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While you might need an umbrella during your stay,
no special health precautions or compulsory vaccinations are required for a trip to London. It's
wise though to make a list before leaving (to keep on your person) giving details of your blood
type, allergies and any chronic conditions for which you are receiving treatment.
Emergency treatment is provided free by the National Health Service (NHS),
although for non-EU residents, adequate medical coverage is recommended to cover the cost of
subsequent medical care (and in some cases repatriation).
Residents of the EU, Commonwealth and other European countries are entitled to
received free NHS treatment. Usually all that is needed is a form to confirm that reciprocal
arrangements exist in your country or, failing that, proof of nationality.
Insurance for Travel to London
It's amazing how many travellers forget or much
worse still, willfully neglect to take out insurance before they travel. There's really no excuse,
particularly as the cost of insuring yourself against accident, theft, loss or delay is
comparatively small. Travel agents almost always try to shift their own policies, but while most
provide adequate cover and are underwritten by well-known and respected insurance companies, claim
limits vary so check the extent of cover for each specific part of the policy (for example, some
policies won't cover pre-existing medical conditions). US travellers can contact one of the following insurers for
travel/trip cancellation insurance: Access America, Travel Guard International and Travelex
Insurance Services.
Internet Access in London
Nowadays larger Internet Service Providers
(ISPs) offer local access numbers for those wanting to use their laptops overseas. Of the major
providers, the numbers given below can be used for Internet access while in London:
AOL - publish a list of access
numbers which include BT, Telewest and NTL lines (usage incurs a $3.95 per hour
surcharge); US/Canadian customers can also receive assistance on connecting while travelling
internationally by calling: (1)703-264-1184 or faxing (1)801-622-7901.
AT & T Business Internet Service - Tel: 0800 587 0002 and
0845 912 2401; For additional access numbers visit: http://help.attbusiness.net.
CompuServe - publish a list of access
numbers for which usage incurs a £2.50 per hour
surcharge); US/Canadian customers can also receive assistance on connecting while travelling
internationally by calling: (1)800-848-8990.
Another good way to access the Internet while you're in London is at a cyber
café. Reliable online guides, which give the low-down on the best in town include: www.cybercafes.com and Eats. As more and more are springing up all over
the city, here's a list of the best of them:-
Chelsea.com Computer and Internet Centre - 391 King's Road, Chelsea,
London SW10 0LR, Tel: 020 7351 5511, Fax: 020 7351 1144, Open: 10am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat,
11am-5pm Sun, E-mail: info@chelsea-net.com, Website: www.chelsea-net.com
17 PCs, with a fast leased line connection. Additional services include printing, scanning, video
conferencing, faxing, repairs, upgrades and sales. Charges are 5p/min members, 6p/min non-members
(with student discounts of 10%)
Cybergate - 3 Leigh Street, WC1H 9EW, Tel: 020 7387 6560, Fax: 020 7387
3210, Open: 9am-11pm Mon-Sat, 12pm-8pm Sun and bank holidays, E-mail: cybergate@c-gate.com, Website: www.c-gate.com
15 computers with additional printing, scanning, photocopying and video conferencing services. AOL
friendly, with charges of £1/20mins (non-members) and students £1/30mins. Membership
surf-time sold in blocks of 5, 10, 15, and 20 hours.
Easy Everything - Open: 24hrs, Website: www.easyeverything.com
Of the 6 current London cafés, the group's largest store is
situated on Tottenham Court Road (with over 500 PCs). Surf time is purchased from
a vending machine, with the minimum purchase needed being just £0.05 (depending
upon which store you visit). PCs are fast, no-nonsense machines with web-cams
attached, while coffee,
tea, soft drinks and various pastries/savouries are also available.
With locations at:
-
9-16 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 1BQ
-
358 Oxford Street W1N 9AG (Opposite Bond Street Tube)
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160-166 Kensington High Street, W8 7RG
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Whiletelys Shopping Centre, W2 4YN
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456/459 Strand, Trafalgar Square End, WC2R 0RG (Yes)
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27 Church Street, Enfield, Middlesex, EN2 6AQ
-
Unit G1, Kings Walk, 120 Kings Road, SW3 4TR (near to Sloane Street
Tube)
Exchange Group - Head Office: Power Road Studios, Studio G.09 114 Power Road,
London, W4 5PY, E-mail: enquiries@exchangegroup.co.uk, Website:
www.exchangegroup.co.uk
Exchange Group training centres are now found in local libraries around the city (14 locations in all)
with Victoria being the most central. As opening hours vary, visit the company's website for
further details.
Portobello Gold - 95-97 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill,
London, W11 2QB, Tel: 020 7460 4910, Fax: 020 7229 2278, Open: 10am-11pm daily (free 24/7
access for hotel guests), E-mail: enquiries@portobellogold.com,
Website: www.portobellogold.com
7 PCs with broadband connection + wireless LAN. The café's main area shuts down at 5.30pm
each day, with 2 computers left on after 9pm. Costs are £1 per half hour (minimum charge)
with additional services of colour printing, scanning, domain name registration and CD
burning. Foodwise, you'll find a mainly seafood menu, along with a full liquor licence.
Located in the heart of Portobello Antiques market.
Wi-Fi Access in London and the UK
Being keen users of Wi-Fi technology ourselves, it's no surprise to
learn that London has one of the greatest concentrations of hotspots anywhere in the
world. Popular providers include The
Cloud, BT Openzone, T-Mobile
and Broadscape (arguably the
cheapest and most straightforward way to access Wi-Fi in London).
To check where (and how) you can access the Internet from a public
place, simply visit www.wi-here.com
(for free hotspots), wi-fi.jiwire.com or
Wi-Fi Planet, the latter of which includes tutorials plus a link to the equally useful www.hotspotlist.com.
Internet Sites on London
The popularity of the Internet in the UK, combined with the importance of the
tourism industry to London helps ensure that hundreds of travel related websites jostle for
position on the Net. Naturally, we've done the hard work for you and compiled a list of the very
best London sites. Click here to check out our links
pages.
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