Category Archives: General
The Boat Race on the River Thames
Posted by in General, Guide, London Markets, London Museums, London Olympics, London Tour, Tips
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The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race or the rowing race in England between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club takes place every spring on the River Thames in London. It takes place generally on the last Saturday of March or the first Saturday of April.
The members and boats of both the teams are in blue with Cambridge in light blue and Oxford dark blue. The last race was held on Saturday, 26 March 2011 at 5.00pm with Oxford emerging as the winner and this year the event has been scheduled for Saturday 7 April at 2.15pm. The race is governed by a Joint Understanding between Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Clubs and the event is now a British national institution televised live each year.
Although the contest is strictly between amateurs and the competitors must be students of the university for whom they race, each team takes thorough and strict training for the competition with about six days a week for six months before the event.
The event has Olympic standard rowers to compete, notably including four times Olympic gold medallist Matthew Pinsent who rowed for Oxford in 1990, 1991, and 1993. Olympic Gold medallists from 2000 – Tim Foster (Oxford 1997), Luka Grubor (Oxford 1997), Andrew Lindsay (Oxford 1997, 1998, 1999) and Kieran West (Cambridge 1999, 2001, 2006, 2007) – and 2004 – Ed Coode (Oxford 1998) have also raced for their university. Other famous participants in the race include Andrew Irvine (Oxford 1922, 1923), Lord Snowdon (Cambridge 1950), Colin Moynihan (Oxford 1977), and Hugh Laurie (Cambridge 1980).
Touring Around London In A Bus
Posted by in Fun, General, Guide, Hotels, London Markets, London Museums, London Olympics, London Tour, News, Tips
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One good way to tour around London is through a bus, be it the iconic red buses of London or the traditional Routemaster buses, with an open rear platform and on-board conductor to collect fares. Buses are generally quicker than taking the Tube for short (less than a couple of stops on the Tube) trips, and out of central London you’re likely to be closer to a bus stop than a tube station.
Bendy buses are extra-long buses which are common on some busy routes. These busy routes which are served by bendy buses always carry a yellow route sign. These buses have doors which open along the length of the bus and there is no on-board conductor. Nevertheless, do not be tempted to hop on and hop off without paying as this is illegal and can be very risky. Large teams of inspectors frequently descend on these buses accompanied by police, and it’s possible to be arrested and prosecuted.
Getting a bus is not a problem in London as over 5 million bus trips are made each weekday and there are over 700 different bus routes. Each bus stop has a sign listing routes that stop there. Bus routes are identified by numbers and sometimes letters. Yellow signs indicate you must purchase your ticket before you board. You must either have a Pay-as-you-go Oyster card, travelcard season ticket, bus saver ticket, bus pass, or have bought a one way ticket from a machine at the bus stop. Bus journeys are free for those under age 11. Student Oysters (only available to students studying in London) go up to age 18 and journeys are still free, you will be fines for £2 if you fail to show an Oyster.
Buses display their route number in large digits at the front, side and rear. All bus stops have their location and the direction of travel on them. The new iBus system provides bus times and destination information on a audio-visual display. Unlike The Tube one way tickets do not allow you to transfer to different buses.