london directory
london music
you've read the gig guide and introduction to the london club scene got the gig listings, checked the gig calendar, found the locations for the gig venues, dj bars and club directory. great! but you're gonna have to go without music some of the time, so here's some tips on what to do to make it through those daylight hours
london travel
find the venue on the streetmap, check the train times with the train journey planner, get info on congestion charging, iwhat's going on the m25 updates oand latest news on the london underground
london accommodation
there's accommodation options to suit every budget, whether your looking for a couple of nights in a local hostel or looking to make a new home in a london houseshare
hotels
there are hundreds of hotels in london so a good place to start is to check out one of the comparison sites to suit your requirements - hotels in london go that extra yard in helping you find accommodation easily and getting your visit up and running with lots of useful london info.
hostels
international student house student accommodation and social club in central london offer student accommodation to visitors out of term,
and there are also options of single and twin rooms at students-lodging and the lse if you're on a budget but not so keen on sharing a dorm, which you can quite happily do at the globetrotter inn at stamford brook west london and one of the youth hostel association hostels dotted across the city
flatshare
loot is the most commonly used service when you're looking for a houseshare, but with the limited space for descriptions, pictures etc websites such as spareroom and gumtree can give you more of a feel for a place before you pick up the phone or get on a bus. check out moveflat too
internet & communications
fierce competition amongst broadband providers means ever faster speeds and lower prices if you want to go online - pick of the deals are bulldog offering 8mb broadband across london while be are currently rolling out an impressive 24mb broadband service. if you have a wireless enabled laptop, then angel is the place to head for free wireless internet connection. courtesy of islington council, wireless access is free up and down upper street between angel and highbury & islington - so just pop into a cafe and surf.
if you want to use a foreign mobile phone in the uk most likely you'll need to get your phone unlocked. mr mobile on oxford street can unlock your phone for around £10 and you can purchase sim cards there too. a good pay as you go deal is from o2 who offer free text messages and inclusive calls if you buy a sim card online only and top up £10. they also offer reduced rates abroad if you sign up for their free international caller option. cheaper bets might be buying an intenational phone cards or if you have pc access, using skype
london airports
there are 5 principle airports in the london area - heathrow, gatwick, stansted, luton & city with heathrow being the closest to central london & stansted furthest out (around 30 miles).
if you're flying into one of london's airports you may want to check out your transport options to & from the city, particularly if you're
coming & going at cheapest fare hours. ticket prices using thameslink from luton airport and the stansted express can be around £15 return, while the journey time on the gatwick express, heathrow express or new heathrow connect service can be half an hour less,
cheaper if you use the piccadilly line or slower gatwick trains.
banking currency & insurance
if you're a student then it's well worth applying for a student bank account on offer from all the main banks. smile are the only uk bank that offer an ethical standard and a pretty good service too - nationwide are another excellent option if you want the convenience of a local branch plus they offer free cash withdrawals abroad.
and if you're going abroad and left it to the last minute you can still get
currency & travel insurance at short notice
london jobs
you need to be a citizen of the eu or one of the north european countries to be able to work in the uk. otherwise you need to have a visa that authorises your right to work. 1st contact are a useful agency to help you get that sorted.
there are a number of handy websites for london jobs including jobserve, londonjobs and monster. if you're looking for some temporary work to tide you over, there are a number of agencies that could help you out - adecco for health, social care & education, prospectus for charitable & non profit organisations & tate for secretarial opportunities
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