Thanks for some great comments, Richard. On a recent trip, I experienced the friendliness of the immigration agents (and just about everyone else) at AMS. How do they manage to do such an adequate job, and be positive and cheerful while doing it? Puts our US agents to shame.

On your comments about traveling in the UK, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I feel sorry for the British, who generally have to leave their own country to have an affordable vacation in places like Palma, Ibiza, etc. On a recent trip to Italy, I had to stop in London for one night due to the connection, and spent about 3 days worth of what I would've spent in Italy. I wasn't even splurging, but just trying to find a crappy bed and breakfast to stay in, and go see London for a little while. I assure you, it met my expectations fully, and was crappy in the fullest, for 40 pounds a night.

Add on top of that the fact that airport taxes are simply outrageous flying into any London airport internationally, and you understand why I've resolved not to go to London on anything but business in the future. Certainly not for pleasure. I'll spend my money elsewhere. I connect through places like Frankfurt or Munich nowadays instead.

Why do the British think that they're on top of the world, when the quality of life there is so palpably miserable? Seems to me, their own rejection of the Euro is shooting themselves in the foot. But enough from me...