 4" heels and drinking vodka) so not suitable for those that with limited mobility.
Toilets are not the best.
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TIME TO BE WICKED I love a good musical and have seen now seen several. I can't see myself enjoying any as much and certainly not more than my favourite "Les Miserables" but, if they are HALF as good then that means, for me, they…Read More

TIME TO BE WICKED

I love a good musical and have seen now seen several. I can't see myself enjoying any as much and certainly not more than my favourite "Les Miserables" but, if they are HALF as good then that means, for me, they are worth watching.

I had been meaning to go and see 'Wicked' for ages but hadn't got around to it until this October. My teenage daughter has seen it a few times and knows all the songs. As she is studying musical theatre and practices her singing on myself and her dad, we are also familiar with the songs from this musical. My husband and I both like "For Good" best and as our daughter has sung this on momentous occasions (for her and us) it's very special for us. Now, hearing this song can bring a tear or two to our eyes. Knowing something of the musical score is a great help for us when choosing a musical to visit.

My daughter has seen a few different casts in this show including Kerry Ellis as Elphaba, but she told me that Rachael Tucker was brilliant and so was Gina Beck, as Galinda). I knew a cast change was imminent but hoped we might manage to see Rachael Tucker before she left the show.

My husband and I chose to go to see a Saturday matinee performance of this show and treat our daughter to a ticket, and meet her at the theatre. It isn't easy to arrange a mutually convenient time as she has rehearsals and performances often.

A WICKED PLACE

Wicked the Musical is showing at The Apollo Victoria. We had a bit of a journey as some of the central line underground line wasn't operating due to maintenance and other lines had a restricted service also, but we managed to get there with time to spare. We had to change lines but when exiting Victoria underground station the theatre can be clearly seen opposite. Building work is taking place in this area but this didn't cause a problem, just spoiled the view a little in respect of taking photos around the theatre.

BOOKING

I booked (only a few days before our chosen date) directly by telephone with the theatre. The assistant in the box office was helpful. As this was near to time we wanted to go I wasn't sure if we would get good seats. I usually prefer the stalls but my daughter assured me that with this particular show it didn't matter too much if one wasn't close up as the show is a spectacle with great scenery and all of the stage being used. I was told that three seats were available in the circle just a few rows back. I enquired as to whether these seats were any good and he said that he'd sat there himself and thought the view was good. The seats cost over sixty pounds each (I save reviewing proceeds for this purpose and then I don't feel guilty about spending so much) and I paid by debit card.

OUR SEATS

I was pleased with our seats. We were fairly central and there was an empty seat next to me so I didn't feel at all hemmed in. The rake of the seats, I felt, was good, and we all had a good view of the stage. Theatre glasses were available for hire (I can't remember if they were fifty pence or one pound) but I didn't use these as find them a little annoying.

We weren't far away from the toilets but of course the usual queuing was involved.

WHY THE WITCH BECAME WICKED

Wicked the Musical tells (its own take) how The wicked witch of the west (infamous through L. Frank Baum's book, 'The Wizard of Oz) actually became a 'WICKED' witch, and tells the story of her life. Based on 'Wicked-the untold story of the witches of Oz' from the novel by Gregory Maguire, we see how she was a good 'person' but was, from birth, unloved and misunderstood, and also often avoided due to her green coloured skin. Elphaba was certainly not 'popular', at least not until taken in hand by the good witch Galinda/Glinda. There are links to The Wizard of Oz, although these are loosely based. I haven't yet read the book Wicked (although it's here in my home) but have heard it is much deeper than the musical version. This I can in believe though when seeing in the show the mistreatment of Professor Dillamond, Elphaba's teacher and friend. I imagine there could be more to tell here, in literary form.

Circumstances led to Elphaba seeming to become 'wicked' but I must say I empathised with her, along with the whole theatre's audience, I believe, but you would have to see the show to understand that she wasn't really wicked at all.

I loved the scenery, and the show is indeed a spectacular. I also adored the colourful and fantastic costumes, especially those of the glamorous good witch Glinda.

The flying monkeys are also worth a mention and great to see.

WICKEDLY GOOD CAST

I had heard, before going to see the show that Matt Willis of 'Busted' fame as Fiyero, the male lead, wasn't great but, as far as I was concerned, he played his part well enough. I would say this was a very good cast in terms of any musical, although this being the first time I've seen the show I can't compare to other casts of 'Wicked.' My daughter has now seen this cast twice and other casts and says this was overall the best cast she had seen.

This was the last day for Rachael Tucker and Gina Beck to star together in Wicked. Rachael Tucker was heavily pregnant but still gave an energetic performance. As this was the last day of shows (matinee and evening performance) for most of the cast there were strange things happening and 'muck ups' My daughter explained why some of the things said were funny as this wouldn't be patently obvious for first timers of the show. We were told they had been told to tone it down for this reason. I thought the sense of mischief added even more to the atmosphere.

This was the cast that we saw:

Rachael Tucker Elphaba (green witch)
Gina Beck Galinda ( Blonde witch!)
Matt Willis Fiyero
Julie Legrand Madame Morrible
Keith Bartlett The Wizard of Oz
Lillie Flynn Nessarose
Christopher Howell Doctor Dillamond
Adam Pettigrew Boq

I had to agree with my daughter that these two actresses (Rachael Tucker and Gina Beck) did a brilliant job throughout the show, both with their acting and brilliant vocals. I was so pleased we had seen them star together in these roles.

The songs I liked best were:

'For Good' which is a witches duet
'Popular' as, although this isn't a favourite song of mine, I felt that Gina Beck's rendition was superb.
'What is this feeling' sung by Glinda, Elphaba and students of the school.
'As Long as you're mine' Elphaba and Fiyero
'I'm not that girl' Elphaba

DELICIOUSLY WICKED

I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed this show and so did my husband. All songs in the context of the show were superb and vocals were great.

As this was the last show for many of the cast, including the two female leads, there was an air of fun and of this being an extra special performance.

It's a good plot and quite clever, I thought, with a tale to tell of discrimination and prejudice. Wicked has its sad moments and drama aplenty but interspersed with this is a great deal of humour.

Summary: I would go to see this show again   Close

London is a great place to visit with children. It has a huge number of kids' activities, places to go and things to see, a surprising number of them free. London is full of life, full of history, full of culture. A multi-ethnic and multi-cultural…Read More

London is a great place to visit with children. It has a huge number of kids' activities, places to go and things to see, a surprising number of them free. London is full of life, full of history, full of culture. A multi-ethnic and multi-cultural city, and astonishingly safe despite having over ten million inhabitants, London has masses to offer to visitors of any age.

The 2012 Olympics added a spate of destinations and attractions, unfortunately I have not been to London this year and can't honestly include these.



==The Thames==

The river is still the focus of London's life, even though the docks are long gone. You can simply walk around (the South Bank is good with long pedestrianized stretches) but there are also many attractions. Many of the best are free, but one well worth paying for is the giant Ferris Wheel, the London Eye, offering a fun ride in a glass pod and great views.

Walk the Bridge, a once-wobbly pedestrian bridge between Tate Modern and St Paul's Cathedral for great views up and down the river.

Take a bus along the Thames. Kids like boat trips (don't bother with guided tours, it's expensive and unnecessary). The tickets for the river bus start at 1.70 GBP and are cheaper if you have a travelcard. The river buses go as far up-river as Putney and as far down-river as Woolwich. The best trip is from Embankment or London Eye to the historic Maritime Greenwich, via the redeveloped London Docklands.


==Museums and galleries==

All major London national museums and art galleries are free and most will have things that interest children.

National History Museum (South Kensington) starts with a huge dinosaur skeleton in the great hall at entrance and gets better from then on. You could spend days here, getting scared by robotic Tyrannosaurus Rex, exploring human body and learning about creepy crawlies. The Science Museum is nearby, as is V&A (better for older kids).

British Museum is a treasure trove of historical and archeological finds, with Egyptian mummies, Assyrian winged bulls and special tours and activity packs for kids, mostly aged five and above. There are also art materials for loan and a special childrens' library. You could spend a week here.

National Gallery offers daily art activities for children, while Tate Modern's great Turbine Hall always has fascinating installations to look at and a lot of space to run around.

National Army Museum has a popular kids' zone (free play area for under ten year olds) as well as displays that might be of interest to older children.

Further afield (going east), the London (Docklands) has play areas for under-12's, soft play area for under fives and educationaland fun Kid's Activity Packs. Museum of Childhood, at Bethnal Green, is all about children and not only displays toys and costumes but offers activities for children at weekends and during holidays.

==The parks==

London's green spaces are one of the city's best features. You can walk, run, play and picnic on the grass in the summer, and many have great adventure playgrounds. Kensington Gardens (adjacent to the Hyde Park) are famous for the Peter Pan statue and have an excellent play park (Princess Diana Playground) with Captain Hook's Pirate Ship. Diana Memorial Fountain is nearby by the Serpentine in the Hyde Park. While there, hire a boat or a pedalo and have go at boating.

While you are in the central Royal Parks, make sure you watch the Changing of the Guards – crowded but fun for older kids, who can't help to wonder about those tall, furry hats.

Coram's Field near the Clerkenwell area has a great children's playground too.

If you have more days in London, take a trip to Richmond Park, a huge, free to enter park with roaming deer and magnificent rhododendrons. The riverside in Richmond is also lovely, and in the summer they play cricket on the village green.

The world-famous Kew Gardens has beautiful grounds, wonderful greenhouses and children don't pay for entry.

In the summer, you can swim in the open at one of London's lidos or bathing ponds. Hampstead Heath has bathing ponds (male, female, mixed) for those aged eight and over who can swim. Youngsters and non-swimmers can use a lido and a wading pool at the Parliament Hill. London Fields Lido (East London) is by far the best outdoor pool in London, though it can get crowded on hot days.

==The transport==

London underground (The Tube), London taxis and London double decker buses are all world-famous. Small kids love new and strange forms of transport and they will enjoy sampling London's vehicles. Get a travelcard (kids under 11 travel free with adults) and arm yourself with a map and explore. Try Light Railway which goes overground on high-level platforms and has driver-less trains as well as the classic Routemaster double-deckers with open platforms (don't encourage jumping on and off though) on the heritage routes 9 (Olympia to Aldwych) and 15 (Tower Hill to Trafalgar Square)

==The animals==

London Zoo is world-famous but small, crowded and very expensive. For the little ones, one of the city farms is a better option, and if you have time, go to Richmond and see deer roaming freely in the park. Spitalfields City Farm is near the funky ethnic Spitalfields Market and a good choice for the eastern end of the center.

==The shows==

There is music and theater in London at every corner, much of it free. See street performers – always a winner with children – at Covent Garden, or track free music in foyers of concert halls and theaters. London has world class musicals (Lion King, anybody?), ballet and opera: see the Nutcracker at Christmas if you can. If you are in London in December or early January, do go and see a traditional British pantomime show, where audience participates not only by clapping buy booing and hissing at the baddies and cheering on the goodies.


At many venues, for one week every year (Kids' Week, normally in the summer holidays) kids go free if accompanied by an adult.

==The tourist traps==

There are also some attractions that although very popular are real tourist traps. The chief of them are the Wax Figures of Madame Tussaud's. The queues are long, the prices high and the whole thing is tacky, silly and not worth the time or money. London Dungeon is another, a kitsch and gory manufactured "attraction". Go only if you have a bloodthirsty teenager and money and time to spare. London Zoo (see Animals section) is also overpriced and probably one to miss.

==General tips==

You can stay busy with kids for weeks on end in London, so the biggest problem any visitor will have will be to choose from what is available. To get the best value for money and most fun, use public transport (but take one ride in a black cab just for the fun of it), avoid the traps, take packed lunch with you and plan your days with a map as distances are big. Have fun, and plan to come back as you are bound to only scratch a surface of this magnificent city.   Close

When my girlfriend and I decided to take a trip to the UK to visit my parents, we made our flight reservations based purely on our own needs. We looked at when the flights would be at their cheapest and when we would be able…Read More

When my girlfriend and I decided to take a trip to the UK to visit my parents, we made our flight reservations based purely on our own needs. We looked at when the flights would be at their cheapest and when we would be able to get the time off work. We did not pay too much heed to any external factors. If I am honest, we were completely oblivious to the fact that we would be in the UK during the week leading up to the Olympic Games. However, even though we did not plan it, we would get a little bit of a taste of the greatest show on earth.

Our biggest bite of the Olympic cake came when we visited London. However, before that on our journey back to the UK, we also got plenty of flavour. It began in quite a bizarre manner. As we passed our bags through the metal detectors at Nice airport, I thought I noticed a face that looked familiar. It was not a friend or a colleague. It was a face I had seen on TV. It took a little while to register, but it was British Olympic hurdler and former world-champion Colin Jackson next to him, I suddenly saw the graying temples of Britain’s former world-record breaking triple-jumper Jonathan Edwards. Both of these former athletes are no UK TV celebrities. Edwards presents some sports programs and Jackson starred on Strictly Come Dancing. It was rather strange to see them in Nice of all places, but it did get us thinking about the Olympics.

Once we touched down in Birmingham, the Olympics seemed to be everywhere. As we queued up for passport control, I noticed that there was a surprisingly large amount of Americans – and a surprisingly large amount of rather fit looking Americans – in the Non-EU lane. When we passed through to collect our baggage, we found almost the entire women’s athletics team waiting with their Team USA suitcases and hold-alls. Standing proudly in the midst of this was Carmelita Jeter whose muscular frame would later carry her to silver and bronze in the 100m and 200m.

All this took place before we had even got to London. However, as soon as our train drew into St Pancras station, we had plenty of Olympic fever. As we dragged our suitcases along the platform, we could hear a brass band playing music to welcome members of the Belgian, and Australian Olympic teams. This sounded fantastic, so we headed over to get a glimpse. However, it proved a little bit of a let-down as all we really saw were some unknown athletes milling around in track-suits and looking slightly flustered at the rather elaborate welcoming.

Whilst there were no actual events as we had arrived three days before they began, we saw plenty of the preparations. For example, we were unable to walk along the Mall to Buckingham Palace as it was closed to prepare for the passing of the Olympic torch. We also caught some of the chaos caused on the roads by the Mayor’s decision to close certain lanes of traffic for only Olympic traffic to use. WE hear countless Londoners cursing the disruption it was causing.

There were also a few fantastic visual signs that the Olympics were on the way. The first was the main terminal at St Pancras, which was crowned by a giant set of Olympic rings. The second was the same type of thing displayed across Tower Bridge.
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In a journal entry I wrote a couple of years ago about bus travel in Turkey, I commented that in most countries there is mode of transport that usually trumps most others. In Turkey, this was bus transport – the system there is excellent and…Read More

In a journal entry I wrote a couple of years ago about bus travel in Turkey, I commented that in most countries there is mode of transport that usually trumps most others. In Turkey, this was bus transport – the system there is excellent and covers the whole country. I also used the example of Korea where there are very few train lines and a high-speed bus network connects the country’s major cities. I also cited China where the train is king and bus transport is rather hit and miss, and can be dirty and uncomfortable.

The UK is a little different. The rail network is probably the most extensive in the world (for a country of its size at least) and there is a huge road system that is covered by many bus lines. However, the problem with both of these transport infrastructures is that neither of them really lives up to their billing and rarely offer the type of service that you would expect in a developed nation: Prices are high, delays are long and problems are frequent. When my girlfriend and I decided to travel from Sheffield to London, we decided to hedge our bets and opt for the train to get there and the bus to get back. Which one, we wondered, would be the best option?

Both of them were relatively easy to book. We were able to reserve tickets on both online. However, the first major difference we encountered was the price. Train tickets were expensive. We wanted to go in the morning, but at rush hour, we were quoted prices that reached up to 100GBP. So, we had to opt for a service at 9h30 that arrived in London just after noon. There is also a service known as ‘Megatrain’, which offers heavily discounted tickets (they can cost as little as 15GBP each), but these are usually at less crowded times. The bus, on the other hand, cost just 5GBP each with Megabus (the same company as Megatrain.

It is a well-used cliché in England that train services are often delayed (usually for bizarre reasons such as leaves on the rails) or cancelled without warning. However, we encountered no such problems. Our train left and arrived on time with the minimum of fuss. We were able to take our reserved seats without a problem and arrived in London feeling ready for our city-break.

Megabus was not so smooth. We departed from Victoria bus station, which was a harrowing experience. The station was huge, but immensely crowded. This made it difficult to locate our gate and to navigate our way there. The terminal is also not air-conditioned, which left me rather sweaty and grumpy by the time we got to the gate from which our bus was set to depart. Upon arrival, we found that the bus would be delayed by ten minutes, which annoyed me even further. At that point, we began to think that we would have been better taking the train. However, once we actually got on the bus, things changed. The journey was smooth, fast and efficient – we pulled into Sheffield two minutes ahead of schedule.

The two forms of British transport both seemed to have their benefits. The train is faster, it is a little more comfortable and certainly more efficient. The bus, though, is cheaper. For those looking to economize, the disparity between the price and service is certainly not too great.   Close

Let’s begin this article with a strong assertion: I am no great fan of train travel in the UK. This aversion goes back to my formative years when I was a student and had to travel back and forth between Sheffield and Hull on a…Read More

Let’s begin this article with a strong assertion: I am no great fan of train travel in the UK. This aversion goes back to my formative years when I was a student and had to travel back and forth between Sheffield and Hull on a regional train service. The journey between the two cities took less than an hour, but regularly set me back the exorbitant sum of 15GBP. I also often found myself delayed or forced to undertake parts of the journey by bus when the service was disrupted.

Even though I was very much jaded by the thought of travelling by train in the UK, when my girlfriend and I decided to take a trip to London, we opted to take the train from Sheffield to King’s Cross St Pancras. My major aspiration for this was little more than being able to set off and arrive on time with no major interruptions or problems. Thankfully, this proved to be the case and left me feeling rather relieved. However, the stations at both ends of the journey actually had me feeling rather good about our trip.

Sheffield station was once a rather dour experience. Like most rail hubs in the UK, it was originally built during the Industrial Revolution and has a certain antique feel about it. When I remember my student days, I recall the place looking massively dour and being surrounded by 1970s tower blocks that blocked much of the sunlight and hid much of the station’s splendour. The place was just that little bit depressing.

When we pulled up to catch our train, I was both surprised and delighted at the transformation that had taken place. The tower blocks had gone allowing the sun to pour down onto the 19th century brickwork and to transform the whole facade. Where the buildings had once stood, there was a large metallic fountain that created a wonderful welcoming effect. Next to the fountain there was the added attraction of ping-pong tables that had been placed outside by a sports charity that aimed to boost the popularity of the sport in the region. This provided us with the opportunity to pass some time before we set off.

We arrived in London at just after noon and I was again pleasantly surprised. King’s Cross had also been recently refurbished. It was sporting a fantastic new glass roof that bathed the whole place in light and gave it a very airy and welcoming feel. There were also two wonderful statues that also captured our imagination. The first of these was a giant art-deco effect piece that towered 30m into the air at the foot of the platforms. It featured a couple locked in an embrace – I presumed it was one of welcome or farewell – and was cast wonderfully in bronze. There was also a small statue of the renowned British poet John Betjeman, which was wonderfully quirky.

It would be silly of me to describe either of the stations on our journey as more than a transport hub, but they were both very pleasantly surprising and made the trip between London and Sheffield far more interesting than I expected it would be.   Close

The London underground is a transport marvel for several reasons. For instance, it was the very first underground rail system in the world and boasts a wonderful history that transcends transport. When it first opened, the trains were steam engines and the carriages did…Read More

The London underground is a transport marvel for several reasons. For instance, it was the very first underground rail system in the world and boasts a wonderful history that transcends transport. When it first opened, the trains were steam engines and the carriages did not always have roofs. During WWII it was also used as a shelter to protect Londoners from German bombs. Also, it remains possibly the most complex and extensive network in the world. Even the map is a work of supreme design that is visually impressive and unique.

As wonderful as the history of the underground is, it was the present that concerned my girlfriend and I when we visited London. We wanted to get around London quickly, effectively and economically. On the final count, things were not so bad. We found that a single day travelcard came in at the rather reasonable price of 7GBP. This is more expensive than I we had found in Marseille or Lyon in France, but for a major European capital in which we would do plenty of travelling, it was good value for money.

As we arrived just three days before the Olympics we were expecting things to be extremely busy and were worried we would face some disruption in our journeys. However, we found this to absolutely not be the case. We did most of our travelling on the District and Circle lines – these took us to Tate Modern and St Paul's Cathedral as well as the museums in Kensington and finally to our bus for the journey home. The trains were extremely regular and not at all busy. The District line was a little more regular and efficient than the Circle, but both were excellent.

The only complaint I had was the quality of information passed on to passengers. The display screens in most stations displayed the next trains that would arrive. However, they only saw as far as four or five minutes into the future and gave only information on the next one or two trains. Additionally, there were scores of announcements on the audio system. We were warned to take bottles of water onto the underground, we were told that all lines were operating well and we even heard the mayor h=giving information about transport during the Olympics. However, we scarcely heard any updates about delayed trains. There were a couple of occassions when we were waiting for a train to arrive and the information screen was blank and we were given no information over the speakers.

Overall, the underground surprised me in a very positive way. I had been expecting delays and problems, but it was quick, relatively cheap and efficient.   Close

My partner works around London sometimes but it tends to be on the outskirts, recently however he had some stuff to deliver around the Spitalfields Market area and his sat nav took him along the 'scenic' route - he came home full of talk about…Read More

My partner works around London sometimes but it tends to be on the outskirts, recently however he had some stuff to deliver around the Spitalfields Market area and his sat nav took him along the 'scenic' route - he came home full of talk about how this route had taken him past some fabulous locations, making me slightly jealous as although I've spent weekends in the capital I've never really seen the sights. I had my usual birthday treats in May with the added extra of Mark promising me a day in London, it wasn't designed to be anything special but I decided I wanted to see this impressive route he kept telling me about!

We set off at around 9.30am and travelled straight down the M40, arriving in London a couple of hours later after a stop off at Oxford services. It was a sunny Sunday so the drive down was pleasant, we only hit any traffic after filtering onto the A40 and heading into London proper. It was just Mark and I travelling so I'd packed some sandwiches for the journey, a quick Starbucks for the livening qualities and I was ready to hit London.

The first thing I glimpsed (far in the distance) was the vague outline of the wheel. That was a nice sight as we'd been on the wheel during our last London visit so it brought back a few memories - we travelled past the 'normal' parts; houses, small high street shopping areas and various retail parks before reaching a narrow dual carriageway that held some grander looking buildings. We saw Harley Street which was smaller than I imagined it to be and unfortunately not photographable from the car (which is how I got most of my London snaps, as a passenger), but judging from the amount of Bentleys and top sports car this is one of the haunts of the rich.

It just got better from there; with each turn I saw something of interest and snapped away with camera and phone. We saw so much without even getting out of the car, things that probably (certainly!) wouldn't impress a Londoner or even a regular visitor to the city - but as a touring Brummie it was a lovely look at things without having to a) find a parking space, b) remortgage my house to pay for said elusive parking spaces or c) battle the hordes of people and incredible amount of bikes!

The Gherkin was visible to some degree throughout most of our drive through London, we ended up very close to the base and I can honestly say its more impressive from a distance! It's HUGE, much bigger than it looks on tele - I was surprised by the rotundness of it and how it sparkled so cleanly in the sun, the surrounding buildings were a bit grotty grimy but The Gherkin positively shone! Mark was impressed by the banks of Boris Bikes, a cycle hire scheme to try and get some of the traffic off the roads - this looks to be a pretty effective initiative as we saw lots of these bikes out and about.

I was reasonably impressed with Kings Cross Station, Waterloo Station being much more beautiful though, and saw a few parks and green spaces - but as the building became grander, and the roads narrower, I realised we were approaching the area I was most looking forward to. Central London itself is amazing, everywhere you look you can see *something* and the majority of buildings are wonderfully historic.

I loved the Financial District; the modern skyscrapers slotted in next to 300 year old mansion-museum hybrid buildings. The Bank of England building was easily recognisable and we got a lingering look at the imposing facade as the traffic was pretty bad; I much prefer this type of architecture to the towering Shard or clinical HSBC building and old style is in abundance in this area!

I adored the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, getting my only glimpse of the Thames as we crossed Westminster Bridge. It's a stunningly beautiful section of the city, bigger than expected and every bit as iconic as it appears when used as a movie or news report backdrop. As an avid news junkie I was excited to pass the grassy strip used by political correspondents from around the world - which is surprisingly small actually, thrown into shadow for the most part from the bulky gothic structures just across the road. By following the simple one way system you see all this; honestly, traffic is crazy busy in this part of London but considering the sheer volume of cars (and motorbikes, and push bikes, and people walking carelessly into the road) I think the roads are pretty well managed.

We drove past Westminster Abbey disappointingly quickly but it looked gorgeous in the early afternoon sun, I was happy to get a longer view of the majestic St Paul's Cathedral and thought of a friend who works there. When we visited it was the weekend before the big Jubilee celebrations and although I was disappointed that the roads around Buckingham Palace were closed, but the pill was sweetened by the pomp that was already being displayed all over London. The Queens portrait in shop windows, huge Union Jack flags forming bunting across major roads, giant images of the Royal family plastered on prominent buildings - wonderful reminders of the upcoming celebrations and a fantastic sight to make you feel 'part of it'.

We really did take a nice route around our capital city and after plugging the postcode for Spitalfields Market in were directed towards Trafalgar Square, where the Olympic countdown clock was still on 61 days! Nelson's Column is cool, but my favourite statue was the one of a boy on a rocking horse - a recent addition to the square, installed on the Fourth Plinth for 2012 and a stunning piece of work. Of course we saw the National Gallery, which manages to overwhelm the cityscape but also blends in with it's surroundings.

I spotted Madame Tussauds (with requisite massive queue), the Tower of London, Fortnum & Mason, Ripley's, souvenir shops aplenty, the Queens Gallery and so much more. We parked up and stretched our legs in Spitalfields Market, spending a couple of hours in Canteen restaurant and doing a little shopping. I hit Montezuma's chocolate shop for a few treats, intending to buy goodies for the kids but ending up choosing all my favourite chocolates! After this we decided to head for The Blind Beggar as my partner, being interested in British gangster culture, wanted to check out the old Kray haunt - this was actually a disappointing visit but I LOVED driving through the hustle and bustle of the East End!

We came out of London to get back to Birmingham and headed along a large dual carriageway. Seeing a large circular stadium I asked Mark if it was Wembley but he said no and concluded that it must be 'something else' - it was only when the Olympics started and I recognised the red curly structure that I realised it had been the Olympic Stadium! A highlight of my day came was when the now identified Olympic Park was in view (albeit a fair distance away) was passing a convoy of Bentleys transporting a beautiful Indian bride to her wedding - she was travelling in a horse and carriage, flanked on all sides by her obviously über rich family.

I really enjoyed seeing London like this, it was a little bit frustrating knowing we weren't going to be visiting the sights but we only had the day - having a drive through meant we saw much more than if we had to take hours out for an 'inside visit' somewhere. It slammed home one point to me, parking is an impossible nightmare in any of the really interesting parts of London - our original plan of going for the weekend and heading there on the train would have been good if we'd wanted to visit the Tower of London or hop on the Eye, but no way could we have seen such a variety of London life as we did during our drive through.

I took plenty of photographs as we traveled around the city, mostly through the open car window and front windscreen when I saw something that interested me. I liked an upmarket residential area we drove through and tried to guesstimate the price of the huge houses, we played a game of imagining it was an area where Chelsea FC players live - and I wouldn't be surprised if one or two of them do as it certainly looked exclusive enough!

Highly recommended as a way to sample this vibrant capital city - allows you to look around without spending vast amounts of cash (possible congestion charges and fuel money notwithstanding) and without having to get caught up in the relentless London crowds.

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