Tag: london

Top tips for visiting London for the first time … Part One

Get an Oyster card

 

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If you only buy one thing when you get to London, make it an Oyster card. ( £5 deposit is payable) These handy pay-as-you cards are issued by Transport for London (www.tfl.gov.uk) and make travel on London’s buses, trains and tubes much cheaper and easier. Using an oyster doesn’t just save time, but it saves money, a central London cash tube journey is £4.20, while using an Oyster card the fare is only £2.20. Can be picked up any tube station including Heathrow, and Oyster ticket shops.

Get a London A to Z Map Book

 

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Despite everyone owning a smart phone , nothing will replace the humble A to Z London map book.Long after your phone battery has died , the A to Z is worth its weight in gold with every London street clearly marked , you can pick one up at any bookstore.

Get good waterproofs

London is well known for its unpredictable weather. The day may start sunny & bright but by lunchtime there could be torrential downpours, ALWAYS carry a foldable mac or an umbrella you have been warned

Do your Web Research

There are a number of sites to check that will save you cash, & give you itinerary ideas here’s are a few of the most popular

http://www.lastminute.com – as it says on tin last minute deals for literally everything Hotels , trips , attractions , spa days , show tickets .

http://www.opentable.co.uk – a London restaurant discount booking site that finds the closest restaurants to your location or budget , discounts can be up to 50% off.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com– not necessarily a tourist site , but sometimes they have great deals for all so worth checking out.

http://www.airbnb.co.uk
With the average London hotel room hitting £160 per night, AirBNB is an ideal solution to finding accommodation . Also by having an apartment, you can make your own meals saving more cash for that big night out. Just pick somewhere near to transport links and within zone 3 of the tube map as a rule so your not wasting time travelling back & forth.

http://www.southbanklondon.com – For all things cultural in London , theatre , gallery events , art , head to the the Southbank located steps from London Waterloo station on the river always good for an afternoon stroll.

See London from the River

 

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Cruising down the Thames is a great way to see London and rest your weary legs. Check out http://www.thamesclipper.com for times & routes and the good news is you can use your oyster card for a discounted fare.

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Check out the best free view in London

The Sky Garden , aka the walkie talkie building is London’s best kept secret , located across the river from the famous London Shard which charges an eye watering £32 to check out the views down the Thames, book into the Sky Garden for totally Free entry for the same view , plus you get a shot of the shard in all your pictures , the only catch is you need to book in advance at https://skygarden.london . There is also a cafe and restaurant at the top so maybe splash out on dinner with the money saved on entry fees.

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Check out Londons best Museums

Great activity for a rainy day there will be a few rainy days , no matter what time of year you visit, this is London it rains accept it. London’s museums are world class and more importantly most are FREE , here are the main ones not to miss ….

British Museum

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Where: Bloomsbury
Open: 10am-5.30pm every day, till 8.30pm Fri. Closed 1 Jan, Good Fri and 24-26 Dec.
Description: An always busy and always fascinating collection of over eight million objects. Themes include Leaders & Rulers, Animals, and Money.

Museum of London

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Where: London Wall
Open: Every day 10am-6pm. Closed 24-26 Dec.
Description: One of the world’s largest urban history museums. Exhibitions include the story of modern London from 1666 to today.

Science Museum

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Where: South Kensington
Open: Every day 10am-6pm, except 24-26 Dec.
Description: Vast museum of advancements in science, medicine, technology and industry. Suitable for young and old alike.

Natural History Museum

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Where: South Kensington
Open: Every day 10am-5.50pm. Closed 24-26 Dec.
Description: Life and earth science specimens in five collections: Botany, Entomology, Mineralogy, Paleontology and Zoology.

National Portrait Gallery

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Where: Just off Trafalgar Square
Open: Every day 10am-6pm. Thu-Fri until 9pm.
Description: Founded in 1856, it has over 195,000 portraits, from modern subjects to paintings from the 16th century.

For more ideas on what to do and what to see check out the official Visit London Website https://www.visitlondon.com

 

Gulf Air #A330 London Heathrow to Bahrain Falcon Gold Business Class Flight Review

Gulf Air Falcon Gold Business class flight review

Gulf Air is the principal flag carrier of Bahrain, the airline operates scheduled services to 41 destinations in 23 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe, all flights transit thru their hub airport in Bahrain. Gulf Air operate two cabins of service , Economy and their aptly named Falcon Gold Business Class cabin.

This is my Falcon Gold cabin inflight passenger experience on one of two daily flights from London Heathrow to Gulf Air’s Hub in Bahrain.

Flight: GF0002 Departure 9.30am

Route London (LHR) to Bahrain (BAH )

Seat: 1K ( Falcon Gold Class )

30 seats / 2-2-2 configuration

Duration: 6 hrs 30 mins

Plane Type: Airbus A330

Gulf air falcon gold check in London Heathrow

Heathrow terminal four check in

Falcon Gold Lounge – Heathrow

Falcon Gold Lounge- London Heathrow

Located between gates 6 & 7 on the main concourse in Heathrow’s Terminal four is the Falcon Gold Lounge.

Falcon Gold Lounge – interior

With a light and airy decor, separate lounging & dining areas as well as showering facilities, its small but perfectly formed with everything you need for a brief visit.

Whilst not extensive, there’s was perfectly adequate selection of hot and cold breakfast items were available prior to my 9am boarding call.

Falcon Gold food buffet

Boarding

Boarding started promptly approx 45 mins before departure. Falcon Gold passengers were invited to board first , in their own dedicated lane. After being greeted at the aircraft door by name , I was shown to my seat and offered a pre take off drink and hot towel.

Welcome aboard

Cabin & Seat

The A330 has 30 Falcon Gold seats in a 2-2-2 formation over 5 rows, split over 2 cabins eithier side of the main cabin door separated by the toilets and galley.

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A330 Falcon Gold Seat Map

Whilst the Cabin is quite neutral , it has a spacious feel, and there is generous leg room between the rows, so no akward moments trying to climb over your seatmate when exiting your seat mid flight. There’s also a pull down privacy screen if your travelling alone.

Rear Falcon Gold cabin

Falcon Gold mid cabin seating

The seat was a standard forward facing full flat bed , there was a comfortable pillow & duvet style blanket stored in the cubby hole under the tv monitor. There’s also a bottle of water and noise cancelling headphones stored down the side of the seat. There was also a usb charging point in the console, but I found it pretty slow when charging up my smart phone.

Seat 1K

Amenity kits were handed out before take off , All Falcon Gold passengers recieved a Cerruti branded amenity kit, I particularly liked the Aigner products ( body lotion , mosturising lip balm and a refreshing facial spritz ) , the black leather pouch was handy to reuse as a washbag / make up case.

Falcon Gold Cerruti amenity kit

Entertainment

This is where I feel that Gulf Air can make their biggest improvement , I found Falcon entertainment system , clunky , dated and extremely tricky to use.

In flight entertainment controller

I also found the actual movie selection quite limited, and it was the same selection on both outbound and inbound journey, so I found I’d already watched the films that I wanted to on the way out. There was approx ten mainstream hollywood blockbusters , a number of bollywood films, some random tv shows and a muslim selction.

Food Service

With two crew members & a Sky Chef serving the Falcon Gold Cabin , service was prompt and efficient.

Falcon Gold dining menu

Gulf Air Sky Chef Sanjaya

The food service was hands down the highlight of this flight, with a relatively short flying time of just over six hours, service began approx two hours after a take off and the food just kept coming kicking off with a generously sized main course of a surpringly tender lamb shank cooked to order, followed by a fully stocked cheese and dessert trolley. with then just in case you were feeling a bit peckish there was an afternoon tea served about 90 minutes before landing.

Sky Chef prepared main course

Cheese trolley
Afternoon tea

Transiting in Bahrain

With over 41 destinations, for transiting passengers, Bahrain airport is pretty compact, from disinbarking it took approx 15 minutes to reach the Falcon Gold Lounge on the 1st floor of the main concourse. With comfortable seating ,a business section for catching up on work, shower facilities and a full food & drinks with waiter service, and a view of the run way it’s a pleasant way to spend a few hours away from the hustle and bustle of the main terminal.

Falcon Gold Lounge – Bahrain airport

Interior Falcon Gold Lounge

In My Opinion….

I’m baffled as to how Sky Trax can rate Gulf Air as a three star airline, clearly they are long overdue an upgrade in my humble opinion.

I was pleasantly surprised at the level of service I received in the Falcon Gold Cabin , from a decent lounge before boarding, to being greeted by name as I entered the aircraft, being shown to my seat , and the Sky chef coming out to personally discuss the dining menu , all the things that I’ve experienced on other five star middle eastern carriers such as Emirates, Etihad and Qatar.

But the highlight for me on this flight was the food service, this was one of the best meals I’ve had on a plane, with comfortable seating which converted to a flat bed and great amenity kit. Well worth the short detour through Bahrain when I’m travelling to the UAE and highly recommened.

With a major rebrand scheduled for 2018 , I look forward checking out a new and improved Gulf Air and a well deserved skytrax reclassification.

For route information and fare details, check out the Gulf Air website http://www.GulfAir.com

Please note my flight was kindly hosted by Gulf Air in order to write this review , but as usual all views & opinions are my own.

Thomas Cook Airlines A330 London Gatwick to Cape Town South Africa Flight Review  

Flight review on thomas cook airlines long haul a330

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Thomas Cook Airlines is one of the biggest leisure airlines in the UK, with a fleet of 31 planes, flying from 20 airports across the country to over to 60 destinations around the world.

This is my long haul experience, flying non stop from London Gatwick to Cape Town South Africa, on a fully refurbished Thomas Cook branded A330.

Thomas cook a330 & crew
Welcome onboard !
A330 thomas cook seat map
A330 Thomas Cook two cabin seat map ( Long Haul )

Economy Cabin

Economy has 273 seats in a 2-4-2 formation with a seat pitch of 31 inches and width of 18.2 , the last 5 rows a offer a more roomier 2-3-2 formation, so if you have the option book these seats.

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Economy seating

As I reached my economy seat , I was grateful to find a free of charge pillow & blanket. Alas amenity kits are only given out in the premium cabin so dont forget to bring your own.

Thomas cook A330 economy seating
Seat 40A/B

Im 5′ 7, and I comfortably fitted into my seat , though anything over 5’10 and I think you’d would be in for a bit of a squeeze in a regular seat. So definately worth considering purchasing an exit row seat or check out the premium cabin review below for a few extra inches of leg room.

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Economy leg room ( regular seat )

In Flight Entertainment

This, in my opinion is where Thomas Cook could make its biggest improvement. Firstly you need to bring your own headphones, or you’ll need to purchase them onboard, though if your not going to upgrade to the premium package its hardly worth it.

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There are just four, yes this is not a typo four movies avalible to watch for free in the economy cabin, alongside 6 tv choices. On a 11 hour flight you could find yourself twiddling your thumbs for a large portion of the flight if you don’t come prepared.

If you decide to fork out for the premium package (£5 ) there’s not exactly a massive choice ( 30 movies / 50 tv shows ) but enough to find something you like to pass the time. If you decide to bring along your own devices there’s an in seat USB plug, so you can keep everything fully charged throughout the flight.

In Flight entertainment upgrade

Food

Included in your economy ticket you get two meals , as this was a 7.30 pm departure, dinner was served approx 90 minutes after take off. Its important to note drinks ( tea / coffee / juice ) are only free with your meal, all other drinks must be bought, but water is avalible for free through out the flight.

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Economy Cabin evening meal

There are always two food choices availible , I chose the chicken which came with rice and a few veggies. Whilst its not the best plane food i’ve ever eaten, it was totally adequate, it came with a box of extras below which helped stave off the hunger.

Economy cabin dinner side dish

If you do find yourself not liking the meal choices, there is food avalible to buy onboard , the choice is limited, but rest assured you wont starve. All alcohol sadly has to be purchased in the Economy Cabin.

In Flight Bar

Breakfast is more of a snack, but as its served close to landing , you don’t have long to wait and I was happy with a cup of tea.

Economy Cabin breakfast

Economy Cabin Verdict

I was nicely surprised by my economy experience with Thomas Cook , in my opinion there is no difference between their service and British Airways world traveller service , in fact Thomas Cook inches ahead due to its refurbed cabin. Long haul in economy is never going to be a luxury experience, but it was certainly bearable and id be happy to travel long haul in this cabin again. Tips to remember bring snacks , headphones and load up the ipad with your favorite movies, and try secure the roomier rear seats and your ready for takeoff.

Premium Cabin

The Premium cabin is located at the front of the plane in its own separate area , with just 49 seats in a 2-3-2 formation.

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Premium cabin

With a seat pitch of 35 inches and seat width at 19.7 and upto 6 inches of recline and adjusable head and foot rests. Most people should find these seats pretty comfortable.

Premium cabin Thomas cook A330
Premium seat 1 H/J

My only gripe about the premium seat is if the seat next to you is empty, theres no way of stretching out over the two seats due the barrier in between.

In Seat Goodies

In my seat there was an amenity kit , with a decent quality eye mask , ear plugs , lip balm , socks , toothbrush & paste and free headphones which honestly were pretty crap. I loved the world map case,which I’ve been reliably informed can be used as an i pad mini case, definately a keeper.

Premium cabin amenities kit

Sitting in the premium seat i found the actual seat base extremely comfortable, and it’s amazing the difference an extra four inches of leg room makes.

Premium cabin leg room

And just because your flying charter, doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your pre flight glass of champers.

Pre Flight Champers

Inflight entertainment
The inflight entertainment is slightly better in the premium cabin, with a choice of 30 movies and 50 tv shows free of charge to keep you entertained but I feel theres still room for improvement here.

Premium cabin In flight entertainment

Food

Approx 30 minutes after take off the crew started the first drinks service , and with only 49 seats in the cabin nobody is kept waiting too long. All drinks in the premium cabin are free of charge ( champange is only served on take off sadly ). Theres the usual selction of premium brand spirits plus mini bottles of wine, I found the Bottega rose extremely refreshing.

inflight drinks service

About 90 minutes into the flight, dinner was served, instead of the crew dragging the trolley through the cabin and asking what you wanted on the spot, a crew member came round and discussed what was on the menu and personally took your order. I loved this , I had the same experience when I travelled in business class on Etihad last year and its nice to see its something that Thomas Cook Airlines are doing.

James Martin evening meal

Its no secret that Thomas Cook Airlines are very proud of their collaboration with chef James Martin for their in flight meals. It was one of things I was most looking forward to trying in the premium cabin, the presentation of the meal was excellent , and the food was also way better than I expected.

James Martin evening meal

I went for chicken breast wrapped in ham with wedges and green beans , it was hot and succulent, which is no mean feat, as most chicken I’ve eaten on planes is usually dried out and tasteless.

Sides of cheese and crackers , with a banoffee mousse for dessert.

Breakfast was served around an hour before landing , to be honest I was expecting something a bit more substantial, especially as i’m not a fan of pasteries or muffins , but I was fine to make do with a cup of tea.

Premium cabin breakfast

Premium Cabin Verdict

The premium cabin is definately an upgraded experience in all areas of service. If your flying long haul, especially at night its definately worth blowing the budget. But theres only 49 seats available per flight , so you’ll have to be quick. Upgrades from economy are also available to purchase on the day if seats are available from £250 each way . 

Hello Cape Town …

 

Fares start from £269.99 one way, from London Gatwick, non stop to Cape Town, please note this route is currently a seasonal service between the middle of December to the end of March.

For info on all of Thomas Cook Airlines long & short haul routes check out

https://www.thomascookairlines.com

Please note my flight was kindly hosted by Thomas Cook Airlines in order to write this review

Qatar Airways, 777 Doha to London Heathrow Business Class Flight Review 

onboard review of Qatar Airways 777 business class experience.

Flight: QR1 12.55pm Doha, Qatar ( DOH ) to London, Heathrow (LHR)

Seat: 1A ( Business Class )

42 seats / 2-2-2 formation.

Plane type: Boeing 777-300ER

In July 2016 Qatar Airways won three awards at the 2016 Skytrax World Airline Awards , including World’s Best Business Class, so I was expecting great things when I boarded my flight home after a weekend in Doha.

This review is of my in flight experience flying from DOH to LHR in Business Class on Qatar Airways Boeing’s 777-300.

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Seat A1, unofficially the best seat on the plane obviously …

Boarding

Upon boarding there were two separate boarding jettys one for business & one economy passengers, so with only 42 seats in business everyone was on board, packed away and seated swiftly, without waiting for all 316 economy passengers to traipse through the cabin.

Boarding in the front Business class cabin

There was already a pillow & blanket on my seat waiting for me, the pillow was nice and firm and the blanket was decent quality and kept out the onboard drafts.

Seat & Cabin

Seat A1

legroom for days …

Upon taking my seat , the Cabin Services Director came over and introduced herself to me, addressing me by name which I thought was a nice touch.

The flight attendant then came round taking drink orders and handing out hot towels , unfortunately I’m not a frequent visitor to business class, so I thought I’d push the boat out with a glass of pink champagne before take off .

Enjoying some pre take off Champers

I was happy to see that despite being on an older plane, that the seat was wider than normal and the seat reclined totally flat as well a great vibrating back feature.

Lots of buttons to play with …

A genuine flat bed

Entertainment
I found the entertainment system disappointing , the film selection was the same on both legs of the flight, so I’d already watched what I wanted on the flight out.

I struggled to find anything to watch on the flight back, and in the end I resorted to watching BBC i player on my I phone. It was also impossible to use the handset with my false nails !!.

Great comfy headphones

Oryx on board entertainment system , fiddly to use with nails !!.

Food Service

Qatar Airways has an anytime dining menu, so as soon as your ready to eat the crew will prepare your meal in approx 10 minutes. the service was prompt , professional and there was an extensive food choice considering your on a plane.

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One of the things I love about business class is the dinner service. I started my meal with the Arabic mezze, it was beautifully presented with generous portions. Just because your on a plane, you still get the full resturant service, with metal cutlery and a crisp white table cloth.

Dinner is served ….

For my main I went for a low calorie option of plain chicken with wild rice & vegtables , it was a tad bland, but I think this was to do with my what I chose, rather than the actual food.

Even on a plane you can keep it healthy

after saving calories on the main course , I decided to splurge on some icecream & fruit for desert, which was of course divine.

After the dinner service, just in case you had a spare inch of stomach space left , some fancy chocolate were handed out to munch on.

Posh chocs

In My Opinion …

How anyone could ever complain about a business class flight I dont know, as I usually sit alot further back at the rear of the plane on my travels, this was a rare treat. I almost wished they’d fly around a bit longer so I could enoy a few more hours in aviation heaven. The main thing that stood out to me on the flight was the service, I staged my own experiment by ringing on the bell for the attendant, usually a big passenger no no, the flight attendant was there in less than 5 seconds!, it seems the skytrax world airline award for best staff service in the middle east was richly deserved. And just when I thought the dream was over , as I disembarked, I got handed a fast track card to get me through immigration in record time , just what you need when your trying to fight through the queues in Heathrow.

For route information and fare details check out http://www.qatarairways.com

Please note my flight was kindly provided by Visit Qatar in order to write this review , but my views & opinions are as usual all my own.

Etihad Airways #A380 London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi Economy Cabin Flight Review …. 

Etihad airways A380 flight review

So after months of trying to get on an A380, I finally managed to nail one down for my flight over to Abu Dhabi .

Here’s my In flight review….


A friendly welcome from the etihad crew 

Prior to my flight I’d pored over the seat map, with all the premium seats upstairs and the whole lower deck all economy, there was definitely a touch of  them and us. The  stairway to heaven was firmly  roped off during the flight,  lest one of us commoners should manage to stumble our way upstairs for a peek.


etihad a380

This way to plane heaven ….. 

I hit the jackpot when I managed to bag seat 76k , it’s a window seat in the rear section of the plane, where the seat in front has been removed on both sides so A or K is a winner. The rear section only has 9 rows so it felt far less crowded than the front cabins,  plus you got served food & drink faster so I would definately pick the back section again.

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The rear cabin 

seat 76k etihad airways a380 

Magic seat 76k , legroom for days …. 

So once I got settled in my seat , it was time to check out the in seat entertainment ….

inflight tv screen
A massive 11 inch screen with in seat power 

The inflight entertainment has piles of channels than I could hope to get thru in a 7 hour flight , there was plenty of choice from the usual latest blockbusters to a good choice of classic favourites. Plus due to the USB seat power you can keep your own devices fully charged throughout the flight. The noise cancelling headphone are pretty nifty too, complete with a nick proof adapter , I mean where is the trust these days ?. 

etihad airways in flight headphone 

Kleptomaniac proof headphones 

I also found the onboard camera fascinating, and got a bird eye view of one of the best takeoff’s, I’ve had like ever , I found the A380 unbelievably quiet and smooth on both take off and landing . 

Take off A380 style 

Food wise I was kept well fed & watered, I ordered a low calorie meal and it was delivered promptly to my seat at the start of the meal service , consisting of steamed cod and bizarrely mushy peas,  but it was tasty and hit the spot and drinks and snacks were availible on demand unlike some other cost cutting airlines who think you can sit on a flight for 10 hours with only 2 drinks services, no such problems here.

etihad airways low calorie in flight meal
So in review, my first A380 experience was pretty amazing , it was great to watch the plane in flight on the cameras and service was prompt and efficient what more can you ask ?. As a regular visitor to the Middle East,  would definitely reccommend giving Etihad a try.

 for more info on getting on board check out http://www.etihad.com

10 ways to enjoy Christmas like a Londoner…

If your heading to London in the next 6 weeks , here’s a round up of a few things, us Londoners like to get up to over the festive period. So ditch the tourist trail, and come and experience Christmas like a local.

1. See the Christmas lights
London’s christmas lights are some of the best in the world. A good way to see all the lights close up, is from the top deck of a London bus , so nab a seat in the front row and take in the sights. The best bus routes are
52 from Grosvenor Place to Knightsbridge. 10 or 73 from Knightsbridge, up Park Lane, along Oxford Street, get off at Oxford Circus.3, 88, 159 or 453 from Oxford Circus down Regent Street.
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2. Spend an afternoon at Winter Wonderland
Kids will be spoilt for choice at Hyde Park’s annual Winter Wonderland, which includes a giant observation wheel, Zippo’s Christmas Circus and the capital’s biggest ice rink. As well a Santa Land, with rides, games and food stalls. Where kids can meet Father Christmas then jump on board the Santa Express. Entrance is free, but you’ll need to buy tokens for the rides.

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3 Grab a Santa suit and join SantaCon
SantaCon is on the 6th December, it involves a gang of Santas running around London, singing carols, giving out gifts, and encouraging strangers to sit on their laps. Why ? Well just like the real Santa, they want to celebrate Christmas and spread some festive cheer. Anyone can take part as long as they follow the 3 rules for participating All Santas must a) be jolly b) wear a Santa suit, and c) don’t get arrested. The meeting point and route is top secret and won’t be announced until. 24 hours in advance, so keep an eye on the website http://www.santacon.co.uk/ and make that appointment at the fancy dress shop now.

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4. Check out the Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square
The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree, is a donated by the city of Oslo each year since 1947, In gratitude for our support during the second world war. The tree is on display in Trafalgar Square from the beginning of December until 6 January.

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5. Go for a skate in the open air
Nothing feels like Christmas more than skating in open air, at an iconic London location. Choose from Hampton Court Palace, Somerset House or The National History Museum. Its also compulsory to have a post skate hot chocolate.

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6. Exercise those vocal chords at a traditional carol service
From the end of November , carol services start popping up all over London. Check local listings magazines such as Time Out for that weeks services . Most are in aid of a specific charity , so are free to enter but donations are expected. All Hallows Church by the Tower , is one of London’s oldest church’s , they have various christmas services but for Carols by Candlelight head down on 18th December at 6pm

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7. See a traditional Christmas Panto taking the kids to the pantomime is as much a part of Christmas as decorating the tree and giving presents. Pantomime dames ,heroes and villains ,its a british institution For a Panto near you check out http://www.bigpantoguide.co.uk/

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8. Grab a meaty bargain for Christmas dinner at the Christmas Eve Meat Auction.
London butchers Harts of Smithfield, have held their annual Christmas Eve meat auction for the last 30 years, everything’s got to go , so get a wad of cash, a sturdy bag and be prepared for a load of yelling to secure that bargain turkey. It starts promptly10am, but for a prime spot in the auctioneers eyeline get there early.

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9.Midnight Mass at Westminster Abbey
All faiths are welcome to midnight mass at Westminster Abbey , the service starts at 11.30pm. Its a free service but you do have to book via http://www.westminster-abbey.org/

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10. For the ultimate Christmas Day,
Christmas isn’t just about the presents, for the true meaning of Christmas head to St Paul’s Cathedral for their Christmas Day service. For the early birds there’s a service at 8 am, or if you fancy a lie in head on down for the 3.15 pm service. But there’s no public transport, so you’ll have to beg,borrow or steal a lift to get there.

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What I love about London , and you should too…

Its official London, has been voted the worlds favourite tourist destination. With 18.7 million visitors expected this year, a whooping 8% rise from last year.
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As a Londoner born and bred, sure its a bit manic sometimes, and yes the weather is lousy and its getting more and more expensive to live here, but there’s is no place else I’d rather call home.

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So here are my top loves about London, and if your one of the 18.7 million making it to our fair city this year, be sure to check them out for yourselves.

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There’s always something going on London is definitely a place you can never get bored, there is always something happening everyday of the week. An opening here, a pop up there and festivals galore. Check out ONINLONDON (www.oninonline.com) a great site for letting you know what’s on in and around London, also includes local events if you want to experience real London.

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Museums
It always catches me out when I travel abroad,and I’m asked to pay to go into a museum. In London, we like to share the love with free entry for all. Here’s my personal faves.
British Museum
fascinating collection of over eight million objects. Themes include Leaders & Rulers, Animals, and Money.

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Museum of London
One of the world’s largest urban history museums. Exhibitions include the story of modern London from 1666 to today.

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Science Museum
science, medicine, technology and industry. Suitable for young and old alike.

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Natural History Museum
Life and earth science specimens in five collections: Botany, Entomology, Mineralogy, Paleontology and Zoology.

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Parks
Londoners love a park , Green , Regents or Hyde even Hampstead are all great spaces, find a deckchair and do a spot of people watching.

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Markets
There’s nothing better on a weekend than, getting up and having a wander round the local market. My personal favs are Columbia road Flower Market in Hackney on a Sunday morning from 8am and Borough Market in London Bridge open every day but Sunday is a Foodies paradise, and the smell around the market hall is sublime.

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The Southbank
The place to hang out on a weekend , there’s always some festival, or event happening, or you can just hang out with a coffee. I also like popping into Festival Hall to check out the free exhibitions.

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Brick Lane
If you want a decent curry in London, its got to be brick lane, in the heart of Banglatown. Though be sure to do your research as there’s loads of restaurants to choose from, a rule of thumb is if its filled with Bangladeshi’s your usually good to go.

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Theatre
London is bursting at the seams with theatres, from long running thrillers to a feel good musical. In order to save the pennies, I usually head to the TKTS booth in Leicester Sq to check out what’s going cheap.

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So these are some of my London Loves , leave a comment and let me know yours !!!

Where to find London’s best Street Art

To find Londons best street art,  you need to head to Shoreditch in east London. The best way to get there is to take the London overground line ( orange line )  to Shoreditch High Street.

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when exiting the station turn left onto Sclater street and head for Brick Lane where you’ll find the majority of the street art on and Brick Lane itself  and off hidden away on the side roads.

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If your heading out for the first time I would highly recommend you join a tour, so you can note the routes and where’s the best places to spot new pieces and then you can come back again & again. I recommend http://www.streetartlondon.co.uk for the authentic street art experience , led by guides who really know their stuff and are passionate about the art.

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unfortunately the street art around Brick Lane can be here today, gone in the next hour , the turnover is sometimes that quick on some popular walls that  pieces don’t last the night. Here’s a selection of a few of my latest favourite pieces of street art

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IMG_4380-0.JPG If your really lucky you might even stumble upon a street artist mid flow, the best time to see artists at work is usually early mornings on weekends, when the street are deserted and they can work in peace. Street art is still considered vandalism in the UK, unless the artist has the wall owners permission.

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IMG_4419.JPG Street art spotting is hard work so if you get peckish, sure to pop into the world famous Beigel Bake the oldest bagel shop in London, that’s open 24-hour a day and produces 7,000 bagels every day, Its menu is focused on bagels baked in the traditional Jewish style with fillings such as hot salt beef with mustard, chopped herring, and cream cheese. Be warned queues can get long during the day, but the salt beef and mustard beigel is worth the wait.

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Happy Hunting !!