Travelling is supposed to be fun. However, some people end up frustrated after traveling for many hours or days. How can you feel lost in a foreign country and have no one to turn to? No one deserves to go through such an experience.
London is one of the most-visited cities in the world. Some of the major attractions include Big Ben, the Tower of London, and the British Museum, to mention a few.
However, the city of London can be overwhelming and intimidating if you do not understand it well. Here are some of the common mistakes to avoid while visiting London.
Not doing enough research
London is a big city that covers an area of over 600 sq mi, and more than 8.9 million people call it home. It could take you weeks or even months if you were to visit every attraction in this city.
Making the internet your best friend can be the first approach to ensure that you understand the place. It will thus be easy to make a list of some of the areas you will visit while in this amazing city.
It even becomes trickier if you want to attend some of the major festivals in this city. Some of the big festivals in this city include the British Summer Time, London Yoruba Festivals, South West Four, New Year’s Parade, the Great British Beer Festival, Citadel, and Taste of London, to mention a few. Timing is also essential if you want to attend great events such as the London Marathon.
Tip: If you do not plan to attend one of London’s major festivals, it’s advised that you plan around it.
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Not planning your travel
This is one of the world’s busiest cities, where everyone seems to be in a rush. It is easy to get lost in London. Moving from one place to another can be a hustle if you do not know your way around.
You may not even understand the traffic rules in this city and may end up on the bad side of the law. You may also find yourself wasting a lot of time in traffic as you use the wrong routes.
The beauty of this city is that there are services for coach hire in London. You will thus be assured that such a coach will describe all the sites you need to visit and have a good time.
The choice of the coach will depend on the areas that you want to visit. Getting someone who understands your language is essential if you don’t speak English.
Tip: Map out a loose itinerary each day and focus on a specific part of London hitting everything in that area before moving on.
Paying for everything
Travelling can be expensive as most of the sites have an entry fee and other associated charges. You may end up home with empty pockets. Paying entry fees is not bad, but some sites might be beyond your budget.
London has many sites that you can visit for free and still have a good time. A good example is the British Museum, where you can learn about the culture of the Britons.
Read More: 11 FREE Things to Do in London
Some of the parks where you can enjoy some free breeze include Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Richmond Park, St. James Park, and Bushy Park.
There are hundreds of malls and markets where you can enjoy some window shopping and experience the touch of London. Other free attractions include the National Gallery and the Tate Modern. You can also visit the nearby city of Greenwich and spend some time at the National Maritime Museum.
Explore London
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Being too rigid
We already highlighted that you need a travel plan before you visit a big city like London. You may have planned to visit several sites during your stay in London.
However, that does not mean that you should not allow yourself to wander and experience some new sites. If you find one of your attractions is longer operational, do you spend that day indoors? You can always look for substitute sites and have moments of your life.
Be ready to learn the ways of the British even if you are from worlds apart. Such an approach will make it easy to interact with the residents and have a good time. Do not have a fixed budget but carry some money on the side to cater for miscellaneous expenses. You can even change your hotel room if you feel that the current booking does not fit your needs.
Avoiding some of the above mistakes will make your London travel enjoyable, irrespective of whether you are traveling for business or recreation. Book that hotel room early and ensure that you get a virtual tour and see what to expect. It even gets better if you get a travel partner that makes your moves swift.
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