Currency: Pound Sterling. One pound has 100 pence. Traveller's cheques can be encashed very easily, especially at Oxford Street where foreign exchange booths are peppered through the shops. ATMs are everywhere too.
Languages Spoken:English
Religions: Multiculturalism is the buzzword.
Climate: Europeans like to call English weather 'mild' but by Indian standards it gets pretty chilly in winters. Snow is common too, but what makes it unbearable are the stormy winds. Since England lies in a constant low-pressure area, it's besieged by wild winds almost through out the year, which during winter can be stressing. If visiting London in winters, layering is the best way to protect yourself from the cold, although a nice, thick coat works well too.
The average maximum temperature in summer is about 23 C. In spring and autumn temperatures drop to between 8 C and 15 C. In winter, the average daily maximum is 7 C, the overnight minimum 2 C, although it often goes below freezing point.
And it rains every day. Every. Day.
Best Time To Go: April - September to enjoy the lovely English sun, which the English themselves are so enthusiastic about and you can't blame them as England is damp, cloudy and bordering on the miserable from November to February. Ditch these chilly months and enjoy the mild weather (temperature from 15 C to 27 C) and the extended period of sunlight (the sun sets at 10 pm!), although it's still advisable to carry a light jacket.
English weather is fickle and one bout of rain can send the mercury dipping. Keep in mind that since this is the best time to visit, the whole world flocks to England. Beat the crowds and avoid England in July and August.
As you approach October, things really start cooling off and by November, the day is out by 3:30 pm. A heavy jacket please. Also don't forget to pick up a sturdy umbrella once you arrive (Tesco usually has one-pound deals).
Getting Connected: You can see the famous red telephone boxes all over London, although many have been replaced with boring black ones. The booths accept coins as well as cards and the minimum charge is 30 p. To make international calls, its a good idea to pick phone cards available in grocery stores, all over the city. Some calls work out to be as cheap as 10 p per minute.
For any electrical appliances, carry an India-to-UK converter switch. Widely available at any electrical goods shop in India, it costs about Rs. 200. If you buy it in London, however, it will easily set you back by 14 pounds. Save the money we say, London is one of the most expensive cities in the world and you need to economise.
Local Transport
London is superbly connected with an extensive network of the Underground (the 'tube' as it is called), the DLR, buses and trams. Tube stations are peppered all over the city and there is a tube to every point on the map every 3 minutes! Trains depart for the suburbs every 15 minutes as well.
The tubes usually run from about 5:30 am to 12 midnight, after which there are night buses (signified by 'N' before the number). Keep a tube map handy at all times - you can pick one up from any tube station.
The famous black cabs of London are comfortable, although not exactly cheap. Get a short ride if only for the vintage experience. Mini cabs are more affordable but they have to be booked in advance. Always carry a cab company number with you.
Transport for London
The 'Transport for London' helpline itself is exemplary. Log on to www.tfl.gov.uk, which gives you information on all forms of public transport in London including routes and maps, a journey planner and even offers online tickets for sale. Simply enter the starting and end points of your journey and the journey planner gives you a practical itinerary (which tube to take, where to change, what bus to switch to and so on). If you feel lost you can call TFL 24 hours at 020 7222 1234, and tell them where you are. The lady on the other side will tell you exactly where to go and what to do to reach your destination.
Tickets
Tickets are available at the stations at ticket machines as well as manned booths and they accept cards as well as cash. But if you want to avoid standing in the queue, look out for neighbourhood provision stores that sell tube tickets too.
Keep in mind that London is divided into six zones - six concentric circles that cover the city. It's a good bargain to buy an all day pass for zones you are going to be covering. For instance, a day pass for zones 1 and 2 will cost you £4.30 and will give you unlimited access to tube, train, DLR, bus and tram rides in zones 1 and 2 for the entire day, until 4:30 am of the following day. If you are going to be in London for more than 5 days, getting an Oyster card made is a good bargain.
Et cetra
Remember that when on the escalators in the tube stations, always stand on your right. The left is for people who are running up and down in a hurry. And if you interrupt them, the people running can get very, very irritated. Londoners are a busy lot. They always walk furiously with a purpose, run down escalators, jump inside as the tube doors are just about closing...you get the drift.
Look out for strains of live music ringing in the labyrinthine tube tunnels. People usually hang around here playing guitar and singing for money. The music fills the passages and the atmosphere it creates while you climb up a steep, steep London escalator is nothing short of the surreal. A jaunty, middleaged man singing 'No Woman No Cry' deep in the bowels of the earth, as Londoners strode by, is one of our favourite London memories.
