What can I do to go study High School in London?

Can a London local please help me out on where to go? I will be there for 6 weeks.?

• I'm from Australia and will be there for about 6 weeks in Feb. I think I'm staying in Pinner- if possible could you tell me what it is like (nice? quite? crime?) and how far approx it is into London CBD by the underground (I've heard its about 40 min). I've been to London twice before (only for a week, then 3 days) so I've done most of the popular sight seeing. I don't know anyone so I'm worried I will be bored. I study fashion and am going to London to do a bit of work, however I'm planning on doing a short course at a fashion school on the w/ends for academic purpose but also to meet people. Basically I need ideas on what to do (beside the ordinary attractions, notting hill, oxford st etc) by myself. I like places (clubs, bars etc.- if a friend comes visits me one w/end that is) that people call "pretentious" and I'm into pretty commercial crowds/things. Can you give me ideas on places to go, things to do, bars to go out to, suburbs I would like? I was also looking at other courses, just to interact with other people. Maybe a 1 day cooking class, or something. Thanks.

• Answer:

  There are two real parts to London, the City and the West End- the City is more like the CBD- central business district of one of the big cities of Australia. The difference is that both the West End and the City have lots of different businesses. The City has more banks and finance houses, while the West End has more shops and of course the theatres. As the city has grown the two areas meet between Holborn & Tottenham Court Road ( at least that's' my personal view). If you are in Pinner you will be in Zone 5 of the London Travel zone (From Pinner Underground station). You can get on a train on the Metropolitan line into the heart of London. If you like crowds you will love London, tourists, day trippers and commuters there will be three or four times more people that you will ever see in Sydney or Melbourne, ( The main cities in Aus I have stayed in.) Weekly travel card for Zone 5 is £44 , or £169 for 1 calendar month (from Date of purchase). the Weekly travel cards work out cheaper if you use them every day, including week-ends. This will allow you to jump on & off buses, trains and tube ( underground) so lone as you are within the Zone. In fact with buses I'm sure you can travel to zone 6 with a zone 5 pass! Check out www.tfl.gov.uk . This is the Transport for London site :it has info, maps and prices for all types of London transport! Buy your self a small pocket map book of the centre of London. It is really easy to get lost trying to use on of those big pull out tourist maps. Many people forget just how large London actually is. Look up www.visitlondon.co.uk and www.timeout.com/london. For Beer and bars try www.beerinthe evening.co.uk and for restaurants try www.toptable.co.uk/london. There are hundreds of on line pages telling you about music, theatre, shows, films, events, festivals, markets, shops, clubs etc in London. Just search. Try www.westendtheatre.com, southbankcentre.co.uk, roh.org.uk , royalalberthall.com & theo2.com for concerts and events. These are just the well known sites. Hopefully you will find something you will enjoy