,
Hell bent on
acquiring a berry burgundy hued pair of Doc Martens, adamant that they must be
acquired solely in London, or more specifically, within the vicinity of former
1960’s swinging Carnaby Street; the Kid was on a shopping mission like no
other. A mere 5 minutes after greeting
her “dear ol’ tuckered out”
middle-aged Auntie, who, incidentally, had endured countless roadblocks in her
attempts to traverse all forms of over-ground transport en route to picking up
her 16 year old Highness at the airport, was now obliged to escort “la Princesse” to her preferred shopping
destination. Now, as anyone knows, Miss
Pink Sneakers can shop till she drops and then some, but the thought of having
to race from the tarmac to the shops was asking for a bit much, especially
since the journey from the airport would be no walk in the park, requiring
stamina, patience and fortitude, having to forfeit valuable shopping hours, as
we navigated through the congested rush-hour traffic via countless buses and
coaches. The Kid had no clue as to what
was in store, as her long-anticipated Limo ride was just a delusional teen-aged
fantasy gone wrong, most likely brought on by watching one too many episodes of
“The Real Housewives of Somewhere Rich and Glamorous”.
Snivelling
and whining whilst crammed into the back of the passenger coach, my niece
pouted and sobbed, loudly declaring this to be her “worst holiday ever!”
Trapped amongst the other budget conscious back-packing globe-trotters,
the Kid lamented her chauffer-less status, appalled at the indignity of not
hobnobbing with the “crème de la crème” of
jet-setting royalty. I, on the other
hand, was pleased as punch at having now saved bucket-loads of money by
choosing to travel with National Coach Express for an economical £6 per person.
With the bus having
deposited us at Victoria Coach Station, smack dab in the middle of London,
believing the worst to be behind her, the Kid was unprepared to now have to
schlep her luggage on yet another pedestrian coach (like, seriously?) - Bus #73
to Marble Arch, a mere hop, skip and a jump away from my London digs – in
reality, more like a 15 minute sprint along Bayswater Road, if you race along
at a really fast clip.
Having now
devoted an entire day sequestered on all forms of public transit, I was now
more or less an unofficial expert on “How
to get to Heathrow in 8 hours or less”, offering valuable tidbits of Info
to a small minority of claustrophobic Tube avoiding transit passengers – while
also providing a much-needed valuable public service. Something to most definitely think about if
ever contemplating quitting my day job and re-locating to the other side of the
world across the pond.
With dinner
time fast approaching, and the shops open until at least 8:00pm, the
kind-hearted Auntie in me suggested that the Kid and I stroll along Oxford
Street to get a bite to eat and amble along London’s hustling and bustling
chaotic pedestrian thorough-fare. Home
to over 300 shops - from budget low-end Primark - to high-end designer ware
department store emporium, Selfridges - this shopping mecca is the “go to” destination for locals and
foreigners alike. Approximately one and
a half miles long, this insanely congested street offers a little bit of
something for everyone. Whether
scrounging for tacky trinkets and souvenirs or merely indulging in
people-watching, Oxford Street is not to be missed, encompassing the feel and
essence of the British capital.
Not hearing a
peep or sound from my niece since her mortifying yet humbling bus journey from
the airport, I was secretly relieved to hear the Kid utter an exuberant squeal
upon spotting trendy “Topshop”, a
British based retailer offering designer inspired fashion at bargain basement
prices. Abandoning me at the curb, Miss
Fashionista darted across the street and disappeared into the shop, emerging
about an hour later. Loaded down with
carrier bags, the Kid was in her glory, screeching in delight as she proceeded
to race towards chic, cheap and cheerful Primark, where she was not seen again
until Security politely escorted her out upon the shop’s closing hours. Declaring this to be her “best holiday ever!” the Kid was all smiles, her traumatizing bus
journey long forgotten. Go figure??
Pink Sneaker Helpful
Tidbits of Info on navigating London streets via public transit
With
London being quite the expensive city, one doesn’t have to break the bank to
travel around the city via taxi cab or chauffeur driven Limo, with public
transit so accessible and affordable. Except, of course, if you’re a
claustrophobic like me, who will avoid the underground Tube at all costs,
scooting around town is a slightly more challenging task, but an entirely do-able
one, nonetheless.
One
can save truckloads of money by opting to hop on a National Express coach to
Heathrow from Victoria Coach Station for an economical price of £6. The bus ride is an approximate 40 minutes or
so, depending upon traffic. Give yourself
plenty of time and elect to take an earlier bus, thus avoiding the headache of
a possible traffic jam. Buses leave
every half hour.
If
you’re brave enough, I understand that commuting via the Underground is also a
speedy and efficient way in which to get around London - but don’t quote me on
that, as my pink-sneakered feet instead chose to walk, and thus avoided going
anywhere near the Tube.
If
in London for a couple of days, I suggest purchasing an Oyster Card, a plastic
Smart Card that you top up on a “pay as
you go” basis. Valid on all forms of public transit, this electronic pass is
a cheap and economical method of paying for your fare. I actually never got one because I chose to
walk absolutely everywhere.
If
in a pinch, hop in one of London’s well-known Black Cabs, which are surprisingly
affordable, - one cabby told me that all of the cab drivers are required to
pass a rigorous test in which they have to memorize more than 25,000 central
London streets, a learning process that takes several years to complete.
Come hang
out in London and traverse all forms of transit as we strive to navigate the
city cheaply and economically – while also indulging in a bit of
people-watching and shopping on bustling Oxford Street.
Next week
– Off to Carnaby Street in search of burgundy Doc Martens – the adventure
continues!!
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