• News
  • Lifestyle
    • Recipes
    • Video
    • Lotto Results
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Sport
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Australian Times News
  • News
  • Lifestyle
    • Recipes
    • Video
    • Lotto Results
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Sport
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Lifestyle
    • Recipes
    • Video
    • Lotto Results
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Sport
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia
No Result
View All Result
Australian Times News
No Result
View All Result
Home Expat Life

Stay above ground and walk if you want to really discover London

Once out in the open air it doesn’t take long to start connecting the dots. You can quickly learn there’s no need to take the tube from Covent Garden to Trafalgar Square.

Australian Times by Australian Times
28-02-2019 09:40
in Expat Life

What’s not to love about the public transport network in London? It’s easy to navigate, runs frequently and is (relatively) fast. Yet we, expats and locals alike, absolutely love complaining about it and it makes a fantastic conversation filler.

On paper it’s hard to fault, and with buses, the Tube, the Overground, trams, ferries and trains going everywhere and anywhere just about 24 hours a day, it becomes difficult to justify leaving your Oyster at home.

While certainly an improvement on what’s on offer back in Oz, we’ve all experienced those cringe-worthy moments getting groped left, right and centre as you “file” onto the train, or flying down the stairs of a bus as soon as it hits the brakes. If your daily commute involves you constantly being sandwiched up against the walls of a suffocatingly full carriage, you may perhaps begin to think that an alternative way of getting around town wouldn’t be so unwelcome.

Many places in central London are in short walking distance of one another. It’s hard to get your head around what’s where if you’re only ever navigating the underground network, but once out in the open air it doesn’t take long to start connecting the dots. You can quickly learn there’s no need to take the tube from Covent Garden to Trafalgar Square, or a bus from Soho to Holborn. It’s much faster (and more pleasant) to go on foot.

Short cuts aren’t the only advantage to staying above ground. London is full of charming cafes, nifty bars and musky pubs just waiting to be discovered. There’s a new art gallery or pop-up shop, a vintage boutique or tea house around every corner. Walking is a basic but often neglected way to better get to know this intriguing city, and if that’s not enough to convince you to dust off your runners, it’s also good for burning off winter’s one too many sweet treats.

Of course if you’re too fast paced for a leisurely stroll around town, riding is another fast, cheap and green alternative to public transport. There are thousands of cyclists in London, whether it’s a passion, occasional pleasure or just a way to save a buck, it’s a very popular means of getting around especially with students and young people.

Many cyclists (the non-appassionatos that is) prefer to purchase second hand bikes to reduce the risk of coming back to a partly dismantled one. If the bike has a basket, it’s always wise take it with you, likewise the seat. There’s not much need to mention that chains and locks are essential.

AlsoRead...

The best storage ideas for students

The best storage ideas for students

18 January 2021
Australians in the UK are putting their ‘Ozzie Mentality’ to work - and it pays off

Australians in the UK are putting their ‘Ozzie Mentality’ to work – and it pays off

17 December 2020

There are also bike-sharing schemes which can be signed up to use if the responsibility of owning your own is too daunting. Just be sure to return them on time to avoid finding yourself with a hefty bill for a replacement bike.

But before you cut your Oyster to shreds and rush off to buy a new set of wheels, a word of advice: if you’re not used to riding in traffic, London isn’t the place to learn. With the very fast moving traffic and many buses it may be worthwhile sticking to one of London’s many parks until you find your bike legs.

By Bianca Soldani

Tags: living in LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
DMCA.com Protection Status

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER

Terms and Conditions

CURRENCY ZONE

Australian Forex

Don't Miss

SET FOR LIFE UK Lotto Results – Monday 25 January 2021

by Sonja Baartman
25 January 2021
Set For Life UK Lotto Results
Set For Life

Set For Life, £10,000 every month for 30 years

Read more

Three reasons why it is better to use compatible ink

by Alan Aldridge
25 January 2021
Three reasons why it is better to use compatible ink
Technology

Have you been considering compatible ink for a while but don’t know whether it is a better alternative to genuine...

Read more

Who is Alejandro Betancourt?

by Alan Aldridge
25 January 2021
Who is Alejandro Betancourt?
Lifestyle

Alejandro Betancourt is one of Venezuela's leading entrepreneurs, representing the country on the global stage in business. But who exactly...

Read more

COVID has brought Auslan into the spotlight, but it would be wrong to treat the language as a hobby or fad

by The Conversation
25 January 2021
Auslan is the first language of many Deaf Australians
News

The Deaf Society and Deaf Services reports enrolments in Auslan courses have risen by more than 400% since the pandemic...

Read more

Monday & Wednesday Lotto Results for Monday, 25 January 2021

by Sonja Baartman
25 January 2021
Monday & Wednesday Lotto Results
The Lott

There's big money on the line Monday & Wednesday, $4 million! Here are your Monday & Wednesday Lotto results for...

Read more

Low-paid British workers more than twice as likely to lose jobs

by Mike Simpson
25 January 2021
Image by Shutterbug75 from Pixabay
News

New study shows how the Covid-19 pandemic is ‘dramatically exacerbating inequalities in the world of work’ in the UK.

Read more

It’s not just cricket: Australia Day isn’t the commercial winner it used to be

by The Conversation
25 January 2021
Identity commerce
News

Australia Day used to be an obvious and uncontroversial occasion for brands to endear themselves to Australian consumers. No longer.

Read more
Load More

Copyright © Blue Sky Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
australiantimes.co.uk is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Reproduction without permission prohibited. DMCA.com Protection Status

  • About us
  • Write for Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • T&Cs, Privacy and GDPR
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Lifestyle
    • Recipes
    • Video
    • Lotto Results
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Sport
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia

Copyright © Blue Sky Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
australiantimes.co.uk is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Reproduction without permission prohibited. DMCA.com Protection Status