Many people have asked for the minute details of how I planned & executed this short trip to my dream destination, and so here I am breaking it down into 4 essential steps that I followed.

A. Applying for the VISA

B. Long wait for the VISA to arrive (but there are many things to plan for instead of sitting idle)

C. Book flights, ho(s)tel, and any other special tour you want

D. Reach London and take care of some basic requirements while you tour around

D. Reach London and take care of some basic requirements while you tour around

Hope that gave a brief insight when you are about to board the flight to the UK. This information will feel really relevant later in the blog. Activation of the Forex card is a must once you land on the shores of a foreign land, which you will need the second you exit customs. But first, let’s have a short glimpse of customs check at Heathrow airport.

1. Wait in line for around 1-2 hours (the line for students at UK customs is different)
2. The line for certain countries is separate from the others
3. Get ready with your flight tickets (return too), passport, visa, vaccination certificate, and if need be, your accommodation and transport details within UK
4. At the front of the line, get ready to go to your designated customs officer and show him/her your visa and passport. Answer the questions you are asked and safely follow through the gates.
5. During all this time, you can plug into the free WiFi of the airport and get in touch with your family.

A cheerful officer greeted me and asked me if I was any good (as a Community Physician). I replied that it could only be judged by others but I sure hoped I was. A hearty laugh was shared. And when given the green signal, I slipped out and made my way toward collecting the luggage. In front of where my luggage was, the sim card vending machine gave me a 30GB data card, a lifeline for the next 5 days in the city. For reference, just insert the data sim card into the secondary sim card slot of your phone (Android) and change the mobile data settings of your phone (Sim card Manager) to the new sim, while keeping the option of call and SMS muted on your primary SIM. In that way, your WhatsApp and other cell-based Apps work with the internet without catching any Roaming charges. A really handy option, I must say!

Getting out of the airport was quite easy, and the best way is to look for the signs or ask anyone at the airport. The officer who gave me the Oyster card directed me behind the pillar holding the six floors of Heathrow airport together. A lift materialized, and with a European couple standing next to me, I hopped on the lift and traveled to the underground. It took a bit of asking about, and a kind woman pointed me to the Piccadilly (Blue) line from where I could get on the metro, or the Tube as they call it. By the time I reached the station pulling 15 kilos of a heavy trolley, my body was beyond its limit of tiredness. Even so, I had got an hour left before I could get off Russell Square. Punching the Oyster card in the machine was surprisingly easy, like any other Metro in India. And the Tube felt oddly reminiscent of my old friend, Kolkata Metro Rail.

The basic essentials you need to be aware of

London is one of the most card-friendly cities you will ever find in the world! A tap of your Forex card will take you everywhere. Oyster card gives the added advantage of capping: a certain upper limit for the day is fixed in that particular Zone of the city, which may differ with the transport option such as the Tube, the Bus, or the Train. Once you reach or exceed that limit, the rest of your travel within that zone by that particular transport becomes free for the day. It is a great option for those who plan to explore the city a lot throughout the day, which was certainly the case for me in the first 2 days of my stay in London.

I only used cash in coffee shops during emergency, like when the daily limit of my forex ran out and I wasn’t aware. So keep at least 20-30 GBP with you in cash in case you need it. In order to prevent further emergencies, I ASAP increased the daily spending limit of my Forex to 200 GBP because I ate, traveled, and shopped a lot every day, clearly utilizing the limited time to the best of my ability.

In the dormitory of the hostel where you are staying (essential for solo travelers to save on the cost of stay), keep your luggage locked in the storage place you get and be very sure to keep it secure. As a traveler, you and only you are responsible for your belongings. Have a light carry-on bag with you and keep the cards, money, raincoat, water bottle, power bank (very very important), and a light snack if you feel hungry on the way and start hankering for a quick bite.

Always keep your passport in your bag, along with the contact of the Indian embassy in your wallet. You never know when you may need to show identification or get out of a tough pickle. Travel or medical insurance is a must in those countries, so keep the health card and the soft copy of the policy documents on your devices. Carry a sanitizer, mask, paracetamol, band-aids, and levocetirizine tablets (over-the-counter drugs) for unforeseen symptoms on the road.

Never hesitate to take the help of local authorities

They are there to help you, even if you remain skeptical. You need not feel inferior as you are a foreigner in their country, and ask for help without hesitation when you are confused. Be cool and confident, and do not panic if you find that you are lost somewhere. If you don’t find anyone in sight, turn on the CityMapper app and input your destination. You would find real-time fares, routes, and locations to any public transport, even cabs if the need arose. I preferred to travel by Tube, Bus, Ferry, and once the DLR. Thanks to CityMapper never got lost in 5 days. In fact, several times a day I ended up guiding other tourists who stopped me to ask for directions or routes.

Enjoy the different cuisines London has to offer

London is an amalgamation of multiple nations, cultures, and most importantly food. Chinatown, in my opinion, is the best place to try out Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisines, especially street food. Aside from Cranberry Danish at a street stall bought from a kind burly English gentleman, a pizza from Pizza Hut managed by a Bangladeshi family, Fish-n-chips at a riverside bistro, and Beef pie & LIIT at an Irish pub while already being drunk, the oriental food was surprisingly more amazing than those I have tasted in some parts of India. I guess the moral of the story is to keep an open mind and try out everything you can, and I guarantee you will be surprised by the culture and hospitality any new place has to offer you.

Finally, surrender yourself to its exciting culture!

For me, the arts are the main axes of the culture of any place. So I visited the West End, an area full of 38 theatres that offered me evening activities to do in the city once all the tourist spots had closed down. Just a disclaimer, most of the tourist spots close by 5 PM, and some like Westminster Abbey remain closed from 1 pm to 3 pm on the days open for tourists (except Sunday when the Mass is held). So check Google or ask the locals before visiting a certain area. London is best for walking and touring from 8 AM till 1 PM, breaking for lunch, and then continuing till 5 PM. The Sun doesn’t set before 7 PM, so you can rush to the West End and catch a show to pass time until dinner. The transport remains open from 12:30 AM – 1 AM throughout the city, so there is no need to hurry back to your accommodation!

That’s all in general for visiting London, UK. I think the key thing is to be confident in what you know and keep the must-haves in your bag. Try to walk and explore as much as you can, managing between your time and number of days you are in the city. If you are in London for less than 5 days, it is better to prioritise your destinations and fix one day for each zone of London (east, west, north, south and central London). NEVER cut off access to the world without a backup plan.

To say goodnight here’s a 30-second clip of the 3 places in London which caught my attention and awe so much, I just HAD TO SHARE! Adios!!!