London What to Pack

Luggage and bags: Going to London during Summer? Bring along an umbrella or buy one when you get there. The weather can change within minutes from that of sunshine to heavy rain. Especially so when we were at Buckingham Palace and there no shelter around it except for a couple of huge trees.

Miscellaneous: We purchased a London Pass, which is a discount card that provides admission, queue jumping privileges and travel bonuses throughout London. We checked out the list of places that were included with the card and then checked out the admission prices to find that we would save money by getting the card. It was definitely worth it for us, and maybe it will provide savings for you too.

For me, there is also value in not having to wait in the long lines that can form during tourist season.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Britain has a maritime climate and it's known for its rain even in summer! The rain should not deter you from exploring but it is always best to take an umbrella and/or rain coat. Make sure you have waterproof shoes/boots as well. Seeing people holding umbrellas whilst walking in the rain is a common landscape throughout the country.

Luggage and bags: If your bag has bust or you need an extra one or decide you want to get a permittable sized suitcase for hand-luggage then compare prices at TK Maxx - theres branches at Oxford Street, Clapham Junction, Wandsworth, Hammersmith, Putney, Colliers WoodARgos is pretty good - also BHS along Oxford Street and Debenhams are often having a good sale - souvenir shops along Oxford street near Marble ARch have been good in the past.
Bear in mind budget carriers from London such as Ryanair are pretty strict with luggage weights - so be aware how much your suitcase weighs on its own - Ryanair have a starting price for 15kg and charge more than others such as Easyjet do for 20kg! They have strict dimensions for cabin luggage as well. Ryanair only allow 10kg cabin baggage but Easyjet allows whatever weight fits into the usual dimensions...

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Its not unusual to have such changeable weather here in London that it can be cold,hot,wet,sunny all in a day -bring a hat and sunscreen for fine days and something warm such as a light jacket or fleece even in the summer. If your hotel is handy in the city then you could go change if you get soaked or cold but otherwise its best to keep something with you. There are periods during the summer that we have long hot sunny days and be safe without anything extra even late into the night - but otherwise such as today on the day of the summer solstice - its been wet and cold most of this week, clouds have come over ahead, moved away again, the sun has shone then looked bleak again and temps been low enough to keep on the cardigans.
There are a few shops around you can buy a cheap umbrella from - Sainsburys, Primark, Poundland, some of the souvenir shops are okay but generally over priced.
Basic brands at Sainsburys even have 3 pairs of mens or ladies socks for £1!Primark is pretty cheap for clothing and footwear.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Sainsbury and Tesco supermarkets generally have a good stock of medical supplies at low prices such as paracetamol and ibubrufen tablets for only 20p a box, ibubrufen gel cheaper than chemists - sticking plasters for £1.40 a box, budget basics brand toothbrushes and toothpaste 10p for 2 and 17p a tube - deodorant for £1 a stick - Basic brand sanitary towels for 14p for a pack of 10 or 65 p for a pack of proper wrapped ones - there are also Poundland shops that do similar items and a wide array of items for only £1.
Boots the chemist also have a range of cheaper brand products as well.
so many of these things dont waste your luggage limits on these things -

Photo Equipment: Memory cards are coming down in price but at certain shops.
Great prices are available for memory cards at Argos - branches around such as at Tottenham Court, Putney, Wandsworth, Balham, Colliers Wood - prices also lower at Sainsbury and Tesco supermarkets.
Packs of RW DVDS are available also for low prices at Sainsburys and Tescos to copy your memory cards onto - though finding an internet cafe that allows it or charges less than £5 to copy onto your own card is not so easy. If you are in Morocco its cheap - about £1. Dont go to Snappy Snaps unless you are happy to pay £10 just to put your pics on DVD!
Jessops and Boots can be good for getting photos and other items made from your memory cards. Jessops and ARgos can be good too for replacement cameras and camera bags.
Poundland is good for batteries including rechargeable - otherwise amazon.co.uk is excellent for specialist batteries for your particular camera....also memory cards
Check out also 7dayshop.com for camera supplies online.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: Argos generally has items for lower prices

Miscellaneous: Notes from a small island by Bill Bryson tells the story of Bryson's last trip around Britain before moving back to the States after almost 20 years on the British island.
The book is packed with interesting and funny stories about travelling as it really happens. By reading the book you get a nice insight into the life of the British people and their peculiarities. Some places Bryson visits on his trip are: Bradford, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Llandudno, London, Porthmanog and Thurso.
This book is definitely a must-read for everyone before or after a trip to Britain.

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Miscellaneous: The London Pass is a sightseeing city card:

FREE entry to over 55 Top London attractions
FREE 120+ page Guidebook
Skip the lines at various attractions
Added Travelcard option
BIG SAVINGS on entrance fees
SPECIAL OFFERS and discounts at restaurants, shops and more..
100% Money-back guarantee

The London Pass is packed with over 55 fantastic attractions. See attractions for the list.

1 Day Adult Pass £43.00

Your London Pass will be valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: I know that everybody has heard that in London is raining a lot and this is so true. You could be lucky and have only sunny weather but be prepared for the rain too. So don't forget your umbrella or raincoat and will be good if you have gumboots.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: When coming to England I would strongly recommend you bring warm clothes to protect you from the elements. While our warm summer months are generally May to August, it is always good to prepare by throwing a couple of good pairs of jeans into your suitcase as the British summer is somewhat unreliable.
In 2007, April was glorious and sunny. In 2008, April saw snow.
Should you come armed with winter clothes and find everyone strutting about in shorts and t-shirt, summer clothes tend to be a bit cheaper to buy than winter clothes (if you know the right places to shop)