The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

I have been in London for many years now, but I will never forget the early days and trying to find my way around this enormous city.  For the first year I was here I had to look down at the pavement to know which direction to look for the traffic, and went everywhere by tube.  It was great – very efficient and fairly quick.  But I realised that I didn’t know where Marble Arch was in relation to Tower Bridge because I went everywhere under ground.  That was when I discovered the bus. 

The iconic red double-decker bus is not only an efficient ‘people carrier’, but a great way to see all the famous monuments in London.  In fact, when my children were small they took great pleasure in climbing to the top of the bus, sitting in the front seat and playing ‘I spy’.  It was also a great way to teach them numbers, ‘Look, the bus in front is Number 22. The bus coming towards us is number 73’, etc. 

Of course there is great nostalgia for the nearly extinct Routemaster buses.  There is still an opportunity to ride the original hop on, hop off bus along route number 9.  The abbreviated journey will take you from the Royal Albert Hall through Knightsbridge and Piccadilly via Hyde Park Corner, then onto Pall Mall, Trafalgar Square and finally arriving at Drury Lane.  There is still a conductor who comes along to collect fares (yes, you can pay with your Oyster Card), and you have to pull the string to signal that you want the bus to stop.  

Having been taken out of general service for some time now, the Routemaster’s popularity was so great that the Mayor of London recently commissioned a new bus design for London.  Unveiled a few months ago, the new model is based on the original, is more environmentally friendly and also has a hop on, hop of platform at the rear.  For now this model is only available on route 38 between Victoria Station and Hackney, but more should be rolled out soon.  For more information on buses and other forms of public transportation, visit www.tfl.gov.uk .

Another great way to see London by bus is to take one of the London bus tours.  I recommend this to all visitors and newcomers as it gives them an opportunity to view all of the sights, combined with a river boat tour.  There are a variety of companies offering this service, including The Original Tour (www.theoriginaltour.com) and Big Bus Tours (www.bigbustours.com).  I remember coming to London as a tourist, five years before moving here, and taking one of these tours.  I was amazed at all of the wonderful monuments that I saw within a very short time; and it gave me an opportunity to decide which ones I wanted to go back and explore in more detail.

So come up from underground and get on a bus.  Enjoy the sights of London and watch the seasons change – from the long days of summer to the wonderful lights of the city in winter. 

By Eva Stock

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