This is our first trip to London and we were told that it is an extremely expensive city for vacation. All this while, we thought it wouldn’t be possible until we discover some London hacks that made our trip a reality.
For once, we realised apart from travelling with the usual prominent airlines there are actually options to travel with budget airline to London for an affordable price of $1.1K in total for 2 adults / 2 childs (one way) – Norwegian airline.
Journey to London
Norwegian airline offers a direct flight from Singapore to London without any stopovers. To ensure further comfort, inflight entertainment are available. Ear phones were not provided.
The inflight meals were simple and nothing fanciful.
As we booked the flight early, we managed to get the best seats which gave us more room.
The 14-hour flight was surprising smooth without any turbulence and we arrived at London Gatwick airport by 5:40am.
If you are travelling to London Zone 1 or 2, we would recommend you not to take the express train which cost about $20 per adult. Our travel from Gatwick to Islington/Highbury was horrid as we needed to change platforms during the morning peak hours.
Towing 4 big luggages with us up and down the subway stairs without elevators and waiting for multiple trains before squeezing in was no joke. The weather was about 10 degrees but we were already perspiring. We would recommend booking the airport transfer (Blackberry cars) instead as the price was almost the same with no hidden charges.
The train ride brought us to the Victoria station where we would need to buy Oyster cards to travel in the London Underground, or the “Tube”. In simple terms, this is a version of our MRT. London is segmented by 9 zones with the touristy areas being in Zone 1 and 2.
The morning crowd at Victoria station were beginning to build up.
We had our breakfast here before continuing our journey to the Airbnb.
This was already the third train ride. We were tired.
Finally arrived at Highbury & Islington station.
But not before taking a 5 min bus ride and another 2 min walk to our Airbnb apartment. For all the hassle, it would be wiser to take Blackberry cars next time.
Covent Gardens
Covent Gardens is one of the ultimate Instagram spots in London. An iconic area with thriving street arts, we heard that it is usually crowded with tourists. However, it was not that bad.
The streets were easy to explore and it was not uncommon to take a pause every now and then to soak ourselves in the historic architectures. Covent Garden is a popular tourist spot such that Din Tai Fung has recently established an outlet here.
Something similar we have seen back home.
The locals love coffee so much and very often cafes would be packed with people. The scent of fresh coffee permeated the cafe and we couldn’t help but to order a cup.
Address: 13 Floral St, London WC2E 9DH, UK
Leicester Square / Piccadilly Circus
As Covent Garden is located centrally, it is near to Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. Google maps may not be reliable. Having these street directories made it easier for us to find our way around.
We were in for a treat during winter as Leicester Square Christmas Markets was up and running.
Not a fan of shopping but food tasting was our theme during this trip. Unlike the States, Christmas markets are common throughout Europe and UK.
Didn’t stay too long in the Christmas markets as some strangers kept looking at our belongings. We decided to leave and go into M&Ms World for safety reasons.
Address: 1 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7DE, UK
Have you been to M&M’s World? It is situated directly opposite Leicester Square Christmas Markets.
The bright, colorful storefront would inevitably draw anyone in. The staff were friendly and helpful, even if you are not buying anything.
Abbreviation familiar to a tween.
Address: Leicester Square, 1 Swiss Ct, London W1D 6AP, United Kingdom
London Chinatown is close to Leicester Square. The nearest underground stations to Chinatown are Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. Bus available are 14 / 24 / 27 / 29 / 134 / 168 / C2.
Eat all you can for $10.50.
We dined here over the next 2 days as the price was cheaper compared to other restaurants. Some restaurants open till 3am.
Address: 10 Wardour St, London W1D 6BZ, UK
Our jet-leg started to kick in. One final stop at Trafalgar Square before we ended the day. The attraction here is surrounded by museums, galleries, cultural spaces and historic buildings.
Trafalgar Square is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, built around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, a British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars with France and Spain that took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar.
Address: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN, UK
Just travel and such. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.
All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.
Katong Kids Inc | Singapore Travel & Lifestyle Blog 