My first few days in London, I was more than glad to be part of a group traveling around. Aside from the 'safety in numbers' adage always flashing in the back of my mind, it was nice to have some guidance as I transitioned into London transit options. I don't think I have some horrible sense of direction that would've gotten me lost had I branched out on my own initially, but London is a big and bustling city, and for awhile, I felt like I was in the locals' way, whether on the pavement or boarding the tube. Although I asked a lot of pre-departure questions of friends and co-workers who have traveled abroad before, it didn't occur to me to ask about transportation or get any tips for getting around the city. Thus, for other inexperienced newcomers and/or novice travelers like myself, I created a short podcast of tips and examples for traveling in and around London.
Surviving London: A Novice Traveler's Tips for Navigating the Foreign World of Transportation in London
by Stephanie Brown
recorded July 5, 2009 at Flat #10, 102 Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London
This podcast is 4.83 MB and runs approximately 5:16.
For anyone with difficulties loading the embedded player, the podcast can also be retrieved from http://www.divshare.com/download/7834842-620
Recording the various traffic sounds for my podcast was entertaining, partly because there was no shortage of traffic to observe and partly because I caught myself breaking one of my own rules by standing in the middle of the pavement (semi-blocking the flow of pedestrian traffic) just to record them. It was fun to catch screeching tires and sirens amongst the zooming cars and pedestrian chatter, and thanks to my experience traveling around London with our program, I feel more confident now about public transportation and solo travel too. :)
Sunday, July 5, 2009
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Wow! We loved the podcast and hearing your voice describe the Stetsongal's travels. You make it sound like such an adventure to learn about transportation in one of the world's most interesting cities! Glad we don't hear those annoying beeps announcing that pedestrians better get going. It's neat you have used the bus, taxi, train and tube to get around. Bet your poor feet are glad for the occasional rest.
ReplyDeletehehe, that beeping is a common crossing signal at intersections worldwide, not just London. We have those in Nashville, even! But I understand; the experience was still "foreign". Unless you're from someplace giant in its own right (like New York City), the size and craziness of London would make anyone feel like a country mouse, I'd imagine!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah...I meant to say that I loved the podcast! Sorry for multiple comments! :)
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