I'm off to London, got any tips?

[The Tibballs]

Don't drink the beer there, especially a beer called Fosters.
(http://denisesboringblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/s_fosters-lager.jpg)

Fosters is Australian.

Yeah, I know. But no one here drinks it, in fact most Australians joke about not even giving it to their dog, which is why we export it to England.

 

[Kinitawowi]

Get an Oyster card. Stand on the right. Don't try to engage Tube passengers in conversation. Get a Tube map/app.

Dress for rain. Even if it's July.

Most of everything you'll want to see is in the central London area. Get a half-decent map. Visit the museums.

Ignore most of the wags in this thread telling you that the whole place is a bit stabby. Yeah, sure, sink estates, but they're not exactly visiting areas. That said, don't be overt with wealth. Keep cash and cards in wallets and devices secreted in bags - pickpockets are around.

 

[Ljs1121]

Speak in the most hilariously atrocious fake English accent you can muster up.

Don't worry, I'm sure everyone will all love it.

[sub]Naw, but seriously have fun and try to stay safe[/sub]

 

[Ldude893]

If some cabbie kidnaps you and forces you to pick between two pills at gunpoint (with one of them poison), just knock him down or run. The gun's fake anyways.

 

[Talaris]

Don't wander down to the South West. Tooting and Streatham are dumps and you may or may not get mugged or stabbed there. Wimbledon is lovely though and has a great theatre. In Wimbledon there is a lovely place called Cannizaro Park which is gorgeous.

As someone who's lived my entire life on the border between Tooting and Streatham I can say that I've never been mugged or stabbed. That doesn't mean I feel safe though, just lucky, and I know not to be out past 11 (seriously monsters come out around then). South West London in general is really great; there's a great pub in Wandsworth called the County Arms, where my band members and I hang out on weekends.

 

[Stabby Joe]

Don't drink the beer there, especially a beer called Fosters.
(http://denisesboringblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/s_fosters-lager.jpg)

Fosters is Australian.

Yeah, I know. But no one here drinks it, in fact most Australians joke about not even giving it to their dog, which is why we export it to England.

Well I don't know anyone who drinks it, but then again I don't associate myself with "those" sorts of people.

 

[Stu35]

I'm off to London, got any tips?

Get on a train to York. It's better than London.


On a more serious note - avoid the shitty mass produced beers like Carling, Carlsberg, Tetleys and John Smiths - Most decent pubs will have at least one decent ale on cask.

 

[jim1398]

This page should provide many tips,

http://www.ittc.ku.edu/~evans/stuff/americans_in_uk.html


I sent it to a friend of mine just before he went to visit the UK a few months ago and things went so well for him that he must have decided to stay because we haven't seen or heard from him since...

 

[The White Hunter]

I'm headed to London with my Uni and I was wondering if there were any tips or tricks i might need, want to do, or generally keep in mind. The trip though my Uni is based on theature so i will be catching a lot of plays.

I'll also be apart of a delegation thats meeting to chat things out between my school and the University of East London so if you go there, i may be dropping by.

So Brits, anything i should know, do or avoid ahead of time?

If anyone asks, you're Canadian.

If a bunch of terrorist storm your hotel, point a gun in your face and ask if you're American, remember the phrase "Ich Bin Deutch." It might save your life.

And try not to embarrass us over there. I mean, it's not like we have a good reputation in other countries but lets try to avoid making it worse, K?

Definately on the Canadian thing, anti-american sentiments aren't as common as you'd think but just saying you;re Canadian could save some hassle.

Otherwise, keep your hand on your wallet and don't mock the palace guards, they has the authority to smack you like a *****.

Edit: If a man with an assault rifle tells you to stop in the metro, then do it, do not run away from him. Especially if he's blacked out and armoured.

[sub]Wait, is it too soon to make jokes about that?... Been at least 5 years now right?[/sub]

Edit 2: We make good ale, try some, I recommend the stuff from the Wychwood brewery.

 

[Guffe]

So Brits, anything i should know, do or avoid ahead of time?

I'm not a britt, but I'll give you the same advice my friend gave me when we were there for half a day.

"If you see a big ass fucking river, that has a big ass fucking bridge crossing it, close to a big ass fucking tower, you take a fucking picture"
I never was much of a tourist xD

Subway/metro/undergroundtrain or whatever you call them, the connections in London are good, ask someone at the reception and you'll understand how everything works just fine!

 

[The White Hunter]

Don't engage the locals in conversation, don't make eye contact and for gods sake don't smile at them, they may just stab you, if you're lucky.

The further south you go in England the more rude, angry and sour faced the populace gets. London is basically diet Paris in the friendliness score.

Are you from the North by any chance mate? xP

There's a truth to it though, people will be extremely rude, it being the capital and busy as hell people will basically try to walk through you and shit. As for getting stabbed that's not too likely if you use your common sense, it's not like its Glasgow or [sub]gods help us all[/sub] Dundee.

 

[Kinitawowi]

Something I forgot to mention; learn at least a couple of Britishisms. Nothing screams "American tourist" faster than the words "sidewalk", "trunk" or "soccer" coming out of your mouth.

 

[Thyunda]

For the Love of jiminy, when on the Escalators keep to the right!

Other than that, the underground is really easy once you get the hang of all the pretty colours, and don't go south of the rive for any reason.

NO STAY ON THE LEFT!

 

[Ytomyth]

Never been in London and don't know a damn thing about it. Just this: do -not- buy ANYTHING at "The Sting" over there. Like most stuff in London, it's rather overpriced; you'll pay in pounds what you'd pay in euros in every other store.

"sting like a bee" Oh captcha....

 

[PunkRex]

Stay out of Peckham, place is a sh*thole... Hackney to... and anywhere more then a mile South of the river... why you coming here again?

 

[Stu35]

This page should provide many tips,

http://www.ittc.ku.edu/~evans/stuff/americans_in_uk.html


I sent it to a friend of mine just before he went to visit the UK a few months ago and things went so well for him that he must have decided to stay because we haven't seen or heard from him since...

I laughed.

Quite hard.

Some good, solid advice there.