To get anywhere in London you need to give yourself at least an hour. It’s quite depressing to sit on the bus for so long, but you’ve got to live with it if you want to see sights (and have free models at your disposal, as Fred pointed out). Bus 8 takes me straight from Hackney to the West end, going though usually very clogged City. It’s a great scenic ride, unless you are doing it for umpteenth time. For more information go to www.olechko.org.