Category Archives: Hometown Tourist

by

Taking sightseeing to new heights: Visiting the London Shard

Ever since construction was announced, the London Shard has polarised opinions of Londoners and the public alike. There was rumour that it would threaten the UNESCO heritage listing of surrounding London monuments, and its need and worth were questioned. However, rising up like a beam of light towards the sky, the Shard seized the mantle of the UK and the EU’s tallest building. Like it or loath it Londoners, a new icon of the city was born!

There are 11,000 glass panels covering the UK's tallest building!

There are 11,000 glass panels covering the UK’s tallest building!

We (well Natalie more than me) love going up things. TV towers, observation decks, roof top terraces, hills and mounds have all been conquered around the world in the search for the best view. Looking down over a city gives you a totally different perspective. Medieval street plans unravel, order arises from chaos and a better sense of the enormity, complexity and the city surrounds is unveiled from a great vantage point.

P1040626

Two photos looking down on a city. The top photo is overlooking the main market square in Marrakech. The bottom photo is a selfie overlooking Budapest

Two photos looking down on a city. The top photo is overlooking the main market square in Marrakech. The bottom photo is a selfie overlooking Budapest

‘The View‘ was opened in February 2013 and has been high on our ‘Hometown Tourist’ must do list since then.  However other travels and adventures have constantly got in our way, so when a friend gave us two tickets as a gift, it was as if our dreams had been answered. We charged our cameras, picked the day with the best weather and set off to experience London’s highest tourist attraction.

As you would expect, The View follows a similar set up and process as several other observation platforms around the world. Numerous staff are dotted along almost every step (well lift) of the way. As friendly smiles greet you and usher you towards the appropriate queue. Upon entering the ticket hall you a met with various photographs, slide show and time-lapse videos of London sights and sounds (many you cannot actually see from the top of the Shard!). After security there is the compulsory over priced photo, (at around £30 for a photo we are talking seriously overpriced), and before you know it you enter the first lift.

Due to the shape of the shard there are two lifts that you have to take to reach the top. Both have video screens on the roof showcasing scenes from London and the construction of the Shard. After what feels like seconds, the doors open and from the 68th Floor, London unravels before you!

How many iconic London structures can you count in this picture?

How many iconic London structures can you count in this picture?

With a 360º view, the huge glass panels make you feel like you are suspended above the city. London’s icons look like childrens toys that could easily be picked up and moved around. The famous ‘Gherkin’ building of London’s banking district looks small in comparison to the newer additions to London’s skyline. Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, the Eye, Westminster and even Buckingham Palace are all visible and you begin to realise just how close so many of these world-famous structures are to each other.

Looking down the Thames with the sun behind you

Looking down the Thames with the sun behind you

Natalie summed it up perfectly, when you think of London’s iconic buildings or places you tend to think of them singularly, but when you look down on the city you begin to appreciate them as a collective or as a whole.

Natalie explaining her theory to me

Natalie explaining her theory to me

The View offers you two levels, the enclosed 68th floor and the open 72nd floor. The open floor also gives you a great chance to marvel at the architecture and engineering of the Shard. However, don’t expect there to be a glut of facilities at the top. There is virtually no seating for those who get a little weary, and only a Champagne Bar to quench all but the most expensive thirsts (it is however Europe’s highest Champagne Bar we are told). While we are sure they have them we couldn’t even find public bathrooms up the top!  Natalie was denied the chance to use the loo at the top – something she does from every high building!!

Part of the open air viewing platform on the 72nd floor

Part of the open air viewing platform on the 72nd floor

Despite these minor issues, a visit is now a must and we would highly recommend it to any of our friends coming to London. The top tip we could give you is book a morning visit. The sun is in the best position for your photos of all the major attractions and it was slightly less crowded. We were also incredibly lucky, a clear crisp winter’s day with hardly a cloud in the sky made for incredible visibility but from some of the photos we saw, an evening visit would also be very cool.

While the Shard still drums up some opposing opinions, love it or loath it Londoners, The View at the Shard towers over all other attractions in the city.

– Dean

by

Hometown Tourist: London’s Winter Wonderland

“Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight,
We’re happy tonight.
Walking in a winter wonderland.”

– Lyrics from the Christmas Carol ‘Winter Wonderland’ by Felix Bernard (composer) & Richard B. Smith (lyrics)

Christmas is a magical time to be travelling around Europe. As the days get shorter and colder the main squares of many cities turn into stunning festive markets. This is especially the case in Germanic Europe where every village, town and city decks the halls, lights up the town centre and fills it with Christmas Markets.

While many of us dream of jingling around the European Christmas Markets not everyone can make it. Thankfully London has the answer, Winter Wonderland!

Welcome to Winter Wonderland!

Welcome to Winter Wonderland!

Officially opening last Friday night (21st of November), Winter Wonderland recreates the feeling of European Christmas Markets in the middle of Hyde Park and is the perfect place to stoke up the festive spirit.

With carnival rides and games, Winter Wonderland has something for everyone

With carnival rides and games, Winter Wonderland has something for everyone

Winter Wonderland is part amusement park, part traditional Christmas Market and part Oktoberfest celebration, so really there is something for all ages. The grounds were packed on opening night and there was such a fantastic atmosphere in the air. There were various stages scattered throughout the grounds with bands playing to get people in the mood.  There is an ice skating rink for the more adventurous, the only thing missing on friday night was the big guy in the red suit!

Loads of Stalls selling Christmas Decorations

Loads of Stalls selling Christmas Decorations

Row upon row of stalls lead into the heart of Winter Wonderland all selling a variety of handicrafts, Christmas ornaments and food. Hand crafted Christmas decorations, scented Christmas candles and huge drums of Haribo confectionary (typical of German Christmas Markets) can all be found.

Self service Haribo confectionary, yum!

Self service Haribo confectionary, yum!

However, we cannot fail to mention the traditional food and drink! Just like the German markets, nearly everywhere you looked there were stalls selling Glühwein or mulled wine. ‘Glow Wine’ (a very rough translation) is a mixture of red wine and spices including cinnamon, cloves and aniseed, with the potential option of adding a shot of spirits. It is the perfect drink to warm you up and get you into the festive spirit! To complement the traditional German wine, there are enormous bratwurst stalls as well as pretzel stalls, hog roast vans and burger vans. I introduced Natalie to her new favourite German treat, schmalzkuchen, small deep-fried balls of dough covered in icing sugar, whats not to love?!

Hmmm, deep fried badness!

Hmmm, deep fried badness!

For those of you visiting London over the next six weeks and whose adventures don’t take you to the continent, Winter Wonderland is the perfect place to experience both Germanic and British Christmas traditions in one spot. We certainly will be revisiting it a number of times over the festive period, I just have to find where I hid my red suit from last Christmas (sadly the beard is already starting to show some signs of grey so I don’t have to worry about that!) …

Glühwein time! (Check out Natalie's gloves)

Glühwein time! (Check out Natalie’s gloves)

– Dean

*Winter Wonderland is open daily from 10am until 10pm (except Christmas Day when it is closed) until January 4th. Located in Hyde Park, the closest Tube stations are Hyde Park Corner or Green Park.

by

Hometown Tourist: You Know You are a Londoner when…

I love living in London and have been lucky enough to call the city home on and off for 11 years now. In fact I would proudly walk around the streets wearing a “I Heavy black heart LDN” t-shirt if they were not so commercially touristy! As with settling into any new city, you slowly adopt the mannerisms of the locals. So below are a list of some of the tell tale signs you are changing. Eventually you will know you are a Londoner when…1. You don’t stop at pedestrian crossings.

 Londoners are always in a rush and despite the international reputation that the British enjoy queuing /waiting  it certainly is not the case in London. As Natalie liked to remind me “we are Londoners, we just go!”. A red crossing man is purely a light hearted suggestion to a Londoner. Like a red rag to a bull it just incites us to cross the road a little faster. Buses, lorries (that’s a truck to the rest of the world) and emergency services vehicles will have no influence on our desire to get to the other side of the road as quickly as possible. In fact next time you are waiting for the lights to change watch the locals as they make the dash, many will be shaking their heads at everyone waiting.

2. You will start to complain about all the tourists.

As London streaks towards becoming the world’s most visited city in 2014 the huge increase in tourism means the streets of central London are bulging. Saturday shopping in Oxford or Regent streets can be more like a contact sport and a venture into Primark? Forget it! Despite the need for the influx of tourism dollars, Londoners all secretly wish for the streets to be ours again! Could we really be turning into our arch rivals the Parisians?

Blimey!
Prepare to fight with the masses if you want this shot

Prepare to fight with the masses if you want this shot

3. You know a better curry house than anything in Brick Lane.

While the beloved chicken korma is now considered to be one of the UK’s national dishes, most visitors intent on experiencing British Indian food head down to the famous Brick Lane in the East End. As a Londoner you will proudly state that nothing in Brick Lane comes close to the curry house on the high street around the corner from where you live. To be honest, you are probably right!

A London institution, but you know a better place to go!

A London institution, but you know a better place to go!

4. You hit the parks at the first sign of the sun!
There is no better city in the world when the sun comes out than London. Fact! The city comes alive, the convertible roofs on cars are lowered, everyone spills into the parks (of which London has World class options) or green spaces and the streets in front or behind the local pub become THE place to be. I still find it mildly amusing that people will be sunbathing in the park as the mercury hits a stifling 18 degrees Celsius, but we have to make the most of the sun when we see it! (Maybe I am not a fully fledged local just yet). Oh and often Tesco’s sell out of burgers – sun=BBQs!

5. You will walk 10 minutes past multiple coffee shops to visit your favourite coffee chain.Costa, Cafe Nero and Starbucks monopolise the coffee shop scene in London and most Londoners have their favourite. Sometimes you will drop your standards to the second choice but everyone of us has one of the big three we wouldn’t be caught dead in. Sometimes that 15 minute walk (it would have been 20 if we waited for the lights) was worth it.

Sometimes it is worth the walk to stay loyal

Sometimes it is worth the walk to stay loyal

6. You don’t talk to strangers on the Tube.
Seriously! During London 2012 the vibe in the tube was incredible but as soon as the Olympics finished that spirit disappeared faster than Usain Bolt in the 100 metres! Whether you are on your own, travelling with your friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, wife husband or even kid, most Londoners pile onto the tube in deathly silence. No eye contact is made, a look of disdain will be flashed at the overly noisy tourists and no word uttered until the cone of silence ceases when the tube doors open and you step onto the platform!
The smiles will stop and silence ensues as the train pulls up

The smiles will stop and silence ensues as the train pulls up

7. You don’t catch black cabs.
Sure they look cool and are one of the symbols of the city but do you know how much they cost?! Unless you are a high flying banker where (our) money is no object, most locals will walk, tube or if a taxi is a must, take a mini cab. There are always exceptions but if you do have to take a ride it is never a very long one.
The Black Cab, icon of London but too expensive for most locals

The Black Cab, icon of London but too expensive for most locals

Of course this is not a definitive list. There are numerous other tell tale signs you have evolved merely from living to in London to becoming a true Londoner. Do you have any more? If so, leave a comment below or share with us on Facebook.
– Dean

 

by

Hometown Tourist: The London Pass Review

 

“Nothing is certain in London but expense”

– William Shenstone

When it comes to sightseeing around London, William was right.  A quick search of “what to do in London” is invariably followed by the gasp of shock and horror at some of the entrance prices.  For visitors, a full day or two of sightseeing around the UK’s capital can easily set you back a pretty penny.

London is set to be the world’s most visited city in 2014.  So we decided to try a cost saving alternative and look for a way for the cash strapped tourist to cover the best London has to offer.

Introducing the London Pass.

The London Pass comes in various formats, from a one day pass (£49) to mammoth six day option (£166) or for an extra cost, a pass that includes a daily travel card on London public transportation. There is a “cap” on how much you can see depending upon the length of your pass and everything is explained in a very thorough and well put together little handbook. For those of you who are a little more tech savvy there is also a great App for your smartphone which we used as we traversed London.  Here you can check out opening times and even favourite certain landmarks as you plan your day.

Skip the lines and save money with the London Pass

Skip the lines and save money with the London Pass

The London Pass gives you access to over 60 different London attractions.  They include everything from the big-ticket sights such as Westminster Abbey, The Tower of London and Kensington Palace to further flung, but equally as impressive, sights such as Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle. For sporting enthusiasts the pass also grants you access to Wimbledon, Stamford Bridge (the home of Chelsea football club) and the Emirates (home of Arsenal). Most of the attractions are free with the pass and others offer a discount rate for pass holders.

So armed with our handbook and our App we decided to see just how much we could see of London in a day and the London Pass certainly proved to be excellent value for money. We researched some of the things that should be on every visitors must see list and a couple of off the beaten path sites that appealed to us as Londoners. First on the list, Westminster Abbey.

It is embarrassing to say it, but in 12 years of using London as a base and now calling it home I had never been to Westminster Abbey. We arrived early, or so we thought and joined the queue to enter. One of the bonuses of the London Pass is not having to line up to buy tickets, only for the necessary security check. After having my bag less than thoroughly searched we just handed over our Pass and in seconds it was scanned and we were in!

Lined up at Westminster ready to start exploring.

Lined up at Westminster ready to start exploring.

To say Westminster Abbey was amazing is an understatement. The audio guide poured over the history and after leaving the church we wandered through the cloisters including seeing Britain’s oldest door! After just over an hour we had exhausted the audio guide, wandered the cloisters and it was time to move on. (Attraction value so far for N&D £18, London Pass £49).

Just around the corner from Westminster we decided to visit another attraction that was free on the London Pass and was more up my alley than Natalie’s. The Churchill or Cabinet War Rooms (£17.50) were the underground headquarters of the UK Government during WWII. Left in their original condition the museum shows the former living quarters, conference rooms and map rooms where the D-Day landings were planned and where the British planned the downfall of Nazi Germany. To be totally honest we probably could have spent a little longer there but we had a plan for the day and had to keep moving. This was just a bonus visit – something that you can easily do when you have a ‘pass’ to get you into places!  (Attraction value so far for N&D £35.50, London Pass £49).

Time to go underground

Time to go underground

Now from the Westminster area we had two options, we could have taken a Thames River Cruise, free with the London Pass (normally £18) or Tube down to our third destination, the Tower of London. For the sake of speed and a few other things we wanted to see we chose the Tube. According to tourism statistics, 2 million people visit the Tower every year, or approximately 6,000 a day! No lining up for tickets for us it was straight to security and in we went.

The Tower was packed, school groups galore and every nationality you could imagine (and lots of Australians!). Despite the crowds, there is plenty of space to explore and the only thing we had to line up for was the Crown Jewels. With plenty to see the Tower easily ate up the majority of our time, but luckily enough our next site was only a stone’s throw away. (Attraction value so far for N&D £55.50, London Pass £49).

Selfie with one of the Beefeaters at the Tower of London

Selfie with one of the Beefeaters at the Tower of London

Natalie has always raved about the Tower Bridge Experience, so we thought why not take this opportunity to visit the top of one of the most iconic bridges in the World. Sadly only part of the bridge is open to the public until the end of the month as the other half (with the best views of London’s skyline) undergoes a facelift and new glass-bottomed floor (you heard it here first). That being said it was a great little visit and certainly complements the Tower.  Best of all even when the second walkway is reopened it does not take a long time to visit, so a great inclusion on your pass. (Attraction value so far for N&D £62.50, London Pass £49).

Time to conquer the Tower Bridge

So from the banks of the Thames we decided to finish our day up at the Olympic Park, bur first we made a brief stop at the Monument to the Great Fire of London. After a lung busting 311 steps to the top we were greeted with an amazing vista of…. Cranes! Nestled in the heart of the City of London the view from the Monument dating back to 1677 showed us just how much construction was taking place across the capital. (Attraction value so far for N&D £66.50, London Pass £49).  A short walk to Bank and it was a chance to get off our feet as we Tubed away from the city centre.

The Monument and a crane, something you will see a lot of from the top.

The Monument and a crane, something you will see a lot of from the top.

The Orbit is the UK’s largest sculpture and during the 2012 Olympics it was virtually impossible to get tickets to the top. Natalie had said during the Games, we would have to come back and do it one day. Today was the day. The park was like a ghost town, bereft of the pulsating energy that London 2012 was so famous for. However a few locals strolled amoung the now well established trees and gardens.  We made our way to the entrance and The Orbit itself.  When we reached the top we looked down upon the skeletal remains of the Olympic stadium as it is transformed into a future football stadium. The scene is like something from the run-up to the games, and it seemed hard to believe we sat in the stadium and cheered on our athletes.  Further round we were treated to views across London and inactive displays to help point out what your are seeing.  The experience was great fun, and would be amazing to visit when the stadium was in full swing. (Attraction value so far for N&D £81.50, London Pass £49).

Reliving the good times at the London 2012 Olympic Park

Reliving the good times at the London 2012 Olympic Park

As we strolled down the circular ramp of the Orbit our day exploring London was drawing to an end. Without a doubt the London Pass worked out to be great value for money. In fact our day full of sightseeing ensured we saved £33.50! Now in all fairness we did have to push a little and your average tourist would have taken a lot more photos in between destinations, but still if you had a plan the one day pass was certainly a great option.

If we were asked by friends visiting the capital, we would recommend perhaps the two or three day pass. You could easily see everything we saw and with the extra time you could add a Hampton Court Palace tour, a Thames Cruise and throw in a Kensington Palace tour as well. For those of you short on time, budget conscious and desperate to see as much as possible then the London Pass is for you. Most importantly, if you are organised, have a plan of what you want to see then, like us, you can prove poor old William Shenstone wrong!

-Dean

The London Pass can be bought online or at the museums/attractions as well as numerous souvenir stands throughout London.  Just look out for the ‘buy the London Pass here’ flag!

Keep look our for these signs to buy your London Pass

Keep a look our for these signs to buy your London Pass

 

by

To spend or to avoid… Airport shopping!

Airport duty free shopping. It divides opinion. For some travellers it is a ticket to spend. For others it’s a painful gauntlet that’s full of dilly dalliering travellers rushing to catch flights.

I have some friends who look forward to the experience. They stock up on cheaper priced face creams, cosmetics and perfume.

I have others who avoid the shops like the plague and instead find a seat in the corner to ‘man the bags’ whilst their partner goes off shopping. I would suggest that this also works well!

Whether you are rushing for a flight or have time to kill, the Duty Free section is sure to get in your way or give you an escape!

Whether you are rushing for a flight or have time to kill, the Duty Free section is sure to get in your way or give you an escape!

As smelly, not washed often enough backpackers I’m sure we have all at one point or another felt that we could do with smelling a little sweeter. Bingo. Walking through the perfume section sorts this little problem perfectly. Like many others I always take the opportunity to try out a new scent and see what I think. I certainly don’t buy every time however I do from time to time make a purchase. Choosing the scent to try can depend on several factors. How long you want it to last, whether you go for something totally new or one you know. Perhaps above all it depends on where the shop assistants are located as to which one is easier to get the biggest ‘squirt’ of! The tricks of the trade….

Some Duty Free favourites...

Some Duty Free favourites…

It’s fair to say whilst we assume prices are cheaper, this is not always the case. I recently looked at a Ted Baker set in Boots at a London airport. Eager not to carry it round I searched to see if I could buy it online. To my surprise it was being sold on the Boots website quite a bit cheaper. However most things are ‘duty free’ and indeed less expensive at the airport. This in itself encourages travellers to part with their heard earned cash.  My tip – if you still have lots of time to kill and have your smartphone handy, then double check prices to make sure you really are getting a bargain!

Duty Free champers - these appeal to The Smart Way Round!

Duty Free champers – these appeal to The Smart Way Round!

For me, the biggest thing airport shopping provides is that feeling of being on holiday. It’s a signal of the beginning, of the excitement that lies ahead. You might not want to buy anything, but with time to kill at an airport it provides a space to wander and stretch the legs. And hey, if yet another MAC eye shadow should fall into my shopping basket then who am I to complain….

– Natalie

by

Flashbacks to the inspiration of the London 2012 Paralympics – joining in the celebrations for National Paralympic day 2014

A week ago I was waiting for my tube train to arrive and I spotted a poster – National Paralympic Day 2014. I went home and googled it and that’s it, I was sold!

After a few text message conversations, a friend and I made a (slightly too) early start and headed down to where it was all happening. When we got there a festival awaited.

I had managed to secure some tickets to go into the Aquatics Centre. This was the first time some of a paralympians were in action since 2012 and the atmosphere inside was electric. One of the big things that stand out for me about the Paralympics was watching and cheering on some of our athletes who clearly had hurdles to face on a daily basis. Their courage and determination is incredible, and on Saturday this spirit was on display again. We cheered on our girls and boys and watched some great victories.

Swimming at its best - go Team GB!

Swimming at its best – go Team GB!

After a pit stop for lunch I said goodbye to my friend and continued wandering. The Liberty Festival (as part of the day) was by this point in full swing. I initially went into the Copper Box (dubbed during the Paralympics as “The Box that Rocked”) and saw Team GB beat Belgium in a closely fought GoalBall match. Goalball was new to me, but the level of skill in playing a ball game without sight / blindfolded is so admirable. I was on the edge of my seat!

We won!

We won – taking a bow!

Outside “The Box That Rocked” there was so much going on. Artists were painting with their mouths and feet (better than I could ever dream of!) Boccia England were giving everyone the chance to learn about the intricacies of the sport and wheelchair ballroom dancing was taking place – awesome! I joined in from afar, as did the majority of the audience.

The sense of inclusion for everyone was very special. There was such an amazing vibe during the day. This is the second year the day has been celebrated at the park, and I for one intend going every year from now on. There were visitors there with all sorts of abilities, and all with something special to give. Paralympians wandered the park in their Team GB kit, and whilst they weren’t wearing their gold London 2012 medals it wouldn’t have been out of place if they had have been. With so much going on at times it was hard to know where to look.

GoalBall lessons, Boccia and my favourite, Ballroom Dancing!

GoalBall lessons, Boccia and my favourite, Ballroom Dancing!

As an aside, for me it was the first time I had visited the Olympic Park, now known as the ‘Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’ since the Paralympic games back in 2012. The changes to (and demolition of) some of the venues plus what was happening to the grounds had been much debated on the London news networks. I hoped I would be as impressed with the legacy of the park as I was with its original form. The park has been open for several months, but it was the first opportunity I’d had to visit, and I can honestly say I was not disappointed. The landscaped gardens and trees are now well established, and large areas of the concourse have been opened up to reveal the waterways below.  It is clear that the stadium is still undergoing its transformation, but the Aquatics Centre is fanatastic and the velodrome the beautiful building I remembered.

So much going on and such a great vibe

So much going on and such a great vibe

Now my closing confession is I do love going round old Olympic stadia. Dean has been marched round the Olympic villages of Seoul and more recently Beijing with me. Whilst both have been amazing, they have lacked a little of the ‘va va voom’ that they once had. I suspect it was way more than the sense of occasion on Saturday that meant that the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park still has that something special. Something that you can’t put your finger on but my goodness, London you still have it! As for the athletes – your courage is amazing and your skill just incredible. Keep up the good work and see you next year for National Paralympic Day 2015!

– Natalie

by

Hometown Tourist: Travel Inspiration in the Heart of London

The best thing about living in London is there is always something going on regardless of what you are into. So with a day off work together and a quick Google search we discovered that the Travel Photographer of the Year exhibition was on at the Royal Geographic Society, how could we not go?!

The best thing about this exhibition is it is free!

The best thing about this exhibition is it is free!

The exhibition showcases the best photos and some honourable mentions of the 1000’s of photos that are sent to the Royal Geographic Society every year. From stunning landscapes, incredible wildlife shots and intimate local interactions, the winning photos come from all around the world.

Every year there are different briefs and categories and you can even win an award taking photos with your mobile phone. If ever you where in need of some travel inspiration, this exhibition is for you!

Set in the courtyard of the Society’s London headquarters, there are about 50 photos on display. Combine that with books on show of previous years’ award winners the exhibition makes for a great escape for an hour or two. There are umbrellas on hand should you need to borrow one (we did!) to continue browsing the pictures in the outside courtyard. Wandering around an outside gallery was a novelty in itself!

The Society's courtyard

The Society’s courtyard

Sadly the Exhibition finishes this Sunday (August 17th) before it begins to tour the UK and then the world. However it is a great prelude to our favourite photo exhibit every year, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Natural History Museum which starts every October. If you have a spare hour at lunchtime, then its well worth a wander!

 

by

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines: RAF Museum London

We continue our Home Town Tourist series with a look at one of London’ s unique historical museums a little out of the city centre.

London is full of museums, and the best thing about them is most of them are free. You can marvel at dinosaurs a the Natural History Museum, discover the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum and even explore London’s oldest prison in the Clink Museum (you do have to pay for this one). However, one of our favourites is the RAF Museum in Hendon.

 

The entrance hangar with numerous pre-WWI planes

The entrance hangar with numerous pre-WWI planes

Originally a RAF airbase in North London, the museum now houses over 130 aircraft tracing the history not only of the Royal Air Force but also of aviation in the UK.

From the early years of flight up to modern day fighter jets, the RAF Museum has it all

From the early years of flight up to modern day fighter jets, the RAF Museum has it all

Split across four hangers all interconnected the museum contains loads of audio visual information, a chance to sit in several of the aircraft, flight simulators and air traffic control simulators, all designed to bring the various aircraft to life.

One of the greatest military aircraft of all time, the Submarine Spitfire

One of the greatest military aircraft of all time, the Submarine Spitfire

There are several highlights of the collection including the Battle of Britain Hall showcasing the famous old war birds, the Spitfire and Hurricane that helped defeat Nazi Germany in the Battle of Britain. A Lancaster Bomber and Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress take pride of place in the Bomber Hall as well as the cold war nuclear deterrent the mighty Vulcan (our personal favourite).

The enormous Lancaster Bomber taking pride of place in the 'Bomber Hall'

The enormous Lancaster Bomber taking pride of place in the ‘Bomber Hall’

A special mention must be made of the Canberra Bomber, which my Grandfather was one of the chief engineers on. There is an amazing sense of pride I feel every time I see her, and was a real buzz visiting with my Dad last year when my parents came over to the UK.

The Canberra, the plane my Grandfather worked on.

The Canberra, the plane my Grandfather worked on.

It is easy to spend several hours wandering through the hangers marvelling at everything from early RAF Bi-planes, to modern day search and rescue helicopters. There are several free 30 minute guided tours throughout the day to help bring alive the amazing history and is a fantastic museum to visit with family and children. The RAF Museum in Hendon is a must for military history buffs, for pilots and aviation fans and also the perfect big boys toys museum.

For opening times to the RAF Museum Hendon click here

For directions and location please click here.

-Dean

 

by

London Zoo – tour some of the world’s most exotic animals in an afternoon

Zoos – they divide opinion and raise a range of emotions. Love them or hate them, they are here to stay, and the one in London is particularly famous.

London Zoo

London Zoo

London Zoo opened its doors in 1828 and is famous for many things including being the world’s oldest scientific zoo. The original purpose of the site was for scientific studies to take place and it only actually opened to the public in 1847. Since then it has grown from strength to strength and despite some financial concerns in the 1990s, it opens its doors daily for excited children and adults alike.

The zoo now houses over 750 species of animal, with an individual head count of well over 16,000 creatures. Not bad going considering its central London location. I first went with my parents as a child, and only returned today for the first time in about twenty years.

Now it’s about at this point I should probably be honest. Zoos are not my favourite place in the world. Todays visit was brought on by the opportunity to meet up with a couple of friends, both of whom where going with some lovely little ones in tow. On the rare occasions that I have visited zoos, the experience has not sat too well with me. Often the cramped conditions and pacing animals can be an unhappy sign of the bleak outlook of the residents. I do however appreciate that a lot of good work goes on inside zoos around the world, both in terms of research and breeding programmes. Breeding progammes are in place for well over 130 species at this particular zoo, for which I take my hat off to the dedicated staff there.

For me as I child visiting, a couple of memories stand out in my mind. The elephants, penguins, giant pandas and the statue of Guy the Gorilla! Whilst Guy is still there (in statue format!), several other statues have joined him and things have changed a bit to keep up with the more modern, interactive times we live in.

Fish in the aquarium

Fish in the aquarium

Elephants had been at London Zoo for over 170 years, when the decision was taken to move them to more spacious surroundings at the sister zoo, Whipsnade. This I can only support. This move was made in part to increase the elephant breeding and conservation programme in the UK, but also as it was widely accepted that the conditions for the elephants at London Zoo were no longer big enough (and in truth, never had been). As for the Giant Pandas, Ming Ming was the zoos last resident. Several attempts were made to breed her with a dashing young male Giant Panda who lived at Berlin Zoo. After these attempts were unsuccessful it was decided she would return to China in 1994, thus leaving the zoo panda-less.

The old penguin enclosure remains (it is a Grand 1 listed building), although these days its inhabitants have moved to a new penguin beachside location, and the black and white creatures swim and sun bathe quite happily. Viewers are treated to watching them swim underwater too thanks to a (sturdy!) Perspex screen. Previously seeing them swim was a sight awarded to me only when diving. At London Zoo it’s an everyday occurrence.

Penguins, Wallabies, Galapagos Giant Tortoise and London Zoos Silverback Gorilla

Penguins, Wallabies, Galapagos Giant Tortoise and London Zoos Silverback Gorilla

As for the gorillas, well they are still there in the relatively newly built ‘Gorilla Kingdom’ but the sight of them did make me quite sad. I was lucky enough to see these magical beasts in the wild in Rwanda. It is a costly exercise (but worth every penny), and one that I appreciate most people are not fortunate enough to have. When I saw them they were surrounded by space and greenery – grass and trees galore. One of the Silverbacks in the group charged at us and put on a show, whilst the babies played inquisitively. It was one of the single most amazing things I have experienced travel wise. Today’s sight was by comparison, a big contrast.   A giant Silverback hung lazily in a hammock and gasps of excided visitors looked over. Other gorillas were around in the inside enclosure. These amazing animals could have gone outside, but I didn’t blame them for staying in, as by this point it has started to rain. Breeding programmes of captive gorillas have been very successful and huge attempts are being made to improve enclosures for these majestic beasts. For endangered species like these, the conservation efforts are vital. For me it did bring on a chance to reminisce, however it was with mixed emotions that I admired their splendor.

Into Africa… from Lemur to Giraffe

Into Africa… from Lemur to Giraffe

The grounds of the zoo are very pleasant, and a day trip there is fulfilling for everyone. Whether you chose to go into the aquarium or walk through the bird or monkey enclosures, there are hours of entertainment ahead of you. We walked through the ‘Into Africa’ area where I watched with fascination how the pygmy hippopotamus waddled around. After that there was the ‘Tiger Territory’. Having spent days searching for these great creatures in the wild I had finally seen one. I’m sorry London Zoo but I not sure I agree that ‘tiger training’ is the correct name for the activities that take place. It was more like tiger performing, but the waiting crowd did appreciate seeing the large male finding his food. Other enclosures such as ‘The Outback’ or B.U.Gs take no introduction. Every corner of the globe is covered. The zoo is full of listed building and historical facts, including how the under ground tunnels linking the two sides of the park were used as bomb shelters during the World War two. We did almost need a mortgage for lunch, so my tip is to take a packed lunch, although of course you could argue that spending your hard earned cash helps to support the conservation projects taking place.

Tiger Encounter

Tiger Territory

Above all, a visit to the zoo reaffirms in my mind how incredibly incredibly lucky I have been. I’ve seen gorillas in Rwanda, elephants and giraffes in too many places to list, lions and cheetahs galore, tropical fish in many of the world’s great oceans, lemurs in Madagascar, Penguins in Antarctica and the weird and wonderful creatures in the Galapagos. I have been spoilt, and to see so many wonderful animals behinds bars reminds me that each and every time I go on the trail of finding animals in future, I must appreciate how lucky I am to be seeing them in their natural habitat. I have been truly lucky and for those people who are unable to travel, at least they have somewhere they can go to see a small snippet of what amazing animals share our world. Hopefully with the help of these breeding programmes some of these special species will be here for many years to come.

With a wild Silverback

With a wild Silverback

– Natalie

by

What have you got Two Loos?

Now here’s a question to get started, after all everyone needs to learn one piece of useless information every day…. What are Urilifts?

After our pledge to make the most of our hometown, we googled ‘quirky stuff to do  in London’.  Up popped a whole host of options, but before we knew it we had picked our favourite.  We found ourselves booking onto one of the more random options – The London Loo tour!  “You are doing what?” asked several of our friends.  “We are joining the London Loo Tour” we proudly responded!  

This was met with two main reactions from our friends.  Firstly why on Earth would you do it.  This was quickly followed with a… ‘but that sounds quite cool’!

Armed with my big SLR camera (no one wants to miss that prize-winning dunny shot) we set off to meet Rachel, the self-proclaimed ‘Loo Tour Lady’ (LTL).  Rachel has quite possibly one of the most random job title ever, and you get the impression she loves it!  A former drama student, she guides you effortlessly through the U-bend of toilet trivia, and from here on in she will be referred to as ‘LTL’.

 

I've seen Dean take many photos before, but never of toilets!

I’ve seen Dean take many photos before, but never of toilets!

Although there are several tours on offer, we thought we would start with the original and the best –The Waterloo Tour (no pun intended).  This tour was set to last 1 ½ hours and provides practical trips for finding the best free loos in London, as well of course as the history of loos and lots of better-than bog standard jokes.  Cross-legged with excitement we met outside the toilets at platform 19 and the adventure began.  LTL, armed with her raised loo plunger held proudly in the air, walked us out of the station and we were off.  We were all very amused by the odd looks that we received and the double takes the plunger demanded!

 

Follow that plunger!

Follow that plunger!


Our first stop was to see the Royal Jubiloos….. opened along South Bank in honour of the Queens Jubilee.  These are pay toilets, but with Union Jack toilet seats, bins and mirrors they are well work the 50p entrance fee.  Of course being part of the London Loo Tour granted us VIP free access – just proving that there is nowhere the toilet plunger can’t reach!

 

A Royal occasion

A Royal occasion

It transpired that my keenness to find free public conveniences was shared with many in the group.  When you need to spend a penny you don’t want it to cost you a pound and I’m delighted to say LTL shared her top secret best haunts – both official and unofficial!  As a proud Londoner I thought I knew lots of the back roads, but as we wound our way through toilet-graffiti alleyways and discovered hidden parks I felt like I was rediscovering my own city, all whilst having several historical facts thrown in.  Who ever knew that I would find the history of the London sewer system so interesting…

Now back to that question of the Urilift.  LTL told us how things are a bit inequitable with loos.  For men there are not only static WCs, but in an attempt to stop them watering the plants late at night, the powers that be have come up with better ideas.

 

Watch out guys...

Watch out guys…

Perhaps my favourite of which is the Urilift.  When we saw it, it looked little more than a man-hole cover on the ground.  You have never seen us looking so excited as when we returned the following week and it had ‘popped up’ and was proudly stood in all its glory.  So bowled over by it were we, that we forgot to take a picture!  So instead I present to you the official Urilift website featuring the Urilift – Solution against street urination video….. It’s worth a watch if you, like us get excited by this concept!

 

The Urilift - for all your urination needs…. unless you are a woman!

The Urilift – for all your urination needs…. unless you are a woman!

All too soon our loo tour was up and where better than to finish than in a swanky bar that was once itself a public convenience.  You might think I haven’t included much about the tour here.  Well that’s the point.  We thoroughly enjoyed the walk, the wisdom of LTL but above all, her love of the most bog standard aspect of human existence.  We would urge anyone to go and found out all about the hidden gems of the London loo scene.  There are a choice of tours and I’d bet a flush on it that you won’t be disappointed!

–          Natalie, Toileteer

More information about the tours can be found on Rachel’s London Loo Tours site:  www.lootours.com