Electric Passport

June 6, 2012

A Sampling of Pics of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Weekend

Guards practicing for Tuesday's carriage procession of the Queen & Royal Family in front of Buckingham Palace

More guards practicing for the carriage procession outside of Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace - Musical artists doing run throughs & sound checks before the Jubilee concert

Flotilla down the River Thames

Royal Barge during the Flotilla down the River Thames

Royal Family on the Royal Barge - L-R: Queen, Philip, Camilla, Harry & William

Flotilla down the River Thames

In Trafalgar Square with the crowd with flags & periscopes waiting for the Queen's carriage procession to Buckingham Palace

The Queen, Camilla & Charles passing through Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square

May 2, 2012

London Visitor Resources

This is a brief list of online resources for folks who plan to visit us in London.

Travel Books

The DK Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide: London is a nice resource (it's a good place to use when planning your trip if nothing else). It can be purchased at many book stores and also has a smartphone app version.

Getting to & from the Airport to Central London

Heathrow Express - Simple way to get from Heathrow Airport to Paddington Station in Central London. Non-stop trains run every 15 minutes. Tickets can also be purchased at Heathrow right after you have cleared customs with your luggage. Round trip tickets tend to be cheaper than one-way ones.
Gatwick Express - Simple way to get from Gatwick Airport to London Victoria Station in Central London. Non-stop trains run continuously. Tickets can also be purchased at Gatwick Airport but it may be more expensive to purchase them there.

Getting Around London

Visitor Oyster Card - This is the card needed to pay for using the Tube (subway) & bus services. Oyster cards can also be purchased at London Tube stations.
London Travel Card - We've never used this but it might be worth looking into. It is associated with the London Pass.
Typical Taxi Fares

Hop On/Hop Off Bus Companies - Spend the day (or two) touring the various London sights by an open top bus at your own pace (hop on & off bus at points all over the city). Tickets can also be purchased directly at the bus.

Original London Sightseeing Tour
Big Bus Tours

Tour Companies & Tour Options

Summer Tours

Buckingham Palace - The staterooms are open during the summer. Tickets sell out quickly and need to be booked online in advance.
Houses of Parliament Tour - Guided tours are available year-round on Saturdays as well as on most days during the summer. Tickets need to be booked online in advance.

Discount Opportunities

The London Pass - A discount card for some of the major London attractions. It looks like there is a transportation option that can be added to this pass.
Discount Theater Tickets
London Sightseeing Special Offers (compilation of options from various companies with discounts)
Groupon and Living Social offer London/UK discounts occasionally for tours, meals, etc.
Purchasing tickets to some attractions (London Eye, Tower of London, etc) online in advance can sometimes be cheaper than buying them at the location.