Going to London. Really scared. No clue.

[london101asap]

Hi so we are staying near London Excel.

I'm so scared of getting the tube.

I see there is a cable car we can walk (25 min)

Once off the other end though the nearest bus stop to a 48 hop on bus (London Bridge) is a 3 hour walk.

How do we get to from the cable car to the bus?

Dh is used to travelling all over the world and the uk but not around London only the outskirts.

Tween daughters want you to see the sights. Do you get off at every sight then wait for another bus?

I'm so scared as we are relying on dh who has adhd and I have severe anxiety but our 12 and 13 year olds really want to go.

Any advice please?

These "reasons" are all perfectly fixable. Please don't model this fear to your children. The Tube is pretty much the easiest and safest transport system in the world - just do it.

It's never happened to me.

No it's the vampire thing

It’s no wonder you’re anxious. Completely natural. And especially if your DH isn’t so able to be as reassuring and solid due to his ADHD.

What sights are your DDs keen to see? Another wonderful thing about London is the amount of green space. In the centre, parks like St James’, Green, Regent’s and Hyde are so tranquil and calm and all have cafes and deckchairs where you can sit and chill. And you’ll be staying near Greenwich Park, with the wonderful (and free) Maritime Museum, meridian and planetarium - plus amazing views across the city.

So, I’d suggest planning your route to take in green spaces, that are less busy and help keep you all calm. The best way to see London is to plan a rough walking route but wander a different way if you feel drawn to it and see what you come across (always something magical and unexpected if you have an open heart), rather than rushing from one stressy, busy tourist ‘sight’ to another.

@london101asap

I hadn't heard about it, but it looks as though they will love it!

https://www.fortheloveoffantasy.com/

You'll be just fine in London, I think you will have a brilliant time!

Tubes and busses don’t have anywhere to insert your card, it’s tap only. The banking system must know it’s a transport tap somehow I guess because it’s never been an issue for me in several thousand tube journeys and I have never heard of anyone else having that issue either.

@EdithBond makes a good suggestion about taking a wandering route between sights instead of the straightforward busy thoroughfare. Central London will be busy with tourists and traffic and can seem overwhelming - no wonder some visitors don't like it. But locals know how to navigate via the side streets to avoid the crowds, plus you often come across something interesting. You don't necessarily have to take a convoluted route - even walking along the next parallel street can be a quieter experience.

Re your DH, is he likely to change plans quickly, like when you're already on transport? Perhaps you and the children need to have a plan to stick together in case he suddenly sprints off and you become separated.

I think it's because it doesn't actually take any payment at the point of tapping; you don't get charged until the end of the day.

With kindness though, you say "Dh is used to travelling all over the world and the uk." So he must be quite capable, particularly with travelling. And your DC are tweens, not babies. Truth be told, they could probably navigate the tube system themselves without too much trouble. I think your perception of the risks and dangers are skewed. The worst that could possibly happen (although still unlikely), is that they get separated for half an hour and then reconvene.

Of course - that makes sense. It needs to know if you reach the maximum daily charge.

No you tap your card when entering and exiting the barrier within the tube station. You enter the tube station, tap on the barrier, go to your platform and get the tube. You don't tap as you're getting on the tube itself.

@london101asap
Hi OP, guessing you've been by now. How did it go?

I hope you and your family all managed to enjoy your trip @london101asap

I just wanted to thank you for this thread as it's been very helpful to me.

We are planning a few days in London later this year, and for some reason I have a bit of a mental block about it. I've visited several European cities and travelled on their underground/metros - and even though I don't speak their language I've never had any concerns, but for some reason, London seems a big thing. Anyway I've found the advice in this thread to be really helpful and feel a lot more confident now .