Left with Lovely Memories...

I have been home for two weeks now, and I still cannot believe that I was fortunate enough to spend a month in England. I have to keep looking back at the hundreds of pictures I took to make sure that it was not just a dream! Now that I have had some time for reflection, I want to give some advice for anyone who is considering travel to the London area:

1-Public transportation is your best friend. Despite the few troubles I ran into with the trains being cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, the scheduled trains to London were smooth and efficient. The Tube system will take you pretty much everywhere you need to go once you are in town, and if it doesn't there is almost certainly a bus that will. It is helpful to memorize the Tube lines and stops as well as key bus routes if you are planning an extended stay.

2-Exchange money before you leave the United States, and have more than one method of payment available. I ran into a problem where I had to cancel my debit card. Thankfully, I had enough money to last me for a few days before my parents could wire me some money. Always have a back-up plan when you are traveling. You literally never know what could happen, and it would be the worst to be stuck in a foreign country with no money.

3-Carry an umbrella with you at all times. If you don't, you will most likely get caught in a downpour. If you do, you will most likely get caught in a downpour.

4-Take advantage of all the free museums in London. I spent hours and hours in them, and yet it still wasn't enough time. They are a great way to spend time without spending money.

5-If you are traveling for longer than a few days, take multiple travel-size products like shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, etc. You will save room in your suitcase for the souvenirs you buy!

6-When eating out for dinner, opt for a pub. The food is often decently priced and very good. A lot of places don't have table service, so, you order at the bar. And don't tip the bartender as it is more of an American custom. At lunch, a favorite among Londoners is Pret A Manger. I ate here many times. The food is always fresh, very reasonably priced, and extremely tasty.

There are so many other pieces of advice I could give, but those are a good place to start. The bad thing about travel is that I now have been infected with "the travel bug" and am looking for my next opportunity to go somewhere. It really is addicting, and I can only hope that other people will see how important it is to gain an understanding of other cultures as our world becomes more and more integrated.

Cheers!