London, UK, 2019

Trip

I flew to London in August, 2019, straight from Sofia with Bulgaria Air. Flight was OK, however the carrier is far from the quality you might expect with Lufthansa or Qatar Airways. It was not the first time they used a subcontractor for the flight back from London, changing the type of plane and delaying for almost two hours.

Heathrow airport is a major airport and as such is one of the busiest in the world. The average gap between landings is 66 seconds and in the rush hours it is probably cut by half. Terminal 4, where I arrived, is comparatively small, yet very busy. What surprised me is the smoking area, which was not there until recently, as the UK legislation prohibits smoking in any public building. The solution the airport has come up with is a cage like area outside one of the small side exits.

Heathrow is one of the best organized airports. Despite the really long queues for passport control and security, it doe not really take long for you to get through. Baggage reclaim is also very quick and seamless.

Situated some 30-40 kilometers from London, you can take the subway, the Heathrow express (more expensive but quicker) or a cab (and yes - almost all the cabs in London are those famous black cabs!). Uber is of course always an option, you just need to locate the pick up areas.


Is it safe?

Absolutely. Europe in general is a very safe place. Despite being occasionally the target of terrorist attacks, which is unfortunately not surprising for a city of such importance, London is a multicultural and multinational place, where people of all races live and work together peacefully.


Accommodation

I stayed at the Tower Hotel just next to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Probably some would not appreciate the way the hotel looks from the outside - it really resembles a concrete bunker and looks like a remnant from WW2, yet the hotel is surprisingly good.

The hotel is perfectly clean, service is excellent and so are the rooms and breakfast. Probably rooms could have been a bit larger yet the view to the Thames compensates just fine.

Breakfast offered a huge variety of dishes and fruit. It get very crowdy if you get to the restaurant after 9am, so it helps if you are an early beard. Four large lifts help you get quickly to your floor. Unlike many other places I have stayed, TV programmes available are over 100 and all come in HD.

Is water drinkable?

Yes, tap water is safe to drink in London, clean and with no smell or funny colour. Bottled water is available anywhere and would typically cost you around 2 pounds.

Weather

Typical English weather! 

The Brits are lucky to have the Gulf Stream providing for mild weather all year round. On paper the UK has all four seasons, yet the temperature amplitudes are indeed not too large. August is summer in the UK and the temperatures were around 22 to 24 degrees Celsius during the day, dropping to 15 - 18 at night. Again - a shirt and a light jacket are absolutely fine. 

And of course - be prepared for rain, after all this is London.

Vaccines

None required upon arrival. This disclaimer will however always be valid - do not take this as a medical advice and always seek a professional one before travelling.

Cash or CC?

Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere and I never had to actually pay in cash. Internet advises however that not all cabs accept CC so it is not a bad idea to carry some cash.

General impressions

London is truly a unique city worth visiting and I believe great for living. Monumental historical architecture coexists with scattered clusters of steel and glass skyscrapers in a way that can be difficult to describe without a picture.

St James' Park, The Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral - iconic names of places that can make you hold your breath.

Walking along the Thames is like a history lesson on the British Empire - artefacts from all over the world have been brought and placed alongside the river banks.

And those famous English pubs, how can one not stop for a pint there?

I cannot help noticing though that London is not what it used to be some 10 years ago. The streets and cars are not as clean as they used to be and the roads were maintained better. I am not saying they are in poor condition now, yet I remember times when they were just perfect.

There is also a clear distinction between the areas on the south and north banks of the river, the northern ones could use better cleaning and maintenance. 

Electrical plugs

Type G:

I hope you enjoy your time in London and wish you a safe trip!