London is said to be one of the most expensive cities in the world. It is also, for me, the single most fascinating city in the world. It may cost some people a fortune, but it is still London.

Exploring and enjoying London does not have to be as pricey as many people find it. I travel there frequently. I know the city like the back of my hand. Following my advice in this guide will, I hope, give you some the tips and tricks to have a great time in a great city without spending a great deal of money.

As airline retirees, we travel cheaply. No reason to spoil that by spending too much money when we actually arrive some place.

Basic facts:
Money:

    The exchange rate as of early 2011, was around $1.50 to the pound. As recently as two years ago, the exchange rate was $2 to the pound. That means now is a pretty good time to go to the UK. That’s a drop of more than 30 percent in your costs. There is some advantage, after all, to the worldwide economic slump.

In essence, the previous exchange rate meant you could work out the costs of things pretty easily. When $2 equaled one pound, you’d simply double the pound figure to get the dollar figure. It’s going to be more difficult to figure out the exchange rate now. But things will be much cheaper.

Don't worry about changing dollars into pounds before you go. My policy is simply to take my bank ATM card and use it in Britain to take money out of my US account in pounds. That way you get the best possible daily exchange rate and a record of what you are spending. You may have to clear with your bank before you go that you are going to do this.

Above all: If you do choose to exchange dollars into pounds once you are in the UK, do not use the bureaux de change places that are in every tourist area; you will get a lousy exchange rate. Go to a real bank and exchange your money there.

Hoard your money. Spend wisely. Do not buy ice cream from street vendors. If you want an ice cream, buy it from a shop. Do not stop for coffee at one of the many sidewalk coffee shops – instead go into a department store and find the café there. It will be much cheaper. And that’s of course, only if you really, really need to have a coffee.

Restaurants can be outrageously expensive in London when you factor in the exchange rate. Avoid them unless really, really necessary.

Instead, if you are out and you need lunch, buy a sandwich, drink and other stuff from one of the many express supermarkets that are everywhere. Well-known chains are Tesco, Sainsbury’s and the wonderful Marks and Spencer department stores. All these stores have take-away counters with terrific selections of sandwiches, yogurts, fruit and snacks catering for the London crowds. Grab something at one of these places and find a nice bench in one of the parks for your lunch. Don’t forget your free plastic spoons and forks.

For breakfast and dinner (and I am assuming you will be staying at a hostel – more on that later), buy food from a supermarket – Tesco, Sainsbury’s Marks and Spencer and others – and cook it in the kitchen at the hostel. If you team up with other travelers to buy food and cook, you can do this pretty damned cheaply.

If you must go to a restaurant, your best bets in London are pubs and the ubiquitous Indian restaurants – good food and good value. A number of the Indian restaurants offer buffets for what in London passes as reasonable prices.

Do not get swept up in the idea of eating fish and chips: Once upon a time that may have been a cheap and cheerful urban peasant treat. These days most fish and chip shops in the central area are geared to soak foreign tourists who really want the true London experience. You’ll pay through the nose for this.

I am assuming in the foregoing that you will be in central London. In the far-flung suburbs, you can find reasonably cheapish restaurants, including fish and chip shops. London has many ethnic areas and restaurants, of course, vary by the area. In Turkish and Greek Cypriot suburbs you can find many kebab shops that offer good quantity food for just a few pounds.

In a pinch, of course, if you want to be an ugly American, there are always McDonalds and suchlike places on every street. You know what you’re getting, after all. There’s a reason they are popular.

It may be a statement of the obvious, but always check prices before you order. You may be startled at the cost of things and want to find somewhere cheaper. This goes for shops as well as restaurants.

A key point: In Britain, the price is what it says. There is no tax added on afterwards as in the US. The tax is already figured into the price.

Getting around:

Public transport is widespread and easy, but single journeys can be expensive.  On the other side of the coin, the city is a wondrous place for walking. Walk everywhere – as much as you can. Walking and seeing the sights is part of the joy of London: the people, the shops, the historical buildings, the parks, the pubs, the cafes.

London has, of course, an extensive subway system, known by everybody as the Tube – because the trains squeeze through tunnels like toothpaste through a …. get it? You might want to take this for fast journeys from one side of town to the other but chances are you’ll spend a lot of time puzzling out maps of how to get there. Best bet is probably to avoid the Tube – unless you really, really have to use it. If you do think you will be using the Tube, get yourself a free system map from one of the stations before you have to use it. Study it well and then you will need less time finding your way around when you are ready to go. Remember: London is vast.

Buses are your best bet for foreign visitors for getting around town. Many of them are the familiar double-decker buses that Vegas now has on the Strip. From the top deck you’ll have a terrific view of the world rushing by you outside. The buses are also cheaper than the Tube. You can buy a daily bus pass for about three pounds that will allow you to hop off and off all buses all over town for 24 hours. You can buy the bus pass at any Tube station or from the little machines next to most bus stops. You also could buy them from the small shops dotted around town that carry signs in the window saying something like: Bus passes sold here.

If you are traveling mostly by bus, invest in a map of the central city that shows the bus routes. While it is fun to get lost in London, you do not want to get too lost. You want to have some vague idea of where you are.

If you want to travel around town with a combination of bus and Tube, you can buy travel passes for doing that. You can buy one-day or several day passes at any Tube station ticket office. The agent can explain prices and deals available.

Also available for longer stays in London is what is called an Oyster pass. This, too, is available at Tube ticket offices. The Oyster card allows you to board any and all buses and Tube trains and use the card until your money runs out. You touch the card to a special strip as you board. You can top it up with money at any ticket office.

Whatever you do, do not take the Tube for a single journey and pay for a single journey. That will cost – horrifyingly – about four pounds ($6-8 depending upon the exchange rate). The whole system is geared to get people to use passes and not to pay by the single journey.

Getting there:

US Airways flies  to both of London’s two intercontinental airports: Gatwick (LGW) and Heathrow (LHR). It is a measure of London’s vastness and the complexity of travel to and from the city that it has five major airports and plans for a sixth. You do not need to worry about Luton, Stansted, or City airports unless you are planning on flying elsewhere in the UK or Europe from London.

Either airport is just fine for flying to London. The only reason you might pick Heathrow or Gatwick over the other is because you are staying in a particular suburb or country district outside London. Gatwick is to the south of the urban area; Heathrow is to the west. If you are going to be in Central London – which you probably will be – then pick your airport depending upon load factors and timing of the flights. Either is good.

Getting into the city from the airport:

From Gatwick:
Gatwick is served by a fast train from a station directly under the airport to the major Victoria train station in central London. The National Express bus company also has frequent service from the airport to Victoria coach station, which is right beside the train station in the city.

Cost is the factor here: A train ticket will cost about 11 pounds; a bus ticket will cost about 5 pounds. That's if you make sure you asked for, and got, the senior discount -- over 62.

I recommend you take the bus. You will see more of the city, anyway, as it takes you to downtown. It is not appreciably slower than the train.

You might have to book on line for the bus before you arrive. On the web, go to www.nationalexpress.co.uk

Once you are at Victoria coach or train station, you will need to make your way to your accommodation. This is where you board the bus or the Tube.

From Heathrow:
Heathrow is a wee bit closer to the central city than Gatwick. As a consequence, it is on the Tube line. If you choose to fly into Heathrow, you probably will find the Tube your best bet for getting into the city. Signs to the Tube station (officially called the Underground) are posted all over the airport.

Once again, before you board a train you should consult a Tube map – available free at the ticket office -- and be certain that you know which stop to get off. The Tube system has many different lines. Heathrow Airport is on the Piccadilly line, which is shown on the map in blue. The Piccadilly line will take you right into the heart of the city – to Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square and other downtown stations – without your having to change lines. But it is quick and easy to change lines if you need do that. Once again, do not get on the Tube until you have studied a map and are confident you know where you are going. Also, in general, Brits are very helpful. Do not hesitate to ask someone for help and information.

Accommodation:

Your major expense in London, of course, will be accommodation. Hotels in this city can be among the priciest in the world. Even the cheapest – by London standards – fleapit hotel with bathroom down the hall will cost about 50 pounds (bad exchange rate: $100 a night). The answer, then, is not to stay at hotels.

London has many, many hostels – as do most major cities these days. Staying at hostels is a fairly recent development for many Americans, but it has been a tradition for young Australians and other world travelers for many years. I have enjoyed staying at hostels around the world for more than 40 years. Even in cities where I can afford hotels, my wife and I sometimes prefer hostels. Why? Because in a hotel you are locked in your own room and never get to make friends with other travelers. In a hostel, most things are communal and you often are thrown together with other travelers. You make friends easily. You can join up with people to wander around town together. You can share in a food kitty that makes it cheaper for everyone.

What is a hostel?
A hostel is cheap, comfortable but simple accommodation for travelers. Most will offer dorms with bunk beds and private showers. Some hostels have separate dorms for males and females; some offer coed dorms geared for couples traveling together. You must learn that privacy is a movable feast. Some hostels, though, do offer private rooms. Of course the cost of private rooms will approach that of private rooms in “cheap” hotels. Most hostels have kitchens and kitchen equipment that you can use for your meals. Most also have a lounge, or chill-out room, where you can watch TV, read, hang around, and meet and talk with other travelers.

You will find hostels to be incredibly cheaper than hotels. Where, as I said before, even the cheapest London hotel room will run you around $100, you can find a hostel bed in the city as cheap as $17. That is a powerful inducement.

How to find hostels:
A number of websites exist to help travelers find and book hostels. My favorite is www.hostelworld.com But others include www.hostels.com www.hostelz.com www.gomio.com.

Go to the website, follow the directions to find London hostels and review them. You will find details on what each offers, how much a bed might be, and what availability there is for the nights you need.

Some of the hostels in London that I recommend:

• ·      Journey’s at Lambeth: Cheap, cheerful and an easy walk from all the major tourist attractions that you might want to see. Just across the river from Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and very near the London Eye.

• ·      Journey’s at King’s Cross: On the northern fringes of the downtown area, right by King’s Cross Tube station. Cheap, cheerful and a pleasant walk down through Bloomsbury to the central city. (Both Journey’s provide a continental breakfast to guests.)

• ·     St. Christopher’s Inn: A bit off the beaten track. Upstairs from a pub in the thriving district of Camden Town. It is not far from the very interesting Camden Market, where you really see bohemian London. Camden Town and Mornington Crescent Tube stations are nearby. But the hostel is a pleasant enough walk to the central city – about two miles. St. Christopher's also has other inns scattered around town.

• ·      Meininger’s: This place is very central. It is right next door to a couple of the major huge museums and not far from Buckingham Palace. It is not Buckingham Palace, but as a hostel it is first class. You’ll get a fantastic continental breakfast as part of the deal with loads of stuff to eat. It is a bit pricier than some of the others, but highly recommended.

There are, of course, many others. Check out the hostel sites.

What to see and do:

London has far too much to see and do for me to write too much here. Your best bet – it goes almost without saying – is to have a good guidebook. Here’s a tip: Go to the library and take out a copy of the Lonely Planet guide to London a couple of days before you leave. Read through it, read through it again on the plane. Then use it as a valuable resource when you are in London. And don’t forget to take it back to the library when you come home.

All of that said, here’s some good free stuff:

• Watching the Changing of the Guard every morning at 11 outside Buckingham Palace.

• Wandering through Harrod’s department store, as well as wandering along Oxford Street, the main shopping street of the central city, and its intersecting streets;

• Standing at Piccadilly Circus and people watching. There’s a saying that if you stand there long enough, everyone in the world will wander by;

• Walking along the River Thames embankment on the south side;

• Strolling through the connecting parks, Hyde Park, Green Park, St. James’s Park, Kensington Gardens;

• Going to the museums – the British Museum, the Science Museum, the National Gallery of Art; the National Portrait Gallery;

• Just wandering the streets, watching the people, looking up at the buildings for blue plaques that tell you the historical things that happened there;

• Going to the street markets: Petticoat Lane, Portobello Road, Chapel Market, Camden Market.

And lots of other stuff.

Have fun. Email me if you want to know more stuff. I love the city. I’m eager to help in any way I can.

Bernard Hunt