Questions about Pimlico, London, and combatting jet lag.
 

I think we've settled on the Moreton Mews flat in Pimlico. Thanks for everyone's input! I have a few questions if you don't mind. First, the flat does not have wireless internet and my dad was hoping to bring his lap top and update his blog, etc. Are there cafes near by with wireless access that you know of? Does it work the same way as in the US (you sit and buy a coffee or a pastry and get to use the wireless)

Next, I'd love some personal recommendations of shops, restaurants, and things not to miss in the Pimlico area. On our first day we'd like to just explore the neighborhood and not get too far from home as we combat jetlag. On my last trip to London we took the open air bus tour as a way to orient ourselves and try to stay awake -- well, we ended up falling asleep on the bus. But, this will be my father's first international trip and I don't want to wear the man out terribly on his first day!

Finally, any great tips for combatting jet lag would be much appreciated. I've never quite gotten it down -- I'm basically a zombie the first day, waking up at odd hours the first night. I'm a pretty inexperienced traveler and I don't know if this is just the way it is or if there's a better way that I'm not getting!

"Does it work the same way as in the US "

Well, it generally works the way my experience has generally been in the US: you go into a cafe, then discover you've got to pay an intermediary like T-mobile to get onto the web via a wireless laptop. Americans are always telling me about free wireless. Well, it ain't nowhere in the US I ever visit, and London's no different

You might be able to hack into someone else's broadband: many blocks of flats have a few unsecured networks. There are loads of pay-for-access internet cafes, with varying policies about using your own laptop.

Someone who knows Pimlico better will hopefully be able to answer your neighborhood-specific questions, but there are internet cafes all around. So even if he can't find a wireless signal, your dad can update his blog, check email, etc.

As far as jet lag, you'll find lots of information on how people deal with it. My usual advice is to sleep as much as you can on the trip over, then stay up all day your first day, going to bed at a normal time that night. You'll be exhausted by dinnertime the first day, but so far it's worked well for me.

PS: On jet lag.,

My experience is that the more sleep you get on the flight over, the less it hits you. It's just not true you "can't sleep on planes": on a New York London overnight, it's perfectly possible to get as much sleep as you'd get going to bed late after, say, New Year celebrations, then getting up at 8.

My system:
- get up VERY EARLY the day you're flying
- Do as much exercise as possible
- eat very stodgy food at the airport.
- Just tell yourself on the plane you're going to sleep and have a few glasses of wine on the plane (if on BA) or at the airport if you're on an uncivilised airline.
- tell the FA you on't want disturbing till you're about to land
- On arrival, try to stay active, and avoid sitting down for extended periods. Oddly, this is easiest if you go straight to work. Shopping's better than hop-on bus tours.
- Then go to bed early.

You'll still wake up at funny times: have a few good books, and learn about the BBC World Service frequencies on your radio. May not help you sleep - but you'll acquire an expertise on the upcoming elections in Azerbaijan that'll make you the envy of your friends.

flanneruk - This must be something that is sort of city-specific. Here in Austin you can hop on a wireless connection for free at loads of restaurants and cafes. The owners appreciate if you buy a coffee or some food, but that's not even mandatory really.

You can get wireless access at Starbucks but you'll have to pay to T-mobile network.

http://starbucks.co.uk/en-GB/_Our+St...+Starbucks.htm

As for jetlag, I find it helpful to have a nice warm bath once it's bedtime at the destination. It helps me to sleep through the night, and does wander to the aching back.

I can only comment on jet lag, which I get horribly no matter what I do. I can't sleep in airplanes (and fly overnight from Seattle to London). If you CAN sleep on the plane ride over (by hook or by crook) that will be a big help.

I give in and take naps the first few days. Other people advice against it, but I am absolutely a wreck (too much to even enjoy the trip) if I don't. I use a prescription sleep aid from my doctor the first few nights to get myself on local time schedule.

The people who own this site are based in Pimlico. So just go up to the Random house HQ and ask to borrow a desk and a computer. They won't mind, I'm sure.

The main thing not to miss in Pimlico is the Tate Gallery (which also has a rather nifty caff)

<<< You might be able to hack into someone else's broadband >>>

Or it might be someone who has deliberately set up a network so they can do a bit of hacking on you

as for places that have genuine free wi-fi, I would suggest googling "wi-fi london" as it's constantly changing.

In my experience many cafes offer it these days as long as you are eating & drinking there

Technically, it is a criminal offence to piggy-back on someone else's wireless network without permission - and there has been the odd prosecution.

Most places that have complicated names for froffy coffy have wi-fi.

You'll see a lot of pubs seem to offer it - but you have to pay extra.

There's plenty of internet places around Victoria station (which is nearby) but they are just places where you rent a terminal and a desk - little in the way of food and drink is available.

Where I'm sitting I've got access to two different free wireless routers, I'm within a minute's walk of another, and I know of five or six more within a few minutes' drive.

The only free wireless I found in the UK (not in London) was in the bar at the Liverpool Holiday Inn. But then I wasn't looking very hard....