LONDON..hostels and Keeping your shit safe?

[FRESH]

RIGHT NOW on Sta Travel, plane tixs to London roundtrip are $330. USD (statravel.com)

anyways, I was thinking about going to London in april for maybe about 4 days? My question is if anyone can help me is:

1. Does aNYone know if April is a good time to travel to London? (The offer is good from Jan.-April 2005)

2. Does anyone know of any good places to stay; I dont care too much if it is the illest place to stay, but just as long as it is fairly cheap, not super super ghetto, and safe to keep camera equipment, ipod, threads n shit like that. (also a location where especially at night I dont have to travel far if i am drunk n shit)

3. Where is Club Fabric located? I know the adress is 77a charter house st, but what area is that?

4. anything else you could recomend, like what airport to fly into, transportation for daytime?nighttime, book stores, modern furniture and architecture places, hip spots, envirormental design, graphic design, shops night spots n shit like that too. I know I want to stop by busy work shop becuase masamichi katayama is my favorite architect.

5. will 4 days be enough days to see and experience most of London.

Thanks for the help in advanced"

----->CON PACE

http://designwrk.com/

[edwin]

http://www.hostelz.com/display.php/7406+Nevern+Hostel

if you stay at this hostel, definitely fly into heathrow.

you must

>go to tate modern

>eat at star kebab (assuming you are staying at this hostel) and order a lamb kebab.

>know that the N97 and 97 bus lines go to earls court (assuming you are staying at this hostel). you MUST know this because the tube closes around 1230-100AM.

>go to BWS, FootPatrol, Gloria's, the Hideout. My Trainers and i guess theres a new Maharishi store.

http://www.btinternet.com/~nsinbath/london.htm this should help too.

[FRESH]

thanks for the help edwin,

I will for sure hit the tate modern, I was reading about it and it sounds cool.

I was also reading the comments listed on the url you gave me for the nevern hostel, it sounded kind've crappy? If you recomend it then maybe i will look into it even further. Is there any reason why you recomended this specific hostel? also do you know how far it is from club fabric or even where club fabric is?

- Assuming that i did stay at this place, and needed a ride back after 1am, do i just wait for a cab? or is there other late night public transportation?

any help is greatly apreciated

---->word up

http://www.designwrk.com/

[vinc3]

London has night buses that are pretty good but depending on how shitfaced you are they may be hard to navigate. You can always ask the staff of where ever you're staying about the best late night transportation back to the place tho.

That hostel is pretty far from Fabric. Fabric is in east London.

peace

[Matthew]

Fresh,

Jesus that's quite a list!

Here's some of my answers...

1. April is probably going to be pretty rainy and shit weather - but then it can rain any time of year and also be great and there is no telling - so i suppose it's as good a time as any - it's probably less busy.

2. Where to stay - well, you could do the standard backpacker hostels in Victoria, Kensington and Shepherd's bush - but they are all full of aussies (who I love, but they can be a bit in your face). I would recommend one of 2 places - Ashlee House in Kings Cross or the Generator in Russell Square - the Generator (http://www.generatorhostels.com) is my favourite - themed industrial futuristic design, a youth hostel ethos and a bar area that stays open selling cheap drink till 2 or 3 am (that is seriosuly late for London) I have never stayed there being a londoner - but I know about it from the bar, which is a great late night haunt. You also get to meet a wide variety of world travellers and Euro students. the area is also the safest in London and VERY central - you can walk home from anywhere in the West End.

3. Fabric is in Smithfield Market towards the East / Centre of the city. Nearest Tube is Farringdon. It's about the only Super club left in London and it gets very busy.

4. Airport - Heathrow or Gatwick - probably Heathrow and you won't have any choice. They are both shit, but hey what can you do? Getting into town from Heathrow you have 2 choices: the Underground (piccadilly line) takes you straight from heathrow to Russell Square (if you want to stay at the generator) and it will only cost you a couple of pounds. It does take around 45 minutes though. Otherwise you can take the Heathrow Express (which cost £14) which takes only 15 mins. It arrives in Paddigton though, which is a pain to travle out from.

Transport during the day - the underground (tube) is fast, but buses are also good. Buy a one week/day travelcard and it will take you everywhere. Taxis at night are now terrifyingly expensive - as are the minicabs - you will pay £10-15 minimum to take you anywhere in central London at night. If you want to go outside Zone 1 (and that is small) double or triple that.

Nightlife - there are tons of different areas. For cool urban living, check out Hoxton/ Smithfield/ Old street areas in the east. For North try Upper street in islington. For West stick to Notting Hill and Westbourne Grove. For South visit Clapham and for central do Soho & Covent Garden. You'll like Hoxton/ Old street the best I imagine.

Modern furnitre - Aram in Covent Garden drury Lane) and purves & Purves on Tottenham Court Road - absolute musts.

Bookstores - Charing Cross Road is the most famous street for books- for trend books you must visit FD Franks (http://www.rdfranks.co.uk/index.html). For antiquee boks ckaeck out Portobello Market.

Architecture - obviously Tate Modern - but also the London Eye, South Bank, the Gherkin, the London Mayor's Office and the British Museum Great Court. You could also visit the Dome and the London Barrier.

Environmental architecture - vist Canary Wharf station, Peckham Library, the Herzog & De Meuron dance school in East London and the Sainsbury's in Greenwich.

For Shops - well the list is too big - But I have already posted ideas before.

5. Is 4 days enough? No of course not - but do what you can and have fun!

[dickhead]

4 days is definitely not enough man! I only went there once before and only spent 3 days there...couldn't do much as there was so much to do and see! Will definitely go there again. Only complaint is the prices of everything!

I hate everything and everyone.

[Supawyde]

Quote: Only complaint is the prices of everything!

At least you don't have to tip for absolutely everything! As in NY

Love NY though

[FRESH]

thanks to every one for replying.. (Especially mathew for taking the time to write all that)

CON PACE

http://www.designwrk.com/