kevinl

Been up town today.
Took the kids on the Eye and then a river cruise down to the Tower of London.
Looked around the Tower of London, not been since I was tiny.

Rained hard from when we left the house until we got in about an hour ago.

Cost £39 for the Eye , £42 to go around the Tower :scared: , £22 for the boat trip , £12 for the train (the only good value bit), £2.40 for the bus to the station which we normally walk to and takes 10 mins to walk but today it was raining hard.

Yesterday we went to Botany Bay, between Margate and Ramsgate, spent a couple of quid on petrol getting there, lovely weather great day out.

I guess my point is we only live half an hour from central London but who can afford to go and use the facilities often ?

Roll on better weather and free days out.

Kevin

Professional Princess

I know what you mean, its expensive to eat, drink and go out. I find the best day out is buying a travel card, stocking up on your own food and jumping on and off London buses that pretty much take you to every sight going.

At least the parks are free (weather permitting) and the museums are now I think.

But I dont have kids and this appears more to adults I guess.

Its always worth finding out if there are any 'city farms' if you have kids, then they can at least get to see the horses and even ride them for next to nothing.

Or if you are really pushed for cash, go to Waterloo International and point out to the Eurostar (that really does get some excited).

Shame you need to be quite rich to 'do London'.

tiredwithtwins

I did my nurse training in london, and i still miss it!!!! (i moved back to sheffield in 1991!!!)

Perthforme

I go to the big smoke once or twice a year for shopping and stuff but thats it its stinks there you come back all dirty and sweaty !
My mates in Sydney are the same the came down to the city to see us last year and that was the only reason to go into the city for them, it was the 1st time they had been into town since i was there 2 years b4 .

Elvira

London is home, and I miss it terribly.

You've picked some very expensive activities...

Bus pass £3, most museums + art galleries = free, Proms = £4, standing tickets at the opera = £8, National Theatre Travelex tickets = £10, best parks in the world = free, beautiful buildings to look at everywhere = free.

kevinl

Yes, some things are free.
the museums are free upto a point, the science museum is free to see the static exhibits but the interactive i-shows and so on cost an arm and a leg.
The parks and open spaces, the beaches are great.
The weather is not predictable though and if you arrange time off, as I have this week, you want to do something when it rains all day and that costs.
The eye is a business and therefore I can understand the cost, whether the eyesore that it is justifies what it brings is another matter.
The Tower of London though at £42 for a family of 4, when as tax payers we have already paid for it, is pretty poor value.

I am a Londoner, always have been but I think people that live in London feel less and less of a link and it makes it easier to make the break.

Did try to add a picture from the eye looking over the city but I couldn't get it to work.
Does anyone know the max size for a pic?
Took it with me new fangled camera and it is 3.5mb.

Kevin

Flutterscutter

I miss the real buzz of being in London sometimes, i guess thats why i am really excited about moving to Sydney. I need a bit of urban adreniline
Lived most of my life in London (very close to where professional princess is)
When i left, i swore i never wanted to live in a big city again, but i was wrong!
You can take the girl out of the city, but you cant take the city out of the girl.

I guess i'm pretty mixed up and confused. I thought i wanted a quiet rural existence. I think i do sometimes, but not having the conveniences of city life and the "open 24hrs" community, i sometimes suffer as i'm a night owl.

But the great thing about my life these days, is the ability to change my mind as often as i like and just go for it. We are very lucky. No kids or tires to anywhere. If i get fed up with the city we can just as easily move on again.

I do get a bit fed up when people slag off London. I find its usually those who have done no more than a quick tourist trip from up north (or wherever) Yes, its big, noisy, fast blah blah blah, but hey, name a city on this planet that isnt!!

Megalania

Dubbo City

Elvira

Forgot to add: the whole atmosphere, and simply 'being there'... priceless!!!

TrickyTree

Dont really miss London its more Nottingham that I miss.....great city.

Dont worry you can go through the cash just as quick in Oz the other half had a day at dreamworld with the girls cost her $60 just to get through the door and seaworld down the road is exactly the same price. Not all free beer and honey in this land.

jad n rich

Agree with that for us its 2 adults @$60 each and the kids are $38 each, total $196, kids under 3 are free, shoppadockets often discount in winter but ours want to go when its warm enough to waterslide.

Australia zoo family pass $109

I fancied the sydney harbour bridge climb, $225 an adult :scared: and $175 a kid or $800 a family :scared: Think it was a bit cheaper not on the weekend.

Ekka last weekend $45 to get in, lovely then we spent another $150 on rides, kids only 2 each, a showbag each and a bit of food.

Roll on summer, its too hot to do most of that stuff and all they want is too surf, free free free

ozzieeagle

I'm still trying to work out, How to go to the Gold Coast and avoid taking the family to all bloody 4 theme parks. It's not the price, It's the wasted 4 bloody days lol.

Last time I went It took me 5 days before I managed to get a stroll into the local beach, and what a feast for the eyes that was. I was spewing at the wasted time. Plus all that "local Entertainment" was free.

Next time we go up there, I'm putting my foot down, and only doing 1 and perhaps under great sufferance 2 theme parks. They actually now put me off of going up there.

Bloody expensive beer in theme parks as well dammit.

kevinl

London In August.
Have reduced the pic right down so may not look great.

kevinl

Don't get me wrong, we did have a good day out but how often do you need to go ?
The weather made it very difficult, trying to keep a 5 and 8 year old dry.

Always lived 20 mins to half an hour from central London, can't ever say have felt that excited by being in the city.
Yes some great buildings, museums , parks and galleries if you like queuing and don't mind feeling nice and grubby when you get home.

I don't know about a buzz in the city more of a feeling of menace in my opinion.

Venice, now that has atmosphere and a buzz and they haven't ruined the skyline with eyesore buildings.

Anyway off to Whitstable to eat cockles and whelks in the rain.

Kevin

kirsty&al

These don't sound like the prices for family tickets (or were you saying that kevin should have gone on his own)

A