Listing Details
| ID: | 332 |
| Title: | A Singaporean In London |
| URL: | http://www.singaporeaninlondon.blogspot.com |
| Feed URL: | http://feeds.feedburner.com/ASingaporeanInLondon |
| Category: | Home & Garden: Relocating |
| Description: | A Singaporean's view of London. Writing about the differences and similarities of the two cities. |
| Best short stay in London - where, what and why go for homestay - Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:26:00 +0000 |
 Despite falling to the 18th down the list of themost expensive cities to live in 2011, London remains expensive for tourists. While there are ways of stretching your pound when looking forbudget travelling in London, the main cost of accommodation remains. Unless you don't mind splashing out a bit, you are easily looking at over £200 per night in a hotel in Central London. For that, you get a tiny room, with breakfast thrown in if you are lucky. If you are planning on a trip to London, why not forgo the deary hotels and take the less trodden path - live like the locals do, opt for a homestay instead. Now, get the image of the creepy host out of your mind, we are talking about people with rooms or even an entire property to spare for a limited period of time, and don't mind having a few quid for renting them out. Like all things, there are pros and cons of homestays, and more importantly what to look out for. Pros of homestay  Photo bysquishband 1. Cheaper This cannot be denied, pound for pound, homestay gives you more bang for your buck. Instead of being at the mercy of the hotel restaurant or having to hunt for a local diner, you have access to a kitchen. A simple meal or a full three course dinner - it's entirely up to you. 2. Own time own target How many times have you deliberately wake up, drag yourself out of the bed only to find out that you've missed out on the hotel's breakfast timing? What about having to get out of the room in a hurry before the chambermaids arrive to clean up your room? True, a do-not-disturb sign would probably do the trick but you have already paid for that service and you do not really feel like losing out, do you? Having a place of your own rules all that out. You set your own schedule. 3. Lived in conditions A number of the homestay properties are lived in - the owners actually live there themselves, only to vacate it for a couple of weeks when they have to do some travelling themselves. You would trust that you would be able to find what you need in the property. It's literally someone else's home. 4. The local feel Live like the locals do! That is something that most tourists who chose to stay in a hotel will never get to experience. Most homestay properties are tucked in the heart of London's residential areas. If you are staying over for a couple of days, get acquainted with the people behind the tills at the local grocer and convenient store, which makes the travelling much more interesting. Also, if you are just renting a room from the host, they are likely to invite you to dine with them. I'm sure you would be entertained by the dinner table conversations. Take the chance to ask them about local amenities, that beats hunting for the tourist information counter. Some kinder ones would even prepare something special - a family in Wales baked a small cake just for us when we were there. 5. Less tourists, less hustle and bustle The only thing that tourists hate more than being stuck behind a long ticket queue is other tourists. Staying in a hotel right smack in the city central means that you would step right right out into the hustle and bustle, not to mention sharing the lobby with loads of weary looking tourists who are determined to cover more than what they did yesterday. It does takes the fun out of travelling and gets a bit draining after some time. A homestay on the other hand is different ball game altogether. Most people don't live in the same area where the tourists do. That's a fact. Cons of homestay  Photo byjojo 77 1. Host can be tiresome It is a double edged sword really. A overly friendly host can be overbearing. Instead of merely pointing out where you should visit, they can 'insist' on bring you there. They are not content with small talk over dinner and prefer to revel you in their life stories, which in all honestly, isn't very interesting. But then again, this happens only when the hosts are around in the first place - in most cases, they aren't. 2. No one to complain to What happens when the water heater isn't working very well? You would call the front desk at a hotel to demand a room change. You can't very well do the same in a homestay, can you? While some hosts would probably boil some water for you, it does feel a bit awkward. That said, if you got your homestay properties through awebsite portal, there is usually a number to call. The more established ones have a team of plumbers and electricians on standby for this sort of things. 3. Lack of transport links Being away from the hustle and bustle of the city is all fine provided that the place that you are staying in is well connected by public transport to the main attractions, which is the main point really. The last thing you need is having to switch three buses every single time you visit the city centre. This is particularly true in London where the main tourist attractions are mostly congregated in central London. 4. Worn out furnishings A home away from a home is taken to extreme when you have tears in the sofa or your sleep disrupted by a bed spring that went awry. As mentioned earlier, homestay properties are more likely to be lived in than not. If the owner chooses to live 'simply', tough luck. That is where the reviews come in handy. 5. No information desk While some hosts would kindly leave brochures or local maps on the table for you, others would leave you to your own devices. Unlike in hotels where they have people employed just to answer your questions, the host is all you got, and that is if they are present in the first place. Sure, there's internet access but popping a question would be so much easier, wouldn't it? What to look out when homestaying Fine, homestaying isn't all hunky-dory but there are ways to ensure that your stay would be a pleasant one. Here're some.  Photo bygerlos 1. Reviews, reviews, reviews If you are going for the cheaper option, do your due research at least. More so if you are getting only a room from the host. Check out the house rules if any. Given a choice between price and good reviews, always opt for the latter. If you are going to travel, make sure it's an enjoyable experience. 2. Got a question? Ask the host Mosthomestay portalsdo a fair job describing the properties. However, you might have some concerns that are not addressed on the website. Fine, get the information directly from the horse's mouth - post a question to the host directly. Not all homestay websites have this option though. Otherwise, contact the website directly and they would route the question to the host. While you are at it, ask for any specific house rules (alcohol, curfew timings etc.). Go to another site if they don't get back to you within a few days. 3. Check transport links Having to travel a bit isn't a great problem if the public transport links to the central London is good. It's straightforward for the case of London - the best option would be to live near aLondon Underground(or Tube) station or at least a bus stop along the main service lines. To be sure, ask for the postal code of the property and check out how long it would take you to get to Westminster Tube station and Covent Garden Tube station using the Journey Planner atTransport for London. 4. Crime rates This is one thing that is often neglected. Living in a residential area is fine, living in a dodgy one isn't. London, like any other major cities, has its fair share of petty crimes. One site that I rely on isPolice.uk, another would be the site run byMetropolitan Police. Don't get too worried about the statistics though, most are anti-social behaviour, which can be something really trivial. Regardless, check out the area before committing to your stay. Which homestay portal to go for? Short of contacting the host directly throughGumtree, I recommend that you head to the following homestay specialist portals. Well, some are better than the others but take some time to go through them.  Photo byutnapistim 1.Wimdu Wimdu prides itself for being all over the place. With 35,000 properties in 103 countries, it has good reason to. From single beds to entire properties, Wimdu has it all. If you can't find it here, you would be hardpressed to find it anywhere else. What makes Wimdu stand among competition is its clearly laid out property photos, availability by means of a calender, location on Google Map, list of amenities and House Rules. The best thing of all, you can just type in your question to the host directly on the property page itself and click on the Contact Me button. Presto! It's that easy. 2.Crashpadder While the layout is a tad less appealing than Wimdu, Crashpadder has thousands of "pads" in London. Unless I'm missing something, I can't seem to find means of contacting the hosts on Crashpadder's website though. That said, a quick search for London accommodation Crashpadder has no shortage of rooms that goes for less than £50 per night. Right now, it even has an entire section dedicated to London Olympics 2012. Now we are talking! 3.One Fine Stay As the name suggests, One Fine Stay is for those who prefer to live in style. The word "Class" screams out loud as I surf through One Fine Stay website. A four bedroom Georgian Townhouse in the middle of Marylebone, a pied-a-terre in Mayfair or a designer one bedroom above the clubs in Leicester Square. Well, you get the idea. 4.Roomomara Two things stand out for Roomomara: it allows express booking (immediate confirmation) for most properties and a long list of perks that Roomorama's members enjoy. These include handy discounts such as 10% off London Pass and 20% off The Original London Sightseeing Tour among others. 5.Couch Surfing This is the one to go for if you are really looking to stretch your budget. You can't go cheaper than this 'cause it's free. Think of it as the Linux of the homestay universe - it's all about exchange of cultures, experiences and perspectives. You have hosts all over the whole who open up their house asking for nothing in return other than for the opportunity to meeting someone new. However, while it sounds like a whole lot of fun, Couch Surfing also carries a certain element of risk. Just searching online for "Couch Surfing horror stories" for more on that. Regardless of which option you go for, I'm almost certain that you would be in for quite an experience. If all goes well, homestaying can be rather addicting. Enjoy! Did I miss out anything? I would love to hear your homestaying experiences!  |
| 7 Things to do in London if you have a wee bit more time - Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:35:00 +0000 |
 Photo by bixentro London's boring. You've been there, done that. Cathedrals all look the same after the first few. Museums? Blah, who'd fancy spending hours at one place?10 things to do in London? Checked. Now what? Cheer up, mate! There're loads more to do and here are a list of 7 things to do in London if you have a bit more time. 1. The Ghost Bus Tour While you can still see some Routemaster plying the number 9 route across London, all have been replaced by larger and wider buses. The only reminder of the Routemaster's legacy is the trademark red colour. Even that, I suspect is more of a necessity (you can see red from a further distance) than not. Regardless, Londoners will always have a soft spot for The Routemaster and everyone loves a good ghost story, so why not marry those two and give yourself a good scare on the o' bus while travelling around London when the night falls?  Photo bykenjonbro The Ghost Bus Tours starts off near Trafalgar Square, go round City of London before heading to the West End and then south of Thames, and back again. Operating four days a week for most weeks, early bookings is advisable. That said, starting out at 7.30pm means that it would run right smack into London's peak night traffic. Expect some delays but rest assured that the bus crew have something up their sleeves. 2. Ripley's Believe It or Not When you're tired of having scones and tea, and would like something more outlandish, check outRipley's Believe It or Not. This global highly successful oddity franchise is filled with displays that dominate the Guinness Book of Records and much more. Think the world's tallest man, American Idol's Swarvoski crystals covered Mini Cooper, replica of Tower Bridge made of over 200,000 matchsticks, shrunken heads, well, you get the idea.  Photo by Cecil Lee Located right at the heart of Piccadilly Circus, Ripley's Believe It or Not is one destination you can easily pack in if you're in London for only awhile. 3. Jack the Ripper Tour The entrance of Tower Hill Tube station is always teeming with tourists in the evenings and with good reason too. That's when Jack the Ripper, the murderer that terrorised London in the late 1880s, comes alive again. Be led through the narrow streets of East London where the the women were slaughtered and then mutilated. London Walk'sDonald Rumbelow (author ofThe Complete Jack the Ripper) will thrill you with tales of the London in the late 19th century, much of it the Victorian England would prefer to forget. Expect blow by blow accounts of the Ripper going about his gruesome crimes, often within yards of unsuspecting passerby. 4. Underground Restaurant dining Londoner just love eating out and the capital has got no lack of brilliant restaurants (seeTop 10 Restaurants in London). But to be honest, restaurant dining does get a bit impersonal and monotonous at times.  Photo by Mark& Andrea Busse In recent years, a host of underground kitchens have taken London by storm. There are test platforms for up and coming chefs (seeThe Loft Project), food writers who decided to put their money where their mouth are (seeThe Secret Larder) and food bloggers have joined in the fray (seeMs. Marmite Lover, author of the widely acclaimed Recipes and Notes from the Underground Restaurant), not to mention those who simply adore their food (seePlusixfive). Expect great conversations and company. Great food pipping hot from the kitchen, friendly hosts, chatty fellow diners, cosy environment, what there not to love? This is something that a 12.5% service charge can't buy. 5. Thames RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) ride Ever seen those large passenger ships plying up and down the Thames blaring introductions that goes "on your right is the Tower of London and you would see the Mayor's office on the left"? Those are fine if it's your first time in London and it's all clean fun, plus you do get quite a bit of information from those hilarious commentaries.  Photo by kenjonbro But if you're gunning for something more exciting,Thames RIB Experienceis the one to go for. Imagine cutting the waves down the Thames in a high powered speedboat with James Bond music pumping in the background. Get yourdiscounted ticketsfromLastminute.com. Expect to get very wet. 6. London City Farms Fancy some quiet farm life but would irk to go too far out? Not to fret for there are a number of little farms (some just over a hectare) sprinkled all over London. It's almost intriguing how many farm animals can be packed into these minuscule "city farms" and yet have place to roam about.  Most of these farms come with lovely little cafes raise some much needed income for the farms' daily operations. Essential to the parents, they allow for the brief respite after running around with their little ones around the farm. Set aside some time for a trip down one of the city farm if possible. It'd be perfect for the kids. Here are some of the London City Farms: Freightliners City Farm- Islington Surrey Dock City Farm- South Wharf Mudchute Farm and Park - Isle of Dogs 7. Secret Cinema I'm still fascinated about how much a movie ticket costs in central London these days. You're looking at more than a tenner, which is a small fortune considering that you can watch a full production play for a few quid more. Launched in 2007,Secret Cinemahas a following in the thousands, which is kind of odd considering that press reviews can't divulge which movies have been screened and more importantly where they were screened. Small wonder that Secret Cinema's tagline isTell No One. The tickets for the once a month screening are snapped up almost the moment they are released. The only way of knowing the next screening's location and time is through registering at its website. And you don't even know which movie would be playing till it is actually screened. I'm sure you'd agree that this is far more thrilling than going to the theatre. This are just a couple of things that you can do if you've a bit of time on your hands. Have you been to any of these? How were they? Have you got any to add to the list?  |
| A Century of Olympic Posters exhibition (Canary Wharf) - a picture is worth a thousand words - Sat, 21 Jan 2012 07:53:00 +0000 |
 A Century of Olympic Posters till 2 Mar 2012 One Canada Square Nearest Tube and DLR station: Canary Wharf With Olympics 2012 less than 200 days away, Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum is holdingA Century of Olympic Postersat Canary Wharf. This exhibition that will go on till 2 Mar 2012 is held at One Canada Square (the main building whereMotor Expo was held last year). While nations are transfix on the medal tally in the once every four year sporting event, it struck me that the Olympic posters themselves tell a more enduring story. Let's be honest, how many of us can remember how many medals (if at all) your country got in the 1992 Olympics held in Barcelona? One look at the Barcelona 1992 poster (symbol of a person leaping over the Olympic rings) brought me back to the time when I was fixed on the telly as a teenager, following the various sporting events that were held halfway across the planet.  One would expect V&A to line the posters according to their year of publication. Instead, they are categorised according to specific themes that include contemporary art, symbols, diversity and regeneration. In this exhibition, you would witness the different stories that the hosting cities were trying to convey, their aspirations and hopes for the future. Do drop by if you're in the area. Definitely a worthy lunchtime pursuit. View Larger Map  |