Why don't you make arrangements for a B&B or modest hotel and spend a few nights in London? The price of a plane ticket is the biggest expense. It seems ashame to take a trip you've decided will be less than <glorious> and <very uneventful>. Didn't you realize where your sister lived in relation to London when you decided to stay with her?

I always heard the expression said E.B.F. with E standing for East!

It never ceases to amaze me what I can learn on this site. Thanks Ira for both that website (which I also bookmarked :) as well as the I guess thanks to you Panda for using the term.

You should get yourself an A to Z panda. I'm sure if you chose you could get into London every day. The trains are just fine. Make sure to go after the rush hour when prices drop.

McLaurie wrote, "It never ceases to amaze me what I can learn on this site."

That is so true, but what also amazes me is the turns a thread can take. This one took a very strange turn, all based on one figure of speech. But that's what makes this forum so much fun.

If budget is a concern, which it seems to be, I'd consider staying in a hostel for at least some of the nights. If you want to be out late, you could do that without worrying about transport and waking up your sister in the wee hours. A hostel dorm bed can be obtained for as cheap as 10 pounds per night.

Located near BFE is East Bongwater, Wisconsin. (sorry WI residents - that's how I was told) and Cuzzinluven, Arkansas. Once met a backpacker from Stikit, India. His name was Dick Gozinya. That's what he told me. I know, I know. You all started it.
Sorry to hear of your troubles in the UK.

I am sorry about the trip plans changing, I agree with mclaurie, get an A to Z and research.
Don't feel bad, buses are not usually horrible. Trains maybe ( in the US) but I haven't been on a bad one in the UK.

Thanks for adding to my vocabulary also, " BFE " never been there and sounds like I don't want to go either! ~