National Express Coaches Day Trip Review
National Express Coaches
Day trip to the Ideal Home Exhibition
Reviewed by Emma Salmon
On Sunday 29 March my 14 year old daughter, 9 year old son and I had a day trip out using National Express Coaches.
It was convenient to find that the town we lived in had a pick-up spot, so we were able to drive the small distance into town, take advantage of the free Sunday parking, and make our way to the coach stop. The coach arrived promptly at 8.30 and we were welcomed onto the coach by the driver – he had a record of our booking and checked us off against the printout we had received.
Booking is very simple online – you can plan your route using a drop down menu, and choose the best fares and choice of coach journeys from a list of alternatives. All can be paid for online and you can print your tickets directly – so no need to go to a ticket office to collect them. The prices are very reasonable compared to the train, especially for longer journeys, and often avoid having to travel across London to make a connection.
The coach was clean and fairly new looking – seating was 2 abreast which did mean a slight disagreement with the children as to who sat next to me, but there was plenty of space and legroom. The chairs were adjustable, and putting them back into the rest position did not impinge upon the seat behind, which is always a concern and annoyance. There were moveable foot rests on the seat in front which allowed a greater level of comfort. The driver ran through all the safety procedures as we set on our way. The temperature in the coach was perhaps a touch cold, but easily solved by keeping jumpers on, and in fact preferable to too hot. Each seat had its own light and air conditioning.
Although the journey by coach generally takes longer than the comparable trip by train, the driver was able to look at the booked tickets and adjust his stops, which reduced the journey time by 15 minutes. It also made a change to drive through London and take a look at the sights and sounds – something that is missed during a train journey. By arriving at Victoria Coach Station we also saved some time on tube journeys, as we were travelling to the Ideal Home Show.
It was a simple hop from Victoria onto the District line to get to Olympia due to the special service they run when events are on.
From the moment we arrived at Olympia we knew that the show was going to be impressive. The pavement and foyer were decked with luminous green artificial grass and outside 12 foot high cerise floral letters pronounced “IDEAL HOMES”. Despite the numbers flocking off the tube the queue was surprisingly short and fast moving so we swiftly moved through to the main hall to be greeted by cheerful girls proffering show guides and complimentary bars of Divine chocolate.
The exhibition was divided into distinct sections, each dedicated to a particular area of interest with colour coded carpet and hanging signs which enabled easy navigation around the show and through the relevant exhibition stands. Heading up each section was a celebrity member of the Home Show ‘Star Team’, each of whom took a turn on the stage in the Live Super Theatre – Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen (interiors), Greg Wallace (food and housewares), Katie Piper (fashion and beauty), Alan Titchmarsh (gardens), George Clarke (home improvements) and Suzi Perry (technology). In addition Martin Lewis of MoneySavingExpert was running a series of advice clinics and talks across the 9 days of the show and up in the Food and Drink Theatre there was the opportunity to catch a series of celebrity chefs at work as well as many exhibitors demonstrating a range of innovative housewares.
Taking centre stage in the main arena were 3 full sized home shows, which allowed different design and architectural companies to present a home individually styled for the show. I loved the Scandinavian feel of the Future Proof House by John Harris of Swedish designers Trivselhus – a clean open plan home full of light wood and retro feel furniture reminiscent of mid- century modern style – the colours were muted and sophisticated and I could have quite happily moved in there and then!
My children were very taken by the Gap House which was constructed in a modular format over 3 floors. It felt similar to some of the new designs which utilise shipping containers and is a fantastic way to make the most of a very small footprint. It was quite dark and moody, and felt like a stylish bachelor pad.
None of us were as keen on the Home for Life, styled by HouseBeautiful magazine, although listening to the comments of others looking around, we were in a minority. It just felt a bit too full and fussy for my personal taste.
Another interesting area was the Show gardens featuring six different designs from Britain’s leading Horticultural colleges, each one incorporating sustainability design principles and utilising water harvesting, and each hoping to be the ‘people’s choice’ in the 5th year of this popular new competition. We could use tokens to vote for our favourites and I loved the different ways that the students had used recycled materials in such exciting and inventive ways. Independently my son and I both voted for Pershore College’s design, and my daughter voted for Writtle.
Moving upstairs for some lunch we were spoilt for choice – although the smart set could opt to eat in Greg Wallace’s pop up restaurant, there was a plethora of stalls offering a huge variety of food from all corners of the world, and all very reasonably priced.
After lunch my daughter spent and in-proportionate amount of time browsing the fashion and beauty stands – many were offering free massages so my son and I took 20 minutes to relax in a couple of rejuvenating shiatsu chairs whilst my daughter had her nails painted and discussed the merits of a variety of skin products with the exhibitors. I found the beauty section to be far more high pressure sales than the rest of the show, which was a little off putting.
The last area we looked at was technology – both the children are gadget fans and so enjoyed experimenting with all the futuristic developments, many of which were touch screen controlled. There were some great innovations on the Virgin stand, which was set up as a home with all the new technology in their relevant places. My son especially enjoyed making the most of the gaming area!
Again, our return to Victoria was quick and simple, and once at the coach station we easily found the information as to when our coach was leaving, and from which platform. There was a fair choice of food on offer for hungry travellers, so we stocked up ready for our journey home.
The return travel passed smoothly – once fed my son quickly fell asleep and I was pleased to be able to put my feet up and relax – certainly preferable than facing a long drive. My daughter’s only complaint was that she found the onboard toilet unpleasant, although I am aware that it is difficult to improve these kinds of facilities.
The journey using National Express allowed us 7 hours in London which is plenty for a day trip with children. I can see that it would be a cost effective way to travel for longer journeys, and the luggage storage facility makes it handy for holidays. We certainly made the most of it and thoroughly enjoyed our day out.
Rating: 4.5/5
National Express fares start from at little as £6, for more information or to book tickets visit www.nationalexpress.com.
