London
June 17, 2007
London. It feel like I’ve been here so many times that it’s more like a stop over in a place I used to live. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve really hung out in London since 1998 when I worked in Bosnia and passed through here on my way home for Christmas. I’ve realized something. In the last two years since I’ve been living overseas, many of these excursions to other countries don’t feel like tourist-type vacations, especially England. I came here this time with only the address of a place to stay in London and a train booking to Yorkshire where Nick’s parents live. Nothing more. I just feel my way like I’m in my home country and been here a hundred times. It’s a completely different feel.
However, I should have read up on a few things so if you’re planning a trip to London, take note. I took the Heathrow Express into London and then needed to switch to the Underground. I did the logical thing of going to the ticket machines to purchase a single ticket, one zone, to Piccadilly Circus. The price came up as 4 pounds ($8)!! I must have looked rather shocked and bewildered, as a sympathetic Underground worker came up and explained that, yes, that was in fact the price. However, there was another option that would cost me only 1.50 pound per ride. (Will someone PLEASE tell me where to find the “pound” sign on my keyboard!) It’s called the “Oyster” card and it’s a bit complicated and something that I probably would never have figured out on my own from reading the sketchy signs. 1) Buy a card for 5 pd. 2) 3 pd of this is just a deposit that you get back if you turn in the card when you’re completely finished with it. 3) The extra 2 pd goes toward a ride that costs 1.50. 4) You can add money to the card indefinitely. 5) (and here’s the real catch) If you don’t scan it when you go into the underground AND out of it, they fine you 4 pd. Quite the deal compared to a 4 pound single ride. They say they’re trying to get everyone to stop buying paper tickets and move completely to the Oyster card, so they keep jacking up the price of the paper tickets. Certainly worked for me.
London. It feel like I’ve been here so many times that it’s more like a stop over in a place I used to live. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve really hung out in London since 1998 when I worked in Bosnia and passed through here on my way home for Christmas. I’ve realized something. In the last two years since I’ve been living overseas, many of these excursions to other countries don’t feel like tourist-type vacations, especially England. I came here this time with only the address of a place to stay in London and a train booking to Yorkshire where Nick’s parents live. Nothing more. I just feel my way like I’m in my home country and been here a hundred times. It’s a completely different feel.
However, I should have read up on a few things so if you’re planning a trip to London, take note. I took the Heathrow Express into London and then needed to switch to the Underground. I did the logical thing of going to the ticket machines to purchase a single ticket, one zone, to Piccadilly Circus. The price came up as 4 pounds ($8)!! I must have looked rather shocked and bewildered, as a sympathetic Underground worker came up and explained that, yes, that was in fact the price. However, there was another option that would cost me only 1.50 pound per ride. (Will someone PLEASE tell me where to find the “pound” sign on my keyboard!) It’s called the “Oyster” card and it’s a bit complicated and something that I probably would never have figured out on my own from reading the sketchy signs. 1) Buy a card for 5 pd. 2) 3 pd of this is just a deposit that you get back if you turn in the card when you’re completely finished with it. 3) The extra 2 pd goes toward a ride that costs 1.50. 4) You can add money to the card indefinitely. 5) (and here’s the real catch) If you don’t scan it when you go into the underground AND out of it, they fine you 4 pd. Quite the deal compared to a 4 pound single ride. They say they’re trying to get everyone to stop buying paper tickets and move completely to the Oyster card, so they keep jacking up the price of the paper tickets. Certainly worked for me.
posted by LuAnne at
3:46 PM
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