Patience of Londoners - the Great British during a tube strike

London owns nearly one third of the UK population and much of it is foreign but the remarkable thing is how Londoners are sheep to the Great British etiquette.

The tube strike brings fear to the hard working souls of this city; we work long hours, our commutes can be unpleasant on the best days and we like to make the most of this number one Capital city. Yet when we hear the tube is closing those long hard hours whiling away at work are rewarded by arduous journeys to and from home!

I've personally never agreed with tube strikes that support reasonably well paid workers. It's true that our tube system Needs to changes, needs updating and requires more than a face lift but a true digitalisation. If waiters talk with digital menu slips, we pay by contactless payment and airplane boarding passes go mobile - it certainly is time to say goodbye to the ticket office and get customer service staff out from behind the glass cages mixing with people at ticket gates and on the platforms using digital devices for support.

And while Londoners are put through this pain, they wait patiently in long lines at bus stops - the wonder of a British queue, cram into packed tube carriages and face journeys 3 / 4 / 5 times their usual length. One colleague of mine left home at 6.30am from Heathrow today only to arrive at the office at 11.45am. When she finishes her shift at 6pm, going by her morning experience, she is unlikely to get home until 11.15pm. 

For all those who went on strike - feel ashamed you put people through this misery who often earn considerably less than you. And feel horrified that there are so any cleaners and support staff who are only paid by the hour - they only earned half a days wages today!

Yet the Great British grit is contagious - and Londoners will continue to soldier through, with or without the tube! 

Patience of Londoners - the Great British during a tube strike

London owns nearly one third of the UK population and much of it is foreign but the remarkable thing is how Londoners are sheep to the Great British etiquette.

The tube strike brings fear to the hard working souls of this city; we work long hours, our commutes can be unpleasant on the best days and we like to make the most of this number one Capital city. Yet when we hear the tube is closing those long hard hours whiling away at work are rewarded by arduous journeys to and from home!

I've personally never agreed with tube strikes that support reasonably well paid workers. It's true that our tube system Needs to changes, needs updating and requires more than a face lift but a true digitalisation. If waiters talk with digital menu slips, we pay by contactless payment and airplane boarding passes go mobile - it certainly is time to say goodbye to the ticket office and get customer service staff out from behind the glass cages mixing with people at ticket gates and on the platforms using digital devices for support.

And while Londoners are put through this pain, they wait patiently in long lines at bus stops - the wonder of a British queue, cram into packed tube carriages and face journeys 3 / 4 / 5 times their usual length. One colleague of mine left home at 6.30am from Heathrow today only to arrive at the office at 11.45am. When she finishes her shift at 6pm, going by her morning experience, she is unlikely to get home until 11.15pm. 

For all those who went on strike - feel ashamed you put people through this misery who often earn considerably less than you. And feel horrified that there are so any cleaners and support staff who are only paid by the hour - they only earned half a days wages today!

Yet the Great British grit is contagious - and Londoners will continue to soldier through, with or without the tube! 

London Tourist - rediscovering home: 5 places to see in London

It's too easy to forget what's on your own doorstep; the old adage 'out of sight out of mind' is irrelevant in travel - it's quite the opposite. 

With 15 years beneath my belt being a vilified Londoner I seem to have forgotten the beauty of a city that has ranked number one for global tourist destinations. Following nearly five years of "campaign London" starting with the Royal Engagement, Royal Wedding, Queen's Jubilee, Olympics and recently ending with the new Prince the spotlight has even helped me reinvigorate the love for the capital and rediscover my environment.

1. Stepping onto Portobello Road for the first time in over 10 years, while it's much smaller than I remember, much less Bric-a-Brac and significantly more chain stores - and it has lost its historical edge, what it doesn't lose is the backdrop of Victorian Britain. The beauty of the colourful streets reimagine life here over a century ago when horse and cart were commonplace and the market was the centre of all refinery and wealth. Today, other than marvelling overly priced antiques it's the remaining independent stores that take my fancy. 

We stop in a burger joint for the biggest baddest burgers and fresh lemonade that I haven't had in an age - the prices mediocre as costs in the capital have continued to soar over the past decade, I assure you that there's no stopping them and finding a bargain is next to near impossible. 

2. Then just a couple of weeks before Christmas the city is ablaze with fairy lights and the festive dusting covers the city as I flit between the quirky - Vauxhall Tavern for its sing-a-long cabaret night and I show a visiting blogger around London's gay night life being reminded that fun can be had on a weeknight without much expense nor heavy head next day. 

3. And a visit to Winter Wonderland was perhaps the biggest spectacular surprise I've experienced as a Londoner for a number of years. This mammoth indulgence in Christmas brought the spirit and the excitement alive as thousands squeezed into Hyde Park and meandered around the fairground, markets and food stall supping on Mulled Wine and local beers.

4. Next stop Camden, the last time I visited this infamous destination I was a student. The place was quirky, historic, shabby, with drugs being sold on every corner; shop fronts bulging out onto the road, litter strewn across the streets, rats scurrying out of view and a multicultural diverse community of hipsters, punks and tourists. Today the place has been gentrified, very much middle class Britain with its cultural heritage diluted and the magic essence that made it Camden (like Carnaby Street was once the backdrop to 1970's Britain) pretty much evaporated,

The streets are clean and free from exploding shops, the markets are now laden with European imported goods, extravagant food stalls and the same groups of tourists that inhabited it many years ago. The hipsters and punks have all but gone and now any well to do respectable citizen will proclaim to having spent the day In Camden. For me, the walk was pleasant on a slightly frosty day as the winter sun spilled into the alleys and courtyards of the refurbished market but the touch I remembered had vanished.

5. My London finale was a trip down Oxford Street shopping with Mum for Christmas, the still not pedestrianised road is becoming more treacherous as the years go on, but the remarkable festive magic goes from strength to strength as the large stores of Selfridges,  House of Frazer, Debenhams, John Lewis, et al all put on spectacular visual displays in their shop fronts. Escape the crowds by eating In the side alleys but always go early to avoid the crowds.

London 2013 still works for me, but the changes have stripped places of the individuality they once owned and still there are changes that should take place. Perhaps my biggest disappointment about London, as one of the leading capitals and number one choice for tourists is its gay Pride event - whether it being marred by financial difficulties the fact remains that one of the most progressive countries in the world fails to deliver a first class pride precession baffles me, and even more so that financially burdened Spain can put on a show three times it's size in Madrid. Which incidentally spurs me to continue travelling, appreciate London for what it is - home - and that my doorstep is the world.  

Gay London gets a boost by Tube: 24 hour weekends

London Underground has announced that in 2015 parts of the tube network will run 24-hours at the weekends. This will give nightlife in the capital a huge boost making it much easier for gay clubbers to enjoy much more of what the City has to offer.

The 24-hour running will cover the Picadilly, Victoria, Jubilee, Central and Northern Lines, which will no doubt make life so much easier for Londoners and tourists. It will also make selecting hotels much easier as travelers can now look beyond the centre city and towards upandcoming areas including Greenwich, Shoreditch, Brixton and Shepherds Bush.

The underground celebrates 150 years and while behind some of the other leading global cities London has taken a while to prepare for 24 hours. And while we all complain about the services, during peak hours it is one of the best underground networks in the world and pretty good for its size and age. This now moves the city in the right direction, if only it could handle 24 hours 7 days a week and cover an ever greater expanse of the city...

The Underground really has been built typically on the lifestyle culture of Britain's. Pub shuts at 11.30am - get the last tube home. It ignores middle-length nights out (you know, until 1/2am, and complete ignores the later hours of 3/4am.) the number of times I've waited an hour for a Night bus and then it's taken me another hour to get home.

This news is really exciting, and will make weekends much much more fun in the city. The tube has been less fun since they banned drinking (alcohol) on the network...so maybe this will add a bit more drunken British Spark! 

Revisiting Greenwich Market

It's my favourite market in London and it's set in a quiet town, with a fantastic park - with views of the city. It leads up to an old London village overlooking London town. This is Greenwich.

There's always to much to see, the stalls are fascinating with entrepreneurs trying their hand at selling their quality products. The food market is always bustling. I never really usually eat here, but today I gave in. It was much needed, as I tucked in to a tasty burrito.

We stopped at a traditional Greenwich pub for a couple of pints of lager, and a packet of crisps, as we sat and watched people, gossiping about the people around us.

This time we also explore the Maritime Museum which was free entry, it's definitely fun for kids. Or stop at the Cutty Sark.

Walk through the Park, visit the Observatory, and enjoy some real British bangers, as a snack

Want something Gay? Go to The Prince of Greenwich, and sometimes you will find that the Rose & Crown can get pretty gay, as it was previously a gay pub, but now it is more mixed.

Remember to Check out Greenwich Market when you're in London.

New York City vs London: by an American and a Brit

I visited my friend in New York City at the weekend, I was complaining about certain things that didn't work so well here compared to my home City of London. Well, then she started complaining about London.

So we decided to write a list - Who is BEST at what?

NYC vs LDN

Polite and friendly - NYC wins.
Whether walking down the street with a map upside down or looking aimlessly around a Subway station, New Yorkans will offer help and a conversation. We both agreed that most Londoners will ignore you, largely because of the begging culture.

Currency value -New York


Ok, this is a bit selfish, but money in New York does seem to go further, especially with the British pound.

Dollars cs notes - London
We prefer the colourful notes of London, but I like the pound and my friend who is a waitress prefers the One Dollar note. But really, why need such a huge wallet?

Cash vs card - Londn
It seems people mostly pay by cash, I hate cash, and they have NO chip'n'Pin. Isn't signing so old school now?

Smoking - London
NYC has segregated zones outside, yes even outside, especially bars and restaurants. I bet London follows soon, but still more freedom in the UK.

Subway/underground - London
Proper maps, easy to read signs, frequent announcements, train times, staff on the platform - that's London, remove all that for NYC.

Food value -NYC
You definitely get a lot for your money. Though I am unsure how healthy some of the portions are

Food health - London/ NYC

Maybe it's because I know what I am eating. My friend disagreed!

Drink value - NYC
It's all about the free-pour, and cocktails

Talking bars - London
Try finding bars and pubs where you can talk in, NYC you'll find few and far between. All hail the London Pub.

Bars - NYC
Want somewhere chic and cool...head to the NYC

Gay Bar proximity - London
So I like my Soho and Vauxhall Village, and Shoreditch, but apart from West Village, I feel I am wandering aimlessly for bars in NYC

Taxi -NYC

Cheaper - it is simply cheaper! Oh and quicker, no traffic.

City Views - London
The River Thames offers spectaclar views and the different shape buildings of the city add to its uniqueness. NYC is all a bit samey.

Fit guys - NYC/ London
I am sure NYC wins, my friend reckons London.

Diverse dress sense - London

NYC plays it all a little safe, and my friend agrees

Coffee - London


Buy one cup of decent coffee, not countless refills of cheap coffee - NO THANKS

Newark airport vs Heathrow Terminal 5 - London
This was a tough one, but right now Terminal 5 wins, though on my way out I didn't like the new terminal.

Queues/lines - London
London knows how to queue properly.

If you have more to add, or disagree with any of the both, I would love to hear from you.

World Pride 2012: All eyes on London

Contribution from Jon Fairbanks a Gay Travel Team member at www.gaytravel.com


The videos are my experience of London Pride as a proud British gay bloke.


All opinions below are of Jon Fairbanks:

Seriously, how gay can London get in 2012? If the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee isn’t queer enough, “The Old Smoke” is also playing host to WorldPride in June. 

WorldPride, created by InterPride, is a popular celebration of all things LGBTQ that attracts revelers from … yes … around the world. This is the third installment of WorldPride, the previous celebrations took place in Rome and Jerusalem.

While the past events drew hundreds of thousands of visitors, organizers anticipate more than one million people will flock to London to take part in the festivities thanks to the upcoming 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. What’s on tap for this year’s WorldPride? Theatre shows, debates, poetry readings and other events are planned but let’s get real, it’s all about the parade and parties.

Parade Day is July 7^th, at the end of WorldPride. This year the route will start on Baker Street and will run more than a half mile longer than usual, covering more of London’s iconic landmarks including Piccadilly Circus, where a Pride Rally will take place. Several of the UK’s brightest stars are scheduled to appear on the main stage in Trafalgar Square, including X Factor finalist Lloyd Daniels and pop-punk band Twenty Twenty. In addition to the musical acts, there will also be comedy shows and dancers. In Soho, partygoers will converge at the dance stage where they’ll be entertained by London’s hottest DJs. If you’re in the right place at the right time, you might find yourself hobnobbing with Sir Elton John, Sir Ian McKellen or another A-lister who’s been known to attend London Pride.

Most of the action takes place in the heart of Soho, London’s gayborhood. The yellow brick road? Old Compton Street. A street lined with the city’s most popular gay bars, pubs, sex shops and restaurants. When you see the rainbow flags and cruisy blokes, you’ll know you’re home. The most popular venues in the West End include the spacious and stylish Ku Bar, G-A-Y Bar and The King’s Arms, catering to bears and the cubs who love them. Soho will also be closed to traffic on the day of the parade and many of the clubs will be open until 4am.

For gents who dig leather and fetish clubs, you’ll want to head to Vauxhall, a neighborhood south of the river. Crash is the hottest venue in the area on Saturday nights, Instinct is also a great spot if you love house and techno music. Horse Meat Disco/The Eagle London attracts a variety of gay patrons from bears to twinks. The bottom line, during pride, every visitor will find a bar or club to fit their individual preference.

Getting around London is incredibly easy thanks to the city’s great public transportation system. For less than £5 you can buy a daily travel card which gives you access to the London Underground (the tube) and buses. Route maps are also available at several locations throughout the city, so you should have little trouble getting from point A to point B.

Several high-profile companies are helping to underwrite this year’s festivities, including Smirnoff, Coca-Cola and Tesco, the UK’s largest private employer. Recently, some LGBT activists, including Hannah Dee, have criticized London Pride and its organizers for becoming a corporate sponsored event more interested in generating a profit than celebrating the achievements of the gay and lesbian community.

Despite the criticism, London Pride is still a great fundraiser for organizations that benefit LGBT organizations. This year Kaleidoscope Trust was selected as the official charity partner. Kaleidoscope International Diversity Trust is a nonprofit organization that campaigns for equality for gays and lesbians people around the world. For socially-minded Marys and ‘mos who want a break from the pride debauchery, there will also be a conference on gay rights featuring several renowned speakers.

England isn’t known for its great weather, but the summer months can be beautiful. Luckily, WorldPride happens at the beginning of the summer, giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy the local landscape. London’s premier gay cruising area is located in the northwest part of the city in an area called Hampstead Heath Ponds. It’s no South Beach, but it’s great if you want to check out some hot locals and out of towners and get a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. There’s a men’s bathing pond located here which gained worldwide notoriety when singer George Michael was photographed here. If you don’t have a number one hit song, chances are you can fly under the radar.

2012 marks the 40^th anniversary of the first London gay pride parade and this year’s event promises to be biggest yet. So if you’ve never had the opportunity to explore this sophisticated, thriving metropolis, now’s the time check out the city where you are encouraged to live like a Queen.

London's Gatwick Airport staff get trained

Arriving at London's Gatwick Airport today I nearly collapsed at sheer shock for the developments it has made with security. Here I was stood in a large hall with electronic gates and lines of security check points - the UK had hit the 21st Century!

Following years of pure hatred for this airport's baggage check it finally seemed to have recognised flyers' dissatisfaction and brought in someone with an ounce of intelligence to reform it. Plus this was my special day - new staff were being trained at each touch point.

New security employees bumbled around the luggage conveyor belt double-triple checking they were doing their job right under the beady-eyes of their experienced seniors. Body check officers joked off their apprehension while the x-ray observers nodded in agreement as bags were checked at snails pace.

While the check point took three times as long as London City Airport - these bright lights, fresh layout and new staff gave me a sense of ease with the impending Olympics 2012. Just maybe Britain can give citizens and residents a good send off.

My only concern is that the airport has adopted the same respect for queues as our European
counterparts (no clear line structure in place) - expect a pure rush for the first available boarding card swipe desk and rampage to the quietest luggage check line. We will see.

I just hope when I land back here I will experience a welcome that is as fresh and professional. Though airport staff can still do with developing friendly personalities.

London - rediscovering the city we call home

Before you know time has slipped away and rummaging through drawers you end up pulling papers and receipts of vouchers for special experiences given to us by family and friends for birthday and christmas - when do we ever get round to using them - well, the weekend just past of course.

Months previous we discovered that we had unused vouchers for London activities and we decided to book a day when we could make the most of them. So on Sunday we headed to London Waterloo - the home of the Eye - to embark on the London RIB Voyages. It was an hour on a lifeboat speeding up and down the river: Parliament down to Canary Wharf. We were incredibly lucky, the sun shone for us to see the best that London had to offer.

The crew onboard were entertaining and provided quite a few laughs; mind - I had no idea what information was true or false but being a Sunday I lost the care and just sat back and enjoyed the rhythms of the river.

We have traveled up the Thames previously on the Clipper from our home - Woolwich - to London Eye which is a great option and a cheaper one. But for something a little bit special, when the Baywatch theme goes blaring out as you dart down the Thames - what more could you ask for.

After we slowly wondered from Embankment to Covent Garden for lunch, a spot of coffee in Soho before strolling to Hyde Park to sit in the sun. We were due to go for a Spa day and meal at the Hilton Park Lane after - with a special VIP voucher we bought from Purity Spa; well this ended up being an absolute waste of money. The food was awful and there was nothing VIP about our massage.

You realise that not every voucher is worth its cheaper value - but it was certainly a fun day out for the both of us in our own city, where we did discover something new. Well done London RIB Voyages.

BTW - if you're a friend of mine :-) get in contact and I'll give you a 20% off voucher code.

Time - Londoners go so fast for today

Dropped into Soho to check out how things are going; met a mate knocked back a few glasses of wine, consumed a plethora of tapas plates of a restaurant I hadn't met before then continued to water our stomachs with some mightily strong cocktails. All in the middle of London's gayborhood.

Six weeks had passed since last stepping in the area and few things had changed. There were new restaurants and people proving that London churns new ideas and oppportinites before spitting them out into the compost. People too no different, guaranteed among many to be healthy, gym fit muscled boys looking a perfection yet those that seemed to draw attention seemed relaxed happy normal, not pushed to supreme. It made me think of the turnover of these new bars and clubs restaurants. Do we last a lifetime or a moment. What's worth giving your attention?

France - visiting the family

Easter - time to spend it with the French side of the family. We packed up our 1996 Ford Fiesta and took to the British motorways - heading south. First stop - My parents, Poole.

Next stop Saint Michel - Ferry to Cherbourg then a gentle cruise to the beautiful historic island. After spending an afternoon exploring the small town we headed into the countryside for Evron. The weekend we spent with family and friends while assisting on the farm. Enjoy our video