Decide whether to travel by train or car. Seeing a six hour delay getting out of the car park at Bluewater, a major shopping mall in the UK, you might prefer to travel by bus or train.
Public Transport New Year's Eve
One New Year's Eve we had a New Year's Eve meal near Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square. Just after midnight we decided it was time to go home. We could not get near the entrance to the station. The entire street was blocked by a cordoned crush. Despite the efforts of police, if you got in the queue, you were likely to be trapped and squashed for ages. We gave up and went back to the venue, spent on more drinks. Lucky they were open another hour or two. We ended up coming home leaving at 1 pm and reaching home at 2 pm.
1 Budget
Free travel on Christmas Eve in London. Check times.
2 Being Sociable
Travel by car if you want to keep the family together and talk.
3 Elderly
You need a car with four doors, not two, if you want granny or grandad to get in and out easily.
4 Bulky purchases, bags and delivery
You need strong arms or fold up bags, tote bags, a bag on wheels, if you are likely to buy a lot of heavy items. Some places deliver, but may charge.
5 Free Travel for Seniors
Residents of UK get free travel for seniors in some areas of London. Reductions are available on nation wide rail services on purchase of a card, which is good if you are doing several journeys.
Backup accommodation
Check in advance for backup accommodation. Supposing there is a bomb scare and transport stops running? Do you have a colleague or family member with a room in the city centre or the suburbs. Even if you had to walk a mile or two, could you find their address? Do you have their address and phone number in your phone. It might be a good idea to send them a Christmas or New Year or birthday greeting and enquire whether you can crash out in an emergency or if they know a cheap nearby hotel.
If you are arranging a huge conference, you might book a couple of rooms for people to change clothes or shower and sleep and stay over in any emergency or transport problem. Have the numbers of the nearby hotels in your smart phone so that at the first sign of a problem you can make an instant booking.
Conferences and Expenses
Add a trip onto a business conference and your transport is paid for on expenses. You only have to find the money for the extra days of accommodation, travel or trails at destination and meals.
Weddings and Events
For a wedding you can hire a minibus to take the family to the venue. Prepare a backup plan for anybody who is late or delayed (such as an emailed or printed directions for routes and car parks). Also note your drivers and number of car seats available, just in case the car hire company has a sick driver or gets the date or venue wrong.
Conferences
World Travel Market in London at Excel had to organise backup plans for hundreds to travel over four days and evening events when it was announced that there would be a strike of bus and train staff.
Conference Calls
Your backup plan if you cannot travel might be Skype. You might want to clear clutter so that you have a good backdrop for a video or photo or conference call. If doing a business call to Muslim country, or anywhere, you might want to remove your champagne bottles and glasses. Or wedding and baby photos.
Then, even if working from home, generally look more professional. Have a tidy desk. Pick papers off the floor. Arrange a backdrop of certificates, qualifications, awards, frames hanging level. Add all your technical books. Get out of your tee-shirt or dressing gown and look your best.
More Information From
Mall Opening Times
http://intu.co.uk/watford/centre-information/opening-times?utm_source=intu%20Watford%20Centre&utm_medium=Centre-Newsletter&utm_campaign=merry_christmas
Travel New Year's Eve
https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/news-articles/getting-around-on-new-year-s-eve
Public Transport New Year's Eve
One New Year's Eve we had a New Year's Eve meal near Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square. Just after midnight we decided it was time to go home. We could not get near the entrance to the station. The entire street was blocked by a cordoned crush. Despite the efforts of police, if you got in the queue, you were likely to be trapped and squashed for ages. We gave up and went back to the venue, spent on more drinks. Lucky they were open another hour or two. We ended up coming home leaving at 1 pm and reaching home at 2 pm.
1 Budget
Free travel on Christmas Eve in London. Check times.
2 Being Sociable
Travel by car if you want to keep the family together and talk.
3 Elderly
You need a car with four doors, not two, if you want granny or grandad to get in and out easily.
4 Bulky purchases, bags and delivery
You need strong arms or fold up bags, tote bags, a bag on wheels, if you are likely to buy a lot of heavy items. Some places deliver, but may charge.
5 Free Travel for Seniors
Residents of UK get free travel for seniors in some areas of London. Reductions are available on nation wide rail services on purchase of a card, which is good if you are doing several journeys.
Backup accommodation
Check in advance for backup accommodation. Supposing there is a bomb scare and transport stops running? Do you have a colleague or family member with a room in the city centre or the suburbs. Even if you had to walk a mile or two, could you find their address? Do you have their address and phone number in your phone. It might be a good idea to send them a Christmas or New Year or birthday greeting and enquire whether you can crash out in an emergency or if they know a cheap nearby hotel.
If you are arranging a huge conference, you might book a couple of rooms for people to change clothes or shower and sleep and stay over in any emergency or transport problem. Have the numbers of the nearby hotels in your smart phone so that at the first sign of a problem you can make an instant booking.
Conferences and Expenses
Add a trip onto a business conference and your transport is paid for on expenses. You only have to find the money for the extra days of accommodation, travel or trails at destination and meals.
Weddings and Events
For a wedding you can hire a minibus to take the family to the venue. Prepare a backup plan for anybody who is late or delayed (such as an emailed or printed directions for routes and car parks). Also note your drivers and number of car seats available, just in case the car hire company has a sick driver or gets the date or venue wrong.
Conferences
World Travel Market in London at Excel had to organise backup plans for hundreds to travel over four days and evening events when it was announced that there would be a strike of bus and train staff.
Conference Calls
Your backup plan if you cannot travel might be Skype. You might want to clear clutter so that you have a good backdrop for a video or photo or conference call. If doing a business call to Muslim country, or anywhere, you might want to remove your champagne bottles and glasses. Or wedding and baby photos.
Then, even if working from home, generally look more professional. Have a tidy desk. Pick papers off the floor. Arrange a backdrop of certificates, qualifications, awards, frames hanging level. Add all your technical books. Get out of your tee-shirt or dressing gown and look your best.
More Information From
Mall Opening Times
http://intu.co.uk/watford/centre-information/opening-times?utm_source=intu%20Watford%20Centre&utm_medium=Centre-Newsletter&utm_campaign=merry_christmas
Travel New Year's Eve
https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/news-articles/getting-around-on-new-year-s-eve
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
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