Start pre-dawn at Abbey Wood station catching the Southeastern or Elizabeth line service toward central London, aiming to board a train around 06:30-06:45 to allow for any minor delays. Change at Canary Wharf for a quick coffee from a station café, then continue on the Elizabeth line to Tottenham Court Road station, arriving by 08:00 in time to exit near the Centre Point/Oxford Street area and step straight into the day's meetings or sightseeing.
After a productive morning arrival, wander east from the station to discover Seven Dials Market, where you can sample artisan pastries and a single-origin coffee while soaking up the bustling market atmosphere. From there, take a short stroll to the nearby British Museum Reading Room (now part of the museum's special exhibitions) for a quiet hour among rotating displays, then relax in the leafy courtyard of Russell Square with a light lunch from a nearby café before continuing your day.
As twilight falls, head for a relaxed dinner at Dishoom Covent Garden where the fragrant house black daal and bacon naan offer a comforting end to a travel day, then linger over a cocktail in their atmospheric dining room. After dinner, take a short riverside walk toward Somerset House to enjoy the evening light on the fountain courtyard and, if timing allows, catch a late-night contemporary performance or pop-up exhibition in their galleries.