Travelling around London is not always easy or pleasant--especially if you're taking the Underground in the Summer. It's usually hot and crowded and you...... more
Travelling around London is not always easy or pleasant--especially if you're taking the Underground in the Summer. It's usually hot and crowded and you frequently have to stand. So you will save yourself a lot of trouble if you pop the AA's CD-ROM into your PC, make yourself a cup of tea and go on a virtual tour instead. It's a lot less trouble. The main interactive London map lets you explore 13 areas of central London together with Greenwich, Hampstead and the River Thames from Kew Bridge to Hampton Court. There's no need to call a cab or hop onto a bus--just click on an area and you can immediately visit the local attractions. There is audio throughout the disc and when you go to Buckingham Palace you can watch a video of the changing of the guards and hear the crowds without having to jostle with any of them to get a better view. To explore London further, you can go into the AA's self-styled Curiosity Shop. If you click on the inkwell and quill you will discover more about literary London and there is a time machine which pulls up information on the capital's past and re-acquaints you with the lives of famous figures such as Dick Whittington, Jack the Ripper and Christopher Wren. There are snap-shots of major buildings like the National Gallery and you can visit Mayfair and plan a
shopping trip by getting the low-down on luxury
grocery stores like Fortnum and Mason. It's fun and easy to use and comes with a planner so you can make notes and check out some of the suggested walking routes. The AA has even thrown in a virtual camera. You can click on it and save the images in an
online journal. The only slight hitch was trying to leave the Curiosity shop at the end of the tour. You have to click on the cat and then on the door to get out, which a bit time-consuming. Still it's nothing like as bad as being stuck on the Northern Line. --Justin Hunt
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