MS HELEN Hewitt, marketing manager for Lonely Planet in Asia, was just 18 when she moved from Manchester to London in 1992 to work.

Till today, she says that despite having travelled to many places in the world - including six trips to Paris - London is still tops in her heart.

"I'll always go back to London," she says with a smile.

"It's so busy and different and varied, you never know what's around the corner and that's why I love it," she adds.

She wants to clear up a misconception: "People always think that Londoners are unfriendly but it's not true. If you have a smile on your face, chances are you'll get smiled back at."

Ms Hewitt, 33, who is single, moved to Singapore about a month ago to oversee the opening of the new Lonely Planet Publications office here.

Here are her six suggestions to having a good time in London.

1. Have some curry in Brick Lane
The outlets there sell all sorts of curries, including the immensely popular Indian types, and the smells are simply amazing. Many people who work in the media industry hang out there. A good meal should cost you between £5 and £10 (S$15 to S$30).

2. Shop in Kings Road
Located near Chelsea, this area offers a good mix of high street labels as well as designer pieces. Also, it is not as crowded as Oxford Street so you wont have to jostle with other tourists.

3. Go to the theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue
Theatre is really popular among Londoners. All the big Broadway plays are performed there. You can catch musicals, operas, plays and so much more. Get your tickets from www.lastminute.com where you can get really cheap bargains. You'll get a package for both dinner and theatre.

4. Visit the many museums in Kensington
The Natural History Museum looks like something out of a Harry Potter movie. Theres a huge dinosaur skeleton in the main hall that is so realistic that it still sends shivers down Ms Hewitt's spine. There are also several other museums, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, in Kensington that are worth checking out.

Admission to most museums is free.

5. Get souvenirs from the many markets around London
Portobello and Camden markets are two of the most popular ones but Spitalfields is also a wonderful market where the coolest people go to scout for stuff like records, fashion, books, crafts and more.

Also worth checking out is Borough market which was made popular by British chef Jamie Oliver. The market has the freshest food available, and anybody who likes food goes there.

6. Explore London by bike
The Tube is efficient but it is also expensive and crowded all the time. Instead, why not explore the city on a bike since there are bicycle rental shops all over London.

There are also guided cycling tours arranged by hire centres such as the London Bicycle Company. These tours will take you to all the tourist attractions like Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square. Prices start from S$52.

xuelingh@sph.com.sg

Top photo of Brick Lane by Neo Hui Min

Photo of Helen Hewitt by Lim Wui Liang