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.
Showing posts with label transport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transport. Show all posts
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Saturday, November 03, 2007
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.
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.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
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.
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.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
London on heat
Why is it that it FEELS so hot in London when it is actually not any hotter than places like Thailand, Greece and Sydney that I have visited in summer?
Reasons?
1 - London shops typically have crap air conditioning and refrigeration. I was talking about this with a cabbie yesterday. How come when you go into a corner shop in say a little village in Crete, the drinks are icy cold. Always. Yet, go into similar in London and the drinks are at room temperature, even when in the "fridge" (and I use the term loosely.)
2 - London transport has no air conditioning. Get onto the overground metro in Bangkok and it is like walking into a cool room. In London, I hear the tube resembles a furnace and temperatures are so high it would be illegal to transport livestock in them.
3 - Lack of water to cool off in. Let's not go into the hose pipe ban, but the only places for Londoners to cool off in are probably their showers at home, public swimming pools (yuk, remember - people who swim in these are hot. Hot means they are probably sweaty. Then they get into this body of water - with other people. Yuk.) or the Thames (think cholera, dysentry, anything but safety really.)
Anyway, my poor kittens are suffering in the heat and probably think the end of the world is nigh. This is their first summer. So I have been pouring water on our lawn so they can sit on it to cool down. As for me, keep in the shade and drink loads of cold water - and think of the pounds I am hopefully sweating off :-)
Reasons?
1 - London shops typically have crap air conditioning and refrigeration. I was talking about this with a cabbie yesterday. How come when you go into a corner shop in say a little village in Crete, the drinks are icy cold. Always. Yet, go into similar in London and the drinks are at room temperature, even when in the "fridge" (and I use the term loosely.)
2 - London transport has no air conditioning. Get onto the overground metro in Bangkok and it is like walking into a cool room. In London, I hear the tube resembles a furnace and temperatures are so high it would be illegal to transport livestock in them.
3 - Lack of water to cool off in. Let's not go into the hose pipe ban, but the only places for Londoners to cool off in are probably their showers at home, public swimming pools (yuk, remember - people who swim in these are hot. Hot means they are probably sweaty. Then they get into this body of water - with other people. Yuk.) or the Thames (think cholera, dysentry, anything but safety really.)
Anyway, my poor kittens are suffering in the heat and probably think the end of the world is nigh. This is their first summer. So I have been pouring water on our lawn so they can sit on it to cool down. As for me, keep in the shade and drink loads of cold water - and think of the pounds I am hopefully sweating off :-)
Saturday, April 29, 2006
The great north v south debate
Apparently, last Wednesday night the Museum of London hosted a debate on north v south London. Another one of those London topics, like congestion charging and the state of public transport, that everyone seems to have a view on.
Well, here's mine. I don't care. Never did care where in London I lived - north or south, that is. Neither is close to a beach, which would be my absolute preference and was when I lived in Sydney. And neither is close to a beautiful harbour or wonderful, peaceful parks (like Sydney harbour and Centennial Park.)
So as there were none of those things to look forward to when coming to London, my only preference when moving here was to live as close to "central" London as possible. For both practical and social purposes.
Practically, to be near to where I worked. And socially, to be easily able to get in and out late at night, to be able to walk home if necessary and to be able to do some of my London research for my web site at the drop of a hat.
Without relying on public transport too much.
As it happened, I ended up living in a council flat when I first arrived in London. A lovely old roomy and bright one, in a fifties building with lots of settled residents. Not one of those dreaded high rises, thankfully.
And it was in sunny Walworth, slap bang in the middle of "saf Lunden". And south is where I've stayed ever since, no worries.
Is it better or worse than north London? No. Just different.
Well, here's mine. I don't care. Never did care where in London I lived - north or south, that is. Neither is close to a beach, which would be my absolute preference and was when I lived in Sydney. And neither is close to a beautiful harbour or wonderful, peaceful parks (like Sydney harbour and Centennial Park.)
So as there were none of those things to look forward to when coming to London, my only preference when moving here was to live as close to "central" London as possible. For both practical and social purposes.
Practically, to be near to where I worked. And socially, to be easily able to get in and out late at night, to be able to walk home if necessary and to be able to do some of my London research for my web site at the drop of a hat.
Without relying on public transport too much.
As it happened, I ended up living in a council flat when I first arrived in London. A lovely old roomy and bright one, in a fifties building with lots of settled residents. Not one of those dreaded high rises, thankfully.
And it was in sunny Walworth, slap bang in the middle of "saf Lunden". And south is where I've stayed ever since, no worries.
Is it better or worse than north London? No. Just different.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
The peace and quiet of easter in London
I love being in London during public holidays. Easter and xmas are the best.
Loads of local traffic simply dissappears and the stressed out, frantic and often unfriendly London locals are replaced by relaxed, dazed and confused tourists - whose major worry for the day isn't about getting from one side of London to the other to arrive on time at a meeting but about how long the queues might be to the London Eye.
So being in London during these times makes me feel like a tourist again.
Forget standing in queues at airports, boarding packed planes and then worrying about getting home in time for work on Tuesday.
Stay in London and be a tourist in your own city. Much more relaxing!
Loads of local traffic simply dissappears and the stressed out, frantic and often unfriendly London locals are replaced by relaxed, dazed and confused tourists - whose major worry for the day isn't about getting from one side of London to the other to arrive on time at a meeting but about how long the queues might be to the London Eye.
So being in London during these times makes me feel like a tourist again.
Forget standing in queues at airports, boarding packed planes and then worrying about getting home in time for work on Tuesday.
Stay in London and be a tourist in your own city. Much more relaxing!
Sunday, March 19, 2006
A Big Decision
yep, after loads of thinking about it, weighing up the pro's and con's, I've decided to sell my car.
It will be an interesting experience to be car-free, having owned a car since I was 17. But the fact of the matter is that I just don't drive it.
Its impossible to park in London even on Sundays and the cost of car tax, insurance, MOT and servicing is getting ridiculous when I only really drive the car short distances on weekends.
I used to need the car for work but not any more. And I don't mind using trains to get to places out of London - I can read and relax rather than getting wound up by all the traffic that seems to be on the roads, no matter what time of day or night.
I guess I'll need to make a couple of adjustments - shopping online for starters.
But the money I'll save I can use for cab fares when I need to. Or maybe for updating my kitchen.
It will be an interesting experience to be car-free, having owned a car since I was 17. But the fact of the matter is that I just don't drive it.
Its impossible to park in London even on Sundays and the cost of car tax, insurance, MOT and servicing is getting ridiculous when I only really drive the car short distances on weekends.
I used to need the car for work but not any more. And I don't mind using trains to get to places out of London - I can read and relax rather than getting wound up by all the traffic that seems to be on the roads, no matter what time of day or night.
I guess I'll need to make a couple of adjustments - shopping online for starters.
But the money I'll save I can use for cab fares when I need to. Or maybe for updating my kitchen.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
The best and worst of London
The Sydney Morning Herald web site recently ran an article about The Best and Worst of British.
It was actually about the fun and perils, well mostly perils, facing any young Aussie backpacker who ventures over to London for a working holiday.
The "worst" fell into three areas:
- accommodation and how expensive it is
- employment and the British working culture
- public transport, particularly the tube
No surprises really.
But once you work out ways of dealing with them, London is still a great city and has loads to offer visitors.
Ok, it might also be overcrowded and dirty but tell me a place that isn't these days. I hear even Sydney, god forbid, has started to go downhill and Melbourne is now "the" place to be in when you live in Oz.
It was actually about the fun and perils, well mostly perils, facing any young Aussie backpacker who ventures over to London for a working holiday.
The "worst" fell into three areas:
- accommodation and how expensive it is
- employment and the British working culture
- public transport, particularly the tube
No surprises really.
But once you work out ways of dealing with them, London is still a great city and has loads to offer visitors.
Ok, it might also be overcrowded and dirty but tell me a place that isn't these days. I hear even Sydney, god forbid, has started to go downhill and Melbourne is now "the" place to be in when you live in Oz.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Rail fares
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Passenger groups condemn rail fare rises
another great reason for working from home as much as possible.
Its incredible to think that people pay thousands of pounds a year to commute into London in cramped, smelly, unreliable trains.
Give me buses anytime - and its one more reason for living close to where I work, in London.
another great reason for working from home as much as possible.
Its incredible to think that people pay thousands of pounds a year to commute into London in cramped, smelly, unreliable trains.
Give me buses anytime - and its one more reason for living close to where I work, in London.
Friday, October 28, 2005
The last of the routemaster buses
link
what a sad day for London. Along with red phone boxes, they typify the city - and are very popular not only with people who live here but also with tourists.
oh well - another one down to mayor Ken.
maybe one day they'll bring them back again. Until then, they will only run on two tourist routes.
watch out for them, as they are now a dying breed.
what a sad day for London. Along with red phone boxes, they typify the city - and are very popular not only with people who live here but also with tourists.
oh well - another one down to mayor Ken.
maybe one day they'll bring them back again. Until then, they will only run on two tourist routes.
watch out for them, as they are now a dying breed.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Travelling on the Underground
BBC NEWS | England | London | 'Fix found' on troubled Tube line
ah, the Underground - as unreliable as ever. I see the northern line has been out of action for the past few days.
My first job in London back in 1989 was in the city. That meant I had to use this line 5 days a week. Its not for nothing that its also known as the misery line. It was enough to make me leave my job and find somewhere local to work.
How people can use it everyday to travel to work is beyond me. I guess most have no option but in my experience it is always hot, overcrowded and smells really bad. And now we are expected to pay around £2 for the privelage of using it to go just one stop.
Fortunately, in my current job I rarely need to use it and when I do, it is the more modern jubilee line - a slightly more pleasant experience than on the northern line.
Give me buses anyday - ok, slower but heaps cheaper and a lot more pleasant.
ah, the Underground - as unreliable as ever. I see the northern line has been out of action for the past few days.
My first job in London back in 1989 was in the city. That meant I had to use this line 5 days a week. Its not for nothing that its also known as the misery line. It was enough to make me leave my job and find somewhere local to work.
How people can use it everyday to travel to work is beyond me. I guess most have no option but in my experience it is always hot, overcrowded and smells really bad. And now we are expected to pay around £2 for the privelage of using it to go just one stop.
Fortunately, in my current job I rarely need to use it and when I do, it is the more modern jubilee line - a slightly more pleasant experience than on the northern line.
Give me buses anyday - ok, slower but heaps cheaper and a lot more pleasant.
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