The World's Perfect Cup of Tea (LoveUK)

This is an amusing video from VisitBritainTV Follow the giant LoveUK teapot in its search around London for The World's Perfect Cup of Tea as decided by the fans of facebook.com/LoveUK. Join Mr Teapot as he takes in some of the capital's most iconic sights, samples the perfect cup of tea and amuses a few tourists along the way!

Happy Birthday Big Ben: the world's most famous clock is 150 today!

Big Ben marks 150th anniversary The clock tower in Parliament Square, Westminster, is being given a spring clean following a year of activities in recognition of the landmark. Technically Big Ben refers only to the clock's largest bell, but has become synonymous with the clock tower itself. The bell, cast in Whitechapel on 10 April 1858, was first rung in the Great Westminster Clock on 31 May 1859. (link via BBC News) Big Ben 1859 -2009 (official Home Page) UK Parliament - Big Ben (Clock Tower tour) and Google honoured Big Ben with a special google doodle: Google Doodle: Big Ben 150 years - UK Edited to add this information from the official site: Tours of the tower are free and open to UK residents who have requested a visit through their local MP. Children under the age of 11 are not permitted. Tours for overseas visitors are currently not permitted. Please note that it is not possible to queue on the day to tour the tower - advance bookings must be made through your MP.

Englishman wins 'Best job in the world' as caretaker of tropical island

Briton Ben Southall wins 'best job in the world' A luxurious beach villa overlooking the picturesque islands of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is a far cry from the English countryside of Hampshire, but for Briton Ben Southall that will be his new home after winning “the best job in the world”. The charity fundraiser, from Petersfield, Hampshire, was today named the new caretaker of an Australian tropical island after a global search by Tourism Queensland for which 34,000 people applied. (link via timesonline.co.uk) Congratulations Ben! Well done and I look forward to reading your blog during your six months on Hamilton Island. And congratulations, Tourism Queensland for running such a clever and popular advertising campaign! The Best Job In The World Related post from my blog: Australian advert for 'best job in the world'

Only in London: new campaign launched by Visit London

These are some of the highlights recommended by Only in London - VisitLondon.com: Stand Where Time Begins on the Greenwich Meridian Line See the World's Largest Cut and Polished Diamond at the Tower of London Enjoy the Sights of London from on Board the London Eye Visit Tate Modern, the Most Popular Art Gallery in the World Wander around Portobello, the World's Largest Weekly Antiques Market Marvel at Shakespeare's First Folio, the Magna Carta and Handel's Messiah at the British Library Speak at the same place as George Orwell on "Speakers Corner" in Hyde Park Stroll through the home of the world's largest living plant collection of 30,000 different species of plants, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Get your sea legs on HMS Belfast – Europe's largest surviving armoured warship Take in a Shakespearean play at Shakespeare's Globe, in the area where he lived and worked Travel on the world's oldest subterranean travel system in the world – the London Underground Hear the chimes of the world-famous Big Ben at the Houses of Parliament, the world's largest four-faced chiming clock Pay your respects to a host of literary greats in one place – from Dickens to Chaucer to Kipling to Tennyson – at Poets Corner, Westminster Abbey See British law-making in action at the Houses of Parliament during the summer opening

ScenicOrNot: click to rate the scenic spots across Britain

Your chance to rate Britain's scenery – at the click of a button Thousands of people are joining in an internet game to map the most scenic parts of Britain with the click of a mouse. ScenicOrNot takes the idea of a ratings website, where people give their views on the value of anything from health care to a person's attractiveness, and applies it to the scenery of England, Scotland and Wales. (link via independent.co.uk) Go ahead and play the game: ScenicOrNot: "Rate the UK's pretty places"

20 silly questions asked by tourists

20 of the most inexplicably simple queries fielded by tourism officials. My favourites: "Are there any lakes in the Lake District?" "In what month is the May Day demonstration?" "Why on earth did they build Windsor Castle on the flight path of Heathrow?" "Is this where Sharon and Ozzie actually live?" Asked a visitor to Osborne House, Isle of Wight "Can you tell me who performs at the circus in Piccadilly?" "Why did they build so many ruined castles and abbeys in England?" (link via telegraph.co.uk)

Madame Tussauds:Free for Americans in London on Jan 20th

Madame Tussauds, the London waxwork museum, is offering FREE entry to all American citizens on January 20th to mark the inauguration of Barack Obama as US president. (Madame Tussauds is also marking the debut of the new waxwork figure of Obama) Americans go free at Madame Tussauds All U.S citizens bring along valid documentation on 20th January and you will be given FREE entry to the attraction! I've never been to the museum myself (it simply doesn't appeal to me) but for Americans in London that day, particularly tourists, they might want to check it out since it's free of charge - and it will be a chance to share the historic occasion with other Americans.

Tourism guide to Britain via "posties" from Royal Mail

First Class Guide to Britain Join Britain's post men and women as they take you on an exclusive video tour around Britain's best kept secrets. (link via VisitBritain)

Welcome to Britain - Have a cup of tea & a biscuit

Tea and biscuits for everyone arriving in Britain Every person flying into Britain will be offered a free cup of tea and a biscuit in an ambitious, if eccentric, plan to make the country more cheerful. The hope is that tourists, and travellers returning from holidays, will be able to banish dark thoughts of a delayed flight, poor weather, and global financial meltdown if confronted with a free cup of English Breakfast tea and a plate of Jammie Dodgers. The man behind the idea is Mark Price, the managing director of Waitrose. He has persuaded airports operator BAA to run a week-long trial in November at Terminal 5, offering 5,000 cups a day to travellers in the arrivals hall. Visit Britain – the tourism agency – has agreed to back his campaign, which could see all airports across the UK offering the traditional British mix of milky tea and quirky biscuits in time for the London 2012 Olympics. (link via telegraph.co.uk) I love the idea - even if it is ambitious and eccentric! And in case you're wondering what a Jammie Dodger is like, read more about it on this post on NiceCupOfTeaAndASitDown.com