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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to want to take 2 children into London by myself???

37 replies

macdoodle · 13/04/2009 07:12

Am visiting sister just outside London - have day spare when she is in work!
We have had some lovely days out but was wondering about visiting the aquarium in London - DD1 (7 and a half) wants to be a vet or a marine biologist
Not done the train/tube thing with a older child and a baby in a buggy (DD2 is 15 months walks but obviously will need to be in buggy),DD1 is very sensible and helpful!
Is it doable, is it worth it - I will have to catch train (will need to manouver stairs it is a non wheelchair accessible station), then as far as I can see will need to get tube without changing!
AIBU or will it be fun hahahahaha?????

OP posts:

FrannyandZooey · 13/04/2009 20:12

yes fine but i would advise ring sling much easier than pushchair for this age
jubilee line is fab for pushchairs
aquarium very very pricy indeed
i would do a free museum considering your dcs ages

nkf · 13/04/2009 20:13

Totally doable.
Avoid rush hour. Accept Offers of help. Take a rucksack rather than a handbag. You will be exhausted but pleased with yourself.

angrypixie · 13/04/2009 20:28

I do it regularly with 3 under 5 and have always found people willing to help.

enjoy your day

Original poster

macdoodle · 13/04/2009 22:16

No way can do ring sling she weighs over 2 stone!

OP posts:

SofaQueen · 13/04/2009 22:27

Lots of good advice already. I frequently take DS1 & 2 (5 and 14 months) out on public transport. Buses are the easiest. If you go to TFL website, they have a journey planner which you can specify step-free stations only to map out the easiest route.

I recommend Kensington Gardens, specifically the Princess Diana Playground which is just magical. You can walk (a bit long, but doable) to the Science museum and the Natural History muesum.

If you go to the Museums (free, which is a bonus!), you must stop by Odonnos Ice cream notfortourists.com/ListingDetails.aspx?listingID=849517&city=LO for amazing gelato.

jkklpu · 13/04/2009 22:36

Go for it: that's what people who live in London do every day. Yes, Tube in rush hour or rubbish changes with loads of stairs are a nightmare, especially as people v rubbish about helping with buggies. But bus option from K's X quite fine and South Bank is excellent to run around and see what's going on, as well as doing the aquarium. If you want to get off to look at Parliament and cross Westminster Bridge, you don't have to go down steps, just walk further along the road from the bridge and go to the aquarium around the back. You can also get combined aquarium/London Eye tickets if you're feeling extravagant, but kids poss to young to appreciate it.

Have a great day.

domesticslattern · 13/04/2009 22:41

Morloth I thought the Aquarium building work was all finished and now swankily newly opened? I do recommend the Aquarium, it's fab, and tinies do love fish for some reason- at least my little one does- must be the colours and movement. And do catch a bus from Kings Cross to Waterloo, it's not far and goes over Waterloo bridge, which is an exciting view even if you are stuck on the bottom deck with a buggy. You then have to hump the buggy down a few steps but I did that only just last week, also with a hefty fifteen month old in a Maclaren, and it was just fine.

If you do take a rucksack as nkf suggests then make sure you don't have it just on your back as it's very easy for some so-and-so to delve into it while you faff around pushchair. (Happened to me. And I am a hardened Londoner).

Ooh, now I want to come! Sounds like a fab day, especially with Giraffe.

Morloth · 14/04/2009 08:40

Could be domestic, I was there a couple of weeks ago so they might have finished it by now.

KimiAteTooManyEasterEggs · 14/04/2009 08:52

Yes it can be done
Yes it is worth it

Might like to know the aquarium gets very busy though and is quite dark inside.

Have a lovely day

feetheart · 14/04/2009 08:56

Managed DD(6) and DS(3-with broken leg so in HUGE pushchair) into , around and out of London a few weeks ago. Its very doable just take it slowly and enjoy ALL of it. My 2 liked the Tube more than anything else

Have a great day.

Original poster

macdoodle · 16/04/2009 08:34

I did it
We had a a great day thank you all for the advice!
Train was no problem, when we got to Kings X there was still a lot of building work going on and the buses were confusing so I stuck to the tube which I know - was fine TBH used the london transport site and changed once as they suggested and was just across the platform - the escalators were a bit hairy and as Dd2 was asleep in buggy didnt get her out and luckily DD1 is old enough to jump on and off by herself not sure would have been quite so good with a younger walking child!

The nightmare was the queue at the aquarium which was 2 hours long!!! Though the helpful guide told me that if I went and got the tickets from the London eye office I could use the fast track queue in - so I did got the tickets straight away and miraculously bypassed the long queue and got straight in Only downside to this was couldnt use the 2for1 voucher but was worth it!!

Southbank was great fun with loads of street performers and lunch at Giraffe was a success - was a long and tiring day but fun was had by all

OP posts:

PadDad · 16/04/2009 13:45

Thanks for feeding back, Glad you liked the day.

Were Londoners friendly?

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