We opted for First Capital Connect tickets (slightly slower, but a little cheaper than National Express and less crowded), and for £50 the Lawrence family had return travel to London with as much tube or bus travel as we needed.

Things didn't start great after I invested £1.20 on the worst cup of tea ever, from the station café – too frothy, too milky and tasteless.

But the 75-minute train ride down from Peterborough was fine. The kids killed the journey by playing their Nintendos, eating sweets and starring out of the window, while the wife and I slurped tea and starred at our kids.

It was their first ever visit to London, and my wild-eyed son couldn't wait to see if there really were trains which ran underneath the ground. He'd only ever seen photos in books of this amazing city, and now he was visiting it.

Kings Cross was infested by chavs in baseball caps and football shirts, carrying cans of lager. But we were soon on the tube, first stop Leicester Square for lunch in a world renowned eatery. Bad move. The big shiny menu promised much, but the harassed staff delivered (eventually) plates of luke warm limp food. It's funny though, as much as the wife and I were disappointed, the little ones didn't care less. Next stop Embankment, where we hopped onto a boat that sped down the River Thames. And I mean SPED! The wife frantically snapped photos like an excited tourist, and before long we'd reached the O2 Arena.

What a transformation this place has had. From a dead-duck dome, to a vibrant village of restaurants and entertainment facilities, it's really a place that has to be seen to be believed. I'd got tickets for Finding Nemo On Ice, which had the kids mesmerised from the first minute. After the show we dined on the set menu of a fabulous Thai restaurant. The tube journey back to Kings Cross was hot and cramped, but we surfaced in the nick of time to jump on the 22 minutes past FCC train, and before we knew it we were back home.

One of the great benefits of living in Peterborough is that the country's capital city is right on our doorstep. And discovering London with your kids is a lot of fun. Although be warned, it is a little expensive, and energy sapping.