The V

Let's centralize, as Mr. Bushe has recommended, routine travel questions. I really don't need to see the same, "Coming to X, what's to do there?" thread ever again.

Note: separate threads for "Hey, I'm in X, let's meet up and kill brain cells" are still good. But sought travel advice? Stick it here.

Best thread title evar.

I was expecting Mazzeo to get the ref first. Yay for being over 33!

You're not afraid of people taking over the thread to talk about p'op music?

I was going to post a "Munich" thread yesterday, but then I realised I don't want to go there.

I shall Gag them mercilessly.

I spent a delightfully drunken 2 hours there. I had like 3/4 people shove their beers at me to finish them off so that we could catch our transport.

Ah, memories.

Let this be the first trip worked out in this thread

Thanks to my new employer's graciousness, it seems I've managed to secure a bunch of vacation. I still need someone to swap Dec 31st with me, so everything fits but, that will be, hopefully a minor detail

Thing is, the girlf and I are eyeing some cheap flights to London. Potential date 31st December, spending 4-5 days there, attending New Year Eve's festivities, drinking ourselves blind, spending hard earned money in sales, etc.

So, I have a few questions:

1 - Is there anything you all have planned for NYE? Any problem if we join the celebrations?

2 - Do London shops and museums close the 31st and/or the 1st? What can a couple of hangover spaniards do in such date as the 1st?

3 - If possible, does anyone have a room/bed we could crash? Hotels seem to be horribly expensive around those dates (and we are also planning the SD summer trip) and we'd much prefer spending that money in buying drinks or tithes instead of giving money to a Hotel Chain. We'd also bring Third World delicacies to sample :)

4 - Sales start the 1st, right? Anyone up for some clotheshunting and debauchery?

5 - As before, anyone interested in us bringing something thirdworldery with us again, feel free to speak up.

I think that's about all. Mocking the incoming spaniard can begin

This is going to be the second (possibly third) year in a row I'm working on or around NYE, so I have no idea what's what, I'm afraid.

(yes, I'm only posting to inflict my mighty angst on you all. Ner ner ner.)

The 1st is a Bank Holiday, I should think most stuff will be shut. Sales usually start the 2nd, IIRC, and will be absolutely fucking heaving, so be advised - if you want to hit up one of the big-ass department stores, you'll need to be there wicked early.

Pubs will be open on the 1st, so there's that :)

Yes. I shall be in NZ. Work on your timing.

Most big shops will be open though.

I dunno, apart from Christmas Day in my experience New Year Day is about the only Bank Holiday where almost every shop actually is shut. I made the mistake of going into Manchester on New Year Day this year thinking the shops would be open and nowhere, not even Tesco or Boots or anything like that, was. Of course it may be different in London but I wouldn't base a plan on going shopping on the 1st just in case.

Marcos -

Unfortunately I am going to be in the Bahamas come NYE this year.

Really sorry about that. It would have been nice to have met up with you and your girlfriend.

The 1st generally sucks. Almost everything shuts, and usually I just go to the cinema, as for some unknown reason that would always seems to be the exception.

Of course with each passing year less and less stuff closes on each British holiday, so it might not be quite as apocalyptically 28-days-later desolate as it has been formerly.

Pubcrawling sounds good for nursing the post NYE hangover. :)

The 2nd we'll probably hit the Big Department Stores, and blitzkrieg Borders. God, I'm totally in love with that enormous bookstore and its big-arse military book section.

The rest of the vacation we'll probably head for the museums. There's a big chunk of the British we couldn't see the last time we were there. And to my regret, I haven't ever been to the Tate either.

I can mock Doug for escaping to Hobbitland, but escaping to the Bahamas is pretty understandable. :)

I reject your northern concept of "winter".
If you go to the Tate Modern, make sure you book tickets for the slides

Gah,the queues for those slides were long,even on a weekday. God knows what they're like at the weekends.

Have you been to Foyles? YOU MUST VISIT FOYLES.

Though since they bothered organising it a bit, you can't actually spend a whole day in there on the offchance you'll find a first edition from 1919 or what-have-you.

Okay, just back from the wonders of London, and I am left with one question:

WHY MUST I TOUCH MY OYSTER?

Otherwise you'll be charged the full fare.

You people have quite a sense of humour.

No lie, today, er, yesterday, I saw an old lady who had forgotten how to touch her oyster.

Using your Oyster removes the need to carry cash around with you.

Because it gives you a nice warm sensation.

You must touch your Oyster both in and out. You did remember to touch it in and out, didn't you Heidi?

I am confused by this constant reminder on the Tube. Surely, if you don't touch it out, you can't get out of the barrier? And if you don't touch it in, you can't get in? Unless you jump the barriers, I suppose, but you get shot for that.

Sometimes barriers are open, though - if they're broken, or if there aren't enough staff, especially late at night.

Ah, of course. I was just thinking tube, where they are more often than not shut, but overland rail often has open barriers.