At the time wherever you are reading this, I would have already booked my flight to London, for a stay of 1 week. I'm leaving town in almost exactly 30 days.
This, just six weeks after I blogged that this year will be a year of no international travel. But the stars aligned for me: a friend from college has recently moved to London to work at his lawyer glamorous city concert. She has generously invited me to stay with her in her modern apartment in trendy Shoreditch. I also had a few points credit card that I could convert to miles, and I've actually found flights I could redeem these miles for the dates I wanted. In addition, London is one of the most expensive cities in the world to visit (now $1 = 0.6 pounds sterling... OUCH!) - and now I have the opportunity to go for $250 and remain free. Who am I to look this gift horse travel in the mouth? I said 'no' to London near 10 years, when I was already in Europe and had the chance to visit a friend there. This time I am older and wiser and will not let this opportunity pass me!
More I read on London the more excited I got. Tate Museum, British Academy, Hampton Court, afternoon tea, oh the list is long. And because I spend the days only (and probably the same evening, judging by the stories I heard about hours great law), London seems to be the perfect place to try solo travel: people speak English, it is relatively safe for a big city, what I understand, it is within walking distance and accessible to the public-transport and it is much to doto see, to eat.
Take a bike tour to Hampton Court or Windsor Castle, £69 eachTake a London bike tour, £18See a show at the West end (ticket half price TKTS), £40?Enjoy a tea in the afternoon for my friend and me, perhaps at the Brumus at the Haymarket hotel, £60-£70Spend a day at the British Museum and take a lot of spins eyeOpener!Visit the National Portrait Gallery (I have a thing for Tudor England and the unfortunate wives of Henri VIII), free!See Geffery Museum, a museum dedicated to interior design English! * I have fainted almost by sheer delight when I discovered on this site *, also, for free!Visit the Horniman Museum and gardens, free!Catch a change of guards, free!Listen to Vespers in the Abbey of Westminster, free!Put on one or two London Walks, £9 per walkTry get out of the Spa at the York Hall, £25Attend an audience exposed to the British Academy, free!Visit the Dennis Severs House, £10Travel on a daytrip outside of London... Bathroom? Cotswolds? £100?Finally, I would like to take taxis between Heathrow and Shoreditch on my way in and out of London, which, according to Google, will cost somewhere around £70 each way.
As you can tell, I'm really excited about my trip to London. And I'm really excited since I'm mostly traveling alone... I get to decide exactly how, when and where I spend my time and money. For my six complete daysI budget a total of £700, or about $1,150. This, plus the sum of $250 I spent on airline tickets, means I'm getting a London adventure for less than $1,500. Quite reasonable. Altogether.
If I have some readers who live in London, or who traveled recently, please let me know - is my budget realistic look? I don't want to pinch pennies on this trip, but I will also try my best to be a well thought-out consumer and pass on the things that give me the biggest bang of happiness for the buck. Secondly, Please give me your recommendations for any attraction/activity that cannot be missed!
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