When I lived in London I used to enjoy taking the bus back home on a Saturday afternoon from Oxford Circus or Trafalgar Square to Clapham North or Brixton. As this article James Meek reflects on the end of the double-decker bus says it's really nice to sit at the front on the top deck and watch the world go by. Even if I took a book to read, as I always did, I always ended up looking out of the window. As you're much higher up than normal you get to see over walls and notice things you just can't from ground level.

On the other hand, to get to or from work I always took the tube. Originally Clapham North to Oxford Circus or Bank on the Northern line, and then the Central line to Chancery Lane. Later Brixton to Oxford Circus on the Victoria line and then to Chancery Lane. Much faster than the bus, when it arrived, but no where near as enjoyable. I also remember on the Northern Line having, on especially bad days, to first of all travel backwards to Balham to be able to get on at all.