Summaries: Tom's Best Of, Lessons Learned, Do or Prefer to Be Different

My Best Memories:

1. Camden Lock Market

2. Brick Lane Market

3. Wallace Sewell for scarves

4. Seeing the Queen on the day she opened Parliament

5. Having an english pub experience with 'mates' at Cask Beer with Tom & Richard

6. Meeting the Lord

7. Indian Food -- the best food in London!

8. Listening to bag pipes, while drinking Scotch whisky, in Scotland.

9. The pro shop at St. Andrews Old Course

10. Doing extensive whisky and beer research throughout the trip

11. Speaking English -- simply because it made everything else easier.

12. Having the time to talk to bartenders, e.g. Euston Cider, Queen's Gate, the Draft House, Craft Beer Co.

13. Courtald Museum.

14. Politeness.

15. Parliament, Minister's questions.

Do Differently/Prefer to be Different:

1. The weather in London.

2. Glasgow

3. Harrods and the department stores

4. Exchange rates!

5. Not getting to feel as entrenched/local

6. The Tate Museums

Lessons Learned:

1. Priceline is especially useful when all you care about is a class of service and a general location in a city.

2. GPS always!

3. Jetlag: a quiet place to stay, access to mass transport, wifi

4. Multiple museum passes

5. Do the prep in advance -- it will never be enough, but it will enhance your stay

6. Be alert at TSA!  Lable everything with name and address

7. Carry a small notebook: stuff to tell MJP, directions, blog ideas, research, etc.

8. Cell phones -> ipad data plans

9. Pack less -> you'll never see these people agian.

10 Search out hobby experiences, i.e. english beers/pubs