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Tips on Surviving London
  According to the oft' quoted phrase of Dr Samuel Johnson - man of letters born on 18th September 1709 - 'if you are tired of London you are tired of life'. However, that was in the 18th century; nowadays, one can easily find London a tiring place to spend the day. Here are a few easy tips that help your energy levels in the long days that London demands.  
   
Tip 1 Get a bus tour - search google for 'London bus tours' and use the hop-on hop-off open topped bus.
   
Tip 2

Exercise good posture - this is important. It is also easy to correct. While you need to take advice on any medical conditions you may have, doing the following neck exercise a few times a day will really help increase energy levels through the late afternoon and evening. It is an exercise you can do even when standing or sitting on the tube - though it may look a little unusual, it is well worth it. Once you exercise your neck like this, the rest of your body will automatically align itself and somehow your energy and stamina increases.

First position: bring the chin back, lengthen the neck as if a string was pulling the top of your head up. Shoulders slightly back. You may find a stretching feeling under your ears and upper back. Relax back to normal and repeat. From the first exercise, before relaxing rotate the head either:

  • back and to the initial position;
  • to the right and back to the initial position;
  • to the left and back to the initial position.

Once you do this exercise, you can forget about it and be normal.
   
Tip 3

Keep hydrated This is self-explanatory - just carry a bottle of water. Tap water in London is fine to drink. Chilled or filtered water tastes better. You can get a filter in the supermarkets. Avoid coffee - it sharpens the brain but eventually tires the body through dehydration.
   
Tip 4 Eat well but travel light - (a) one great food for breakfast is oats, otherwise known as porridge. It keeps you going for a long time because it is absorbed slowly. Buy real porridge if you can, not the microwave version, unless you are used to making it. Soak overnight if you can to shorten the cooking time, and cook gently in the morning with care. Add some brown sugar and milk (or cream) to make it taste delicious. (b) get a light cooler bag. (c) bring some very good plain chocolate for the late afternoon and early morning.
   
Tip 5 Avoid alcohol at least until the evening. It does not mix with a busy day. The body is least able to absorb alcohol at lunch time. Also it dilates the blood vessels and thus make your legs swollen and walking less comfortable.
   
Tip 6 Take a break. A 15 minute nap is good for the energy levels. It creates a dip in the increase in the body's heat during the day. After a short nap, your body heats begins to rise as your slowed down functions start up again - in effect, the rest period lasts longer than the 15 minutes. If you're in a group, allow others some undisturbed rest. You can lie down in a park - but ladies, don't walk alone in parks.
   
Tip 7

Too hot? This year it was hot in late July for a few weeks. August was warm with heavy showers. Remember the following:

  • air conditioning is unusual in London and normally means a stand alone unit. For 48-50 weeks a year we have a temperate to cold climate.
  • older buildings are cooler - modern buildings with dense concrete structures retain heat (which is why concrete is used in night-time storage heaters). So terraces in Sloane Square and Knightsbridge are quite cool inside - they also have smaller windows. Red brick may attract heat due to its colour, but also releases heat readily at night, whereas concrete retains heat from day to day and the heat builds up.
  • the moisture on your skin cools you down - air conditioning dries the air and your skin. Drink water to hydrate your body, tea to make you sweat.
  • heat transmits only by conduction (touch), convection (movement of air) and radiation (sunshine). So, close the curtains and blinds during sunny hot days. This reduces conducted and radiated heat. Keep windows closed if it is hotter outside - this reduces transfer of heat by convection.
  • air conditioning only cools you while indoors, wear light, absorbant and natural fabrics which cover you from sunlight while outdoors. To avoid looking like a tourist, avoid wearing sports shorts, unless you are under 16.
   
Tip 8 Enjoy your stay and be adaptable. Enjoy eating in your apartment, try buying in the Borough Market in London Bridge. Enjoy the music that London has to offer in clubs, concert halls and churches - free out of hours. Try the free museums, like the Tate and National. Go to the BBC Proms upstairs in the RAH for £3. Use the Jubilee and Bakerloo Lines. Get late theatre tickets in Soho, though the National Theatre is more comfortable. Try the Royal China restaurant in Canary Wharf. Walk through the parks with friends. Walk along the South Bank at night.
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