CVBDL's Profile

I think it's quite natural for people to want to take a peek into how other people live, especially when homes have a similar layout. I moved onto a street with mostly 1940s semi-detached homes, and it is interesting to see how people renovate and decorate them. As the notion of decorating in a certain style is new to me, getting glimpses into how other people live creates a baseline for how I want to live and decorate as well!

Hi! Had to chime in since we just did this in May on our way back from South Africa. We had 7 hours and we still managed to get in to town and back (and check in to a different terminal) for our flight home. I think the most important thing is to check when you are flying in. We flew in early on a weekday morning, so we got through security fairly quickly (our bags also went through to our final destination). We also made sure to head to our departing terminal to check our carry ons (we used the Left Baggage service for 8 pounds - totally worth it!).

I would recommend either the Heathrow Express or the Heathrow Connect. They both leave from the same platform, and the Heathrow Express takes 15 minutes vs 25 on the Connect. The Connect cost us 32 pounds return for two people; worth it in my opinion. The Express is about $25 more for ten minutes saved...

My final tip is to pick one thing to do/one area to visit and stick to it. We took the Connect into Paddington and then walked to Oxford Circus to do some shopping. You can also transfer to the Tube and head to Trafalgar Square and Soho for a great meal. We had a ton of time to wander Oxford Street to shop, check out the decorations for the Queen's Jubilee and stop for lunch before heading back to Paddington. I would definitely recommend it, but keep in mind that staying at the airport would definitely be the cheaper option.