It's London, baby! Part 1
For me, London was always an iconic city. Starting from the time I first saw the pictures of it in a school textbook, I knew I belonged there. Having been planning the trip for years, I finally found a way to get a visa and, with my suitcase in one hand and my guidebook in the other, I set off. After spending a week there, and falling hopelessly in love with the city, I decided to share some tips with those, wishing to do the same. Hope it will come in handy if you ever visit.
London has a number of airports, two of the biggest being Heathrow and Gatwick, and a few budget airlines operate via Luton. If you are looking for a cheap way to get to the city, opt for Easybus. A trip with them should cost you no more than 8 pounds.
The fun starts once you get to the city and try to navigate your way through the underground. I did arm myself with a map of London tube, yet it proved to be of no use without some help from the locals. Once I got to grips with the tube system it became easy.
When it comes to finding your accommodation spot, while pulling a huge suitcase, you will need all the local help you can get. Yet make sure that you ask the right people, such as police officers, tube station workers or knowledgeable old ladies. I've made the mistake of asking just about anyone, which resulted in me going round in circles for at least an hour. You'll probably have an easier job of finding the place if you choose to stay in a well-known hotel, rather than rent a room from a family through Air BnB, as I did. But I did have my fun, though that is a completely different story.
So now that you have got into your room, you might as well do some practical thinking. For one, it's a good idea to locate the nearest supermarket chain to the place you're staying at. Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's are the three main ones, and the prices there differ by a mere few pence. I'd recommend getting some breakfast food there, so as to save some pounds for a dinner in a restaurant. Yet steer clear of the numerous counters with convenience food, and strange-looking fruits and vegetables. If you feel you can't live without your natural vitamins, prepare to pay extra for organic vegetables at one of London's markets.
Thank you for listening to this podcast. Find more on touristic attractions worth going to in the next part of this series.
Vocabulary:
iconic – very famous, easily recognized - культовый
set off – started my journey - отправилась
tips – small pieces of advice – уловки, мелкие советы
will come in handy – will be useful - пригодятся
via – through - через
opt for – choose - выбирайте
navigate your way – find your way – найти дорогу
did arm myself with – did take something that is useful or helpful with you – таки вооружилась
the locals – the local people - местные
got to grips with – understood – разобралась с
have an easier job of – it will be easier – будет легче
might as well – it is logical to - стоит
differ by – be different by – отличаются на
mere – only – всего лишь
steer clear of – stay away from – держитесь подальше от
numerous – many - многочисленные
convenience food – partially prepared frozen food that is sold at supermarkets - полуфабрикаты
