Laura answers your London questions

Goodness me yes.  We have expensive train fares, high taxes and expensive food.  I haven't been to many places more expensive.  We are talking Vancouver, Stockholm expensive.  Although probably not as expensive as New York. 

As of Dec 2023 1 pint of beer in Covent Garden will set you back £6-8

6 miles in a Black Cab up to £40 after 10pm 

1 mile in a black cab £7-12 depending on the time of day

VAT on goods is 20% 

A standard train fare London to Oxford £30.50 one way (that's if your train is running but don't expect a seat, its often standing room only)  

Yes and no but mainly yes. As a city of over 9.5million always be aware of your surroundings even during the day.  Think crossbody bags, zipped pockets and don't have phone in your back pocket. Beware on the underground for crushed trains where pickpockets love to dip into an open tote bag or a wallet in a pocket.  Try not to making calls on the street.  Careful taking cash out of machines too.  And leave your Patek Philippe at home, watch crime is on the rise.  

For a detailed area by area look try this Metropolitan Police web site

https://www.met.police.uk/area/your-area/

Well the list is huge.

Culture, food, entertainment, history we have it all.  With London's history spanning 2,000 years from the Romans there is a lot to see and visit.

London is multicultural, multi racial.  People have settled in London from all over the world making this a very exciting place to visit.  Its always best you have a guide to show you where to go.   From beheadings at the Tower of London to the Docks in the East End.  Shopping in Mayfair to carnival in Notting Hill, whatever time of year take a guide. 

Top 3 London foods found in all Pubs 

1 Fish and chips a must have while you are in London, dont forget your salt, vinegar and  mushy peas

2 Roast dinner,   roasted meat,(chicken or beef) gravy, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings (savoury batter mixture) and heaps of vegetable with butter on top 

3 Full English, this is a breakfast usually consisting of some or all of these.  Fried bread or toast, bacon, fried tomatoes, fried eggs, sausages, baked beans, mushrooms and black pudding.

4 Afternoon Tea -  a meal taken between lunch and dinner, consisting of a pot of tea, dainty finger sandwiches of various flavours, cucumber and cream cheese, ham and tomato etc. followed by various small cakes, and a scone or two, (scone as in drone or scone as in dong) clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Served on a tiered plate stand with a handle on the top for carrying. 

With or without a glass of bubbly.

Left-overs to be taken home in a box

5 Cream Tea, much like afternoon tea.  A pot of tea,  usually 2 scones either plain or fruit with currants/raisins, clotted cream and strawberry jam. 

can be eaten in the park if taken in a wicker basket and tea taken in a flask.

No left overs  have ever been seen after a cream tea.

Also be careful of your layering of jam and clotted cream.  Is it jam and then cream or cream and then jam? You decide 

https://thecornishcompany.com/collections/cream-teas/?msclkid=c6f258062a3c16b943f43d7abffa0a97 

Today London is home to so many fantastic restaurants at all price brackets the choice is unlimited

https://guide.michelin.com/gb/en/greater-london/london/restaurants

Contact me for recommendations

London is vast

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London usually has something for every one 

London is known as The Big Smoke, 

The City of London is known as The Square Mile 

The East end of London  -  Cockney Town or the East End

The West End of London - The West End 

Going into London from the suburbs - going up town or into town 

Londinium - Name used for London by the Romans 

Londonwic - Name used in the medieval times for London

1 Buckingham Palace

2 Tower of London

3 Westminster Abbey

4 National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery

5 The Natural History Museum 

6 British Museum 

7 Covent Garden 

8 River Thames 

9 London Eye 

10 Churchill War Rooms 

Many many more suggestions for you please contact me 

Cockney is parlance used in the East End of London, see pearly kings and queens. 

Apple and Pears = Stairs

Barnet Fair = hair 

Dog and Bone = phone 

Deep sea diver = fiver £5

and the list goes on, why you would want to use more words than necessary, I am not too sure.