London Updated

[Peter]

9 minutes ago, Augie said:

Just a little PSA here…….

 

I picked up my Pounds at the bank today. We were in Europe in the spring and I waited too long to order and they didn’t have enough time to get me Euros. It takes about a week to get foreign currencies at our bank. We were using a credit card for just about everything until we realized the credit cards had a $3 transaction fee every time we used it. Those fee are really annoying if you’re buying a bottle of water for a couple bucks! 

 

 

 

 

Indeed.

 

Another option is to use your ATM card.

 

I also recommend that you contact your credit card company if you are planning on traveling to London so it does not prevent any credit card charges.

[Augie]

9 minutes ago, Peter said:

 

Indeed.

 

Another option is to use your ATM card.

 

I also recommend that you contact your credit card company if you are planning on traveling to London so it does not prevent any credit card charges.

 

Yep, my wife alerted the credit card companies and the bank for our joint checking/ATM so we were covered. Unfortunately, I didn’t notify my little community bank and my ATM card was a no-go. I just don’t want to arrive with zero currency so I feel a little better.

 

 

.

Edited September 21, 2023 by Augie

[SoCal Deek]

1 hour ago, Augie said:

 

Yep, my wife alerted the credit card companies and the bank for our joint checking/ATM so we were covered. Unfortunately, I didn’t notify my little community bank and my ATM card was a no-go. I just don’t want to arrive with zero currency so I feel a little better.

 

 

.

Bank of America now has what they call a ‘travel credit card’ just for this purpose. No annual fee but for some reason they encourage it over your normal VISA card. None of this stuff makes much sense but what the heck. 

[galept]

1 minute ago, SoCal Deek said:

Bank of America now has what they call a ‘travel credit card’ just for this purpose. No annual fee but for some reason they encourage it over your normal VISA card. None of this stuff makes much sense but what the heck. 

 

Not sure about BoA, but perhaps the travel card may not have foreign transaction fees, while your normal Visa might. Many cards do.

[Just Jack]

6 hours ago, Peter said:

 

Indeed.

 

Another option is to use your ATM card.

 

I also recommend that you contact your credit card company if you are planning on traveling to London so it does not prevent any credit card charges.

 

YMMV.  The first time I ever contacted my bank about using my card while traveling, they locked it at my first out of state transaction.  Ever since, I've never contacted them when traveling and never had an issue, using it across the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, and London. 

[goober]

So (potentially ?) Tube will not be running October 4th / 6th? 
 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-66867721.amp

[AuntieEm]

On 9/19/2023 at 9:04 AM, BillsFanNC said:

 

It wasn't the losses on their own, it was more the spectacularly incompetent fashion in which those games played out, particularly the last one. Brutal even for the Bills.

 

It may turn out that I have to find a way into the game regardless if I can't locate a suitable viewing spot. 

 I think I can claim that in addition to predicting a SF Bills SB  with his flowers for Milano, its also a clue that this London trip will feature a Bills  playmaker that has been missing from previous squads since the 90s  Bills were relevant.  In the 90s we had an all pro lb nicknamed biscuit,  in England biscuits are cookies.  So this time we are bringing in all pro cookie Milano.   So nfl script won't be giving Jags any easy victories and I don't see them having the defense to stop Allen or offense to keep up.

[BritBill]

5 hours ago, goober said:

So (potentially ?) Tube will not be running October 4th / 6th? 
 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-66867721.amp

 

Looks like service will be very limited at best. 

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, BritBill said:

 

Looks like service will be very limited at best. 

 

Meh the last couple of tube strikes have been damp squibs. Bad for the morning of the first day and then basically fine. Too many scabs.

 

Let's see. 

[BritBill]

36 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Meh the last couple of tube strikes have been damp squibs. Bad for the morning of the first day and then basically fine. Too many scabs.

 

Let's see. 

 

I wouldn't want to be used a political pawn either. Fair play if that's the case. 

[SoCal Deek]

4 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Meh the last couple of tube strikes have been damp squibs. Bad for the morning of the first day and then basically fine. Too many scabs.

 

Let's see. 

Good thing I got my Heathrow Express tickets from the airport into the City on Thursday the 4th. 

[Augie]

1 hour ago, SoCal Deek said:

Good thing I got my Heathrow Express tickets from the airport into the City on Thursday the 4th. 

 

I’m not sure how the Heathrow Express differs from the regular Tube, and maybe I need to know, but Thursday is the 5th. My flight arrives about 8am local time on Thursday morning which is a bit awkward, but hopefully I can get some sleep on the flight for a change. 

[BillsFanNC]

On 9/19/2023 at 8:53 AM, SoCal Deek said:

Having passionately followed the Bills for every bit of sixty years if I stopped going every time they lost to an NFL team I’d have to wait for the next league expansion to stay away. 😉 So being the gluten for ‘punishment’ that all Bills fans have to be, I’ll be there at Tottenham! Can’t wait. Go Bills

 

On 9/13/2023 at 3:14 PM, BritBill said:

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/nfl-tottenham

 

They’ve been going on around midday the last few days apparently. 

 

 

 

Finding a place to watch in London wasn't so easy.  

 

So I picked up two from the link BritBill provided.  Cheers!

 

And don't blame me SoCal if the Bills lay another egg against the Jags!

[BritBill]

If anyone else is wanting to join us for a curry on Saturday 7th evening could drop me message to confirm that would be great. 

 

We’ll be aiming to eat at 7pm. 
 

I’ll look at reserving the restaurant this time next week. 

[SoCal Deek]

23 hours ago, Augie said:

 

I’m not sure how the Heathrow Express differs from the regular Tube, and maybe I need to know, but Thursday is the 5th. My flight arrives about 8am local time on Thursday morning which is a bit awkward, but hopefully I can get some sleep on the flight for a change. 

Depending on where you’re headed in London I highly recommend booking a ticket on the Express. It’s cheap and you can do it online. You can even book it with a round trip for your return heading out.  It’ll get you into Central London in a matter of minutes with no stops direct from the airport. From St Pancrass Station you can then get just about anywhere on the Tube. Way, way faster and cheaper than every other alternative, and you hop on the train immediately inside Heathrow. Piece of cake! 

[MattM]

1 hour ago, SoCal Deek said:

Depending on where you’re headed in London I highly recommend booking a ticket on the Express. It’s cheap and you can do it online. You can even book it with a round trip for your return heading out.  It’ll get you into Central London in a matter of minutes with no stops direct from the airport. From St Pancrass Station you can then get just about anywhere on the Tube. Way, way faster and cheaper than every other alternative, and you hop on the train immediately inside Heathrow. Piece of cake! 

Many thanks for the tip—one quick question. I’m arriving on the morning of Oct 6, a day when the Tube strike is on. Will that strike impact the HE? For ex. is the HE represented by the same union and thus be out on strike that day, too?

 

If not and the HE is still running, would I be able to take the HE to Paddington and then get a cab/Uber there to my hotel a few miles away? Or will cabs/Uber in London be swamped due to the strike?

[SoCal Deek]

19 minutes ago, MattM said:

Many thanks for the tip—one quick question. I’m arriving on the morning of Oct 6, a day when the Tube strike is on. Will that strike impact the HE? For ex. is the HE represented by the same union and thus be out on strike that day, too?

 

If not and the HE is still running, would I be able to take the HE to Paddington and then get a cab/Uber there to my hotel a few miles away? Or will cabs/Uber in London be swamped due to the strike?

We always take the HE to St Pancras because it’s then close to our hotel at Hyde Park. You can check online to see if they also have one that goes to Paddington but even if they don’t, just get on The Tube from St Pancras and head to your hotel. Not sure where you’re staying. 
 

I take it back. I just looked it up. Paddington is actually closer to our hotel than St Pancras but even at that it’s just a couple of quick Tube stops to get to Hyde Park area. Getting around in London is super easy! 

Edited September 23, 2023 by SoCal Deek

[MattM]

3 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

We always take the HE to St Pancras because it’s then close to our hotel at Hyde Park. You can check online to see if they also have one that goes to Paddington but even if they don’t, just get on The Tube from St Pancras and head to your hotel. Not sure where you’re staying. 
 

I take it back. I just looked it up. Paddington is actually closer to our hotel than St Pancras but even at that it’s just a couple of quick Tube stops to get to Hyde Park area. Getting around in London is super easy! 

Many thanks—I agree that it’s normally super easy to get around London, but the day we arrive there is a Tube strike planned, so was wondering if that also means the HE will also not be running. I’d love to avoid having to book an advance taxi or car for $200 if we can, but also would hate to arrive and be stuck at the airport with no way into the city due to the strike.

Edited September 23, 2023 by MattM

[SoCal Deek]

18 hours ago, MattM said:

Many thanks—I agree that it’s normally super easy to get around London, but the day we arrive there is a Tube strike planned, so was wondering if that also means the HE will also not be running. I’d love to avoid having to book an advance taxi or car for $200 if we can, but also would hate to arrive and be stuck at the airport with no way into the city due to the strike.

I do not believe the Express is part of The Tube system at all. They have their own ticketing and marketing system. It’s essentially a privately run train line….I think. 

[MattM]

35 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

I do not believe the Express is part of The Tube system at all. They have their own ticketing and marketing system. It’s essentially a privately run train line….I think. 

Many thanks again. This article lists the train lines impacted by the strikes (although it's tough to tell which days which lines are striking, as there are apparently several days) and unfortunately HE is in the list of striking railways:

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/09/24/train-strike-dates-2023-rail-services-affected-aslef/