How I earn and burn miles
 

Jenbel has given you the challenge of figuring out how many air miles Randy Petersen, Wingnut, she and I currently have in our mileage banks in order to earn the MaxJet tickets. You'll find the clues already given on the London Do website.

I have flown since the inception of the mileage programs, gaming them before there ever was a Randy Petersen to coach us. ;) I bought my lifetime Red Carpet Club membership when I was 22. I am a 1K and a 1MM flyer. In the 80s, I flew TWA predominantly, as their awards were amazing. All our vacation trips were planned based on TWA destinations: Milan, Cairo, Istanbul, Bombay and more. Thanks to my TWA miles, I became a 2MM flyer on AA when they merged the programs.

In the 90s, my business responsibilities were entirely international. I flew the world for both business and pleasure. Personal trips were predominantly redemption in First. Recently, I’ve grown fond of OneWorld RTWs, and have purchased several of them.

I redeem actively, but I acquire miles faster than I burn them. I treasure free hotel nights, so keep those points in their respective programs. I charge everything I can to mileage credit cards, but the Starwood AMEX card is my current favorite.

Benjamin Franklin Museum
 

My husband and I are going on the Benjamin Franklin Museum Tour on Saturday morning at 10:30. The house was opened to tours in January; I went the first week and found it fascinating. This is where Franklin lived while he was trying to negotiate independence for the US from Britain. The house is behind the Charing Cross train station. It is basically empty, and the story is shown with audio visual projections on the walls of the rooms as you move through.

I've just bought the first 2 of 12 tickets that are available. I really recommend this tour. Buy tickets online and join us! I don't think it is possible to buy tickets on the day; in any case, given that that so few tickets are sold, it is wise to buy ahead.

Saturday, November 11
10:30am
Benjamin Franklin House
36 Craven Street

Advice needed from people familiar with the City of London:

How to get from St. Paul's to the Temple Pier during the Lord Mayor's procession. If 24 Ludgate Hill is on the Thames side of the street I will be okay, but if not .....

I'm staying at 24 Ludgate Hill (Club Quarters), directly on the processional route Sounds wonderful until you realize I need to be at Temple Pier at 1400 for the cruise, thus crossing the route twice. There are no cabs, the streets and tube stations will be overun and they supposedly don't allow crossing the parade route.

Any suggestions? PM me please!!

http://www.lordmayorsshow.org/visitors/procession/map

Well, I'll be at the Best Western rather than the HI Express, but it may well be a competitor in the same category! ;)

Actually, thanks for the heads-up, as the congestion from the procession, it appears, could very well affect everyone trying to get to our boat -- not just the ones whose hotel is on/near the route! :eek:

I got the larger (.pdf) version of the map from the URL you posted, and the area around Fleet St., Victoria Embankment, and Temple tube station is where the Lord Mayor is supposed to be right around 12:30 - 1:00 PM. Those of us on the boat cruise are all supposed to be arriving in that area around 1:30 PM! :eek: :eek: :eek:

It's good to have a look again at what Globaliser had to say a few weeks ago re the Lord Mayor's Show.

There's lots of museums and restaurants in the area. Folks might want to get to the Covent Garden or Trafalgar Square area and do something prior to the boat ride, which then places them close enough to be able to walk over to the pier.

The procession itself ought to be interesting. The Lord Mayor will be riding in a golden carriage.

Thanks for re-posting that, SD1K. I think I missed it the first time around; never actually read this entire thread!

I'm not sure, but I'm about 75% confident that, unfortunately, Club Quarters is on the north side of Ludgate Hill.

On the assumption that you cannot cross the parade route, walk up to St Paul's Tube (walk east through the Paternoster Square development along the north side of the cathedral to New Change). Take the Central Line to Holborn. Walk south down Kingsway to Aldwych, bear right to walk around Aldwych to Waterloo Bridge. Start walking across Waterloo Bridge (on either side). After about 100 yards, there are steps that go down from the bridge to the Embankment; go down those. Cross to the side of the Embankment by the river, turn left and walk along to Temple Pier.

If you can cross the parade route, do so. Walk south down the nearest side street to Carter Lane. Turn right and walk as far as you can, then turn left (at the delightfully-named shop "Fressen"). When you get to the bottom of the hill, you should be able to get access to Blackfriars Tube station. Don't take the Tube as a first option; instead, you want to try to get to the exit that tips you out onto the river side of the Embankment, walking west. Then you should walk along to Temple Pier. But if it's busy, take the Tube one stop to Temple Tube and get out there.

And if those don't work, improvise around them, and make sure you have a map!

Well, we've just had our 99th registrant for the Do (thank you G-BOAC).. so who is going to bring us up to the round 100? :D

Unfortunately it is not going to be me. I'm not going to be able to go. I hope everyone has a great time.


Jay

Thansk, Globaliser. You confirmed my thoughts/fears. Knowing about the steps from the Waterloo Bridge to the Embankment is a major help. Thank you.

And the 100th registrant was Giler!

Current totals are

100 registered.

Tea on the Thames 83 (+3 who are going but haven't paid yet, per SanDiego1k's PM)
Dinner at Cafe Lazeez 68
Joining us for drinks 26
Dim Sum Brunch 49
Windsor Walk 16

:) :) :)

Can't come due to unforseen circumstances.
 

Due to unforseen circumstances, chemist661 (+1) won't be able to attend this London DO. I always had a very nice time when I attended all the DO's in the past. We thank the gracious hosts that take alot of their own time to plan superb past & present DO's. We plan to attend next year's events.

With many thanks,

chemist661 (and also Mrs chemist661) :)
Married since Sept 23, 2006.

chemist661, congratulations on your marriage! Please give Mrs. Chemist our very well wishes. I'm sorry you've had to drop out, as we looked forward to having newlyweds in our midst, but completely understand that life sometimes gets in the way of fun.

and because I can't take the ear-aching thank you to our 101st and 102nd sign-ups :-:Mrs Schofs:-: and :-:Schofs:-: as well ;)