Before separating from my friends to meet up with my relatives for dim sum and sightseeing, we were treated to a Jesmond “full English breakfast,” included in our nightly fee. When compared with a meal of Muslix and toast at our final London hotel, or even the Contiki breakfasts, the hot, made-to-order plate of beans, [...]

One of my best mornings occurred that second day, if not only because I wasn’t operating on anyone else’s schedule. I took my time with a morning shower, relaxed with a cup of Twinnings tea, and even watched a bit of a cooking program on BBC. I had to check out by 11, and to [...]

In retrospect, I’m very glad I decided to take the day off from work. I wasn’t terribly rushed, but having the option of taking my time to pack last-minute things (including a styrofoam cooler of food intended for my UK cousins, courtesy of my Mum), and in general relax before driving to the airport was [...]

My Europe-bound girlfriends came over for a pre-trip planning session this afternoon. In addition to the Internet, they brought over various guidebooks, they have been collecting over the last few weeks. Flipping through one of them, Lonely Planet’s Best of London, I came across this text in a section titled “Women Travellers”: “Aside from the [...]