Taking Advantage Of Kiwi Groups When Travelling To London
London is such a big city that it becomes a daunting task for a newcomer to think of where to begin. Questions such as “Where will I stay?”, “Where can I get affordable accommodation?” and “Which attractions should I see?” run through your mind even before you’ve stepped foot on the plane.
This is where organisations like Kiwis in London comes in to help you out. After all, every bit of help is useful if you’re new to the city.
What Is Kiwis In London?
Kiwis in London was created for Kiwis – as well as Aussies – as a one-stop shop for valuable information such as where to find a job, what famous sites are worth visiting and general advice on navigating London. In essence, the group hands out all the information Kiwis need to know as they try to navigate the big London city.
The group’s presence on the web can be found through Facebook – they have a Community page which is regularly updated with the latest relevant news for Kiwis who are coming to London.
What Can Kiwi In London Do For Travellers?
Being in an unfamiliar place makes you long for home or want to be around people from home. With Kiwi in London, you get access to fellow Kiwis as well as get to hang out in places where Kiwis like to frequent. That said, here’s what the organisation can do for you:
- Get you discounts. Kiwi in London offers you what they call a KIL (Kiwi in London) card. What it does is give you discounts in selected businesses, be they restaurants or professional services providers. The card gives members the chance to enjoy certain delights at reduced providers. The businesses who are involved in this project were carefully selected by KIL for their generosity towards the Kiwi community.
A little heads up though: the project is still a new one and trying to find its feet. Then again, allowing Kiwi travellers to save up on money for food or any kind of service is a definite plus. The card, for now, is valid until the 31st of December 2015.
Further information on the KIL Card, it has at present over 1200 very happy users, but the number of cards issued is set to be capped at 2000 people for 2015.
- Offer travel advice. KIL was a community built with the sole intention of helping fellow Kiwis get around London. The group has been adamant about providing only the best service for Kiwis who are exploring the big city, and they even condone acts done by other Kiwi agencies and indiviuals who scam fellow Kiwis.
Whether it be telling you useful information about the public transportation system in London or letting you know who to contact for travel deals, KIL does it all. You can even get in touch with the group if you’re looking for a sofa to crash in for the meantime.
- Let you hang out with fellow Kiwis. Whether you miss the accent or just want to be around people from back home, KIL has a range of events that you can attend. These events are staged once a month in various bars around London.
Apart from the monthly events, KIL also participates in other events – the most recent being the Stoke Festival this coming June – that members can get discounts to.
Kiwis In London is a brilliant source of information of what businesses are great for travellers from New Zealand in the Capital. KIL does not condone those who rip others off, and will name and shame those that are notorious among Kiwis and Aussies.
There are monthly events put on and they have over 300 Kiwis and Australians attending. KIL also provide events in places like Barcelona, Ibiza, Croatia, and Munich. Recently, the KIL event in Croatia filled 2.5 boats, and they were huge parties!
You need all the help you can get when travelling a foreign place. Organisations like Kiwi in London do everything they can to ensure that Kiwi visitors in London are accommodated properly, have the best experiences and of course, leave the city with only fond memories.
Photo by Liam Shaw on Unsplash