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JennyK
@853Superfly
Another newbie to wandering around the big bad city.
Some things i have learnt.
The buses do not take cash, you need a contactless payment card either a bank card or a city/Oyster card, you can buy train tickets with the extra of bus travel.
(a rail card and oyster card are my next things to get)
Not all public toilets are "Free" if you get any 20pence and maybe 50pence coins hang onto a couple of them in case you gotta go but you gotta pay first. The train stations seem to be pay-to-go.
The city will empty your wallet faster than a mugger......... more so at central tourist spots for coffee and snacks, look out for small mini-marts for dailys like drinking water (although tap water over here is safe to drink) but main street and tourist areas can be higher prices than normal around the UK, going off down some of the side streets will find quieter and cheaper food stops, although traditional pubs around the city seem on a par with other pubs(bar) for prices.
Bring a bike lock and use it. If you want hassle free and don't mind using one then the Santander rental bikes are a neat way to get about (also called Boris bikes)
If you find a tourist information center ( i haven't yet) you should be able to get free paper maps of the city for the bicycle routes and rental docking stations locations.
The citys fun, just don't be too touristy and pay attention to whats happening around you as people and vehicles whizz about as you try to take in the sights :)