London 2005

Dean, being interviewed by BBC reporter James Westhead 

Kettle Chips salted 1.31BP $2.62
4 chocolate mouses 0.95BP $1.90
1 liter Orangina (soda) 1.39BP $2.78
1/2 roasted garlic chicken 1.95BP $3.90
1/2 lb roasted pork loin with apple stuffing 4.68BP $9.36
8 ozs olives 2.15BP $4.30
small pasta salad for 1 person 1.75BP $3.50
200 grams (almost half pound) gravlax salmon with mustard sauce 3.49BP $6.98
100 grams (roasted ham) .99BP $2.98
large loaf french bread .76BP $1.52
1 liter Evian water .63BP $1.26
1 liter Diet Coke with lemon 1.34BP $2.68
Duck pate with truffles, 200 grams 1.07BP or $2.14
2.2 pounds tomatoes 1.59BP or $3.18

As you can see, one can eat very fancy cheaply if you are willing to go to a grocery store and if you have a refrigerator in your hotel. We shopped at a Waitrose grocery store which is one of the finest grocery stores I've encountered in my trips. Wines can be bought in the $5-10 range but top names are about twice as expensive as the US. We have to admit that you can't eat much better than we did by eating deli foods.

7 days in London is an expensive trip. Luckily I was on someone else's expense account but even then one realizes that this is one expensive city with the exchange rate currently. Transportation is expensive. You can buy 'day passes' on the tube for 4.70BP or USD9.40 but be prepared to walk up and down 50-75 steps in some of the tube stops. We found that taxis are more convenient but from our hotel to Chinatown would cost 15BP or $30 each way. Buses are equally expensive as tubes. You have to plan your transportation I suppose better than we did. But for young people, if you are prepared to walk a bit, eat cheaper (i.e. Burger King or buy food at a grocery store like we did alot) you can do London on $40/day. I learned that making a phone call from your room isn't cheap; 2 local phone calls cost 3.75BP or $7.50. To make long distance calls I used my computer (www.skype.com) which really rocks since it is 5 cents/minute; if I had used the phone in my room at the hotel it would have cost $3/minute.

It is fun keeping score of your expenses on a trip. Opens your eyes to what things cost.

Dean and Yoly at The Green Man Pub 

Yoly at the tube by our hotel, ready for another adventure. 

Dean and Yoly in London in Chinatown 1-29-05. We love this street and go everytime we go to London. Fantastic food...you can eat cheap also but we usually splurge. 

January 29,2005 Golden Dragon Restaurant, Chinatown, London 1/2 Crispy aromatic duck with pancakes, rice for 2, 4 big Soft shell crabs, 1 pint beer, 1 liter bottled water 55BP with tip or $110 (we went off budget but had saved the money on other days) It was alot of food and would have fed 3 people. We love this restaurant. 

Review Of Park International Hotel, 117/125 Cromwell Road, London SW7
4DS, Tel 44 (0) 20 7244 6110 Fax 44 (0) 20 7244 6146
www.parkinternationalhotel.com

Our room rate is affordable and yet the hotel is a nice one; in many
countries this would be rated a 4 star instead of the UK 3 star. We
booked through their website and got a room for 40 BP ($80/night) for
6 nights which includes a continental buffet breakfast (cereal,toast,
pastries, cheese, ham, sausage, canned fruits, hot chocolate, tea,
coffee, juice, hot milk (for your coffee/tea) free newspapers in a
pleasant breakfast room. If you don't book via their website you'll
end up paying for this. The rooms are extremely clean and nice. The
hotel is managed by an American, Dan Jensen, and his capable staff. We
find the location to be extremely good; you are not far from anything
in the town and close to the Gloucester Road Tube Stop, which has 3
different lines (Blue Line which takes you to Heathrow airport, The
Green Line and the Yellow Line--look at a tube map and you'll
understand what I mean). If you have lots of luggage it isn't much
fun walking up the steps of the Tube and it might be worth it for you
to take a taxi from Victoria Station to the Hotel. One block up the
street is a Waitrose grocery store which has a full range of food
items, salads, pates, olives, antipastos, and if you are like us
you'll enjoy buying a bottle of wine and having a meal in your room
occasionally. The British Postoffice is located near also and there is
a CyberCafe across the street. if you have your own wireless computer
with you, you can book a 'wireless' connection by just turning on your
computer and signing up for $48/7 days unlimited. There is also a drug
store in the neighborhood and you can buy creams to rub on your aching
joints after climbing the steps of the Tube (these creams can't be
bought in the US and are worth buying as Ibuprofen cream really
works). If I had one complaint it is that they need more concierge
help; the guy isn't there much or at least not this week and the front
desk help don't know directions.

Bottom line: This is a real steal in London. I was with a BBC reporter
who didn't know of the hotel...he estimated the cheapest equivalent
hotel in London would be 65BP or $130/night. If you want a quiet
room, ask for something off of the street. We had room 408 and it was
quiet.

Dean and Yoly Hughson, Travel writers

Menu from The Lamb and the Flag 

We went and saw a great play today.

http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/shows/display?contentId=78192

Jailhouse Rock



Piccadilly
Box Office: 0870 060 6630
Genre: Musical
Age suitability: General

Based on Elvis’ 1957 classic, Jailhouse Rock tells the tale of Vince Everett who, while serving hard time behind bars discovers his unique talent for music and goes on to become the greatest rock ‘n’ roll star the world has ever seen. However, money and fame don’t bring the happiness he expects and the pressure of stardom weighs heavily on his shoulders.

The classic rock ‘n’ roll musical has been adapted for the stage by the team behind Buddy and 125th Street, Alan Janes and Rob Bettison, and will combine Elvis’ top tunes with other hit songs from the era that chart the birth and growth of rock ‘n’ roll. Stepping into Elvis’ blue suede shoes at the Piccadilly is West End newcomer and life-long Elvis-phile Mario Kombou, who is joined on stage by Lisa Peace, Roger Alborough and Gilz Terera.


Author: Rob Bettison and Alan Janes based on the motion picture; Director: Rob Bettison; Producer: Theatre Partners, Jailhouse Company and Volcanic Island; Designer: Adrian Rees;
Cast includes: Mario Kombou, Lisa Peace, Roger Alborough, Gilz Terera

Previews from: 26 March 2004
Opening night: 19 April 2004
Booking until: 2 April 2005
Times: Mon-Sat 19:30, Mats Wed & Sat 14:30
Running time: 2h30

Lunch at The Lamb and the Flag in Covent Gardens area in London 1-27-05. Price was $26 for 2 plates of this, 1 beer, cheese cake with raspberries and cream, Fantastic way to eat. Don't miss it 

http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/show.shtml/692/Lamb_and_Flag/Covent_Garden

1-26-05 Fish and Chips at Green Man Pub half block away from Great Portland Tube Stop.(Circle Line) Meal was 1 pint beer, 2 Fantas, 2 fish and chips, 1 hot chocolate cake and 1 tea with tip $46.18 (23.09 BP) Food was fantastic http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/show.shtml/1006/ 

My wife, Yoly and I, keep reading that Europe is too expensive for Americans to travel to. This intrigued us because we like a good challenge so when a business trip opportunity came up we decided to doit cheap.We like to watch a show in the US called "$40/day". Host Rachel Ray does cities with the goal of doing them well but economically. The first problem is how to find a cheap flight. We searched athttp://www.travelocity.com and the best we could find was $450/personbut an email from Northwest Airlines came and we ended up with a fareof $385. We opted for the health insurance which pays $10,000 for healthcare if you get sick while on the trip and $25,000 to evacuate you back to the states and thus we got the total package for$410/person. Our hotel in the South Kensington area, http://www.parkinternationalhotel.com/, is a steal at 40 pounds/night or about $80. It is perfectly located for the things we enjoy the most; museums, shows in the west end, small restaurants,etc.So we intend to take lots of pictures, keep all receipts, and see ifwe can help others find the hidden London.Dean and Yoly Hughson