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Archive for the ‘transportation’ Category

The London Underground: Keepin’ it Real

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

For those relocating to London, the first aspect of the city that you’ll need to familiarize yourself with straightaway is the public transport.  More specifically:  The London Underground, or the “Tube,” as we all endearingly like to call it.   (I think it is very cute when my Chicago friends visit me here and continue to call it the “L” when it is the opposite of elevated :) )  Those of you who have visited London already know that the Underground is what Londoners call their subway system, and make note that the term “subway” here only refers to pedestrian crossings beneath the street level (i.e., foot traffic, not train).

At any rate, you can consult the Transport for London website for a larger, more comprehensive Tube map, which looks like the one above on the left.  This is a schematic rendering, not a geographical one, so bear in mind that while the locations of Tube stations indicates their general relation to one another, it is not a measure of precise direction or distance.

In more recent years, depictions of the “real” Tube map (above on the right) have surfaced to provide a better bearing on where you are in the city—it is, you see, a bit difficult to determine by looking out the train windows when you’re, uh…well…underground.  Even better, at TubeJP (London Tube Journey Planner), you can see the color-coded Tube lines overlaying a Google map where you can zoom in at street level.

Adding to the Tube’s “real”-ness is the new “live map” tracing the actual movements of the trains—this feature is temporarily unavailable on the site at present, but you can follow this link to see a video of what it normally looks like in motion.

The Underground map has obviously evolved over the course of the last century+, as illustrated in A History of the London Tube Maps, which offers links to great high-resolution images of map archives.  Trying to achieve the optimal design for millions of commuters to follow with ease is a tricky feat, and there has been a lot of critique over the map’s aesthetics and readability (if you’re into maps/graphics, perhaps you’ll be interested in the two pence offered here and here in ‘07/ ‘08).  I can recall last year’s big controversy surrounding the River Thames’s removal from the map—in response to public outcry that the river be returned to the official Tube map, it was reinstated.  I find that to be very cute as well :) .

Lucky for you, London Relocation Ltd. prioritizes finding you a flat close to public transportation and will help you get oriented with how to get around in your neighborhood and commute to work/school.  Safe journeys to you, dear commuters, and may you always find your way!

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Transport for London’s Cycle Hire is Here!

Friday, July 23rd, 2010


Walking home from the Tube last night, my eyes fell upon brand new and shiny bike docking stations a couple blocks from my flat.  AWESOME!!!

For those of you moving to London who might not yet be aware, the city is introducing a new cycle hire scheme (sponsored by Barclays, London Relocation Ltd.’s bank of choice through which we set our clients up with their accounts in one day to make relocating to London that much easier!).

The Transport for London website outlines the scheme, but, basically, London residents will now be able to rent bicycles for commuting or recreation.  It’s similar to the Zipcar concept in which you can rent a car that is parked somewhere in your local area, picking it up and dropping it off back in its designated street space independent of having to actually walk into a rental office.

You can start renting bikes as of now if you sign up for a membership, whereby you’ll get a “key” to the terminal that will release the bike from its lock; you will also be able to manage your account online.  This is the way to go if you’ll be a frequent user, as it will save money and add convenience.

Alternatively, if you prefer to wait a little longer, coming soon is an option for “Casual Use” for only the occasional rental, like if you simply want to pedal through one of London’s many beautiful gardens.  This is open to non-UK residents, so even if you’re just visiting London as a tourist, you can take tourism to a fun new level—there are even guided cycle rides!  Access is obtained either directly at the docking station, online, or by phone.

I’ve embedded the helpful how-to video above for your reference (hey Americans, no giggling at the way they spell “tires”) and am positively psyched for London to become the next cycle-friendly Amsterdam.  Let’s get rollin’!

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Guest Post: Moving to London

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Today we’re happy to introduce to you a new guest blogger, Belle Gurd of Moving 2 London. As for what this comprehensive and utterly wonderful resource is for expats, I’ll let Belle take it from here:

Hey there, a big thanks to London Relocation for letting me hijack their blog spot for a guest post.

Today, I’m just going to give you a brief overview on www.moving2london.com, the London website I started with my partner (Nick) about 5 years ago when we were living in London.

moving2london.com is aimed, as the name suggests, at helping people move to London. The website is an online information resource (sounds boring, but I promise it’s not) with 19 videos (filmed and edited by Nick and myself), interviews, maps, blogs, an e-book, a  Facebook group and Twitter account, all aimed at informing and guiding people on making the move to London.

Nick and I lived in London for two years, on the Working Holiday visa (best thing we have ever done just quietly) and whilst we were both trying to work our way through setting up a totally new life in a totally new country we decided we’d start a website about it.  We wanted to help other people navigate their move over and inject a lot more time for fun and exploration!  www.moving2london gives people info and advice on how to open bank accounts, what a national insurance number is, the job market, how to get around London on all the transport, how to understand the tube and loads, loads more.  We’ve even got a fancy new e-book we’ve just recently published, ‘Survive and Thrive in London’. And for those of you who have used, are looking to use and want to use London Relocation, we’d like to offer you a 50% discount if you purchase using this link.  http://www.moving2london.com/survive-and-thrive-london-ebook-50-off.html

Check us out if you’re heading over to London. London Relocation can help you find your home and we can help you navigate the city.  Remember, life’s too short to stay at home.

Thank you Belle!  We’re so happy to recommend your website and e-book to our prospects to help them transition that much more smoothly in their new London home.

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The Sidewalk Situation

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

And no, thank goodness, I’m not referring to “The Situation” of Jersey Shore fame…watching that show makes me a bit relieved to be on the other side of the ocean from that fake-tanned spectacle, although it’s not too unlike what you’ll catch on Booze Britain on the telly here.  What is it with these seaside towns gone to crap?  But I digress…

Today, I’m in a mood to editorialize.  Bear with me.  Today’s blog topic is inspired by my usual London commute between the Tube/bus stop and any given destination.  What happens in that span of concrete in between Points A and B is a recurring series of events towards which my originally ambivalent feelings (you know, just the casual acceptance that cities will be busier and pushier) have been veering toward the negative.  The usual suspects causing these infractions?

The Space Invaders – This profile of commuter applies to both the sidewalks and public transportation.  Indeed, as I was standing on the Tube this morning, just keeping to myself and reading my book, this older gentleman started to lean in on me, crumpling my book against my chest and physically pushing me backward.  I looked at him to see if he had any recognition of what he was doing—as well as to see if there was any cause outside of his control—but no, he made no eye contact and continued to shove into me even though there was nothing imposing on his space to warrant this displacement.  This happened once before on the Piccadilly Line, which is already compressed enough with its lower ceilings (and especially congested by weekend theatre-goers).  Even though there was no one within 3 feet of this one group of guys, one gentlemen had me backed against the wall, standing so closely that I had to turn my head to the right so my nose wouldn’t poke his shoulder.  And yet, I was still too timid to give the “What you doin’ all up in mah bid-ness, yo?”  Instead, my husband politely asked him to step aside a bit.  Amazingly enough, this happens out in the open as well with the close walkers and talkers.  Americans, you will almost physically feel the walls of your Privacy Bubble puncture.

The Chicken-Fighters - These are the most imposing sidewalk creatures.  They are your oncoming pedestrian traffic that simply will not make the mutual gesture to move out of your path.  In Chicago, I would almost engage in a waltz with other passersby because we were both trying to be courteous.  Here?  Uh-uh.  Of course they won’t be looking you in the eye, but oh yes, they know full well that you’re there.  I’ve been experimenting with daring them back, but I really don’t like being pushy and also fear outright collision against those wills of steel.  Instead, I always end up resorting to the Sidewalk Slalom, weaving in and out to accommodate everyone else’s war-paths.

The  Dawdlers – I am a fast walker.  I apologize.  I have long legs that take greater strides anyway, and I also like to walk briskly as a means of fitness (and, uh, yeah, I’m also usually running late, so trying to make up time…).  Therefore, it is excruciating to get caught behind someone moseying their way along without any regard for the commuters with places to go and people to see.  And as far as I’m concerned, I have every bit as much right to be in a hurry as someone else has to not be, so I believe we can all peacefully coexist in this world if we bear this mutual awareness and try to keep the way clear for one another.  Which doesn’t happen when you’ve got the Dawdler who is also one of…

The Barriers – This characteristic in combination with a Dawdler is mind-numbing.  Truly.  The people who drift into the center of the walkway to successfully obstruct traffic in either direction.  They get even better when they’re curious about something in a shop window and slow down even more, often to a complete stop, at which point they become The Standers planted right in the middle of the sidewalk.  The Sidewalk Slalom maneouvre applies effectively to this scenario as well.

The Crosswalkers – Now this is where I may be getting a bit silly, as it is legally our pedestrian right to cross the street at a designated zebra stripe.  I’m not judging who exercises this right, because I do, too.  But the thing that I continue to feel uncomfortable with is making a car come to a stop on my behalf.  It’s probably just me, but I actually feel bad to be disrupting their momentum.  If there’s a group of others around me, no problem; that’s justified.  But if it’s only me, I just don’t feel I have right of way and will actually pass up a safe crosswalk to endanger myself by J-walking another block up, apparently choosing to shift the burden onto myself to dodge the traffic like Frogger.  Along that vein, I then find myself judging the audacity of others when they use the crosswalk without hesitation.  Yes, this is definitely just me…

I’m getting concerned that if I keep trying to kill ‘em with kindness out here, I’m only going to end up getting myself killed as sidewalk roadkill, too passive to survive these streets.  Ah well.  Wish we luck on my way home today :)

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London Relocation Loves Anglotopia!

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Raise your hand if you love the UK!!!  [my left and right hands are enthusiastically punching at the sky]

If you actually listened to me and obeyed my command, then Anglotopia is the site for you!  And what a fun and comprehensive one it is.  This site is purely devoted to all-things-Britain and its loyal Anglophiles.  Are you an Anglophile? Let’s refer to Anglotopia’s definition:

“The strict definition of Anglophile is someone who loves England.

However, we use the term in a more far reaching capacity and use it to define anyone who loves England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We also include any country that Britain has touched in its long history and we regularly feature articles on Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and much more.

This website started out as a place for all the people out there that are perfectly happy to spend a whole weekend watching a British Comedy marathon on PBS. It’s for all the people that dream of traveling to Great Britain or have been there and wish to go back. It’s for all the people fascinated by British Culture, British History and above all the British themselves.

If any of those things appeal to you – then you’re an anglophile and you’ve come to the right place!”

Meet the criteria?  What I think is brilliant about this website is that it’s not just for those already living in London.  Perhaps you do live here, or maybe you’re in the process of relocating to London.  Or maybe you are like the many Anglophiles who track this site simply because they fancy England and visit it in their dreams if not in actuality.  Hence, even if residing in London is not a reality for you right now, this is your quick fix of what you enjoy and a means of getting to know the culture better in case you are preparing the big move.

It’s difficult to know where to even begin with what resources you can find on this site.  It’s bloody everything!  From expat life to vacationing to history to tracking the local news as well as television programs.  You can even find a glossary of British slang to supplement my series of posts on Speaking the Queen’s English :)

If I weren’t at the office, I’d be raising a pint of room-temperature, honey-colored lager to Anglotopia for their brilliant efforts at maintaining this site for Anglophiles worldwide; in lieu of that, I’ll just send out an “Oi!” on behalf of Britain’s other biggest fan, London Relocation Ltd.

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Looking Both Ways Before Crossing the Street After Crossing the Pond

Friday, March 12th, 2010

I’ve mentioned before that London is very well-suited to getting around on foot.  Sure, it needs to accommodate masses of tourists safely, but you’ll find that it is highly pedestrian-friendly for its locals citywide.  This is something you’ll be grateful for once you’ve made your London move and need to deal with it on a daily basis.

If you have ever visited London, surely one of the first aspects of traffic that you’ve noticed is that automobiles are driven on the left side of the street.  This inevitably sets itself up as a hazard when Northern Americans, Continental Europeans, and visitors of other nations in which one drives on the right side have the reflex of looking in the wrong direction of traffic when trying to cross the street.  To blatantly assist with this problem, you will notice the words “Look Left” and “Look Right” literally painted onto the road at the edge of the sidewalks in the city center.  In outer neighbourhoods, even though tourism is not as high, there are still large arrows painted onto the lanes–these confused me at first, as I intuitively thought the arrows pointed in the direction traffic flowed, but it’s actually pointing counter to that in the direction you should look to know where it’s coming from.

As in most cities, there are buttons you can press at the stoplight to get a “Walk” sign to light up for you at an intersection.  Yet a regular feature on the streets here that is not-so common elsewhere is the zebra stripes, i.e., pedestrian crossings (indicated by parallel white stripes) that cross the road at a location other than the intersection.  These are supplemented with a black-and-white pole with a round yellow light that flashes at the top, and cars are required to stop there if pedestrians are present.  And if you’re having any remote difficulty picturing what I’m talking about, just think The Beatles’ Abbey Road.  This album cover has resulted in non-stop tourists seeking the road out in St. John’s Wood to have their picture snapped at the legendary location.

And as is the case in most places you travel, there’s usually a pedestrian road sign or two that stirs up a giggle.  In the UK, this one to the lower right is the one that does it for me:

If you don’t care for your commute to involve too  much walking after you move to London, London Relocation Ltd. is always sure to find you a flat within easy walking distance of public transportation.  The thing with this city, though, is that you’ll find yourself wanting to ditch the bus or tube for a nice stroll around, especially on those elusive sunny days.  It’s a city made for walking, so you’ll feel footloose and fancy-free!  :)

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London Logistics: Public Transport

Monday, March 8th, 2010

London is a city set up well for walking and public transportation–I simply see no point in having a car here and would never want to fight that traffic on my own.  Whenever you need to plan how to get from A to B via train or bus (and would like to gauge the amount of time to allow for this travel), we recommend that you bookmark the Transport for London website:   https://www.tfl.gov.uk

Here, you can find route maps, timetables, how to buy tickets (including procuring your Oyster card) or use the Journey Planner feature to enter your starting and destination locations.  The site also posts live service updates or, for your added convenience, you can consult the Travel Tools page to sign up for mobile travel alerts or email notifications of weekend closures–there is always one line or another that is closed for scheduled engineering works over the weekend, which definitely cramps one’s plans when you show up at the station expecting service to run the same as it does any given weekday.

London Relocation Ltd. has your flat-searching transportation covered, as we hire a driver for the entire day–but when you’re officially on your own, TFL will be a necessary resource.  Happy travels!

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London Logistics: Airport Transportation

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Whether you’re coming or going, transportation to/from any of London’s airports isn’t always easy.  Heathrow and Gatwick have decent commutes by rail (via Underground, the Piccadilly Line will get you all the way to Heathrow, and the Overground “Gatwick Express” will take you, well, to a quite self-explanatory destination from Victoria station, both approx. 30 minutes).  Stansted and Luton are a ways out there in the countryside, but offer bus and train connections as well.  Regardless, if you’re not keen on taking public transportation but don’t want to have to empty your bank account to take a taxi, I highly, highly recommend To And From Airport service.  The name essentially says it all, and this has been the trusted transport that my husband and I have relied on and continually arrange for our visitors.

Drop off at Heathrow is only £25, and pick-up is £30 + cost of parking–in the latter case, the driver will be waiting just outside customs for you with a sign printed with your name.  They have always, always, always, been on time, and every time I’ve used this service, the professionalism of the drivers and their quality of car/van has been commendable, so I obviously don’t hesitate to commend them now in this blog.  Their international booking numbers are 1 626 227 0125 from the U.S. and 1 647 724 8754 from Canada.

So when you’re moving to London, make arrangements with To And From Airport for your pick-up, get settled into your hotel and rest up, and then London Relocation Ltd. will be picking you up the next day to show you your eligible properties.  Life doesn’t often get easier than that…

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Kicking off a New Year with London Relocation

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Festive New Year's wishes in espana!

Hello, folks!  Have a happy holiday season?  I sure did, and am positively knackered as a result…but in the best of ways :)

While London Relocation Ltd.’s owner and relocation extraordinaire, Anthony Gallo, continued to diligently place clients in their new homes over the season, I myself snuck away to the States to spend Christmas with family in Los Angeles and Chicago.  Yep, that certainly covered the climate spectrum over the course of a week…from palm trees in the 70s (Fahrenheit) to snow-covered evergreens in the 20s, and let me tell you, this UK-adjusted lass was DRIED OUT.  I hadn’t realized how accustomed I’d become to England’s temperate climate, which maintains moisture in the air (without becoming humid in the summer).  The temperature here in London is also rather consistent (click here to track London weather forecasts), with highs not so far from the lows as opposed to the massive swings in degrees that typically knocked me out with severe sinusitis.  If you’re like me with a head like a barometer, you’ll get on easily in London.

This is the second New Year’s since moving to London, England for which I actually made a side trip on my way back from the States.  Last year, my husband and I travelled via Dublin, Ireland, where we rented a car and spent our first days of the New Year driving across the country, hitting Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, and Limerick along the way.  This year, we kissed New Year’s tidings on the crowded (and quite merry) Las Ramblas of Barcelona.  We stayed at the brand new W Barcelona hotel, which cuts a dramatic silhouette against an otherwise vast sea-view and offers rooms with outstanding panoramics of sea, beach, and city.

Why do I bring this all up to you?  To rub it ruthlessly in your face if all you did for New Year’s this year was binge on leftover Christmas cookies and fall asleep before midnight in front of the TV?  Heck no!  It’s not that I’m really all that cool, it’s just that this is how EASY foreign travel is once your home base is in London.  The flight back from Barcelona to London was less than 2 hours, as are many flights within the Continent.  And if you’re flying from the States on return from your Christmas visit, it may actually be cheaper to fly into a non-London European city, plus the flight from there back to London–this was the case for Dublin last year, in any case, for which the Chicago-to-Dublin + Limerick-to-London flight cost was half what we would have paid for Chicago to London direct.  ’Tis not always the case, but it just goes to show how much it pays to RESEARCH.  Try experimenting with dates and locations on discount airline sites like SkyScanner or Orbitz.

Of course, there’s always something to be said for nice, quiet evenings at home snuggling with your loved one on New Year’s, so if you move to the UK and don’t plan on anything extravagant outside of your London flat to bring in 2011, London Relocation Ltd. will make sure that home is a nice one.

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Jet-laggin’

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

jet-lag

There is a reason why we at London Relocation Ltd. will not schedule your viewings on your same day of arrival in London.  That reason, my relocating friends, is the very one that I am fighting against this moment…the thing that renders us a bit dizzy and disoriented…JET-LAG.

Just when I think I’ve become such the jet-setter who can depart Chicago and step right into a London life 8 hours later (a time lag further compounded by the 6-hour time difference)…meh.  I arrived back in the UK at 8:00am this morning and am resuming my work duties as usual, but I’m paying the price for it.  A 12-hour flight can be conducive to decent sleep, but an 8-hour one?  Nah.  Between the 2 meals served that will inevitably wake you, you realistically only get a maximum of 4 hours to work with, at which point you then have to factor in the quality of that upright, cramp-legged sleep.  I can barely handle it just sitting at a desk; imagine popping in and out of 20 properties and having to make the decision that will determine your refuge for the next year!  Nope, take our advice and spend that first day of arrival napping at your hotel and otherwise getting acclimated.  We want you refreshed and rejuvinated with a clear, calm, open mind come viewing day.

Here’s a tip on recovering from jet-lag relatively quickly that will be helpful for your future flights as well as those of all the visitors that will be clamouring to have a hip London holiday based out of your flat:

- If you take an overnight flight (recommended!), do try and get as much sleep as possible on the way over.  It will never be enough, as I grunted above, but it will be a foundation that gets you through the necessities of safely navigating your way off the plane, through customs, to baggage claim and beyond.  Have a coffee or take a caffeine/energy placebo of choice to get you through a few more hours, say to mid afternoon.  At this point, you should nap if you can, but don’t stretch it beyond 1 or 2 hours!  If you succumb to your slumber in the daytime, you’ll only be setting yourself up for a sleepless night.  So take that cat nap, force yourself up and out of bed, have a nice dinner, and keep yourself up until your normal bedtime hour (in local London time, of course).  If you can then get an 8-hour sleep overnight, you’ll be surprised how well adjusted you’ll already be by that next day.

- If you take a daytime flight, you’ll arrive in London in the evening and won’t be a lick tired until probably 4am.  In this case, you just have to do your best to get to bed at as normal a bedtime as possible to regulate your schedule–otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for an unproductive cycle of late nights and sleeping in.  This is much tougher to overcome (for me personally, anyway), which is why I opt not to take daytime flights.

- Either way, sleep well beforehand, drink a lot of liquids, and take your vitamins!  This will help your body better adapt.

London Relocation Ltd. looks forward to seeing you when you’re all rested and smiley :)

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London Relocation is an all-inclusive UK relocation service specializing in helping corporate professionals relocate and finding London student apartments for international students. American owned and operated, London Relocation is adept at finding you the right apartment at the right price - and with fair UK apartment finder fees. See what our clients say about relocating to London, England from America with our UK relocation specialist, and find your London flat today.
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