Mastering London

London is one of the world's great cities but with its confusing layout and complicated social and transport systems it can be a tricky place to navigate, even for long-term residents. If you're visiting for the first time, here are a few tips that might help.

Public Transport - getting around the city is easy using the Underground (Tube) or buses. You can cut your costs and blend in with the locals by buying an Oyster card, which you can order online before you arrive or buy at most convenience stores. Charge the card online or in a store, then tap it on the yellow readers to pay for your trip. You tap at each end of your Tube journey (on and off) but only once on the buses (fixed rate, irrespective of distance traveled).

Clothing - London's weather is changeable and unpredictable. Expect to carry a waterproof coat on all but the warmest of days. In winter you'll want stout shoes and warm clothes to cope with rain and wind.

Apologising - the biggest sin in London is appearing impolite and unless you want to stand out as a tourist you'll need to master the art of apologising. The general rule is that if you touch or obstruct anyone at all, say "sorry", even if they're clearly at fault or the incident is so trivial you've barely noticed it. If in doubt, apologise anyway.

Asking for directions - most of the people you see on the streets in the popular tourist areas will themselves be tourists. If you need directions look for someone without a camera - most residents will be happy to help. Alternatively, the centre of the city is strewn with maps showing roads and points of interest within 15 minutes' walk; these are a great way to orient yourself.

Shopping - all prices include sales tax (where applicable - VAT, 20%) so the price on the ticket is the price you pay. Many shops will open late into the evening Monday to Saturday but the larger shops can only open for 6 hours on a Sunday.

Taxis - unlike almost anywhere else in the world, London's black cab drivers are required to know the roads of their city. This means, theoretically, that they can take you anywhere you want to go without consulting maps or using a GPS system. Charges are fixed and strictly speaking they should take you wherever you want to go (although sometimes they refuse if you destination is out of favour). Don't use unlicensed minicabs; either pre-book your minicabs or use a black taxi.

Escalators - strangely, there is etiquette even for escalators; stand on the right, walk on the left. If you can't climb all the way to the top (and some of the escalators on the deep tunnels of the underground are very long indeed) you should stand on the right to allow others to walk or run past.

There's more, much more, but master these seven things and you're well on your way to fitting in.