Bonus Issue: London Calling

Should you find yourself with the urge to visit London (or the greater England area), I will do what I can to provide tips. I did not ever have to do much in terms of researching lodgings. Courtesy of my grandparents I was able to stay in the Flat of some family friends. That said, while at the flat I decided that its location could not be better. When looking into where to stay in London, I would say that the most important thing is to be near the subway (locally called the Underground or the Tube).

That said, the London Underground is terrific. Tickets are priced by the following 2 options: 1) Is it one way or a day travel pass and 2) how many of the zones will you be traveling in. I will dress these separately.

In my experience, it was almost always worth it to buy the day pass. I found that it was very easy to use the subway more than once in a given day, and the day pass allowed much more freedom in the ability to do so. That said, 1 day pass is less expensive than 2 one way tickets, so I think the day pass is almost always worth it.

As for zone travel, simply be aware of the system. Any of the subway maps are labeled, but in total there are 6 (I believe) zones. Aside from travel to London Heathrow Airport, Everything I saw was withing Zone 1. The only exception was my trip to the Fan Museum, but the day pass for zone 1 was the same price as the pass for zones 1 and 2. Moral being... day travel passes are good.

As for seeing London... Sometimes I try to avoid the stereotypical tourist locations. However, I visit them in London and found them quite satisfying. Westminster is stunningly beautiful, and if you visit St. Paul's Cathedral it is definitely worth going to the top (if you can) if the weather is clear. That said, they warn about lots of steps and narrow spaces, and the warnings are valid, so do keep them in mind. Other than that the Globe Theatre, London Tower, and Tower Bridge are all fun to see too. Many of the sites can be walked to from one another by following the Thames. The walk along the river is very nice, but it is worth being aware that there are some random patches where the path ceases. But, you can usually head up the road, around a building, and immediately return to the water.

Other than that, be prepared for the weather. Rumor has it that England has beautiful springs, and perhaps I was just a bit too early in the season... but, its always good to be prepared for rain... no matter where you go.

As for Oxford... My number 1 tip is to have yourself an Emily. That way you have a historical wavy guide, who loves to go around and show you stuff while also being able to help you plan and the like. But, some of this is to help prepare those who do not have such a contact.

That said, on a nice day, just walk through the city. Get a map in case, but don't look at it. For an hour or so, just wander the streets and let your eyes be your guide. If you like old architecture and castle-like buildings, you will have a lovely sunrise on every street and around every corner. That said, if it is a nice day do use the map to make sure you get to climb the University Church of St Mary the Virgin. It has some pretty great views of the entirety of Oxford and from there you can really appreciate just how many spiring towers there are in the city.

I realize that this is only a few comments on the few places I visit, but I can hardly speak for the locations that I did not myself see. Hope this is helpful!

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