I’m Europe crazy! I’ve just grabbed a couple of air ticket to London, again! They are for traveling in June next year 2011!

Good news for those who haven’t been to London and are looking for cheap air fares to Europe next Summer! (Not this Summer, it’s ending soon…) AirAsia X is releasing its extraordinary low fare tickets starting from today to destinations such as London, Melbourne, Tianjin, New Delhi, Seoul and more! This sales will last for only 3 days until19th August 2010!

For traveling both ways from LCCT to New Delhi and Mumbai during 1st April – 11th August 2011, you need to pay absolutely nothing for the ticket. What you need to pay is only RM 207.00 for both the airport taxes of LCCT and New Delhi.

For traveling both ways from LCCT to Australia Melbourne during the same period, you need to pay only RM750.00 for the all-in fares!

For traveling both ways from LCCT to London during the same period, the all-in fares is only RM1,500.00!

Exciting, isn’t it? If you happen to be in Malaysia next Summer and wish to travel to those AirAsiaX destinations from here, log on their website now to grab extraordinary low fares! I’m not promoting for them here. I’m just an advocate of budget travel!

I’ve just travelled to London and Western Europe Last May and I’ve bought these low fare tickets to travel to Eastern Europe next Summer! I’ve saved over one thousand in flight tickets alone. This gives me extra budget to spend on my accommodations and other transportation in EU!

I’ve just had my first confirmed travel plan for Year 2011! I will have my second chance to shoot more photos in Eastern Europe and bet June would be a better month with more sunlight if compared to my last Europe travel in May. I would have better coverage on my travelogue in Europe by then, though I’ve still haven’t even completed my travel stories on my first destination of my recent Western Europe travel… – Travel Feeder, your ultimate travel photo blog

Great news for budget travelers! Visit Air Asia website today to grab another round of nearly zero airfare today! Yes. No kidding. Following the last round of zero fare promotion on last 18th May 2010,  Air Asia is pushing out a subsequent air ticket sale started from today until this Sunday (10th August – 15th August 2010).

Instead of giving away Free tickets, they are charging a minimal price of RM1.00++ per ticket per trip this time round!

The actual flying time for the promotional tickets would be next year between 1st April to 11th August 2011. Again.

Bear in mind that the RM1 airfares is still subject to seats availability and the flight popularity. Once the allocated RM1 seats are taken up for certain flight, the airfares would be jacked up in stages. This is common practice for most of the budget airlines of this world. The thing is, how many seats allocated for RM1 fare are unknown to me.

The sad news for me, there aren’t any Air Asia X flights included in this promotion. As my next year travel plan during that period is traveling to either Australia or Eastern Europe, which are both operated by Air Asia X! I have to watch out again for the next round of promotion then…

For those who are planning to travel to all other destinations operated by Air Asia, visit their website now! Don’t wait until weekend as most of the RM1 seats would definitely be taken up! As you know me by now, I love to travel overseas with AirAsia. They are cheapest, most transparent and flexible. If you’re thinking of to travel to places that I flew with Air Asia, such as Phuket, Bali or London, check them out now! – Travel Feeder, your ultimate travel photo blog

Guest Post by Cherrye Moore

Seeing London in one day? Impossible! Or is it?

Just last week I traveled from my expat home in southern Italy to London with my nine year old nephew and although we were technically there for three days, I only had one day to show him the sights.

So I did what any self-proclaimed travel-savvy expert would do … I looked to other experts. I researched one-day itineraries, perused London blogs and read up on which sights would most appeal to a nine year old heart. And we had a blast.

Here are five things you can do in London in one day…

1. See Big Ben and Parliament – When many people travel to London, they picture themselves in a post-card perfect picture posing in front of Big Ben and Parliament. I know of everything on our to-do list, my nephew was most interested in seeing these famous landmarks and after a quick stop at Westminster Abbey and a stroll along the Thames, Seeing Big Ben and Parliament was checked off the list.
   
2. Ride the London Eye – From there, the capsules of the London Eye guided us down the Thames and beckoned us to take a ride. If you are sure you will ride the London Eye, then purchasing advanced tickets, along with a discount pass into one of London’s other attractions, is a good idea. I wasn’t sure the nine year old would go for it once he saw the sight, with its 443 feet of Ferris wheel glory. He went for it, though-and that was one more thing we’d proudly accomplished in our day in London.
   
3. Chill Out with Fish and Chips – When photo ops and Ferris wheel-riding get you down, it’s time to refuel on fish and chips. We had friends who were also in London for the day, so we met them at Dickens’ famous, although overly-touristy, I’ve been told, Red Lion Pub, located off of Pall Mall and St. James. We had a lengthy lunch, recounted the morning’s events and planned our afternoon tour of England’s capital.
   
4. Mind the Gap – Little boys love trains and kids from Texas-who aren’t accustomed to riding subways, need to Mind the Gap a few times when they are in London. We rode the underground several times-and even took the train to our hotel in East Croydon. While many people might consider this a means of transportation-using the underground to get around was an added attraction to our one day in London.
5. Cruise the Thames – After lunch, we took the underground to the Tower of London, walked across the Tower Bridge, and then took a leisurely Thames River cruise back to Big Ben and Parliament. The trip cost just £8.00 for both of us, lasted about 25 minutes and featured a charming tour guide who offered detailed history and cute commentary on the passing sites.
   

What would you do if you had just one day in London?

Cherrye Moore is an American freelance writer and Calabria tour consultant living in southern Italy. She writes about travel for MNUI Travel Insurance and about living and traveling in Calabria on her site, My Bella Vita.

Don’t be confused. Soho London has nothing to do with SOHO (Small Office Home Office). Soho London is an entertainment area in the City of Westminster, West End of London city centre. It was a farmland in 16th century. No record have stated how Soho got its name in the first place. Some believed it was derived from hunting cry in battlefield. It is now the major nightlife district in London city centre next to Oxford Street, Leicester Square, Regent Street and Covent Garden.

Another travel attraction in London, Soho is a huge area with lots of upmarket restaurants, cafes, theatres, sex shops, pubs and dance club. During my travel to London, I had a walk through a few of the streets in Soho area at night and took some travel photos of the beautiful night scenes and am going to share them here.

We started our Soho walk from the South Eastern corner at Seven Dials near Cambridge Circus where 7 roads are joining together. Cambridge Theatre is here.

At Cambridge Circus, there is the famous musical performance theatre, the Palace Theatre. “Priscilla, The queen of the desert” is now showing.

From Cambridge Circus, we walked into Moor Street and our first pub in Soho.

Via Moor Street, we came to the Old Compton Street. It is widely known as the main gathering place for gays in London and is a very stylish part of London indeed. The Three Greyhounds was the first pub we met here.

It is the quieter section of Soho and there was less crowds on the street on Monday evening.

Apart from restaurants and pubs, there are also entertainment centre.

Costa Coffee, since 1971, as old as me, is a major player in coffee shop in London. You can spot 1 everywhere you go.

Junction to Dean Street, the home to the Soho Theatre. The famous Admiral Duncan gay pub is located here.

Sex shop used to be the dominant feature in Soho. Though there are a lot lesser now, we could still find one along the Old Compton Street.

Comptons Of Soho pub, the gay institution on Old Compton Street, having served the gay community as a pub for 20 years. Prices reduced to £1.50 every Monday night during happy hour from 7PM to 11PM. Has it kicked your heels up before?

The O Bar at Wardour Street, open late every night with dance music. There is a direction post showing you that from Wardour Street, you can go to London Chinatown at Whitcomb Street not far from there.

SNOG in Rupert Street, selling pure frozen yogurt.

St James Tavern, another traditional English pub in Great Windmill Street.

The London Trocadero is an entertainment complex located at the corner where Great Windmill Street is joining Shaftesbury Avenue, London. It was originally built as a restaurant but most recently used as an exhibition and entertainment space.

At Great Windmill Street, we ended our Soho walking trail (with a couple of pints off course ) and to catch the underground train at Piccadilly Circus, a stroll walk down the street.  However you could continue clubbing at either Soho north, Leicester Square or at Regent Street. It’s great fun to have few pints in the cold weather but you won’t get an environment as wild as in Patong Beach of Phuket. – Travel Feeder, your ultimate travel photo blog.

What’s my verdict?

• Attractiveness: Good √  √  √ √
• Features to explore: Good √ √  √ √
• Photo Opportunity: Good √  √  √ √
• Accessability: Good √  √  √  √
  
• Affordability: Good √  √  √  √

• Overall Travel Score : 80%

• Verdict: It is free and safe to wander around all those pubs and streets in Soho area. Pick one or few to sit down for a pint or 2 is always a great idea when you are visiting foreign countries and wish to mix around with other people at night. – Travel Feeder

Right in the middle of Great London city centre at Westminster, St. James’s Park is another travel attraction that travelers to London must know about. To go or not to go for a visit depends on how tight is your travel itinerary in London. It is always visited together with another attraction nearby, the Buckingham Palace. I would stroll down the park en route from Buckingham Palace to Trafalfgar Square and Leicester Square. Here is a set of travel photos taken with my Nikon D60 and Tamron SP10-24mm UWA lense on my recent visit to London. Judge it from the photos!

Measuring 58 acres in coverage area, St. James’s Park is the oldest among other Royal Parks of London such as Hyde Park, Kensington Garden and Green Park. Buckingham Palace is next to the west, The Mall and St. James’s Palace to the North, Horse Guards to the east, and Birdcage Walk to the south.

The St. James’s Park features a winding pedestrian walking path along a small lake, St. James’s Park Lake. Gardens with trees and wildlife are spread along the lake side. Two small islands, Duck Island (named for the lake’s collection of waterfowl or duck), and West Island with a bridge across the lake grants a viewpoint to oversee Buckingham Palace framed with trees and fountains.

Looking down while walking and you will notice this plaque on the pathway, with heraldic rose emblem etched in the centre. It is one of the 90 plaques that marks the route of The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk. A 7-mile (11 km) long circular walking trail in London, England, dedicated to the memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, The Diana, Princess of wales Memorial Walk goes between Kensington Gardens, Green Park, Hyde Park and St James’s Park in a figure-eight pattern, passing five sites that are associated with her life: Kensington Palace, Spencer House, Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Palace, and Clarence House.

A special feature in the park, waterfowls are running everywhere on the grass or water.

A special Autumn-feel tree with red leaves was seen along the park lane. Benches are provided for visitors to relax and rest for a while before continuing their journey.

No place will call themselves a garden without these bushes of flowers…

… and these….

Looking further in front towards the end of the St. James’s Park Lake, is the London Eye situated in Westminster.

Tall trees….

… and taller trees.

St. James’s Park is indeed a huge garden to wander around with lots of greens and water… I always admire the efforts Royal Parks London put in to conserve these parks from being developed into concrete forest.

In a cloudy and rainy evening, the scene is slightly darker then usual but it’s still beautiful…

I can tell you that there are so many waterfowls swimming in the lake.

Red-crested Pochard with highly distinguishable orange round head and red bill with brown body could also be seen in the lake. Can’t help but looking for more photos? Click to view London travel photos in Flickr Lightbox

This wraps up the coverage of St. James’s Park of London by travel photos captured in the park. If you are going there, the closest London Underground stations to reach there are St. James’s Park, Victoria, or Westminster. Coming up next is my travel experience in London Day2 continues… Subscribe now to get free updates on upcoming stories via RSS or email. – Travel Feeder, your ultimate travel photo blog

What’s my verdict?

• Attractiveness: Average √  √  √
• Features to explore: Average √ √  √
  
• Photo Opportunity: Good √  √  √ √
• Accessability: Good √  √  √  √
  
• Affordability: Excellent √  √  √  √  √

• Overall Travel Score : 76%

• Verdict: Since it is free to visit and open to public every day, if you have time to relax in London, take a rest before continuing to other attractions. – Travel Feeder