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So, I'm officially going to England. My flights are booked. I'm leaving on the 12th of June. I'm getting back on the 10th of July. I'm presenting a paper (!!!!) in Bristol on the 3rd to the 5th. I've also gotta go to France at some point to see Clara. Other than that... I'm at a loose end. (If you're wondering, I'm going for a month because there's just no point in flying for thirty hours to get somewhere for a week and a half. of course, this means I have to have my research essay finished in two and a half months (!!!!!!!!!) and sit my exam for Children's Lit in study break, but I talked to Anna about that and it's fine, so.)

ANYWAY. The point of this post is: will YOU be in England during this time? Wanna hang out? (Wanna give me free accomodation? j/k.) I will be flying into London, obvs, and the conference is in Bristol. Where else should I go? BE EXCITED WITH ME.

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I strongly recommend Cardiff, which is not that far from Bristol. It's a great city even if you can restrain yourself from jumping up and down on the Torchwood lift stone. (I did, but only because Torchwood didn't exist at the time)

Technically it's not England, but, y'know.

I totally hadn't even THOUGHT about that, but now I will totally be making the trip to Cardiff. GOOD IDEA.

You can totally go to nakedbus and things like Nationalexpress and if you get in reasonably early (I booked around now for about the same time) you can get things like 1 pound bus trips to places. I got to Bath on a pound and it was awesome. Just to offer an alternative point of view on Cardiff, it's not hugely big, doesn't have much to do other than a Castle (which is totally awesome and you must see it) and smells like pee. I wouldn't recommend more than a night or two there. The hostels are also kinda crazily expensive in comparison to like everywhere else.

Bristol is also like less than an hour from Bath, which in turn is a little while from stone henge (apparently don't do the festival thing there it's all drunken idiots?) The British Museum is amazing, and the science museum is too (they have the particle accelerator Rutherford used! I may have geeked out, like, a lot) and right next to it is the Natural History museum which has a whole blue whale. I was slightly resentful at the idea of giving Westminster Abbey my money but omg the history. The free audiotour is really excellent and as a total history nerd there was a lot of omg Elizabeth I! William Cecil! Charles Darwin's burial!

I stayed at about 3 different hostels there so if you want I could find which ones they were and whether to avoid.

I can't agree on Cardiff, but the British Museum is probably the best thing in the entire country. Although speaking as a history nerd, I find all the Elizabeth I stuff tedious as hell.

I felt that Cardiff was a living breathing example of a failing in local council. When prostitutes and girls pee in the gutter it means you need more public rest rooms. But then maybe my Welsh hating English father has influenced me somewhat in this regard.

I loved the British Museum so much. First you get to look at stuff, and then you get to look at the tags that specifically don't mention how they acquired it. I think I could probably try very hard to live there.

My favourite was probably the spot where they buried Oliver Cromwell and then dug him up from. Heh.

I've got to be honest with you, I never saw that side of Cardiff, although it has been a long time so perhaps things have got worse than then. Although I think I was equally predisposed to dislike Cardiff - I flatted with a group of Swansea-siders for over a year and their attitude to Cardiff was pretty negative.

Yea that side of the Museum did occur to me - it's as much a testament to imperialism as it is love of knowledge. Still, I suppose it's better to steal people's big stone monuments and ancient artifacts than their lives.

We will have moved but will be back for a weekend in early July (BLUR!!!!!) so keep me posted. Also, can give you lots of things-to-do tips (London and Brizzle) in between now and then!

Yeah, I guessed that you would have. (I hope that's all proceeding apace, BTW!) I will definitely be picking your brains for things to do.

Okay, my thoughts for you on the suggestions you've had:

1. Rocks in a field:
I would privilege Avebury (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avebury) over Stonehenge. It's just as easy to get to, much less touristy, and you actually get to wander around the stones. Stonehenge is tiny, crowded, and there's a motorway next door. Avoid, unless you know an archaeologist who could get you in properly.

2. Bath:
If you have the opportunity to go to Bath, do - it's only 15 minutes from Brizzle on the train so maybe do that from Bristol. That also applies to Avebury - easier to get to from Bristol or Bath than London (though both are fine daytrips). In Bath, the Roman Baths are lovely (do not fall for the tacky Jane Austen themed walks though). Google smth like Avebury Lacock Bath daytrip and see if you can get one of the reasonably priced minivan tours. Lacock is a lovely heritage village that will give you a fix of Olde Worlde Cotswold charm without having to, you know, stay in the country. Bath has great shops, and the Sally Lunn teashop.

3. Oxford:
You're going at the height of tourist season so there'll be busloads of daytrippers and all the college porters will be supergrumpy. Oxford's really only fun if you know someone who lives there or is at a college. There's a coach called the Oxford Tube that leaves London every 20 minutes or smth and costs a tenner return (I think) however the train is more civilised (twice the cost though - but ASK ME about trains, and soon, important money-saving advice) If you must go, see Christ Church college (it is lovely and grand), climb up one of the towery things for the view, wander round the Radcliffe Camera, and if you can blag a lift or a cab go out to The Old Trout for a country pub lunch (peacocks on the lawn, 500-year old pub). Don't do any of the tacky Oxford Experience lolsomely awful crap. The museum of scientific instruments of whatev its called is geeky fun. Blackwells for music - seconded.

4. London

a. Theatre/Music: I personally don't like musical theatre that much and feel like it's a bit of a crazy thing to do in another city if you've limited time, especially in summer (overcrowded uncomfortable Edwardian theatres with no proper climate control, ick). However Circe likes musicals so if that's your bag, let me know and we'll brainstorm what would be cool for you and point you to the cheap ticket options. I absolutely love the National Theatre on the Southbank; they have all sorts of theatre with big names (and no songs ...) and directors, and you can get tix for a tenner. Musically, depends what you'd like to go see - I have lots of suggestions for classical etc, there are also tons and tons of good gigs in London in the summer but it depends if you're by yourself or with someone. Koko and Scala are both groovy small venues. A lovely way to hear some music is to go to the free / almost-free concerts at the big churches - St Martin in the Fields being the obvious one.

London continued

b. Museums and Galleries

Depends on what you like innit. Absolute must is the BM of course, to be stunned by the Great Court and wander about the loot of empire. Too much to see it all, pick your rooms and be selective. My favourite is the Sumerian and Akkadian; always quiet because the kids are freaking out over mummies next door in Egypt. Cafe recommendation - the London Review of Books shop on (I think? check) Museum St, has a gorgeous cafe, nomnom cakes and super coffee.

Science Museum is okay but too infotainmenty for my taste; the Natural History Museum is much more proper, grand, and full of absolute treasure (awesome shop). Beautiful building as well. V&A is hit and miss - you have to really like silverware, or Venetian glass, or Shaker furniture, - it really is Antiques Roadshow writ large. However the V&A shop is FANTASTIC. All three museum are in South Kensington, so take the tube out, visit one, have lunch up in Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens (Orangery) and then come back for two halves and the gift shops. It's a full day out there!

If you like art at all go the National Gallery and/or the National Portrait Gallery (next door to each other; also across the road from St Martins; Pret A Manger sammich for lunch and cocktail at Browns later on). The NG is vast and too big to be seen all at once, but you can skip the bits you don't fancy and/or do one of the Highlights audio tours. The Tudor part of the NPG is AMAZING - go in and see that if you see nothing else.

The Tate Modern is a total must-see; first for the building itself and the collection is pretty fab as well ;) Have a drink at the least at the bar on the upper floors, if you're knackered there's loads of lookouts over the river with comfy chairs. Combine a Tate day with a walk across the wobbly bridge to St Pauls (which is a couple hours in itself).

Small museum treasures (look them up, I'm too lazy to link you): The Soames Museum in Holborn; The Geffrye Museum in Shoreditch, The Guildhall Gallery, the Hirniman if for some reason you're out south, the Museum of London and the Wallace Collection (the last two are my fave small guys).

Blanket recommendation: seek out the late opening nights - everything is much quieter and somehow you feel much more relaxed.

c. Touristy sightseeing

I lived in London for 8 years without visiting the Tower / Tower Bridge / Madame Tussauds or anything else similarly extortionate and don't feel like I missed out on anything, lol. The one supertouristy thing that I recommend is (weather enabling) the London Eye. It is wonderful when approached with zen (i.e. ignoring everyone around you)

London Walks: these are awesome, avail yourself of the website (walks.com) immediately. For 6 pounds for 2 hours you can't beat the entertainment. I've done loads and have some faves and some anti-recs, so if you want tips pls ask. Never done their daytrips but they look extensive. Also google: Green Chain walks.

Markets:
Camden Market: It's so not alternative cool, it's the same old stuff you'd get in any headshop around the world. Don't go on the weekend (crowds). The Regents Canal is nice to walk along though.
Portobello Market: eh, it's okay, if you like West London and all that Notting Hill pretention.
Spitalfields Market: this is the one to go to, lots and lots of cool stuff, the whole area (Brick Lane) is nicely buzzing, and the 24 hour bagel places on Brick Lane are cheap and delicious.

Parks:
Regents Park: pretty, has flowers and ducks and the Zoo (extortionate, don't bother), you can pretend you're in a Regency novel swanning around the topiary.
Hampstead Heath: two thumbs up - view from Parliament Hill is awesome. If you like cemeteries the nearby Highgate Cemetery is amazing, gothic, scary.
Greenwich - a full day, take the riverboat, see the Observatory, I like the Maritime Museum but it depends if you are boaty or not.
Kew Gardens - lovely but expensive, and also a full day trip.

Random things:
Priory of St Bartholomew the Great in Smithfields - my favourite church in all of London (I have lots of church sighseeing recommendations)
Wandering about the City proper (the Square Mile) - plot yourself out a circle from the Guildhall.
St Pancras Station - longest Champagne bar in the world!
Waterloo Bridge - sunrise or sunset, the vista is unbeatable
Docklands Light Railway - the skytrain goes through the skyscrapers, you feel like you're in Blade Runner.

Okay that's enough for now I suppose - you seem like you might have a couple weeks to fill so that's probably a good start. Once you have firmer plans, do ask about trains etc - the UK is NOT the kind of place you can get cheap tickets for anything at the last minute. The earlier you book things, the better. Also look in my LJ, I have a London tag for fun things I have did in the past.

Holy hannah! This is incredible. Thank you a million times! I will spend tomorrow digesting it and googling buses and things and probably get back to you with a couple of questions but, seriously, this is really really appreciated. (Instant question: I AM a big musical theatre fan, so places to get cheap tix are essential knowledge for me!)

Okay, I will get Circe to give you some musical tips.

My mother lives in England! Not far from London, actually, and my stepsisters live in the city proper. I shall ask her for Things To Do; any particular foodie interests? My mother is a food, museums, and churches geek, so take that with a grain of salt if you do not share those interests.

GO TO STONEHENGE. There's a really neat audio tour and the whole thing is just really awesome. It has been my experience that most people (okay, my family and one other girl) don't think it's going to be great until they get there, and it is.

Oxford is really cool too if you're going to be anywhere near there. There's a really neat little sheet music shop called Blackwell - if you want some music or music-related stuff, go there!

In London, make sure you do the Natural History and British Museums at a minimum, and the Tower if you've got time. I think Lush stuff might actually be a bit cheaper even after the currency conversion. Check out the sci-fi shop Forbidden Planet - it's over Picadilly way, and has a *very good* collection of books and comics, not to mention other things. Like, Buzzy Bee x 1000. The prices are about the same as NZ once converted, but the range is worth it.

Uh...there'll be stuff I'm forgetting, I know. I'll try and remember.

*uses new, pretty icon*

*CLINGS* YES!

I can try to come to London if you like, even though I really hate the place because there are too many people, it would be awesome to see you. *snugs*

OMG Squee that's awesome!
London = musicals. Even though they will be stupidly expensive, GO TO THEM :P Sometimes theatres have last minute student tickets (I got to Avenue Q for 10 quid) that does help. I loved Greenwich in winter, but I don't know what it would be like in summer. Ooh, and summer there means free outdoor events too :)

I am so envious. Good luck with getting the research essay done and everything. That sounds amazing.

If you're going to London, definitely go to something at the Globe - I saw Othello for five pounds in the standing seats and it was amazing.
And the museums. Oooh, the Jack the Ripper Walking Tours are really interesting and fun.
Also, Bath is wonderful.

Yay, you're going!
...though I think we'll just miss each other :(.
If you're round London - go to the museums. I agree on the British museum, but add the V&A. The science museum (um... I can't remember if that's actually its name, but it may be connect to the national history musem) is also great. And the art galleries - the Tait and the national portrait were my favourites.

I'll second the Science and V&A museums - I was whisked pretty quickly round both of them (Rory was more interested in the shiny stuff than the displays of agricultural and chronological equipment in the first, and we'd been on hour feet for eight hours by the time we got to the V&A) but I'd love to go back and do them properly. The National Portrait gallery was pretty neat, too - like, *so many* originals of paintings you will be familiar with.

Man, I need to go back to London.

Rocky and I will be in the UK from the 27th of May until whoknowswhen, so we should totally catch up!

squee! GO YARN SHOPPING. XD also, all the cool stuff everyone else has said.
so, wait, you're presenting your research for this year? ALREADY?! HOLY CRAP AWESOMESAUCE.
you are my new hero. XD
(AND TAKE PHOTOS OF THE TW LIFT STONE PLZKTHX)

OH OH THOUGHT i can't quite remember where Bad Wolf Bay was shot, but i don't think it was far out of Cardiff??

...this is a highly random comment, because although I've had you friended for years, we are hardly friends.

However, in a random happenstance of compulsive flicking through of friendslist people, I am also going to the DWJ conference. Well, I hope that there will not be a competition of kids lit conferences in Bristol for the 3-5th of July, anyway. I was expecting to be a lone Australiasian in attendance, so this is a happy novelty.

So, in strange answer to the post, I shall be in England and Bristol, and I'm highly likely to see you without any effort at all.

What's your paper going to be on?

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