So, you have so far witnessed the UK's bumper year from the comfort of your sofa...sat there wondering why you are not there! Well no more! You may have allowed the Diamond Jubilee to pass you by, but the jewel in the crown of London's 2012 is without doubt the Olympics! Not got tickets? Don't worry! With free events in hundreds of locations around the city, you would be hard pressed to miss out and with some of the best hostels in London still offering great deals as well as Easyjet zooming in to the rescue...there really is no excuse!

What To Do?

As a Londoner myself, I am fully geared up for the Olympics...even with those questionable mascots wandering around town. Not only do I for the first time in my life possess a Union Jack flag, but I also fully intend on using it, well, at least for the opening ceremony. The city is gearing up in style with hundreds of events around the city, from flotillas along the Thames to record Zumba classes in Piccadilly Circus and much more. Book your hostels in London a few days early and get into the swing of things with the final few days of the Torch Relay, a 75 day extravaganza that has seen the flame travel around the entire UK! Delete that "hostels Barcelona" search from Google for now, you can do that next month, this summer is all about being in London!

What Next?

Well, after spending two weeks in the UK capital with Olympic fever a holiday will no doubt be needed. In that case why not take yourself across to Spain on the ferry with regular trips to Santander available. As a former resident I can fully recommend a stint in Barcelona, one of the country's thriving commercial and cultural hubs, filled with people from around the globe. Use your newly gained big city savvy and hunt out some of the best value hostels Barcelona has on offer, after all, I hear they may be charging £4 for a burger at the Olympics! Those pennies may be important!