Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Westminster Abbey

Anyone who knows me can attest that I am not a churchy type person, but one has to appreciate some of the amazing cathedrals out there in the world. Westminster Abbey would have to rate as one of the most impressive I have ever seen, simply because it is not only an amazing building, but it is so ancient and has so much social, cultural and historical significance, especially in terms of British history.

You do have to pay admission to get in to the Abbey but it is well worth it. You can also pay more money to take a guided tour, but I chose to not do that option. Instead I tried to tag along with the various tour groups moving through the castle and eavesdrop on their commentary. That saved me about five pounds, and I still had a good experience, so it was all good!



Westminster Abbey has been the place for every coronation since 1066… that’s a bloody long time (and see, I didn’t need to pay for the tour to learn stuff)! You can see the historic coronation chair at the Abbey. The Abbey is also chokka- block full of tombs. Some of these tombs are quite famous, for example those belonging to Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. The poet’s corner is famous and holds tombs for, or memorials commemorating, great writers and poets such as Chaucer, T.S. Eliot, Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Shakespeare, Tennyson, Browning, Keats, Wordsworth and more.

Westminster Abbey is definitely a worthwhile place to visit, especially for those with an interest in British history or the church.

Look, I have managed to go the whole way through this article without saying anything nasty or snide about organized religion. That is pretty good for me. But seriously, one of the things that amazed me the most is how such a building was constructed in those times… it was obviously constructed because of the massive power and wealth of the church. It kind of made me annoyed that the church had gone to such lengths to construct these massive monuments to God when I am sure there were people starving and dying etc that could have done with some money. It seems like it would have been a very elitist house of God also. But that is the past… I will refrain from anymore ranting because this is supposed to be a travel blog.

Anyway, you can visit the official website by clicking here.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Buckingham Palace

Another of the must see places on the tourist map of London. There actually isn’t much to see really… you can’t get in to the castle until August and September... but it is so famous it is definately worth taking a look. It is probably best to make sure you don’t miss the changing of the guard because that is kind of cool with all the music and the drums and the furry hats and the marching.



Try and get there early and get a spot up close to the fence, the closer to the main gates the better. Then get ready to run across to the other railings as soon as the gates of the palace open to get another good photo spot for when the guards march out through the park. The building is very impressive, and St James Park is a lovely surrounding. Keep an eye out for the squirrels in the park, they are super cute! Some are so tame they will come up and take food right away from you, they are very used to tourists. Some other attractions at the castle are the Queen’s Gallery and the Royal Mews, check for opening times before you go because it varies throughout the year. Check the facts about times for the changing of the guard and opening hours here.



A really nice walk is to take in St James’s Park and walk down south to Westminster, to the Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. It’s only a short stroll from the palace. The nearest tube station to the palace is St James’s Park on the circle and district lines. The walk from the tube station to the palace is clearly signposted.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Money saving tips volume #2

Hand wash your clothes. Even though I live in a student residence the washing machines cost ₤2 and the dryers cost ₤1. That is approx $7 AU just to wash and dry a load of clothes... not including the cost of washing detergent! Argh, it's like a horror movie!

So, if you have ready access to a sink of some description and aren't going to really piss other people off by doing it, wash all your clothes by hand. It is pretty simple, and really can save you a lot of money. Because it is so cold in the UK your clothes don't really get smelly anyway, and because you are always wearing more than one layer only the bottom layer really gets dirty , the other stuff can go for a while without being washed. Now I'm not saying walk around stinky, because nobody wants to sit next to a smelly person on the tube... but even if you only have a small sink or shower it is possible at least to handwash your undergarments and thermals so that will save you some money.

But a better option still is to find accomodation with free laundry facilities!

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Harrods

If overpriced home wares, overpriced food and over decorated escalators are your kinds of things, you may feel right at home at Harrods. However for the budget traveler, the only really exciting thing about Harrods is that entry is free. Everything else is exorbitantly expensive.

Now, most people go for the Dodi Al Fayed and Princess Diana memorials and that is all well and good. Since Dodi’s father is the owner of Harrods, there is that link. But personally, one word came to mind when I saw the memorials… one of my new favourite British words. Naff. They were cheesy. There was one sculpture of Dodi and Diana prancing around with birds which was bordering on ridiculous, as well as a wishing fountain with photos of the pair. You could also still sign a condolence book- now the loss of a child is a horrible thing, but people in the real world have to move on as much as they can after loss. It’s years and years since Diana and Dodi’s death and Mohamed Al Fayed is still asking people to sign a condolence book for his son. Yet another luxury of the rich.

Now, it might sound that I am being completely negative towards Harrods. While most of the place is no different to your typical too-expensive department store, the building is quite beautiful and very historical. The trouble is that the place is still set up as a shop and hasn’t made a huge effort to capitalize on its long history. Maybe if there was more historical information around the store it would be more interesting. You can read a brief history on the Harrods website.

Walking around the store there are hits and misses- some parts are interesting, others are just passé. The Egyptian escalator is one of the main features in the store and is very decorative but reminded me of a Las Vegas casino, even though I have never been to Vegas - but many of the other escalators are dead boring and need a bit of dolling up. The food hall is also cool with great design, but very expensive. Sandwiches were ₤13 ($28 AU approx!) so make sure you eat before you go otherwise your stomach will be grumbling while you look longingly at the gourmet food selection. The toy section is also kind of groovy, with demonstrators showing how things work, and the pet shop has amazing clothes and toys as well as cute little animals to look at as well. If you want a souvenier of your visit to one of the world’s most famous department stores, you have a huge choice in the Harrods store. There is a large range of stuffed animals of various species with Harrods jumpers on. The magic of the Harrods brand is that it can turn a stuffed dog that you would normally refuse to pay a few bucks for in to something worth at least ₤7. And that is what the tourists really come to see- the magic of a brand that has captivated the world. I personally wasn’t won over, maybe because I am a tightarse who would never dream of paying over $25 AU for bath towels that were on sale at Harrods for ₤40 ($100 AU approx).

Money saving tips volume #1

The UK and Europe are very expensive. Especially when you have earned Australian dollars, but are spending pounds (curse the exchange rate!). So sporadically I will be posting my tips to save money while journeying in the UK and Europe.

At the moment I am in London, so these tips are probably very London specific.

1. Shop at the supermarket and try not to eat out. Even eating fast food takeaway crap is expensive in London... a large meal at McDonalds costs about $11 Australian dollars, and would McDonalds ever taste good enough to warrant that kind of expense? The supermarkets in the UK are great. The main ones are ASDA, Tesco and Sainsbury's. A couple that are excellent but are a bit pricier are Marks and Spencer and Waitrose. The cool thing about the supermarkets is that they sell lots of food that is ready to eat or easy to prepare for prices much lower than eating out. For example, at a Tesco you can get sandwiches for as little as 99p ($2.40 AU)- they also have salads and wraps. Also often in the UK they charge a service fee or VAT if you dine in, so it is often cheaper to take away food. The supermarkets are great, the food is tasty and much cheaper than dining out. Also, even if you are out sightseeing around the city you can grab lunch from a Tesco express, Sainsbury's local or Marks and Spencer- they are located everywhere, even near the tourist areas. There is a Marks and Spencer at Covent Garden for example, and a Tesco express at Westminster.

2. This one is more for those that are staying in London for a while and need to set up some sort of home while they are here. The tip is to shop in pairs (or more!). Many shops offer 2 for 1 discounts, or if you only need one pillow or one knife and fork it's often cheaper to buy a double pack and split it with someone. Examples of things that can be split up to save money include dining and cutlery sets, pillow packs, stationary packs, packs of coat hangers, saucepan/cookware sets etc. It really can save you a lot of money if you can find a shopping buddy who is looking for similar things to you. This particularly works well for students on exchange or studying abroad, or those coming over for a working holiday.

3. Keep an eye out... internet cafes are also expensive in London, but even though I dissed McDonalds earlier, a Big Mac might be cheap if it means you can also use the free internet kiosks they have at Maccas in many London stores. Some other stores offer free internet too, keep an eye out for signs. Another cheap way to access the internet is a weekly pass, which some internet cafes offer. So if you are staying in a particular area for a while, maybe get an unlimited pass for the local internet cafe for a week, it could save you a lot of money.

4. Travel after 9.30am. Tickets on the tube and some national rail services become significantly cheaper after the morning rush ends at 9.30am. For example, when I went to Windsor on the train, a return ticket purchased before 9.30am would have cost ₤13 but after 9.30am it was only about ₤7.

So there are a few tips... I will post more as I discover them, and if anyone out there has their own suggestions, post them up please!

Monday, January 16, 2006

Windsor Castle



Just a short day trip from London, Windsor Castle is a must-see for any royal enthusiast. Even those without their own Princess Diana conspiracy theory or crush on William and/or Harry can appreciate the history at Windsor and enjoy the sweeping views across the picturesque surrounding area.

As one of the oldest continually lived in castles in the world, Windsor rates high on the historical interest charts. The castle is nine hundred years old and each member of the royal family that has lived there has added their own special features to the estate. Admission varies depending on what attractions are open at the castle and there are student concession rates available.

Windsor Castle

Once you have paid admission you can take a tour for no additional cost where a friendly guide will fill you in on the history of the castle and answer any questions you might have. Then there are several exhibitions for you to explore at your own leisure. Normally, the state apartments are open for viewing… but when we went they were closed. They only close for a few weeks in the year, so we were just unlucky. They are really good... apparently. But there were many other sights, including possibly the most amazing dolls house in the world, Queen Mary’s Doll House. This is definitely not a toy; built in the 1920s it is a fully functioning mini house. The taps even have running water, and the mini vacuum cleaner apparently works!

The Gallery at Windsor is a collection of art and drawings and is definitely worth a look. Some of the work includes sketches by Leonardo DaVinci and Michelangelo, and there is also a lot of historical information about the Crimean war.




The china display is also spectacular, showcasing dining sets commissioned for special events. Some of the china dates back to the 1700’s… but perhaps the most amazing thing is that they actually still use some of it for special events! I’d be too scared to eat off that stuff, it must be priceless!

Windsor Castle can be conveniently accessed via National Rail. Simply catch a train from Waterloo station in London. The journey takes about an hour, and trains leave frequently. Windsor Castle is just a short stroll from Windsor and Eton Riverside station. The planes continually flying over loudly from nearby Heathrow Airport were a bit annoying… if I were Queen, I would have something done about that! But the castle was very interesting and the surrounding town very pretty with many shops. You can also do some sightseeing and look at the famous Eton College, where Princes Harry and William were educated. Apparently they used to frequently pop around to see their granny for a cup of tea on the weekend. Awww…

Review: Qantas flight Sydney to London via Bangkok (QF1)

Some say the worst part of travelling is the physical act of getting from one place to another. They are probably right... especially when you start in Sydney (actually, Albury Wodonga, so factor in the 4 hour drive to Melbourne plus 1.25 hour flight to Sydney plus the respective waiting times at each airport as well) and end up in London. That's a long way.

But every passionate globetrotter knows that the long flight is usually worth it- but the more enjoyable the flight the better!

I flew in early January from Sydney to London via Bangkok on Qantas, flight QF1, in economy class. The one thing that stood during my flight was that the staff were very friendly and courteous. However, there were a few problems.

Firstly, the seats in Qantas economy are horribly horribly squished and quite uncomfortable. I read that they have the most seats jammed in to economy out of any airline, and you could tell. It was nearly impossible to sleep in these chairs.

The second thing was that it seemed only every second person had an inflight entertainment handset that worked properly. On the first leg of the flight, the arrow buttons on mine did not work. On the second leg of the flight, the select button didn't work (different seat). This made it entirely impossible to use the games, and difficult to navigate the television and movie menu. The inflight entertainment was fine, it was just that the remotes did not all work properly. Actually, it would have been good if there were different movies on offer on the second leg of the flight, because by the time you had gotten to Bangkok you had pretty much watched anything of interest.

Other than that, the flight was fine. The food was airplane food, so yeah not too brilliant but edible so that is always a bonus. And as I said earlier, the service was really good.

The only other problem I had was that they had double booked my seat on the Bangkok to London leg, but they just found me another seat, it wasn't really a big problem.