Tube Tales

Typical London eh?! Yesterday's weather is a perfect example of our changeable climate but another reason why I love the spontaneity and excitement that living in London can bring. Usually my last minute plans lead to a random journey to a new place with a few friends but yesterday was very different.

The horrible weather that greeted me when I woke up led to me packing away my dancing shoes (literally, I has planned on heading to a dance class) and instead I tucked up on the sofa with my flatmate to watch a film he's been raving about for quite a while.

Although I didn't leave the house, it was well in the spirit of travelling London. The film was called Tube Tales and it is a collection of nine short films based on the true-life experiences of London Underground passengers as submitted to Time Out magazine.

It's got a very varied cast and features the directorial debuts of Ewan McGregor and Jude Law.

It's was a must see film for me and anyone else who love London and is fascinated by the people and places you encounter on a simple tube journey.

Walking Tours

For me, one of the best things about London is exploring it for myself and finding unusual, quirky and off the beaten track places in my own time. The problem for people who don't live in London is that there are so many fantastic things to see and do, that you need a little planning ahead.

This great wesbite London Walks has dozens of walks around London that take you to all ther major sites. They've recently launched a map for walks designed especially for Summer 2009 and Harry Potter fans are in for a treat too as you can take a tour of all the famous locations from the books and film. 

The Harry Potter Taxi Safari includes such famous locations as Platform 9 3/4.
This is a truly fun family day out and free if you download maps and explore by yourself, giving you more freedom to discover new places too!

Travels in...Oxford Street

Obviously famous for it's many shops (not surprising since it is the largest shopping street in Europe) and the previous home of the now dearly departed Metro club, Oxford Street has become a retail mecca in the previous 50 years.

Famous also for it's Christmas lights display this play can get completely rammed with people on a sunny Saturday or after work. It can be very overwhelming for visitors to London and with over 300 shops to pick from just on this one street it can be difficult to know which point along the road to start your journey. With the invention of Google Earth Street View, it's now very easy to see which shops are available along the way.

For tourists who are completely unfamiliar with London and it's shops I've found quite a few good guides like this one from another London resident who gives a guided tour of Oxford Street to help find your way around. I'd recommend this for anybody visiting London for the first time, as there are so many fantastic things to do in London you don't want to spend your entire holiday finding good shops!

Travels in...Shepherd's Bush

A lot of native Londoners can be a bit wary of West London, but I think it's a great place to go out and having lived there briefly I know it's a really lovely area.

The live music scene is also alive and well there, and between the Shepherd's Bush Empire and Ginglik most major music tastes are covered. The latter of these venues is particularly exciting as it is located in an underground Edwardian toilet which was built in 1908 to serve spectators of the 1908 Olympic Games. 

Having been converted into a live music club in 2002 it now commands an exciting and independent musical spirit that you rarely find elsewhere in London. I've seen some amazing live music here and I'm still surprised how so few people who have lived in London for years don't know about it. If you want to stay ahead of the crowds and rock out in a really cool venue, then definitely head to Ginglik as soon as possible.

Another new development for the area has been Westfield shopping centre, and in the next few years I think this area is surely only going to gain in popularity.

Travels in...Westminster

The bemused and besuited Westminster folk may have little in common with my everyday life but we share a similar bond - the commute. To get to work everyday I walk across Parliament Square and never fail to be amazed by the working crowd who spend half their week either in, or next to some of the UK's greatest landmarks.

For tourists this area holds an obvious appeal with Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey a stone's throw from eachother, but despite passing by these historic buildings everyday I've rarely taken the time to fully appreciate them. Until now that is. The Houses of Parliament are very impressive from the outside and I would never have thought of venturing inside until one of my insisted that the tour is unmissable.

As a self confessed bookworm, I was very excited to stop by Westminster Abbey yesterday to see Poets Corner. Many other famous Poets died to London and the British Library have put together a website dedicated to finding their final resting place: Poets Graves

Travels in..Covent Garden

As one of the founding areas in London you would be forgiven for assuming that Covent Garden is only home to a few museums and maybe a Royal Palace, but this area of London is buzzing throughout the day and well into the night as well.
During the day the streets are often crowded with people visiting the many great shops or hunting for the often cheaper and always more unusual options at the Covent Garden market. The beautifully restored Royal Opera House is also nearby and regularly hosts world renowned opera and ballet performances.
The main reason I've always loved Covent Garden is that it is a true hub of activity. From street artists, great restaurants, half a dozen comedy clubs and more bars and nightclubs than you could ever need in one night out.

My favourite comedy club here is The Funny Side which always has a cracking lines up of up-and-comers and when I'm feeling a little more sophisticated I head by Bunker or Cellar Door for a few cheeky cocktails.

Covent Garden is an all round great area of London and manages to satisfy any style or taste.