Contemplating Trip to London, Any pointers? Options

[Pab]

don't forget calling things of national pride 'quaint' or 'cute'. This will rile anybody anywhere, and is a habit often observed in trans-atlanticans.

Example:

"What's that?"

"Those are the Houses of Parliament"

"oh, how cute!"

This especially rankles coming from Americans - we think your entire country is cute. Aww, ickle America! Only 200 years old and already it can walk...

This time next century it might be toilet-trained!

</cheap thwapping>

[Righteous]

Okay, we're on for December. Thus far, it's just me, Rick and his girl. THe want to see sites and what-not while I want to check out places like Camden and what-not. Hopefully we'll find a happy medium and not have to deal with, "Dude, just meet me at the hotel at five."

I was joking with them last night about meeting you cats there. "So you're Ri's brother? Yeah, he talks about you a lot. You sound like a little bastard. Are you gay?" to which I'll say, "Mata, stop giving my brother a hard time." ;p

They were also talking about doing everything as touristy as possible, as in wearing knee socks with flip flops and keeping everything in fanny packs. I told them they couldn't meet you guys and they protested, saying that they'd also use "y'all" every other word and order American beers. I hate them sometimes.

Oh, they wanted me to ask if they have Smirnoff red and triple-black there. We're guessing y'all do, but I figure I'd ask in advance in case that's not the case and Rick and his girlfriend can grieve.

[Righteous]

Also, what are the laws regarding skateboarding? We want to know if we should bring our boards or not.

[Usurper MrTeapot]

There are laws about skateboarding? I guess there are some places you can't skate like in Shopping Centres, on buses or out of helicopters. Other than that...not really. Just people will think you're a bit of a menace if you skate right into them.

[Cath Sparrow]

Oh! and watch out forthe No Skating they tend to trip you up something cronic!

[Greeneyes]

Also, what are the laws regarding skateboarding? We want to know if we should bring our boards or not.

Essentially:

Traffic cone = 10 points
Businessman = 50 points
Policeman = 100 points

First to 1000 wins.

[I_am_the_best]

I haven't known there to be laws on skateboarding. On the Southbank there are a couple of places beneath bridges and such where many people skate because there are slopes and what-not.

[Righteous]

I'm just hoping we don't have out heads beaten in by the London 5-0.

Rick and I came up with a silly situation while messing with a camera:

Ri: *holds camera to face* Okay, we're in London. Here's what London looks like. *shows city block*
Later...
Ri: Dude, see those skaters... *pans into skaters* Those aren't just any skaters, dude. They're skaters...from London, dude. Rick, we're skating in London.
Rick: Dude, put the camera away. You look like an ass.

[Mata]

I've never actually seen boarders do anything other than 'shuffle along a bit, flip the board under them, land with both feet on the ground and the board slapping their ankles, repeat as necessary'. I'm sure there must be better people out there, but currently I'm thinking it's all done with mirrors.

[froggle-rock]

I don't know how else to put this, but December really isn't tthe best time to visit England. It will be wet and cold and drab and miserable and wet and overcast. Did I mention wet? I dunno about you, but if I were a skater I'd sure want to skate in the least puddleous conditions.

As far as skate parks go, I really don't know of many at all. The nearest one I know of is in Croydon, a stop or two from Ikea Purley Way on the tram. -Though if you do that you can pick up some apple cider from Ikea, mmmm

I'm pretty sure when I looked in Sainsbury's the other day I saw Smirnoff red and triple distilled.

"By the London 5-0" -What are you on about?

Are you planning on staying in London, how long for, or will you be moving about the UK?

[DarkInferno]

Yeah... July should be when your wanting to come. You will be considerably less frozen.

I'm guessing London 5-0 has somthing to do with the fuzz, as Hawaii Five O was about cops or somthing?

[Mata]

Sometimes it's nice to see cities during the winter because there are less tourists around. I saw Paris in January when it was covered in snow and that was lovely.

Of course, you will have the Christmas shoppers to compete with for pavement...

[Wyvern]

Im sure whatever the time of year you will be accosted by several forumites. If it's cold, well we'll just have to find warm corners to lurk in and ambush you from. Im sure being nicely frozen will dull your reflexes enough that even the smallest forumites can look impressively speedy.

Of course, you will have the Christmas shoppers to compete with for pavement...

Ahh yes, in which case boards can be put to their secondary and oh so useful purpose...body armour and crowd control.

[Phyllis]

They were also talking about doing everything as touristy as possible, as in wearing knee socks with flip flops and keeping everything in fanny packs.

Just a note - if you say fanny pack over here, people will giggle at you, in case you didn't already know. Fanny means lady parts rather than bottom here.

I told them they couldn't meet you guys and they protested, saying that they'd also use "y'all" every other word and order American beers. I hate them sometimes.

I doubt anyone would really care if they ordered American beers (other than thinking they had bad taste for picking watery crap when there are perfectly good beers available)...though I haven't actually seen any here other than Budweiser, so they might have issues if they tried to order something else.

Oh, they wanted me to ask if they have Smirnoff red and triple-black there. We're guessing y'all do, but I figure I'd ask in advance in case that's not the case and Rick and his girlfriend can grieve.

You will find that England has a great many things that the US has. It's not like you're going to Bangladesh or something. There are some things you can't find over here, though. Like ranch dressing, kool aid, mountain dew (the original kind anyway...I'm told there is that orange kind available some places), places like IHOP or Waffle House, and a bunch of other stuff I can't think of right now. Nothing that will actually impair your enjoyment of the place, because there are always numerous things that we don't have in the US to try.

I will be back in the US during that time, so try not to wreck the place while I'm gone.

[Moosh]

Oh, they wanted me to ask if they have Smirnoff red and triple-black there. We're guessing y'all do, but I figure I'd ask in advance in case that's not the case and Rick and his girlfriend can grieve.

You will find that England has a great many things that the US has.

You guys do know that Smirnoff etc is manufactured in the UK right?

[mooooooooooopo]

You guys do know that Smirnoff etc is manufactured in the UK right?

Meaning...? That there's somewhere in the UK that manufactures it? Yes, I knew that. I also know that it's sold in 130 countries and the US Smirnoff is manufactured in Connecticut (I looked it up earlier because I wondered where it was made after Ri's question).

A lot of things that the US and UK both have are made in their respective countries, I've found. I don't see what it has to do with anything, though...unless you were trying to say it was exclusively made here, in which case you'd be wrong (and really, what would it matter even if it was?)

Oh, and Ri...if you like lemonade and happen to order some at a restaurant, don't tell them they got your order wrong when you get a fizzy drink that resembles Sprite or 7up. Also, people talk about portion sizes being smaller here, but I honestly haven't noticed a difference at all. Except with chips. Then it's the opposite because one portion of chips = HUUUUGE.

*edit* gnaaahh that tricky moop left himself logged in. This is Cand. It is currently 1 AM, so I am far too sleepy to delete this post, log in as me, and then repost.

[Righteous]

I don't know how else to put this, but December really isn't tthe best time to visit England. It will be wet and cold and drab and miserable and wet and overcast. Did I mention wet? I dunno about you, but if I were a skater I'd sure want to skate in the least puddleous conditions.

Spring's bogged down for us. Rick, Candious and their boys are going to Philadelphia after uni lets out, I'm putting on a concert in February, I have a wedding sometimes in late spring/early summer (they haven't set a date ), we have a family reunion sometime in July (and family is extremely important to us) and in the times between, I have to work like a madman. I may even take summer courses, as I'm a few credits behind. Christmas holiday is the only good time for us. Besides, by that description, it sounds kind of like Philadelphia in winter and I love Philadelphia in the winter.

Besides, do you think we'd go to London just to skate?

I'm guessing London 5-0 has somthing to do with the fuzz, as Hawaii Five O was about cops or somthing?

Yeah. We use a nice assortment of terms for cops (pigs, fuzz, 5-0) and security guards (rent-a-cops, pseudo-cops), as we have to deal with them all the time.

Im sure whatever the time of year you will be accosted by several forumites. If it's cold, well we'll just have to find warm corners to lurk in and ambush you from. Im sure being nicely frozen will dull your reflexes enough that even the smallest forumites can look impressively speedy.

While reading that, I hear in my mind's ear Rick saying, "It's the cult! IT's the cult!"

There are some things you can't find over here, though. [...] Nothing that will actually impair your enjoyment of the place, because there are always numerous things that we don't have in the US to try.

That's what I'm thinking. I'd much rather experience things I can't get a hold of here in the States. I've no idea about Rick and Candious, though. I'm hoping they're open-minded.

I will be back in the US during that time, so try not to wreck the place while I'm gone.

We'll do our best.

You guys do know that Smirnoff etc is manufactured in the UK right?

Dude, I don't drink and I don't care where it's manufatured. I was just asking on behalf of the skinny goof I call a brother.

Are you planning on staying in London, how long for, or will you be moving about the UK?

I want to just bum around London, however Canious is doing most of the planning, as she's about a thousand times more oganized than me and Rick, so we'll have to see.

[Moosh]

You guys do know that Smirnoff etc is manufactured in the UK right?

Meaning...? That there's somewhere in the UK that manufactures it? Yes, I knew that. I also know that it's sold in 130 countries and the US Smirnoff is manufactured in Connecticut (I looked it up earlier because I wondered where it was made after Ri's question).

A lot of things that the US and UK both have are made in their respective countries, I've found. I don't see what it has to do with anything, though...unless you were trying to say it was exclusively made here, in which case you'd be wrong (and really, what would it matter even if it was?)

I meant that being as it is also manufactured in the UK, it is probably sold here. But yeah.

[Righteous]

[spam]

I saw something that made me think of this thread, particularly the whole American things in London deal. I was watching Mushroomhead: Volume 1 and there was a segment where they showed clips from the beginnings of various concerts. It went something like this:

*cut*
J Mann: Anyone here from Cleveland?
*cut*
J Mann: Austin, Texas!
*cut*
We could have gone home two days ago. We said, "F*ck it! We're playing Memphis!"
*cut*
J Mann: VIVA LA RESIATANCE!
*cut*
J Mann: Are you smokin' tonight?
*cut*
J Mann: LONDON!

It went on a few more times. They play a lot of places. It would be stellar if they were in town when we were.

[/spam]

[Righteous]

Sorry, cats, but Rick, Matt and Candious have decided to bail on me. They say it's because of money, but then again, I overheard them say that they want to go an a snowboarding trip instead. This puts a major kink into things. Anyhow, so I've no clue when I'm going to visit you guys. As you can imagine, I'm not exactly happy about this, expecially since they all decided this without me and forgot to tell me until yesterday after they had made plans for the snowboarding trip.