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

I think perhaps my experiences of London must be different to everyone elses. It always strikes me as a bit grubby, overcrowded and generally not that well looked after. I mean the first time I wandered down Shaftsbury Avenue it felt more like the dodgy back streets than the centre of theatre land. It doesn;t live up to the hype so far, but then my experiences are very limited!

"a bit grubby, overcrowded and generally not that well looked after"

Yes, that's London!

It's great, if you like that sort of thing

Lots of bits of London are shabby, but only the way that lots of bits of any other city are shabby. I think people just expect London to be better looked aftre, that's all.

Couldn't live without it...

My mate pointed out something interesting about London - at night it becomes a very sinister, lonely place.

What, like other cities *don't*?

Well,it was more the way he said it that struck me. Probably doesn't come across on here but it was like:
"at night it becomes a very sinister, LONELY place."

He's going to the wrong clubs then...

Chuckle.

I feel perfectly safe during the day at London, but at night I find it a little frightening.

I remember coming out of a cinema at the Elephant and Castle at 1 in the morning and thinking 'Bloody hell, Bladerunner really was only set 15 seconds in the future.', but I don't think I've ever felt *threatened* in London.

Which is more than I can say for Newcastle, Sunderland, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol, to name but a few...

Are you a nervous travellor, getting lost is half the fun. But if you have rail connections to catch its best to be early in case of delays. A couple of years ago I had to go from just outside London to Victoria to catch a coach. I allowed plenty of time but it was a Sunday, a favourite day for repairs. So instead of a simple rail journey to Fenchurch Street, it went train, tube and train with plenty of time waiting for trains. Finally caught tube from Tower Hill to Victoria. I jogged the last 100 metres and just got on the coach. That was my worst journey into London, it took 3 hours and can be done in 1hour 40mins. Good luck!

Don't say that Blues Shark!! I'm going to be at Southbank Uni on Mondays and my evening lecture doesn't end until 9pm!!

So I will be moving at the speed of light towards Elelphant & Castle to get the tube!!

Does this mean I have to arm myself with some kind of pepper spray?

No, I actually quite like the area round Elephant and Castle. If you're into that kind of thing, Ministry of Sound is just round the corner...

Seriously, I don't think South |London is as bad as it's painted.

I've done quite a few jaunts south of the river in recent months, and I've not had so much as a whiff of trouble.

Phew! One of my work colleagues was telling me that 2 of his friends who live in that area had been stabbed (mugging) and another one had been beaten up for his phone

Nice way for him to assure me about walking alone at night eh?

ahhhh yes ministry.... the last time I went there was a few years ago, and everything looks a little different when you fall out of a club into a taxi!

Well, I think you need to be sinsible about where and how you go anywhere these days. But I certainly don't think that the E and C is more dangerous than Southend seafront on a Friday or Saturday night.

And all I can say is it'd be a brave man that tried to mug Kerr on a dark street. I wouldn't fancy his chances...

Hmm, well, you are probably right, I feel vunerable wandering around my little country town in the midlands. I thought Liverpool town centre was OK tho', the only drunken idiots wandering round there looking for a fight ignored anyone who wasn;t also looking for a fight, quite an enlightened view I thought
I guess I just suffer from wanting to be able to wander around and not have to worry about someone leaping out and attacking me.
And no, i am not a nervous traveller. I'm a nervous 'wait-er'. When i have to go somewhere its the waiting around for the train or bus to arrive that I hate, the being in the right place at the right time, have a thing about it you see

Someone tried to mug me once. I politely explained that I'd had a very bad day and it would actually be really nice if he attacked me, because then I could get rid of all that pent up frustration. Alternatively he could try the little old lady over there, who would probably be an easier bet.

I have been beaten up once, but that was because I wasn't paying any attention to where I was walking

I hate waiting around too, Ictoan- you're never quite sure what to do- if you go for a wander you'll end up missing the train, if you stand around you feel like a fool.

I guess that's the difference, to me being beaten up in the street, or someone attempting (or more likely succeeding) to mug me would be a major thing, a mean really major thing. And if I came off worse it would inevitably affect me a lot. I guess I still romantically cling to the ideal that I should be free to travel (by foot, or whatever) without having to worry that this might happen. Ah well. Best move to an uninhabited island somewhere and then erect a sea defence to keep the b*gg*rs out!

And then I suppose the only thing you will have to worry about is the s (no offence Blues)