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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SteveC" data-source="post: 3459864" data-attributes="member: 9053">I have actually stayed at the hotel you're going to be at. It is not all that great, but it was at least tolerable. Bring some extra towels, or expect to buy some! The Russel Square stop has elevators that will take you up to street level, and they can be quite busy. As you walk by the sign to the stairs that comments on the 183 steps, have a laugh at my expense: my first trip out I carried all my luggage up those stairs!Okay: at Russel Square you're within walking distance of a number of different places of interest. Start with the British museum, which is mostly free (they charge for some of the exhibits, but it's mostly a free stop). Right across the street from the museum is a gaming store, which I stop at every time I am in the area. You've already had Forbidden Planet mentioned, which is also awfully good.You can get to most of the touristy things on foot in London from where you are (I know, I'm not in great shape and I walked all of them) but the Tube is your friend. Get a tube map, and buy a non prime hours day pass for zones 1 and 2. That's all you'll really need.Some other specifics:The tower of London is extremely expensive to see, but it is also worth it, in my opinion. It's the sort of thing you do once. They have a rotating exhibit, which was on the Gunpowder Rebellion when I went there a few years ago, but expect to generally see all the weapons and armor you'd ever care to see.Outside of that, what are you interested in? I'd recommend Covent Garden, a large market shopping area and Leischter Square, the theater district for walking tours. Oxford Street is the book district, where you can see small bookstores that could likely sell tomes of Arcane Lore a little bit off the main street.I also would tell anyone who goes to London to see the Globe theater. Get some tickets to see whatever they're playing at the time...you won't be disappointed. As far as food goes, if you're not in love with currey, stick to the Pubs. Pub food is amazingly bad for you, but it is the one contribution to food that the English have made that's worth a darn in my opinion. On the Currey front: Indian food is likely to be very good.Here's some general advice if you haven't traveled abroad much: McDonalds and Starbucks are your friends overseas. If you're looking for reliable basic food, and a clean bathroom, they're worth their weight in gold. Oh, and McDonalds cooks their food the way they used to in the states, oh, 15 years ago, meaning it is less healthy for you, but better tasting.I'd be happy to give you some other advice as well, if you have some specific things that you're interested in. I had to go to Westminster and Saint Paul's, for example, but that's not everyone's cup of tea.Oh yes, order tea there! The British are ordering coffee more and more, but from an American perspective they can't seem to make it properly in many places. Order the tea, even if it marks you as an American.One more thing: a lot of people will tell you that it is tough to travel as an American these days, that people are very angry at us. That could not be further from the truth, at least in London and the surrounding areas. The people of London don't like annoying people any more than we do, so just try and be on your best behavior. I can't count the number of times that I encountered genuinely friendly and helpful people, just purely at random as I stayed there. I asked a lot of questions, and learned a lot from my trips!I hope you have a GREAT time...feel free to ask any other questions and I'll try and help!--Steve</blockquote>

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