时间：2022-05-20 09:44:28
7 a.m. It’s the end of my three-month backpacking holiday and I’m down to a handful of coins for my last weekend in Europe. Against all advice， I’ve chosen to spend it in one of the most expensive cities in the world—London. I’m a little apprehensive. Will I be able to eat， sleep， and enjoy？
8 a.m. I head to Borough Market， on the advice of local London resident， Laura Bond. It’s a wholesale fruit and veggie paradise and the city’s oldest food market—the building it’s currently housed in is 250 years old. This is not only a place to soak up London’s history， it’s also a chance to eat on the cheap. There are scores of specialty food stalls and most offer samples of their produce. I haven’t spent a penny and my stomach is bursting. I don’t want to imagine how it looks， after a bite of homemade Turkish delight， selection of handmade sausages， sip of spiced British apple cider， slop of hearty stew， mouthful of cheddar cheese and a handful of plump raspberries. Still， I discover food always tastes better when it’s free.
9 a.m. An easy way to blow the budget is on transport. Many Londoners will tell you it can’t be done， but you can walk right across the CBD. I get my tip from Notting Hill resident， Annabelle Hender. What may be three or four stops on the tube may only be one or two kilometres by foot. So I’ve decided to don my sneakers and stroll along the South Bank. From the markets， this picturesque walk along the Thames takes in hundreds of London landmarks. I encounter the unassuming London Bridge， and from here， get a great view of the more impressive Tower Bridge with bascules that open around 1，000 times a year to let boats pass. It even has its own Twitter account， towerbridge， to tweet when and why it’s lifting.
10 a.m. I continue upstream， stopping to admire Shakespeare’s Globe. Opened in 1997， this impressive reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre， destroyed by fire in 1613， now houses Shakespearean plays during the summer months. I pop inside and consider booking a ticket for an evening performance of Henry VIII or Macbeth， with tickets starting from just ￡5.
10.30 a.m. After admiring the open-air art installations and buskers along the river， I arrive at the Tate Modern. It’s free entry and the building alone is well worth a look. I’m floored by one of the best modern art collections in the world—it feels surreal to see Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych and priceless works by picasso and Monet. I pause for breath at the top floor and I’m wowed again by a fab view of St. paul’s Cathedral and Millennium Bridge.
11 a.m. I persist along the Thames past the London Eye to Westminster. I’m tempted by vendors selling fresh strawberries with ice cream， but at ￡3 they are slightly over my budget. Instead， I snap a photo of Big Ben， before walking past Downing Street（though I’m disappointed to discover you are no longer allowed to pose outside Number 10）.
11.30 a.m. After walking off my mix-and-match breakfast， I decide it’s time to start thinking about lunch. I happen to pass by British chain pret-A-Manger that has a wide variety of sandwiches， including vegetarian and vegan choices from just ￡1. After choosing a classic ploughman’s （cheddar cheese and pickle） to take away， I hurry on. I’m eager to see the Changing the Guard at Buckingham palace. I’m a few minutes late but I still catch the famous guards， kitted out in their black bearskin hats.
12 p.m. I meander through Hyde park hoping to find the princess Diana Memorial. This lively， rapid-like river is a poignant reminder of the late Diana. Rather than just a statue or plaque， it’s practical， down-to-earth and fun， like the princess herself. You’ll find people bathing their feet on a hot summers’day and children splashing and playing in the fast-flowing current.
12.30 p.m. My stomach is grumbling， so I decided it’s time to look for the perfect picnic patch. I head over to the connecting green expanse of St. James’Park. There are plenty of Londoners enjoying lunch and I also spot a variety of birds， including pelicans. After savouring my sandwich under a shady oak， I continue through the park where I stumble across the Blue Bridge， a spectacular spot for the perfect London photo. I ask a passing local to compose a shot of me with the park， London Eye and Whitehall in the background.
2 p.m. There is still so much to see， so I exit at nearby Trafalgar Square， arguably one of London’s most famous（and free！） landmarks. While I observe Nelson’s Column guarded by four lions， I meet Londoner Khilan Shah， who explains this is the cultural heart of London—everything from Christmas to Diwali to Baisakhi is celebrated here.
3 p.m. I still want to check out East London but my legs have had enough. I meet Clapham resident， Elizabeth Jenks and take her advice to grab an oyster card—an integrated ticket that allows me to travel by underground network and bus. If you’re only spending a weekend in London， it may be better to choose the payas-you go option. A cash ticket for a bus ride within the inner city would cost up to￡2 but with the oyster， I’ll only pay 90p.
3.15 p.m. I consider catching the tube， but go for the cheaper option and jump on a red bus to explore historic Whitechapel. What used to be one of the poorest areas is slowly transforming into an up-and-coming suburb with fashionable bars， quirky shops and restaurants. I peruse old Spitalfields Market for unique handmade clothing and art. I’m surprised to find some reasonably priced pieces.
5 p.m. After resisting the allure of a new dress， I feel I’ve earned a drink. I’m keen to try a traditional British ale or cider， but I don’t want to spend my pounds at just any pub， so I head to The Ten Bells. Built in 1752 this is one of London’s oldest watering holes—but it’s also one of the most infamous. Records show that this could have been the hangout of notorious serial killer， Jack the ripper and many of his victims. Nowadays， they pull a great pint.
6 p.m. Downing my drink， I’m ready to eat， so I head to local chain S&M. It may sound naughty， but it actually stands for ‘Sausages and Mash’， something this eatery serves to perfection. There’s a variety of sausages（including vegetarian！） and pies served with your choice of gravy and mashed potatoes. The best part？ More bangers for my buck， with meals from just ￡3.
7.30 p.m. I’m determined to take in the London nightlife but my budget for this evening is limited to just￡5， so I ask local radio producer， ollie Wards for advice. He tells me that you could get tickets to a West End show for ￡5 if you purchase them in advance， but one of his favourite ways to spend an evening out is at 99 Club in Leicester Square. This acclaimed comedy bar hosts some of Britain’s top comedians. Tickets start from ￡15， but I scoop last minute tickets online for just a fiver.
11 p.m. I’m ready to bunk down. Literally. St. Christopher’s Inn has dorm rooms starting from ￡6.90， including free breakfasts and hot showers. It’s not The ritz， but it is centrally located and clean.
8 a.m. It’s beautiful and sunny outside and I’m planning another day in London…