LONDON

DREAMS

London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It is the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures.London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who called it Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, largely retains its square-mile mediaeval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms the London region and the Greater London administrative area, governed by the elected Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

London is a leading global city, with its strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and

development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence. It is the world's largest financial centre alongside New York, has the largest city GDP in Europe and is home to the headquarters of more than 100 of Europe's 500 largest companies. It is the most visited city in the world. London's five international airports make its airspace the busiest of any urban centre worldwide and London Heathrow is the world's busiest airport by number of international passengers. London's 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education in Europe. In 2012 London will become the first city to host the Summer Olympics three times.

London has a diverse range of peoples, cultures and religions, and more than 300 languages are spoken within its boundaries. English is an official language in London

In July 2007 it had an official population of 7,556,900 within the boundaries of Greater London, making it the most populous municipality in the European Union. The Greater London Urban Area (the second largest in the EU) has a population of 8,278,251. while the metropolitan area (the largest in the EU) has an estimated total population of between 12 million and 14 million.

London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church; and the historic settlement of Greenwich (in which the Royal Observatory marks the Greenwich Meridian (0° longitude) and GMT.

The London Underground network is the oldest underground railway network in the world and the most extensive after the Shanghai Metro.

Current london’s weather conditions

MAP OF LONDON

AIR FARE

Tickets are booked through the following website.

http://www.ixigo.com/search/result/flight/DEL/LON/20102010/27102010/1/0/0/e

Airport to HotelGetting into/from London - cheaplyIn this case, cheap transport isn't that big a savings. Connex South Central trains to/from Victoria are £8.20 one way. A better deal is the Flightline bus, with a ticket good for 3 months costing £7.50 single.

I choose to prefer the Flightline Bus service.

Hotel Corbigoe is only at 3-4 minutes walking distance from the Victoria Underground substation.

CORBIGOE HOTEL, LONDONThe Corbigoe Hotel in London is a friendly, family run hotel offering comfortable accommodation and breakfast at competitive and moderate prices.

All 18 guest rooms are well furnished and equipped with private en-suite bathroom facilities, Colour TV and Tea/coffee making facilities.

The hotel is situated in the heart of London, close to Victoria Underground, Railway and Coach Stations (3 minutes walk away).

Most of London's Top Tourist attractions are all within walking distance, including Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Tate Gallery, Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye.

Hotel Rent

Total 32x7= £ 224

October 21st, 2010PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the heart of the London borough of the City of Westminster, close to the historic Westminster Abbey and the government buildings of Whitehall and Downing Street. The name may refer to either of two structures: the Old Palace, a medieval building complex most of which was destroyed in 1834, and its replacement New Palace that stands today; it has retained its original style and status as a royal residence for ceremonial purposes.

The Palace is one of the centers of political life in the United Kingdom; "Westminster" has become a metonym for the UK Parliament, and the Westminster system of government has taken its name after it. Its Clock Tower, in particular, which has become known as "Big Ben" after its main bell, is an iconic landmark of London and the United Kingdom in general, one of the most popular tourist attractions in

the city and an emblem of parliamentary democracy. The Palace of Westminster has been a Grade I listed building since 1970 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

From Hotel to Westminster PalaceThe Westminster palace is at a walking distance from the Victoria London Station. Just head to the Buckingham Road and you reach the Westminster Palace in 10 minutes by walk. The travelling expense is negligible

October 22nd, 2010LONDON EYE

The Merlin Entertainments London Eye (commonly the London Eye, or Millennium Wheel, formerly the British Airways London Eye) is a giant 135-metre (443 ft) tall Ferris wheel situated on the banks of the River Thames in the British capital.

It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people annually. When erected in 1999, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until surpassed first by the 160 m (520 ft) Star of Nanchang in 2006, and then the 165 m (541 ft) Singapore Flyer in 2008. It is still described by its operators as "the world's tallest

cantilevered observation wheel" (as the wheel is supported by an A-frame on one side only, unlike the Nanchang and Singapore wheels).

The London Eye is located at the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames in the London Borough of Lambeth in England, between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The site is adjacent to that of the former Dome of Discovery, which was built for the Festival of Britain in 1951.

HOTEL TO LONDON EYE

From the hotel the London eye is also at a walking distance. London eye is nearby to the Westminster Palace. Precisely it is in between the Westminster bridge and the Hungerford Bridge.

Here too the travelling expense is negligible.

October 23rd, 2010

PORTOBELLO ROAD MARKET, Noting Hill Gate, Ladbroke Grove

The Portobello Road Market, one of London’s famous outdoor flea markets, has become fairly commercialized and real bargains are hard to find.  On weekends, it has the feel of 70’s “head shop” with boodles of things you would never buy on any other occasion.  Wander both the outdoor stands and the permanent indoor arcades and you will find

something you just demands to be purchased and taken home with you.   You will find fascinating ,

custom jewelry and unique crafts.   In reality, most of us the Portobello Market because it is just plain good fun. Mix with the crowds, scan the amazing diversity of goods and strike up some conversations.  You will be glad you did. 

Fans of the movie "Noting Hill" may notice  that many of the storefronts seen on a visit to Portobello Road were captured in various scenes of  the movie.

From Hotel to Portobello MarketFrom the Victoria London, a Taxi will take about 15-20 minutes (£8). Alternatively, take the Circle line underground train to Noting Hill Gate (£1.90 per person). There is a five minute walk to the Market place from the station. I chosed train way .

October 24th ,2010

STAMFORD BRIDGE STADIUM

(Barclays Premier League Match)

Chelsea v. Wigan Athletic

Chelsea Football Club are an English professional football club based in west London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier

League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four times. They have also been successful in Europe, winning the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup twice.

The club had their first major success in 1955, when they won the league championship. Chelsea won several cup competitions during the 1960s and 1970s, but after that did not win another major title until 1997. The past decade has been the most successful period in Chelsea’s history, capped by winning Premier League titles in 2005, 2006 and 2010, and reaching their first UEFA Champions League final in 2008.

Despite their name, the club are not based in Chelsea, but in neighbouring Fulham. The club's home is the 41,841 capacity Stamford Bridge football stadium in Fulham, where they have played since their establishment. In 2003, they were bought by Russian oil magnate Roman Abramovich.

Chelsea's regular kit colours are royal blue shirts and shorts with white socks, the combination used since the 1960s. The club crest has been changed several times in attempts to modernise or re-brand; the current crest, featuring a ceremonial lion holding a staff, is a modified version of one first adopted in the 1950s. The club has sustained the fifth highest average all-time attendance in English football. Their average home gate for the 2009-10 season was 41,423, the fifth highest in the Premier League.

TICKET PRICE:

Price of ticket ranges from £38 - £48.

I bought the ticket worth £38.

I booked the ticket from the following website:

www.stadiumguide.com/ stamfordbridge .htm

From Hotel to Stamford Bridge

Hire a taxi from Victoria London to West London. It charges £ 3.5 for one way travel.

October 25th, 2010

TOWER OF LONDON

Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The castle was used as a prison since at least 1100, although that

was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence. As a whole, the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. There were several phases of expansion, mainly under Kings Richard the Lionheart, Henry III, and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries. The general layout established by the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site.

From Hotel To Tower Of London

One can easily commute to the Tower of London via a taxi. It is comforting as well as economical. A taxi take around 10-15 minutes to reach from Victoria London to the tower of London. It charges £5 for one way.

October 26th, 2010

THE BRITISH MUSEUM

The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.

The British Museum was established in 1753, largely based on the collections of the physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane. The museum first opened to the public on 15 January 1759 in Montagu House in Bloomsbury, on the site of the current museum building. Its expansion over the following two and a half centuries was largely a result of an expanding British colonial footprint and has resulted in the creation of several branch institutions, the first being the British Museum (Natural History) in South Kensington in 1887. Some objects in the collection, most notably the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon, are the objects of intense controversy and calls for restitution to their countries of origin.

Until 1997, when the British Library (previously centered on the Round Reading Room) moved to a new site, the British Museum was unique in that it housed both a national museum of antiquities and a national library in the same building. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and as with all other national museums in the United Kingdom it charges no admission fee. Since 2002 the director of the museum has been Neil MacGregor. On 12 September it was announced that Conservative Peer

Lord Sainsbury was to donate £25 million to the Museum to aid funding for a large scale extension, set to make it the world's largest museum by collection upon completion.

From Hotel to The British Museum

The most convenient and yet economical way to commute from Victoria London to The British Museum is by a Taxi that charges £ 12 for one side of the travel. Museum’s Cost nothing .

October 27th, 2010

RETURN TO AIRPORT

From Hotel to Airport

As I plan to purchase the ticket worth £7.50 of flightline bus for commuting from Airport to the Hotel in Victoria i.e valid for 3 months. So I don’t need to purchase the ticket again during my time of return.

TOTAL EXPENSES FOR THE TOUR (ROUND TRIP)

[£ 1 = Rs 70.4]

Bus fare (Chandigarh to Delhi) x 2 = (450 x2) Rs 1000/- . [19-10-2010]

Air Fare ( Round Trip) = Rs 31022 /- . [20-10-2010]

Athens Airport to Hotel x 2 = Rs 528/- . [20-10-2010]

Hotel Rent = £224 = Rs 15769.6/- . [20th Oct – 27th Oct]

EXPENSES AS PER DATE:

21st Oct:

Food Expense – Rs 2000/- .

Travelling Expense – NIL

TOTAL = Rs 2000/- .

22nd Oct:

Travelling Expense – NIL.

Food Expense – Rs 2500/- .

TOTAL = Rs 2500/- .

23rd Oct:

Travelling Expense – Rs 267.52/-

Food Expense – Rs 1600/-

Shopping Expense – Rs 7000/-

TOTAL = Rs 8867.52 /-

24th Oct:

Travelling Expense – Rs 492.8/-

Ticket price to Stadium – Rs 2765.2/-

Food Expense – Rs 3500/-

TOTAL = Rs 6758/-

25th Oct:

Travelling Expense – Rs 704/-

Food Expense – Rs 2500/-

TOTAL = Rs 3204/-

26th Oct:

Travelling Expense – Rs 1689.6/-

Food Expense – Rs 3500/-

TOTAL = Rs 5189.6/-

TOTAL EXPENSES FOR THE TOUR = Rs 76838.2/-

Experience - It was such an amazing visit. It was best as well as cheap for me . The city is really very beautiful and worth visiting . It was definitely tour of lifetime . Every place over there was full of joy . The interactions with the people over there was a great fun . I simply enjoyed thoroughly .

References

http://www.ixigo.com/search/result/flight/DEL/LON/20102010/27102010/1/0/0/

www.myenglandtravel.com

http://www.britainexpress.com/London/airport-transport.htm

www.worldtaximeter.com/london/victoria+station/british+museum