going to london - anything to see?

mastasini · Post by **mastasini** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:59 pm

Well we are going to London. I had to find a present for my wife and a citytrip sounded nice...

She wants to go shopping and sight seeing. So…. Are there any good sight seeing transformer stores in London? I wanted to do woolsworth for those KO’s but it seems he already closed.

Any other things worth noting? I’m staying for 4 days so hopefully I’ll have time to go shopping myself

If anyone interested in trade is living in London let me know

I’ll bring my bots.

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:10 pm

The art dept at my college runs a trip to London every year and its great fun.
Every year I buy a Transformer, usually from Hamleys as its close to the Royal accademy of arts but its expensive, I think Forbiden Planet has a store in the capital but I'd check the website.

Last summer I was there at the time of gay pride so the carnival atmosphere was great fun. The galleries are good also.

One thing you must check out is a particular street rented by the artist Banksy who then invited graffitti artists from around the world to decorate it, although I hear that now it has become overun with your everyday tags but its still worth a look.

The Trocadero is an arcade in Picadilly circus which is also good.

Here are some photos from 2007 and 2008 in 08 we discovered 'Pegging' were you attach clothespegs to strangers or wax celebs and take a photo, try it and post them!

Eurch I had very meh hair back then.

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:02 am

Agree with electro girl - go Forbidden Planet and, of course, Hamley's. If you do get to the latter, I will go green with the most awful envy...

In London for a while? Must go to the British Museum or the Nat Hist at least. And please try out that bouncing bridge if it's open (I've not been to it yet and would love to know how good it is in case it's better than Frankwell Footbridge in Shrewsbury!).

mastasini · Post by **mastasini** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:02 am

thanks for the advice - I'll try to check out forbidden planet since i've been there once before a few years back and got me a lot of goodies at half price (too bad I gave them away as souvenirs when I got back to belgium

)

what is Hamley's? a toys store?

Patapsco · Post by **Patapsco** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:24 am

Hamleys is a big toy store on Regent Street, I think the nearest tube is either Picadilly Circus or Oxford Circus. I can wholeheartedly recommend getting a tube to Charing Cross, taking a look around Trafalgar Square, a stroll down Pall Mall to Buckingham Palace then back up towards Whitehall and the Palace of Westminster. Also St. Pauls is a pretty nice place to go and have a gawk, then cross Tower Bridge and walk down the South Bank towards the London Eye.

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:27 am

Covent garden is great for pegging people and has a few ok shops.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:32 am

I have to say every time I've been to Hamley's I've found it a bit piss poor. it's a bit of a walk from Piccadilly as well so unless you're desperate I wouldn't bother.

Though it did get me on American TV once. Me and a mate were grabbed by a US news crew coming out and asked for our opinion on some foreign take over of the place. We had no idea what they were talking about but winged it magnificently ("Terrible for such a old British institution blah blah blah").

Treadshot A1 · Post by **Treadshot A1** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:39 am

mastasini wrote:what is Hamley's? a toys store?

The things you shouldn't say anywhere...

Yes, it is a toy store. A six level (inc. basement) toy store, on Regent street i believe. http://www.hamleys.com/ See for yourself.

Pretty decent, but i expected more last time i went there

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:52 am

Treadshot A1 wrote:The things you shouldn't say anywhere...

I'd never heard of the place before being dragged there the first time and I live in the same country.

Treadshot A1 · Post by **Treadshot A1** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:08 pm

1: Comment was a reference to Top Gear.

2: Laughing smilie indicates lighthearted comment.

mastasini · Post by **mastasini** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:16 pm

I’ve checked the site but I think forbidden planet will be better. This seems like a (large) run of the mill toyshop. Are there any flea markets in london?

Royal palace – check – musea – check - people - check:D
I’ll think I’ll follow my wife the few first days

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:34 pm

For Forbidden Planet, if you get off at Earl's Court tube stations and ask for directions to Shaftsbury Avenue from one of the staff where you'll come out down the road is right opposite the store.

mastasini · Post by **mastasini** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:04 pm

I'm looking for a few good maps on the internet (I already have a plan at home but it's dated 1972 so...) what would be the best way to travel in london?

I've heard best is to buy a dayticket so you are free to travel all subways in zone 1 and 2. they told me it was about 10 to 12 euro a day.
does anybody have info about this? as far as I can remember that was the best way to travel.

I'll check in which hotel I'm booked and post it here.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:17 pm

The day ticket thing is the best way to travel (though I've no idea how much it is now, tis been a few years). Londoners always moan about it but I love the tube, nice straightforward travel that's a piece of piss to use. It dumps on a great height on any of my local public transport. Whatever you do don't travel by taxi any more than you have to (say, getting from the airport to your hotel), the prices make me cry (relative to up north taxi charges anyway).

CounterPunch · Post by **CounterPunch** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:28 pm

Agreed about the tube, I quite like it, try to avoid home time tho cos it can get kinda busy, but even then, its not as if youre gonna be on the same train for too long so if ya can grit your teeth and bare it then travelling on the tub at whatever time is nice and easy.

mastasini · Post by **mastasini** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:36 pm

you guys never took the train in Belgium

even when not rush hour you have to be a professional gymnast to breathe

mastasini · Post by **mastasini** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:31 pm

this should be the adress
Norfolk Square, W2 1RT London

Patapsco · Post by **Patapsco** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:45 pm

mastasini wrote:this should be the adress
Norfolk Square, W2 1RT London

ooh, right by Paddington station, somewhere I have spent far, far, far too much of my time in in the past. Most places should be a 15-20 minute tube ride from there.

Vin Ghostal · Post by **Vin Ghostal** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:15 pm

London, eh? Want to know what you should see?

See if they'll refund your ticket.

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:10 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:I have to say every time I've been to Hamley's I've found it a bit piss poor. it's a bit of a walk from Piccadilly as well so unless you're desperate I wouldn't bother.

Its been hit and miss for me. At times its been comarable to TRU and others have been just naff (see my movie Resque Ratchet) so I wouldnt go out of your way if you dont have to.