Start Your Vacation Early

Last month I received an e-mail from one of my new clients and after receiving permission I thought I would share an excerpt of our discussion in hopes of providing some form of enlightenment...

Dear Al the Travel Valet,
I recently purchased one of your independent itineraries, the "London Like A Local". We are very excited and can't wait until our October departure. None of us have ever been overseas and want to prepare as much a possible before our trip. Do you have any suggestions as to how we can become more prepared so we can get the most out of our trip...?

Dear Excited,
Absolutely. You did well in choosing the London Itinerary. Knowing the language is a great confidence builder on your first overseas journey. The biggest mistakes travelers make are over packing and under preparing. Since you asked me specifically about preparation, I'll focus my answer on that. There are several ways to familiarize yourself with London. Obviously, studying maps and transit options is imperative, but beyond that I would try a less scholastic and more entertaining approach.

There are several A-List movies that use London and the surrounding environs as a backdrop. Here is a list: "Notting Hill", "Bridget Jones Diaries", "Love, Actually", the Harry Potter movies, "About a Boy", the Mr. Bean movies, "Shakespeare in Love", "Da Vinci Code" etc. There are many, many others.

If reading is your fancy, try: "Oliver Twist", the Sherlock Holmes stories, "Canterbury Tales", most of the movies above were adapted from bestsellers, as well as fabulous literature from great writers like Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Lewis Carroll, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, T.S. Eliot, A.A. Milne, and the greatest dramatist in the history of the world, William Shakespeare.

I included a four page, condensed history lesson of London's history with your itinerary as well as a map of the London Underground and a city map. These should give you basic understanding of London's layout and if you choose to follow the daily itinerary you purchased then you will be traveling like a local from the moment you land at Heathrow.

I hope this helps. Please feel free to contact me anytime if you have any additional questions or if there is anything I can do to make this trip more amazing.

Sincerely,
AL
The Travel Valet

This particular travel group consisted of two couples more interested in culture and a social adventure than history per se. I tried to focus my answer away from Elizabethan, Tudor and/or Royal laden agendas. I also veered away from family-oriented suggestions like "Through the Looking Glass", "Winnie-the-Pooh" or "Wallace and Gromit". The Travel Valet doesn't stop at just booking you tickets, accommodations and supplying you with an appropriate itinerary, but works to fill your dreamcatcher and accommodate your whims. Thanks for reading.

Pick of the Day(11-3-0)...Cavs ML