The Unofficial Budget Guide to London

The Unofficial Budget Guide to London - by Amran Faisal

Welcome to my guide to London. This guide is my attempt to guide potential visitors (especially foreigners) to the England's capital. This is purely based on my experience living for 2 years in London as a student with a limited budget for visiting exciting places in London. As my second hobby is visiting places, I decided to create this guide because after visiting several places, I found out that some of it either not up to my standard, too expensive or merely just nothing to offer. I have visited all the places mentioned below together with my wife (no children at the moment) and have taken notes on all the facilities and attractions offered. At the bottom of each places, I will rate it with marks out of 5. It may not much to describe all the attractions in London but here it goes....

1. The London Dungeon (Tooley Street, London)

Opening time: 10.00am till 5.30pm (till 6.30pm during Spring/Summer) 7 days a week excluding Christmas.

Situated near to Tower Bridge, London Dungeon is accessible by bus and underground train (via London Bridge station). Entrance is �8.95 for adult, �7.95 for student and �5.95 for children. Basically the attraction for this place is mainly showing the history of cruelty and several kind of punishments throughtout the centuries (in England particularly) by using wax dummies and special effects. The FX are quite outdated but still effective enough to scare some people out. There is a ride using some kind of boat but it only lasted for about 10 minutes. At the entrance will be a photographer to take your picture against a guillotine background and you can buy the photo for �3.99 with no obligation. There is also an introduction to Jack the Ripper with guided tour by an overacting young woman with bad make-ups. Lastly, after all the exhibitions and tours, you can tucked in the souvenir shop and Pizza Hut Express.

Overall rating: 4/5 (Fun for adults but definately not for the nervous disposition and young children).

Value for money: 3/5 (high marks if they can charge lower).

2. The Natural History Museum (Cromwell Road, London)

Opening time: Mon-Sat 10.00-17.50, Sunday 11.00-1750, closed 23-26 December.

Basically, if you are interested in our life history and nature, this is definately your place. This is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) museum of its kind in the world and offers exhibitions of dinasours, animals, plants, insects and the earth. The museum is divided into 2 section - Life and Earth galleries. Entrance is �5.50 for adult, �2.80 for children (5-17), �3.00 if you're a student and �15.00 for family. The whole building itself is worth a look. Be prepared to spend at least 4 hours here.

Overall rating: 5/5 (Don't miss it).

Value for money: 5/5

3. The British Museum (Great Russell Street, London)

Opening time: TBA

This is a museum specialising in ancient artifacts and artifacts from Egypt and Rome are the main attractions here. As all artifacts are genuine makes it very interesting to see, especially the Egyptian's mummies. Entrance is free (unless there's a special exhibition) and a walking distance from Tottenham Court Road. This is the oldest museum in the world and the building still looks fantastic. Visit the museum at off-peak hours and definately avoid visiting during public holidays as the place will be full of school childrens. There are a lot of reading required at the museum and if you can't see the signs, there's no point of visiting as you won't know what you're looking at.

Overall rating: 5/5 (interesting exhibitions).

Value for money: 5/5 (hey, it's free).

4. Imperial War Museum (Lambeth Road, London)

Opening time: Daily 10.00-18.00, closed 24-26 December.

You can see thousands of exhibits from art to aircraft, from utility clothes to a U-boat. Features includes interactive videos, walkthrough t rench experience and the dramatic Blitz complete with sounds, smells and other effects. Entrance fee is �4.95 for adult, �3.95 for children and no discount for student (entrance is free after 4.30pm). This place is a bit crowded during the summer but quite empty at other times. The display of tanks and aircrafts alone is worth the visit. Check out the big cannon outside the museum and the large garden.

Overall rating: 5/5 (Don't miss it).

Value for money: 5/5

5. Soho (accessable from Regent's Street, Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road, London)

Opening time: from 10.00-18.00, some shops open 24 hours, night life starts from 18.00-03.00.

Soho is formerly notorious for its sex industry. But after campaigns by nearby residents and the police in the 1980's, the place is now famous only for its' restaurants, theatres and Carnaby Street. If you're looking for sex, there are a few shops still selling erotic videos/magazines, peep/live shows and sex shops (and the famous Raymond's Revue Bar is here). If you're still looking for sex, might as well pack your bags and go to Amsterdam as this place is considered dead for sex. Avoid the live sex shows as most of them are ripping punters off and nothing the police can do with it. For instance, they displayed entrance fee for �10 but they charged at least �70 for a soft drink, $150 for a woman to talk to you and more for liquors. Some friends of mine (guys, you know who you are......) had to surrender their traveller's cheques in order to pay a �800 bill.

If you want to try exotic food, there are a lot of Italian, Chinese and English restaurants here. Not forgetting Carnaby Street which is very very famous during the 60's but now only a few of the original shops remained. You can buy leather jackets, jeans and Dr Martens boots here but prices are a bit steep, so don't forget to haggle for bargains. Buy here if you're really wanted to buy. Otherwise the shop assistants (or even owners) are very rude towards window shoppers. They wanted to get as much money as possible from you.

Overall rating: 2/5 (good if you're looking for food!).

Value for money: 1/5 (avoid unless you're hungry and has a taste of exotic food).

5. Rock Circus (Piccadily Circus)

Coming soon!

6. Madame Tussauds's

Coming soon!

7. London Planetarium

Coming soon!

8. Tower Bridge

Coming soon!

9. Big Ben & Parliament (Westminster)

Coming soon!

SHOPPING IN LONDON

Depends on your budget, shopping in London can be very fun and educating. Below are the categories of shopping habits and whether you can afford it or not:

1. Tight budget

You can walk along Oxford Street and go into the several shopping centres like John Lewis, DH Evans and Debenhams. They offer a much lower prices than the much smaller shops. If shopping for electrical goods or computer, you can either go to Dixons, Currys or Tempo's or even the shops along Tottenham Court Road. But be warned as almost all salesmen/saleswomen here lives on commissions and they will try to sell you anything they could. Sometimes you ended up buying things you don't really need. As for my experience, I found out that almost all salesmen are rude (especially at Tottenham Court Road). As at Dixons and Currys, the salesmen are courteous and always smiles before you buy and after you bought things from them, they don't care about you anymore (even if you wanted to return faulty items).

Go to Argos (available at most high street) if you're looking for stuff you need but not willing to be harass by salesmen and don't bother to bargain. Prices are very competitive and contain in a neat looking catalogue. You can just look for the item in the catalogue, note the item number, pay the cashier and wait for your merchandise at a special counter. And yes, you can take the catalogue home too (subject to availability).

2. Moderate budget

You can go to Selfridge's at Oxford Street and you can find almost everything here under one roof. Prices are a bit high but if you have the money, why not spend it here?

3. No budget whatsoever

I can recommend for you - Harrods. Things are very expensive but quality wise, can't be compared elsewhere. From jewelleries, watches , food and almost everything can be found here. But if you are only a windows shopper, avoid this place as you will definately buy something that you will regret later (as I was!). Sales assistants are quite choosy for whom they wanted to serve. If you're wearing faded leather jacket and torn jeans, they won't even look at you (but the security guards will!). Only for rich people.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS OUTSIDE OF LONDON

1. Alton Towers (Stoke-on-Trent)

Opening time: Daily from 9.00am-late (time varies), check website for prices and opening date (normally from Mar-Nov)

Alton Towers is accessible from all kind of transport. It's better if you come here by car or a direct bus as if you go by train, you have to take a connecting bus to Alton Towers from the train station and the bus is only around once a day at a fixed time. I found out the hard way and had to charter a cab for �15 one way. Don't worry, there's plenty of buses for the way back. Basically, Alton Towers have lots of things to offer and it was just like Disneyland only smaller. Rides are plenty and quite innovative. The park is divides into several themes: The Gardens, Forbidden Valley, Gloomy Wood, Katangan Canyon, Towers Street, The Towers, Storybook Land, Fantasy World, Land of Make Believe and Festival Park. Check out all these places if you manage to spend all day here.

Rides to watch are the Nemesis (a rollercoaster ride with your feet dangling down), Black Hole (where you ride in the dark), Cork Screw (where you ride a mini rollercoaster with 2 cork screw), Thunder Looper (find this ride yourself!), The Beast and Log Fume (where you ride a piece of log down a canal). As long as you manage to get on all these rides, you be fine. Food and drinks are easily available but don't eat before getting on the rides! Check out the Alton Castle too!

Overall rating: 5/5 (be there!).

Value for money: 4/5 (wish it was much cheaper).

2. Chessington World of Adventure (Chessington)

Opening time: Mar 22-Nov 2 1997, 7 days a week, from 10.00-17.15, last admission 15.00

Situated just 12 miles from London, this theme park (owned by the Tussaud's Group which also owns Madame Tussaud, Alton Towers, Warwick Castle and Rock Circus) is suitable for children of all ages and adults too. Entrance fee varies from year to year but the fee for adult in 1997 is �17.45 for an unlimited rides and attractions (excluding food and drinks). Chessington is not divided into themes but they do have places to go for rides such as Mystic East, Toytown, Transylvania, Market Square, Forbidden Kingdom, Calamity Canyon and Animal Experiences 1 & 2. The rides are basically quite mediocre but watch out for Rameses Revenge, Magic Carpet, Smugglers Cove and the Runaway Train. And don't even miss the Big City Circus as the performance alone is worth the entrance fee. As for animals, there are a zoo, a petting zoo, sea lions, meerkats and the ever famous tigers and lions. I really enjoyed myself here the first time and even more the second time (with my brother's family). So, if you're in London and not willing to travel far such as Alton Towers and Blackpool to enjoy yourself, why not give Chessington a try!

Overall rating: 4/5 (be there!).

Value for money: 4/5 (wish it was much cheaper).

3. Oxford and Bicester Shopping Village

Bicester Shopping Village Opening Time: Daily at 10.00-18.00 (including Sundays and Bank Holidays).

Oxford is about an hour drive (about 50 miles) from London. This town is basically a university town which consists mainly of several universities located in the heart of the town. Everywhere you go you will see students either going to classes or doing some shopping. It's a quite modern town with over 300 shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs, cinemas, theatres, hotels and guest houses. Old buildings which form several of the universities are worth looking at. Don't forget to get on the tour bus to see the town without missing anything. You can take the bus from the Oxford bus station at Chain Alley. If you fancy staying overnight, prices for guest houses ranges from �15 to �80 per person (depending on stars). Make sure you're armed with the map of Oxford. If not, you won't know what you wanted to visit.

Overall rating: 4/5 (feels like you're a student again!).

Value for money: 3/5 (accommodation could be expensive).

Bicester Shopping Village is basically a factory outlet which specialised in selling top quality merchandise from end of line and previous seasons at cut prices ranging from 25% to 60%. Take a Bicester bus from Oxford's bus station and the fare is �4.50 return. There are about 50 outlets/shops selling brand names like Benetton, Cerruti, Clarks, Converse, Land's End, Oshkosh, Ralph Lauren, DKNY and Wrangler. If you're lucky, you can get to the bargain items first as people tends to snap up every bargain available. There are ample parking spaces, restaurant and restrooms. You can access Bicester Village's web site at http://www.bicester-village.co.uk or e-mail them at [email protected].

Overall rating: 3/5 (some items are still expensive, but it worth the trip).

Value for money: 5/5 (bargains, bargains, bargains!).

4. Disneyland Paris (France)

Opening time: Daily at 9.00-20.00 (19.00 on Friday).

Disneyland Paris is about an hour drive from the city of Paris. You can buy your ticket(s) at the entrance for about �19 (180FF) or at Disney Stores in London. This ticket (called passport) is valid for one day and can be used for all rides. The park itself is divided into 5 themes: Adventureland, Frontierland, Main Street USA, Discoveryland and Fantasyland. If possible, try all the rides as many as possible as each ride is as unique as the park itself. Don't forget to bring your own picnic baskets as food is quite expensive (especially after converting the currency). Rides to watch and try are the Space Mountain, Star Tours, Big Thunder Mountain and the Indiana Jones rides. My advices are to bring as many children as possible as it's fun to see children enjoying themselves, stay at the resort for at least a night so that you will have enough time to cover as many land as you possibly can (If you enter the park at 9.00am, by 1.00pm you will get very very tired as all the rides are not nearby to each other) AND don't ever forget your cameras! For souvenirs, you better off buying them at London's Disney Stores as it's cheaper and basically the same thing. Most of it are either Made it Taiwan or Made in China.

Overall rating: 5/5 (A thrill of a lifetime!).

Value for money: 3/5 (expensive if you're in a tight budget).

Tttttttttthat's all, folks!