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London and Las Vegas

While Thom and I have taken a number of short vacations together, we’ve talked now and then about taking a longer trip abroad, and the other day we finally made some concrete plans. In February 2006, we’re going to London! Thom has been there before, but it’ll be my first time in the UK at […]

While Thom and I have taken a number of short vacations together, we’ve talked now and then about taking a longer trip abroad, and the other day we finally made some concrete plans. In February 2006, we’re going to London! Thom has been there before, but it’ll be my first time in the UK at all. (The closest I got was a few years ago landing a summer internship at EAS in London, but I didn’t end up taking it; I know, what was I thinking?) We’re totally excited. We booked an American Airlines package that includes airfare, six nights’ accommodations, and a few extra goodies. I’m not well-read on London, so you know I will be soaking up as much information as I can in the coming months; as always your insights are welcome. (And now I can peruse even more purposefully my London Underground map mousepad, which I received as a present last year.)

In other travel news, next month I will be going to the Bay Area to see my folks, and as a sort of side trip my parents and I (and maybe my aunt as well) will then travel to Las Vegas and spend part of Thanksgiving week there. It’s been many years since we’ve gone on a bona fide family vacation (and many years since I’ve been to Vegas); one thing that’s definitely different now is that I’m in charge! I love researching and making travel plans, so they’ve left all that to me. I’ve got my Julie McCoy clipboard in hand. Fun!

9 replies on “London and Las Vegas”

Here’s a convenient map for the London tube:

http://www.ipodsubwaymaps.com/download.php#london

We had a nice time in London, especially the museums. The pubs seemed a little unfriendly, but perhaps I’m just used to a more outgoing crowd. The Londoners we met were interesting but they seemed *very* class concious. At the base of every interaction seemed like a challenge about where I fit on the social ladder. As I graduate student…I suspect it was somewhere near the bottom. 🙂

In spite of that, though, if you can get them to talk, they’re friendly, and enjoy bitching about American politics almost as much as I do.

Did I mention the museums?? Have a great time!

I was so excited about going to London that I went down to the Amex office and bought $800 worth of Pound notes… and then when I got to London I discovered that there were ATMs everywhere that took my card, and the exchange rate was MUCH better. Don’t get pounds here. Trust me.
But, you SHOULD order a Travelcard for tube and bus. It’s very economical — about $75 for a pass good for a whole week in the greater London area (zones 1-6). Buses are fantastic in London, and the tube is confusing as hell — not because of the lines and routes, but because the tunnels are so twisty and bendy and confusing, unlike Metro stations.
You can buy travelcards online, and they will mail them to you here in the US before your trip. No extra charge.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tickets/2005/travelcards-visitor-travelcard.shtml

Oh, man… I could comment on and on.
More at:
http://www.genecowan.com/london/

London, that’s fantastic. The last time went, for New Years in 2003, we used American’s vacation package. Had a pretty good experience. Wouldn’t mind using them again. Price was decent and there weren’t tons of tours monopolizing our time. We were free to do as we pleased.

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