Free walks around East London

Newham Council have developed four free local audio walking tours around east London.

http://www.newham.com/page/attractions/walk_green_street_walk_royal_docks_walk_stratford_walk_three_mills/386,10,0,0,0.html

Perhaps worth doing before it gets too much like a building site out there, what with the olympic developments going on.

Free Aboriginal artist exhibition

The October Gallery is holding an exhibition this month from the 11th of September to 11th of October.

SAMANTHA HOBSON: Our life ... is land ... is culture At 27, Samantha Hobson is one of a handful of young celebrated Aboriginal artists exhibiting widely both in her native Australia and overseas.

Fitzroy House open for visits

Fitzrovia dates back to the 18th century and has been for many years well known for its writers and artists. From H.G. Wells and George Orwell, to Charles Dickens and Virginia Woolf - its inhabitants have left an indelible mark.

Although it is well known that the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw resided in Fitzroy Square, it is a lesser-known fact that he also lived with his mother on the 1st floor of 37 Fitzroy Street from 1881-1882.

75 years later, writer and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard made 37 Fitzroy Street his London base. Ron Hubbard wrote many of his best-known works whilst in London.

With a number of New York Times Bestellers and the Guinness Book of World Records Title for most published author, he is one of the most prolific writers of his time.

However, Ron Hubbard cannot be so simply categorised. Whilst first and foremost a writer, he worked as a professional in over two dozen fields including photography, horticulture, sea captaining, music making and exploration.

All this was in addition to his work in the humanitarian fields of drug rehabilitation, criminal reform and education.

You are welcome to visit Fitzroy House.

It is open to the public by appointment daily. info@fitzroyhouse.org, www.fitzroyhouse.org

Bodies under streets and wheels in the air

Thought these two recent announcements might be worth sharing.

Firstly, the Museum of London and the Times news have worked together to create a map showing places in central London where there are skeletons still buried.

Its a fascinating map and you can zoom into certain areas. No signs of any body parts, though the article claims that some of the bones will be put on display soon as part of the Wellcome Collection.

Not sure if that is the same collection that resides in the Science Museum, but the exhibition opens in late July and runs until September.

Another recent announcement is the opening of the big ferris wheel in Greenwich.

Unfortunately its only open over the summer, and unfortunately like the London Eye, its not free. However, apparently its been put up to provide tourists with something to do while the Cutty Sark is being renovated.

A couple of ideas for things to do over the summer, then......

Jack the Ripper files to go on public display

For those interested in Jack the Ripper, the police files and related pieces of evidence are to go on public display from May 2008 at the Museum in Docklands.

More about it here.

Upcoming Events

This time of year, I receive lots of emails from people asking me for tips on what to do in London over the christmas / new year period.

Here's a website which might be of use. It's called Upcoming.

Simply go to it and search for London, England (under "where?").

London's winter fair

This weekend, the annual Bankside Frost Fair is happening down alongside the Thames near Shakespeare's Globe. 400 years since it was first held, its really worth checking out and of course its free.

Its been running for the past 5 years and seems to get busier every year. Last year they had reindeers for the kids - wonder what the special attraction will be this year.

here's more about it

Great museum - shame it isn't free

It was great to see that the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden has finally re-opened.

I remember visiting it many years ago and if its as good now as it was back then, its definitely a great day out especially if you have kids, big or small.

Unfortunately, its £8 for adults to enter, though kids are free.

Most of London's other major museums are free (Museum of London, British Museum and so on), though some do invite entry fee "donations". Its a shame that they all aren't.

But I'll probably try to make time to visit the new-look Transport Museum anyway as it does look quite good.

Bunhill Fields

I only discovered this wonderful place earlier this year when my new job took me to a different part of London.

And what a great find it is.

Part old burial ground dating back to Saxon times (though most of the remaining graves are from the mid 1700's onwards), it sits nestled behind some busy roads and tall buildings at the northern end of the City and is a lovely place to relax and enjoy your lunchbreak.

And of course its all free to enter.

Famous people buried in the graveyard include the nonconformists, William Blake, John Bunyan and Daniel Defoe.

Find out more about Bunhill Fields on the City of London's website.

Certainly worth a visit if you are in the area and looking for somewhere quiet to relax.

A scooter commuter

Earlier this year I changed jobs.

And so, dreading the prospect of travelling for at least an hour each way by bus to my new offices, I had to find another way of making the daily commute to work. Arise, the trusty scooter.

Now I have to say that before this year, I had never so much as ridden passenger on a motorbike for over twenty years. And I had never actually ridden one alone - not even on a dusty track in the middle of nowhere.

So the thought of riding through London's rush hour traffic on a tiny scooter, amongst the buses, cyclists and trucks, was a tad nervewracking. However, in line with the age old philosophy of JFDI, I set out to give it a go.

The first thing I did was to check out whether I could legally ride one on the roads without having to have a test, given I have a car licence. And the answer was YES, provided it was a scooter of up to 50cc. There's more info on direct.gov.uk about the rules (and beware, apparently they are due to change in Oct next year.)

The next step was to buy the bike and gear. I discovered loads of places on the web, here are a few I have used.

Towerscooters where I bought my very low mileage, less than a year old piaggio for under £1000, complete with helmet and gloves. A nice family run business.

Hein Gericke I use the branch in Stockwell. They stock lots of bike clothing and gear that is well suited to scooter riders

Metropolis a good scooter shop in south London

City Bike Service great place for getting your bike serviced while you are at work, especially if you work in the city or east end.

The final bit was the trickiest - getting on and riding it. To build confidence, I did two things. I checked out the best route to take to and from work and then I practised the journey on a Sunday morning, when the Elephant and Castle roundabout was nice and quiet.

And then for about a fortnight, I rode the scooter like a car. ie. I joined and followed the line of traffic and avoided overtaking.

And now, 5 months later, I feel like a fully fledged scooter commuter, ducking in and out of traffic, zooming to the front of queues and getting to work in under 20 minutes. Brilliant!

An eventful 8 months in London

Yes, its been a long time between blog posts. But like the red cups, I'm back.

So much has changed in my life in London since I last wrote: I've started a new job with a new employer, I've taken to riding a scooter to and from work and I've become involved in setting up a Tenants and Residents Association in my local neighbourhood.

Which gives me lots of new things to write about - riding through London traffic, the highs and lows of neighbourhood politics, the area around where I now work and so on.

Throughout it all, LondonForFree has kept ticking along. And now it will have its blog back.

I hope you'll enjoy the new set of posts over the coming months.

An adventure in an NHS hospital

Hearing the usual reports in the press again about how underpaid nursing staff are and how overspent hospitals are - with huge amounts being wasted on IT projects - I thought I'd write about my adventure as an emergency patient at Kings College Hospital a few years ago.

My saga started when my doctor phoned me (yes, an NHS doctor phoned me at home) on the eve of my trip back to Sydney. She was insistent that I get myself to casualty as soon as possible. There goes the trip home for xmas, oh well.

So, eventually I got there with my partner and set myself up for a long wait. But within a few minutes, I was taken into the casualty department for assessment. (Maybe its because a friend, a department sister at Kings, intervened on my behalf and explained just how serious it was.)

And then the fun started! Firstly, the doctor had problems trying to get one of the machines to work. Until my friend suggested he plug it in - so, I guess he was no bright spark.

That bit sorted, he proceeded to test my blood pressure. Except that he fell asleep at the end of the bed. It must have been a long shift for him.

He woke up, rambled something then disappeared, leaving me and my friends sitting there. Well, me laying on the bed. Another nurse came in and asked if I could move out of the room so they could bring another patient in - a short word from my sister friend soon sorted her out.

Eventually, they decided to admit me for emergency treatment. Time for a change in friend shifts. VSO friend arrived just as I was being taken into a holding ward, where we sat and laughed as an old lady patient came along unattended, sat on the end of my bed and proceeded to wet it. Well you had to laugh or you'd cry. So we did.

The next morning, sister friend returned with food. I hadn't eaten for around 12 hours, since being admitted, and I was starving. No, I wasn't Nil by Mouth - just Nil by Catering, I guess.

It was around 16 hours between arriving in casualty and being admitted to a ward. So that's what they mean by bed shortages. And the ward was true Victoriana - from the holes in the walls to the ancient beds. Amazing. Thankfully, that ward has now been closed down.

But you know, every one of the nursing staff I was in contact with during my 3 days on the ward was brilliant. From the ward sister to the catering staff. Working in a fairly appalling environment didn't get to them at all. They actually made my experience interesting and even enjoyable. Sad, I know. But they were all so warm and cheerful.

I got into trouble for trying to help myself to coffee, and had to be careful as I negotiated with another patient to sneak out of the ward and buy me a phone card, and while trying to use my mobile phone. No, it wasn't a prison ward - for those who are wondering.

Eventually, a consultant came to see me. I happened to ask him how private health cover works as I had it through work. Suddenly I was surrounded by doctors and the next thing I know, I had all the drugs I needed and was discharged. Shame to end my adventure but at least I then made it back to Oz for xmas.

My subsequent visit to a private hospital for treatment wasn't half as memorable. Quite boring, in fact.....

So a big thanks to all the staff at Kings College Hospital, especially those whose names I never caught but whose kindness I won't forget.

London pubs

This week is Community Pubs Week in London.

Now, I love London pubs. They come in all shapes and sizes.

There are the big "converted from a bank" trendy types where there are loads of different designer beers on tap but you'd struggle for a pint of Carling, the "tiny place on the corner" drunk old man types where Carling is one of the only beers left on tap and people sit staring into their glasses and the basic "locals" where everyone knows the publican and everyone drinks Stella anyway.

Where I live, I am blessed by having a variety of pubs to choose from. I can count 10 within walking distance. Some where the food is great, some where the beer is better and some where they just get everything right (or wrong.)

I hope none of them close down - community pubs gets my vote anyday!

Its not just on Big Brother

You'd have to have been living under a rock for the past week not to have heard about Big Brother and all the racist stuff going on.

Now frankly, I detest the program and rarely watch it (and only do to remind myself how awful it is) but I'm actually surprised it has taken so long for something like this to have happened on it.

After all, they've already had blatant sexism (John McCridick a few series' ago), bizarre politicians (George Gallaway behaving like a cat) and lots of sexual stuff happening, I think some pre watershed. Racism was surely only a matter of time.

But the real issue, I think, is that it has reminded people of the fact that racism is still quite clearly a big issue in London. Jade is sadly not alone in her thinking or behaviour.

Last night I went to the local pub with a friend. Fairly crowded, a good mix of people. And into the bar walks some nutter (yes, he was a nutter). Ranting and raving at the top of his voice about doomsday, 1996 (god knows why) and then coming out with lots of highly offensive racist comments. The landlord, who happens to be black, politely ushered him out.

And the bar went silent for a few moments. I wonder if other customers were thinking the same thoughts as us - racist pig, sadly typical, and all too common.

Racism doesn't just happen in Big Brother - I see it on buses, in shops and in my workplace - even though my employer prides itself on being "diversity friendly". Some is verbal, a lot is non-verbal (body language, etc) and some is fairly subtle but its all still there.

(On my way to work, I have to pass the office of one of the merchant banks that paid out billions in bonuses to high flying city boys. Guess what colour all its doormen are. I wonder how many black people they have on their trading floors........... )

Those people who think London has tackled racism are sadly very deluded. Its out there still, alive and well.

New Year in London

Ah, new years eve. It brings back fond memories of watching the fireworks, drinking wine and then walking home in the moonlight. In Sydney.

Sadly, its just not the same in London. The weather is probably the main reason.

And prior to this year, so it seems, the fireworks in London were ...... well, pitiful is the best word to describe them. Apparently, this year things are much improved, though we have warnings of wind and rain. The weather, again.

I remember making an effort to get out and enjoy a London new year in 1999/2000. I mean, quite a memorable year to do it if ever I was going to. So there we were, a bunch of us sitting in the dark and cold on the south bank, looking out at .......... nothing. Just the Thames in front of us. In darkness. Along with around 100 other people in the immediate area.

Around midnight someone claimed they saw a flash of light, but it quickly vanished. I think it was wishful thinking on their part.

Apparently, extra effort had been put into the London new year fireworks that year - people say they were quite good but you had to be standing right near the London Eye. I think they fizzled out before they reached the south bank, a mile or so up river. Not sure if it was planned that way.

Where we were, we weren't even sure it had struck midnight. Eventually, figuring it must have, we celebrated - for me, it was as much about being able to finally go home and get warm. We walked home - in the cold and dark.

Right at this moment, the Sydney fireworks have started - see the picture above. Two hours before midnight. The Aussies sure now how to have a fireworks party and to celebrate new year. But its probably due to the weather.

Christmas Shopping

Well, I tried. After doing my best to ignore the fact that christmas was only a matter of weeks away, I decided yesterday to try and get most of my off-line shopping done in one go.

And then I chose to do it at PC World.

For those who don't know PC World in the UK, they currently run a tv advertisement claiming "Internet prices to take with you" or something like that. Internet prices maybe, but products - not always.

I selected a really good camera deal for a friend of mine which was advertised throughout the store, and proceeded to the checkout - and paid for it. Fine. All good so far.

Then the cashier advised me that I needed to find a floor walker to get the product out of the stock room for me. Anyone who has tried to find a floor walker in PC World or their sister stores, Currys and Dixons, will know that its probably easier at this point to give up and simply shop online.

After about 4 laps of the store - where I saw only one floor walker, who was being pursued by about 3 customers - I eventually caught the manager and asked him where they all were. He found me a scraggy looking chap (ok, maybe he was an undercover security guard, who knows) who quickly took my receipt and disappeared into the storeroom.

And I waited. And then waited a bit more. Seemed a long time but was probably about 10 minutes, I guess. Ample time to go to the location in the stockroom where their stocks of the product sat, and bring me one out.

Instead, out he came empty-handed. "I'm sorry, there are none left in stock", he matter-of-factly told me. "So why did you take my money at the checkout for it?" I asked.

"It's not my fault, I just went to look for the product for you and there are none there". At this point, I decided we were getting nowhere and so returned to the cashier and demanded a refund.

"I'm sorry, you will have to go to the Advice and Repairs counter" he told me. Great, another queue.

More time wasted, waiting to unpick PC World's mess. Eventually I proceeded to the counter - only to be told that actually there were only two tills for the three assistants, and a customer was in discussions in front of one. So I would have to wait until they were finished.

And so I lost my temper. He quickly moved the non-buying customer aside and then studied my receipt like it was in ancient Greek. So I lost my temper again.

Eventually I received a "refund" - well, can it be called a refund for a product you never even took delivery of? Don't know - but I do know I won't be going back to PC World again in a hurry.

Icons of England

Yes, the list of English icons has been updated again. Now we have the likes of Winnie the Pooh, the V for Victory hand signal and ............... the English weather. The English weather?? An icon ??

Aussie food

One of the things I missed about "home" when I first moved to London many years ago was Aussie food. For the first few years, I'd plead with my parents to send me parcels containing cherry ripes, milo bars, violet crumbles and more.

Then I discovered the Australia Shop in London. An aladdin's cave of Aussie confectionery, biscuits, snacks and jams. It kept me going for years.

And now I see that TNT magazine has also opened an online shop selling Aussie food. Neither of the shops are cheap but then what do you expect when the stuff has to be air freighted half way around the world.

But at least they are there for when I get homesick moments and crave twisties, cheezles and........ no, I best stop now.

A little Hidden London

There are loads of places in London which tourists would probably love to see - if they knew they existed.

One of my favourites is Postmans Park, at the Barbican. Lots of memorials to civilians who have lost their lives whilst performing heroic acts. Fishing people out of rivers, pushing them out of the way of trams and runaway horses - that sort of thing. Its near the Museum of London, a little hidden away down from Barts' Hospital.

Well worth a visit.

Another place that I never even knew existed until recently is Cross Bones graveyard. This final resting place for Bankside's medieval prostitutes has become a shrine to the nameless poor. Its on Redcross Way, near the corner of Union Street, which runs off Borough High street near Borough tube station.

Life in a post office queue

There is no queue quite like a post office queue.

Go into any post office in London at almost any time of the day and you will see a classic British institution - the queue. You rarely see them anywhere else these days.

A long line of people just standing around, looking at their watches, glancing up at the number of empty counter positions and wishing that one more, just one, would open up.

But no, instead it reaches the "lunchtime" moment - which seems to be anywhere from 11.30 until 3pm. And rather than new counter positions opening, one by one they seem to close.

And the people just wait..... and wait..... and wait.

People trying to pay their car tax, energy bills, collect their pensions, buy travel insurance, make bank deposits, buy lottery tickets - oh, and sometimes, actually trying to post something.

So its delightful to know that the post office is now allowing people to pay for post online. I think you can print out postage "stamps" on a computer to avoid having to queue. The post office trying to encourage people NOT to visit them if they want to post a letter. Bizarre.

I don't know the details as sadly this service seems impossible to find on their website.

Anyway, can't linger. I've got to go and spend my morning in a post office queue as sadly their online service doesn't cover parcel postage.