London Essentials

I absolutely love London and try to get up there as often as I can. It's a beautiful city and there's so much to do there. When I go up to London, there are certain things I always have to take with me, and they're things I recommend that you take with you when you go for days out in London. Hope my essentials give you some ideas for your next trip!

Decent Sized Bag

I always take a shoulder bag which me that comes with a detachable short strap to put over my shoulder. It's also a decent size, approximately 47cm in width and 37cm in height. I recommend a medium sized bag, definitely not too small and not too large. You want to be able to fit all your essentials in it for your day out, but you want to ensure that it isn't too big otherwise it'll just get it your way throughout the day. A bag too small, on the other hand, won't fit enough in it. So you need it to be just right. I also recommend a bag that can go over your shoulder or across your body, rather than a tote bag. An over-shoulder bag won't frustrate you when getting on the underground or carrying shopping bags because you'll have both hands free. Also, with an over-shoulder bag, you can ensure that it's safe by keeping it close to you and resting a hand over it if you feel the need. A bonus would be if you have a zip on your bag so you don't have to worry about any hands sneaking in, but a zip isn't vital! I have a black slouch bag from River Island and it goes with me to London all the time.

London Underground Map & Route Planner App

I 100% recommend this app for any trip to London, and especially if you enjoy going up there often! 

This London underground app on the App Store works without internet, so whenever you're on the underground and your signal drops and your internet disappears, you don't have to worry about not being able to use this app. It works all the time, wherever you go. 

The app has a map of the underground, telling you the different train lines and destinations. As well as a map, if you click on the bottom right hand corner and select 'Route', you can find out exactly how to get where you want to go, and how long it gives you an estimation of how long it'll take you to get there via an underground train.

For example, I imagined I was going from Piccadilly Circus, and I wanted to get to Embankment. You click the arrow in the top right hand corner and it tells you which line your route is on, this route being on the Bakerloo line, it tells you which direction to go in, this tells you to go Southbound, and it tells you it'll take you around 3 minutes. Whenever I want to find out how to get somewhere in London, I use my Underground app. It's free on the App store; I definitely recommend in to anybody who takes regular trips to London.

Oyster Card

I wouldn't be able to live without my Oyster Card anymore, it's a life saver when I'm up in London and going from place to place during the day.

An Oyster allows you to use trains and buses in London with the tap of an Oyster Card, which costs £5 ahead. Once you've paid five pounds, all you need to do is top it up when you feel you need to and depending on your journey. You can top it up at any stations in London via a ticket machine. At each station, ensure to tap in and tap out, rather than inserting a train ticket with a travel card. In zones 1-3, your Oyster Card caps at £7.60, so you will never spend more than £7.60 in London in zones 1-3. You spend this all together rather than £12.10 with a travel card. Read more about an Oyster Card on https://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/oystercard.htm or https://oyster.tfl.gov.uk/oyster/entry.do

Earphones

I don't know about you, but I need my earphones at all times, let alone when I'm going to London! You may get bored on the tube, so take your earphones with you on your day trip and put them in when you get bored and want to block out the world!

Selfie Stick

I love my selfie stick, and it's so helpful when I go up to London and want to get a typical tourist picture with Big Ben or the London Eye, or even when you want to get a group photo in what is one of the greatest cities in the world! You can get them on Amazon and eBay, and many other places.

Perfume/Body Spray

The underground gets so stuffy and hot, and you may begin to feel a tad insecure about your body odour. I take either a plan body spray, or my Jo Malone 30ml perfume because it isn't too big or too heavy in my bag. It smells nice, and I can give myself a quick spray wherever I am.

Plasters

In London you're going to be jumping on trains and strutting down long massive streets, so there's a possibility you'll develop a blister, and that's certainly not something you want to endure during your day out! Throw a box of plasters in your bag, I always do, just in case.

Hair brush

I regularly take a comb or a hair brush with me to London, in case it gets windy or it rains. You can give your hair a quick comb whilst you sit on the tube!

Umbrella

You can't spend the whole day in London in shelter, so keep an umbrella in your bag in case of a rainy day. I throw one in my bag every time I go up to London, or I pick up a cheap one when I get to Liverpool Street.

Hand cream/sanitiser

I, personally, think it's best to keep a pocket hand sanitiser or hand cream in your bag. If you hate germs and want to keep clean, keep a hand sanitiser in your bag and you can use it every time you use the underground or the toilets. You can use hand cream in the same way, if you like, or to keep your hands moisturised during the day. That's why I take mine with me. I either take my Soap & Glory Hand Food, or a mini Ted Baker hand cream. They both smell lovely. The hand sanitiser I use is by Soap & Glory.

Lipstick

I always take a lipstick with me to London and I keep it in an inside pocket of my bag. It's always one of my MAC lipsticks, and it's either Velvet Teddy, Mocha, or Creme In Your Coffee. They're my favourites by MAC and I always wear one of them when I go to London. Through eating, talking, and drinking, my lipstick wears off, but by keeping a lipstick in my bag, I am able to top it up whilst I'm out.

Portable Phone Charger

I don't know about you, but when I go to London, I go first thing in the morning and return home after 11 o'clock. I love spending the whole day up there, so a portable phone charger is definitely a necessity for a day out in London. I never want my phone to die; I may miss the perfect opportunity for a quick Instagram picture!

Translucent Powder

I have oily skin, and I hate when my makeup begins to look oily or too dewy whilst I'm out in London, an hour and a half away from home. I keep a translucent powder in my bag with a brush so I'm able to touch up on the go if my face begins to look to dewy. I like the dewy look in Summer, but sweaty is not a good look!

So they are my essentials for a day trip to my favourite place; London! My essentials may be similar to yours, or maybe I've given you some ideas next time you plan a trip! Hope you've found this post helpful. 

Check out my previous posts; New Years Resolutions and Best of 2015

xo