england?

[Rusty Chainsaw]

Yes - I've been commuting from Brighton to London for work, for about 10-15 years and I have never considered driving into London.

Trains are quite fast and get you directly into the centre if you're lucky - plus you can sit and read a book etc

Downside is cost - so an annual season ticket is the cheapest way, but at over £4,000 a year and rising ... and they are crowded as more and more people commute - sometimes there are no seats and you have to stand!!

Blimey, that's loads...

However, Brighton's well outside of London, and outside the London fare zones - when I lived in Croydon (zone 5), an annual Travelcard (unlimited travel on all trains, buses and tubes in the London area) was about £1700 for the year, although it's probably a little more now.

If you're lucky, a lot of companies based in London are actually now paying for their employees' Travelcards, as they get a tax break for them since they're encouraging use of public transport instead of driving.

 

[Meatrus]

i was thinking about england today and was wondering a) do people in the UK(including Scotland) impersonate our accents for fun like we do with theirs?.

Not really, except possibly some of the stronger Texan accents.

If you are referring to the posh British accent often seen on American TV shows, nobody I have ever met in the UK speaks like that. The tea drinking....thats true though .

The music scene in my area of Mid Wales is next to non existent, I came from the Midlands (near Stratford) when I was younger, and had a bit of a shock getting used to it here. I'm not speaking for Wales as a whole though, just my area within 50 miles or so, still a nice area though, just not for music really.

 

[skwee]

I don't want to hornswoggle the thread, but does anyone know about the classical scenes in any of these towns? Any classical players reading this thread? I'd be looking for singing, rather than upright jobs, but is there a general sense about where to avoid or where to dive into?

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

Blimey, that's loads...

However, Brighton's well outside of London, and outside the London fare zones - when I lived in Croydon (zone 5), an annual Travelcard (unlimited travel on all trains, buses and tubes in the London area) was about £1700 for the year, although it's probably a little more now.

If you're lucky, a lot of companies based in London are actually now paying for their employees' Travelcards, as they get a tax break for them since they're encouraging use of public transport instead of driving.

I have twice had my travel paid for, over 3 year periods and when that ran out I was able to claim an interest-free season ticket loan.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

I don't want to hornswoggle the thread, but does anyone know about the classical scenes in any of these towns? Any classical players reading this thread? I'd be looking for singing, rather than upright jobs, but is there a general sense about where to avoid or where to dive into?

London is probably the best City in the world for a Classical music scene! There are 3 or 4 world class orchestras based in the Capital and all the best orchestras visit on a regular basis.

The Proms is the biggest and best festival of Classical Music anywhere - at the Albert Hall! There is also the Barbican and South Bank along with innumerable small venues.

There are hundreds of choirs and chambers music ensembles. If you are a Classical Music student - I can't imagine that any other City than London could have a better music scene!!