h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I want to treat a very close friend to a day out this Saturday for her birthday. I have promised her something original and different but my original plan has just fallen through. Does anyone have any suggestions of something fun and original I can do in or around London this Saturday to surprise and entertain my friend.

Original and different are definitely the key words here.

Thanks

Pity it is not a day later, you could treat her on a London marathon in a Rhino costume

How about Vinopolis 'City of Wine' near London Bridge? You learn about different types of wine then you drink them

k

In the Netherlands we have something called the "Guilds", volunteers who walk small groups around the city with tales of the part you pass and the (unknown) history of roads and buildings.

We learned a lot of unknown Amsterdam this way. maybe London has something like it.

For a special kind of dinner, try a Mongolian Barbeque.

It rerally depends what type of thing your friend likes-if they are ibnto history and architecture, why not try something like the Ripper walk, or the John Soanes Museum?
Mongolian Barbecue is definitely different.

If I tell you about the world's best kept secret do you promise not to spread it about?
It's in Chancery Lane and I have been twice. You can stand outside and not know what it is, so you can surprise someone very easily.

http://www.silver-antiques.co.uk/aboutus.htm

Open on Saturday 9 - 1pm only or 9 - 5.30 Monday to Friday.

It is possible to buy something from there from a little charm to a very expensive antique but it's just an amazing and magical place to visit.

Part 2...
Time Out calls the Vaults "wierd and subterranean".
There is a website.
http://www.thesilvervaults.com

I have been there, and it is .
There is only one problem: greed.
You risk financial disaster or a lot of insults, "cheapskate" being one of the more friendly.

But when both are prepared what to expect, go ahead and enjoy.

Wherever you decide to go, why not use all available forms of transport in the process?
In no particular order, you could take a taxi then a bus (both open top and covered) then the tube and then a horse then a boat then the overground then walk then bicycle then skate then roller blade then motor bike and finally swim, fly or travel by fax machine or a combination of all or some of these...

Just a thought!

Go to an internet cafe, register her and start together a fan-club for each other.

Has she been on the London Eye? I know it doesn't seem very original but if you've not done it and you are not expecting it, it is quite a treat!

Could I also recommend you look at this site http://www.virgin.net/daysout/

it has quite a few good ideas

Have fun

The London Silver Vaults sounds fab and I think it's just what I was looking for. But thank you all for the great ideas. I think I've got the next three birthdays covered now.

Thanks

What are you going to do then?? Can you not say? Does she read this? Oooohh - I feel like it is MY birthday surprise now! Go on - tell us tell us!!

Ooops - am I getting over excited? Just re-read your post - is it just the silver vaults??

I think he expects to be completely broke when leaving again

Glad to help! Have fun. You could buy a tea spoon or a champagne swizzle stick if your really want to get something, but it's not necessary.

Of course, that's just open for the morning on a Saturday, so you'll be needing ideas for the afternoon.

Silver vaults it is. I'm really looking forward to it now. Afternoon is taken care of now anyway. I have to go and meet my brother for a few hours at Heathrow. He announced yesterday that he's going to Oz on Saturday.

I'll let you know how I get on in the Silver vaults.

Well????

Silver vaults was fantastic. A real treat. Because my life revolves around food and drink, I spent the whole time looking for goblets, plates, decanters, wine glasses etc, and found lots of them. My friend was looking for jewellery and also found lots. In one of the jewellery vaults, the lady was a former history of art lecturer who has now turned her atention to the history of jewellery. She was fantastic and she told us a story to go with every item we looked at. Fantastic way to spend a Saturday morning. I would recommend it to anyone. My friend loved it too.

How rude!! THANKS by the way to those of you who suggested it.