48 Hours in London

Each time I go, I try to visit some new places, as well as re-visit favorite haunts. My favorite side trip from London is Brighton: I try to go there for a day each time I visit London.

Quick Tips:

I don't always want to take the tube from Heathrow into the city, so I'll sometimes take a cab. The traditional London black cabs are really pricey, but here's a cheaper alternative. Call Marylebone Cars Ltd. from the USA, tell them when you are arriving (day, time, flight) and they will meet you at the airport and take you into the city for less than a black cab. Dial 011-44-171-722-2700 from the USA. You get the convenience and comfort of a cab versus the tube, but at about 1/3 the cost of the black cabs.

Best Way To Get Around:

London's Underground, or "tube" is a quick, inexpensive way to get around the city; I usually buy a visitor's pass (buy these before you leave home) and get more bang for my buck.

Tube: Euston-less than 10 minutes from Euston Station. I know the price doesn''t seem like much of a bargain, but in pricey London, it really is. As I travel solo, I am (depending on currency fluctuations and the like) able to get a single with private bath for $100, sometimes a bit less. The price includes all taxes and daily English breakfast. Furnishings are bright and cheerful, and rooms are equipped with hairdryers and coffee/tea-making facilities. The tasty (and filling!) English breakfast is served in a cheery basement room with pink table linens. Just outside the breakfast room is a pleasant lounge area where guests can relax. Unlike some other smaller hotels in the area, the Mabledon Court does have an elevator. NOTE: I prefer rooms facing the garden at the back.

Tube: Euston
The Great Nepalese is tucked a few blocks off Euston Road, just down from Euston Station. This is a small place, with tables crowded close together, and not much ambiance. The service is friendly and attentive, and the cost shouldn't break your budget. The food is a mix of traditional Indian and Nepalese dishes, and they do some very nice nans here.

Tube: Euston. This is my favorite London pub, both for dining and just enjoying a pint or two. The crowd seems a mix of locals, tourists staying nearby, and business people passing through on their way home after work. The menu features such pub fare as bangers and mash, fish and chips, and curries. I had the bangers and chips, and loved it; makes my mouth water just writing this!! Wash it down with a few pints (I prefer Stella Artois, even though it's not British), have a chat with the local or the friendly bar staff, and you'll spend a most enjoyable evening.

Tube: Archway. Be prepared for a lot of walking if you visit Highgate, as the tube is not exactly close to the cemetery. If you ask at the tube station, you should be able to get directions and a map (although I'm not sure whether the map helped more or hindered!). Once you get there, you may only be able to see the Eastern cemetery, as the Western cemetery is shown on a guided tour, and I believe these are available only in the summer. You can guide yourself through the Eastern cemetery: stop and get a map at the entrance. The fee is about $3, and it's an extra $3 for a permit to take photographs. Please note, however, that depending on the size and type of camera you have you may be prohibited from taking pictures; this is solely at the wardens' discretion. Highgate is still in use, but I found it peaceful and relatively deserted on a Sunday morning. It was interesting to wander down the paths and read the various inscriptions and see the way flowers and other vegetation had been able to overrun some of the tombstones. Visitors to the Eastern cemetery shouldn't miss the grave of Karl Marx (1818-1883), father of Marxist philosophy.

Tube: Camden Town. On the weekend, this market is crowded with primarily young people looking through the stalls for bargains. There are an abundance of stalls with clothing - a few featuring vintage clothing - along with leather goods, and various odds and ends. While I initially went searching for a bargain, I found it more interesting just to people-watch.