Kim's London Tips and Tricks

1. Go during the off-season. I cannot imagine how crowded this city is during the summer, it was the middle of October and was packed way more than I like! The Tube stations were really stuffy so I'm sure in the middle of summer they'd be unbearable.
   
2. Plan to spend a full day in at least one large department store. There is so much browsing to be done, and the food halls have more than enough food to get you through breakfast, lunch and dinner if you wanted.
   
3. Go see a Broadway show. It's like a mini New York theatre district.
   
4. Plan to spend a lot of pounds, or plan to not go into all the sights. They are expensive, and with the exchange rate of 1.6 GBP to $1, it's borderline ridiculous. If you find out the prices ahead of time you can decide if it's worth it, and you won't have sticker shock.
   
5. More general to other cities, but bring your own earbuds. There are so many museums around with audio guides that require you to hold it up to your ear like a phone, but if you have earbuds you can just plug in and don't have to press something up to your head that has been who knows where else.
   
6. Eat meat pies and Indian food. London is going through a foodie renaissance, but these two things are especially delicious.
   
7. Get an Oyster card for the subway. So much easier than dealing with paper fare cards, and those familiar with the DC metro will feel quite comfortable - same concept.
   
8. Do an afternoon tea. They have tons to choose from in a variety of budgets and it's a prim and proper experience. If tea isn't your thing, most places will substitute coffee or cocoa instead so you can still enjoy the finger sandwiches, scones, and sweets.
   
9. Think business casual. London is not a shlubby city, and people who live there are really well dressed. I did fine with a pair of dress pants and nicer top, which also made me feel like I belonged at the theatre and afternoon tea. I also walked around in some dressier flats.
   
10. Walk quickly. I'm a fast walker - everyone walks really fast in London, even some of the tourists. Unfortunately hubby prefers more of an ambling pace which made this difficult to enjoy for me, but be prepared to book it.

Happy Travels!