Also need to buy inexpensive luggage (shopped a little), any ideas wherr?

Im in the Hilton Bankside hotel.

Oops one more thing- my little guy wants me to buy him a ronaldo soccer jersey - any ideas? Somewhere on the way or near sights or close to me?

You can always mail clothes or purchases back home instead of buying extra luggage. That is what I often do.

Glad you both are enjoying yourself although perhaps bit overwhelmed by places to visit in London and Paris in such a short time. Hopefully your mother is finding the trip a little cathartic. Am not sure where to buy a suitcase in London. Argos may be your best bet on price if they have something you like in stock. I know there is an outlet on the Strand and near Tottenham court Rd. I'm sure there are others. Am not that familiar with much of London south of the Thames. The department store Primark on Oxford street may also be a possibility. Be warned that an extra suitcase may cost you an extra $100 or so on your flight home depending on your airline. The V&A is the Victoria and Albert museum and is in Knightsbridge not far from Harrods and the Natural history museum. Buy your Ronaldo jersey on Amazon at home.

I would vote for Westminster Abbey over St. Pauls, much older and more to see.

Marks and Spencers probably carries luggage. There's one just outside Covent Garden tube station, but they are all over.

This is the Winter Sales Period in London. Everywhere will have luggage on sale - and other things, too. The problem will be fighting off the crowds. I'd advise you to leave Mom at the hotel while you shop.
Debenham's would probably be a cheap place to find luggage.

Or for really cheap - any street market or even some souvenir stands sell cheap suitcases/duffles

One of many souvenir shops along Oxford Street will likely have what you need at the cheapest possible price.

Forget the so-called sales in London. Stop by NYC for real sales !

Hi everyone
I did make it to WMA and it took forever... Mom did not

She was exhausted and overwhlemed after tower of london..

We boight tix to WM , London eye and Tower of London from hotel and they gave us a voucher, which they said ee could get in w.. Except that was not true

No one accepted our vouchers - we had to go in a diff location to exchange them for tix
Total waste of time ..
So mom was veryyy upset and grumpy to say the least..


On a bright note
I Lovedd tower of london, WMA sooooooo exceptional (glad i chose it over st P),
---
Tom is our last day
I looked up V and A and instrad of british meuseum im going there... �� ty soooo much for the info

Im hoping to mk the guard change just to cross of my bucket list..

Mom just wants to ride the bus.

Whats ur fav exhibition/ sections in V and a?

--
Any tips where to stand for the changing of guards?

Looked into mailing cloths 50 pounds for 2.5 kg arriving 40 days later ��

2.5 kg is only about 5.5 lobs. Can you fit this in your suitcases by opening up the expandable zipper, if you have one?

I always bring a fabric duffel type of bag with me to use as a carryon on my return flight to either carry my purchases.... or some of my dirty laundry if the purchases are liquid.

As Janisj mentions above, you should be able to find a cheap cloth duffel at a souvenir shop, discount shop, or flea market type setting.

I have mailed many things home from the UK and not one ever took close to 40 days. Most of the time they beat me home, and ALWAYS get here in less than 10 days.

But if you are only talking about 5 lbs, cram it in your suitcase. Look for a space bag (in a luggage department of a major department store most likely).

They are compression bags that let you squeeze in more stuff in your suitcase.

Put some of your soft clothes in a zippered pillowed cover (doesn't have to be, but easier. Two pillow cases, one reversed over the other work fine two) and carry it with you on the plane. Nobody questions a small pillow and it is nice for sleeping too.

V&A - fashion, jewelry, Chinese, medieval, tea rooms (scone with clotted cream and jam (US jelly).

Have never bothered to see changing of the guard and don't feel deprived, lol.

Sounds like you should put mom on the bus and do your own thing. Maybe you can fit some British Museum in as well.

I'd just pay the additional luggage fee. I wouldn't go through the bother of having to go to the Post Office and having to fill out a Customs form, etc.

no no it wasn't the additional luggage fee that was the issue...
it was that i had nothing to put the extra shopping in ...

so after the guard change and visiting V and A (loved it) I walked up towards that expensive store bc people had said there are shops there too that are inexpensive to buy luggage (in an attempt of avoiding the high mail fee) .. however, up and down an hour and nothing, finally someone said go to Argos, but that was not a nice experience ugh.. anywyas got a carry on for 19 pounds, took a cab to come back to the hotel, which cost 24 pounds, and drove by a huge cheap luggage store ((((

all in all the carry on ended up costing 70 pounds which is more than mail.. badddd

------

almost all packed for tomorrow

my final question for my great new friends --- I'm getting conflicting info re what time to leave to be by airport,

we are in Bankside area - great suffolk street SE1 , some say 45 min to airport others 90 min.

flying to toronto via air canada
and have to do some kind of customs form at the airport for the stuff i bought to get the Tax back... (bought my first bag )) hubby will kill me when i get home
and about 30 min to buy some souvenirs for a couple other people

when should we leave hotel, i trust you all more than the concierge lol

Thank you and Happy New Year everyone.

Dobby the Turtle, anyone?

That <i>has</i> crossed my mind a time or two

Lilly...the voucher thing is not to get straight in it's to avoid the main ticket line. Sometimes it's a huge benefit, sometimes it doesn't matter. It's about a 50/50 chance in cities. Sometimes the ticket line is an hour wait, which is when the voucher is handy, sometimes (in better run or less popular museums) ticket line is a 5 minute wait tops. So you know for future reference as it sounds like you like museums

I'm with Peter and janisj