meant to include . . . .

The airport coach is about £20. The LGW Express would cost £28 return and the slightly slower commuter train would be £16.90 return - plus say 1 bag in Left luggage = more than £43 to £54 depending on the train.

Metros to Gatwick: Virgin from Gatwick. Is the heat getting to everyone?

Assuming the poster wants to do what the poster wants to do, then:

1.If the friends live north of London

- Tube from Heathrow to Victoria, changing at Hammersmith.
- Leave your bags there
- Potter round the area outside Victoria station. Buck Palace, House of Commons. Stuff like that
- Train (Southern) from Victoria
- Stop off at Victoria on the way to the friends' house

2. If the friends live south of Gatwick
- National Express bus to Gatwick
- Leave your bags there
- Train (any train) to Brighton: pootle round
- back to Gatwick to collect arriving friend and get driven off to Sussex villa

After travel time's deducted, the poster's got about 6 pootling hours. Only Central London or Brighton are suitable for pootling. There's no time to get a train from Brighton to Chichester, and the poster MUST NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES hire a car and drive to Gatwick after an overnight flight.

<i>After travel time's deducted, the poster's got about 6 pootling hours. Only Central London or Brighton are suitable for pootling.</i>

Flanner, I just wanted to say thank you for always making me chuckle.