# London-Area Dopers: I'll be visiting in mid-October **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 8, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981 "2007-10-08T19:22:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/1 "2007-10-08T19:22:05Z")
I’m traveling over to London from October 18th to the 22nd to hang out and see the sights (I’m trying to make my sleeping accommodations as I type this). Would anyone— **glee** , **tirial** , **Malacandra** , anyone else—but up for a mini-Dopefest on one of those nights? ---
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/2 "2007-10-08T21:00:08Z")
I could be interested although the weekend is out. Whereabouts were you thinking? ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/3 "2007-10-09T00:00:55Z")
Not sure; I’d be open to suggestions. I’ve never been there before, and I’ll be staying around Kensington. I get in Thursday afternoon, so that night or Friday would work well. ---
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/4 "2007-10-09T00:08:30Z")
Well I could use a change of scenery and I always like a wander around the city. We could make friday a little DopeTour around London? Gather fellow dopers if and when they come along? So why the trip to London if you don’t mind me asking? ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/5 "2007-10-09T02:53:57Z")
Sounds good to me. You can reach me at the e-mail in my profile. The trip to London is purely and simply a vacation. I’m between jobs and have never been to Europe, so I decided to go for a couple of weeks. 🙂 I leave tomorrow for Prague, then Budapest, then London (and Germany and probably Italy after that). I also wouldn’t mind some restaurant recommendations, if you wanted to send 'em along. 🙂 Upscale, casual…as long as it’s tasty! ---
**Author:** ![tirial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@tirial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tirial)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/6 "2007-10-09T09:34:14Z")
I’d be up for it, barring act-of-work (or act-of-London-Transport). Which area of London were you aiming for? [QUOTE=Gadarene] I also wouldn’t mind some restaurant recommendations, if you wanted to send 'em along. 🙂 Upscale, casual…as long as it’s tasty! [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/7 "2007-10-09T10:27:43Z")
My half-term starts on Saturday, so I’d like to turn up for some of the weekend! 🆒 I haven’t lived in London for 17 years (but still have 33 years of capital residence under my belt :eek: ). I will try to sort out my travel and accomdation, which will be probably be in North London. However I am a Tube (=London Underground) expert, so can get anywhere in London easily. Apparently there is a travel card called [Oyster](http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/oysteronline/2732.aspx), which is the cheapest way to use public transport (tube / bus) around London. There are [open-topped buses](http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/08/18/video_bustour_feature.shtml) with commentary, plus [river boat trips](http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/10/06/london_videos_feature.shtml). Of course we will have to arrange a trip in a London taxi too, since those guys really know London (they spend years learning [‘The Knowledge’)](http://www.the-knowledge.org.uk/main/): ‘For would be All London or ‘Green Badge’ holders, this means that they need to have a detailed knowledge of London within a six mile radius of Charing Cross. This is based on 320 routes (or ‘runs’) as set out in the Public Carriage Office “Guide to Learning the Knowledge of London” (the ‘Blue Book’)They also need to know the places of interest and important landmarks on the route and within a quarter mile radius of both start and finish points.’ I don’t have current restaurant knowledge :o , but there are literally thousands to choose from. There are particular clusters near [Piccadilly Circus](http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/10/06/london_videos_feature.shtml), including [Chinatown](http://www.the-knowledge.org.uk/main/). Sadly food will be expensive (it’s those tourists, you know!). Some good stuff to see: Tower of London [London Eye](http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2004/08/17/360_londoneyevideo_feature.shtml) [Globe Theatre](http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/) Museums (most near Kensington) [Trafalgar Square](http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/10/06/london_videos_feature.shtml) Harrods ---
**Author:** ![tirial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@tirial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tirial)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/8 "2007-10-09T10:39:32Z")
If you are heading out into the outskirts, you are better off with a travelcard than an oyster card, as a lot of the smaller stations don’t take oyster. Oyster is usually pay-as-you-go [(more details)](http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresandtickets/1067.aspx) . There’s more information on travelcards here: [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresandtickets/1055.aspx](http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresandtickets/1055.aspx) Depending on how long you want to spend in London you might want to look into the [London Pass](http://www.londonpass.com/index_transport.asp?ref=ppc014&gclid=CJjZsPTNgY8CFQrllAod11gxuw) - I haven’t used one myself, but friends said they found it useful. Free travel, and free entry at a lot of places. Edited to add: there are a lot of good restaurants around - anything in particular you are looking for? (Docklands has a few, but the outdoor ones aren’t so great in October…) ---
**Author:** ![Corporal\_Nobbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Corporal\_Nobbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corporal_Nobbs)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/9 "2007-10-09T17:09:12Z")
I’m in London over the weekend, saturday till monday. My ship is mooring on the Thames at Greenwich having brough 300 sea cadets to the capital for reasons that escape me. So anyone in the area who spots a huge grey ship, join the crew in hoping for shore leave on the sunday! ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/10 "2007-10-10T10:05:58Z")
I should be able to state whether I can make it soon. (It all hinges on one friend being able to provide accomodation…) ---
**Author:** ![CatInASuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@CatInASuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatInASuit)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/11 "2007-10-10T18:24:08Z")
**Gaderene** , I would be interesting in joining in the festivites for a night. After all, your Mafia game is the reason I am currently playing in two of them at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/12 "2007-10-11T01:15:24Z")
Excellent! At least that game did some good in the world. 🙂 I apologize for not responding again to this thread before now; I’m currently in Prague and will be at various hotels/hostels here or in Budapest (and thus without a dedicated source of Internet) until I arrive in London. I’m excited that this seems to be coming together…would it be possible for you folk to pick a suitable alcohol-or-food-y meeting place for Friday and post it in this thread, in the likely event that I’ll be unable to participate meaningfully in the decision-making process? And then I’ll show up wherever you tell me to, and we can go from there. 🙂 As a reference point, both of my hotels in London are in the Kensington area, but I’m pretty sure I can figure out the Underground well enough to meet you folk anywhere reasonably convenient in the greater London metropolitan area. I’m looking forward to it…I’m travelling completely on my own, so this will be a nice change of pace. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/13 "2007-10-11T01:17:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Edited to add: there are a lot of good restaurants around - anything in particular you are looking for? (Docklands has a few, but the outdoor ones aren’t so great in October…) I’d love something interesting and modern, cuisine-wise, without a bill that breaks the bank. If such a creature exists. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/14 "2007-10-11T08:35:49Z")
Thanks for the invite, **Gad** , but it’s most unlikely I’ll make it what with one thing and another. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GomiBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@GomiBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GomiBoy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/15 "2007-10-11T16:53:23Z")
\ Scratch that - I’ll make a suggestion. My local pub, a ‘Country Pub in London’ called the Telegraph in Putney. not too far from Kensington, although my friends from Islington continually bitch about having to visit on stop short of Brighton on the District Line to see me. Anybody in? ---
**Author:** ![GomiBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@GomiBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GomiBoy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/16 "2007-10-11T17:23:57Z")
[QUOTE=GomiBoy] \ Scratch that - I’ll make a suggestion. My local pub, a ‘Country Pub in London’ called the Telegraph in Putney. not too far from Kensington, although my friends from Islington continually bitch about having to visit on stop short of Brighton on the District Line to see me. Anybody in? [/QUOTE] Oh, and they have great, not-break-the-bank but darn good, food. ---
**Author:** ![CatInASuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@CatInASuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatInASuit)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/17 "2007-10-11T17:38:01Z")
[QUOTE=GomiBoy] \ Scratch that - I’ll make a suggestion. My local pub, a ‘Country Pub in London’ called the Telegraph in Putney. not too far from Kensington, although my friends from Islington continually bitch about having to visit on stop short of Brighton on the District Line to see me. Anybody in? [/QUOTE] How easy is it to get to on Public transport? Nearest tube/bus stop? ---
**Author:** ![tirial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@tirial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tirial)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/18 "2007-10-12T10:30:53Z")
[QUOTE=CatInASuit] How easy is it to get to on Public transport? Nearest tube/bus stop? [/QUOTE] **GomiBoy** , is this the place [here?](http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/43/4390/Telegraph_Inn/Putney_Heath) ---
**Author:** ![GomiBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@GomiBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GomiBoy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/19 "2007-10-12T11:39:56Z")
[QUOTE=tirial] **GomiBoy** , is this the place [here?](http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/43/4390/Telegraph_Inn/Putney_Heath) [/QUOTE] Yup. Easiest public transport is on the District Line to Wimbledon, get off at East Putney, walk to Putney High Street, then take the #14 bus to the Green Man pub, walk up wildcroft road and it’s at the top. Alternative is to take British Rail to Putney mainline station and do the same from there. It’s a nice pub 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981/20 "2007-10-13T21:25:26Z")
Sounds good to me. 🙂 What time on Friday? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-area-dopers-ill-be-visiting-in-mid-october/421981.md?page=2)