Going to London For the First Time: Advice?

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Get an Oyster Card, It's a quick and easy way to pay for London Underground and bus fares.

Also if you go to Paris, there are these "mobs" of gypsies? (I don't really know who they really are) who ask if you speak english then present a photocopied note stating that they are poor etc. They target tourists and and if you speak in another language they will simply turn and leave.

This happened to me a few years ago and things may have changed.

ReCaptcha: and Twednde

 

[thylasos]

Give the North a try. Honestly. London projects an atmosphere of "the entire rest of the UK is irrelevant". It's not true, and it's a damn sight less expensive. If you anyone ever fancies coming to Sheffield, South Yorkshire (the friendliest part of the biggest county of England, with an enormous number of good real-ale and atmospheric pubs, also trendy bars, fun bars, and good cultural events), I use the same handle on couchsurfing.

Bloody northerners!! The south is where its at, if you find yourself in the Midlands you've gone to far!!

seriously you cant honestly say that the north can hold a candle to anything in london, it was literally the capitol of the world for about 300 years

Also I have herd Sheffield described as alot of things but friendly? I go up north an go to the wrong pub, an get friggin shit for being southern they will rip this bloke apart for being American! Also as I tell my Yorkshire housemates just cause ur pubs are atmospheric dont mean ours ain't! Try coming to the home counties we will show you a pub!

Also: arrogance. Assuming everyone who's promoting the north has never been to the South.

And you'll get the shit kicked out of you in the South too, if you go to the wrong pub. Welcome to Essex. Where I spent the first 17/18 years of my life, and have been back to since. It hasn't magically turned into a cultural oasis since then. Nor have Canterbury, Ayer's Green, or Swindon. All nice places, in their own ways, but not perfect. And the people are less friendly than in Sheffield. Subjective, certainly, but I note the term "heard" in your response; that implies you've not spent any conisderable length of time up here, or never spent any time whatsoever north of the end of the Bakerloo line.

I've been all over the South. It has good points. It has bad points. So has the North. I'm saying to the guy, don't write off anywhere north of the Watford Gap. And that I would recommend Sheffield or Manchester, York, Liverpool, or Newcastle to anyone spending more than three days in England to anyone, rather than London.

No, fish and chips aren't all that. It's an acquired taste. As is real ale, tea as we (largely) drink it, and starting each day with a sense that your country is going to slide into obscurity, and maybe that's a good thing.

 

[Epslion.Bear]

Dont feed the chavs or talk wrong about any of the London football teams
(Chelsea etc)

Spoiler: Captcha

Omega? How I'm I going to type that

 

[Ghengis John]

snip

hey i never claimed we were "civilized" Britain is a weird country. we have all this polite "tea and crumpets" image going on but come the weekends, it's often said, if you were stood in the average hospital Casualty department you'd sometimes be forgiven in thinking a (gunless) war or somesuch had kicked off.

i think it's fair to say we have some dark aspects to our national character which are seldom discussed. we know how to see "it" coming (to varying degrees...and some women are completely blind), trying to explain "it" to someone else is...well, difficult.

Fair enough. lol

 

[Distorted Stu]

Weather is nice, its getting pretty hot already so i can feel that this summer will be a burner.

Could I wear shorts over there then? My professors said dress like it is Minnesota weather, but I have never been to Minnesota so that really doesn't help....at all...

Yes you can wear shorts lmao

 

[aLivingPheonix]

Use the Tube system, and buy an oyster card. Don't rent a car, it'll be a waste of money, and I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to use it in most of the busier roads.

Primark is good for some cheap clothes, and have comfortable briefs.

Most soda's are made with Sugar instead of High-Fructose Corn Syrup, so if you like soda, then start drinking.

If you want to go for a walk, Hyde Park is quite nice, if a little busy.

If you like sushi, and plan on going to a YoSushi (A chain, they're quite good) do NOT go to the branch in Whitely's, as they suck.

Go to the British Museum, it's fucking awesome. In fact, go to every museum you can, quite a few are free.

If you like Ramen, there's a Japanese resteraunt in South Kensington I think called "Sake" who do good ramen.

Please, mind the gap between the train, and the platform.

 

[AndrewC]

Bring lots of money, shizzle is expensive yo.

And Scotland is not dismal at all, the weather yes, but not the country!

Well, only Glasgow and Edinburgh are awesome

 

[EllEzDee]

Do NOT put vinegar on your fish and chips. The vinegar is there as a joke for tourists; the joke is that they piss in it.

 

[tigermilk]

put a canadian flag on your bag.

Simpsons FTW.

OT: You are only an hour by train from Brighton, well worth a day if you have time: If you do, Laines, North Laines and Kensington Gardens (not actually gardens) but well worth dossing around in.
Wallet in an inside pocket,
Fried Breakfast,
If you go out drinking remember us (the English) drink like you Americans eat (no offence).
Use the Underground (subway) quickest way to get away from tourist areas and very easy to get back.

 

[willsham45]

Like any country go have fun. See the sights there is a lot happening in london, I would recommend seeing a play at some point, as well as the all the other things shopping, eating and all that.

Not to make it sound unsafe but some people are not all that nice, so it is advisable to stick a little extra cash in your shoe, enough to get home or more just incase. Although that really should be common practice anywhere.

If you want to blend in we have so many cultures and minorities living her they is no minorities so anyone and everyone will blend in, if you are conserned about being made out to being a tourist.

What elce, prepare for wet, whether the weather is nice it is a rule of thumb to expect rain and cold but that does not mean it will be sunny every now and then...sunny not necessaries hot.

 

[Dectomax]

You see that dark tunnel? that one that looks like a short-cut to the next street? DO NOT GO DOWN IT! It is a short-cut to DEATH or at least mugging by a 12 year old with a knife.

In London you can get: mugged, shot, stabbed, raped and molested before midday.

( Although I may be a bit biased...being from the South-west, where the most fearsome creature we see is a Cow. )

 

[Kenami]

I've never been but I'd imagine it to be somewhat like this experience. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaLen8cDrks

 

[Orange Monkey]

Definetely try and catch a west end show if you have the time and money, they're really excellent.

 

[Brian Hendershot]

I'm going to London for the first time in the summer too. See you there I guess..

Are you going for Study Abroad too?v Or just for the hell of it?

 

[TheGuiggleMonster]

OT: If you're American, which I assume you are, don't talk to much about how your country is politically/culturally different. Europeans often dislike Americans so it's best to come across as not being too patriotic.

Yes. Hide who you are to suit other people's small minded prejudices. They should really respect a sniveling, toadieing worm. Though nothing is to say he's going to be overtly patriotic, his beliefs will clash with theirs or that he has to try to impress his beliefs on everyone. You think very little of Americans if you assume such things. He's also not likely to talk politics with random strangers. I doubt he's going to talk up and down the street with a star-spangled bullhorn shouting "Mission accomplished." "Mission accomplished people." "Suck my balls, mission accomplished!" And I think we can presume since he wants to go to Britain he already has an affinity for the place just the way it is.

Make sure to try some good british food.

Fish & Chips
Cornish pasty
Meat and Potato Pie

etc etc

I have heard nothing but good things about the Cornish Pasty.

You took what I said way too far. I honestly have no idea how you could have come up with such ridiculous impressions of me based on something so small and vague.

 

[Dags90]

Watch out for the young people, they WILL stab you. (Bit of a joke)

The British are wimps when it comes to climate, and you're originally from Misery (allegedly). It won't be nearly as warm as you're used to, think spring. It's not like you can't check forecasts and see for yourself, either.

Driving in a foreign country is always kinda :/, plus they actually have nice public transportation.

Fanny means vagina in England and bird means chick.

 

[vioray]

yorkshire pudding. sod the fish and chips, yorkshire pudding is the real pride of england. just make sure you get the proper stuff not the tiny little ones that are almost entirely crust