Exchange Rates

British pound and US Dollar Info

At the current exchange rate, $1 US is equal to .6973 British pounds.

To reverse the equation, 1 British pound equals $1.44 US.

When reviewing conversion rates on your mobile app (I use XE Currency) know these rates are for institutional buyers, like banks, so for purchasing currency for your trip, be aware there is a bank service fee.

Today's conversion rate is shown in the reference chart below. I'll be including one of these updated pocket charts in your travel documents.  Keep it on hand during your trip for easy reference.  There will continue to be daily fluctuations in the currency, but as a reference, when last in England 4 years ago, 1 GBP cost me approximately $1.60.  So now we are getting more pounds for our dollar.

Still, it is important to realize if you see something in a shop or on a restaurant menu for 20 GBP, the equivalent cost in US dollars would be $28.79.  I think you will find food and some souvenirs a higher cost than in the US.  But you can still find bargains with pub food and small cafes.

I am always asked: "how much money should I bring?" Of course, that can vary widely depending on the individual.  I recommend you have credit card with no foreign transaction fees and the must-have chip for most purchases. But if you want to pick up a snack or a trinket, no doubt you may need to pay cash. Then there are tips to consider.  For that reason I recommend as a minimum $100 which will give you about 69 British pounds (10 GBP a day).

The second question I am asked, is "can't I just use an ATM machine?". The answer is of course yes, but I think it is convenient and less stressful to arrive with a bit of the local currency. And then you don't have to worry about a machine eating your card, or wondering if it will tack on a separate surprise fee.

Bank of America has an easy to use online foreign currency ordering process if you are an account holder. The currency can be delivered to your home or to your nearest bank branch within a few days..  Check with your own bank for their policies.

GBP	USD			GBP	USD			GBP	USD
1 =	1.44			10 =	14.39			100 =	144
2 =	2.88			15 =	21.59			200 =	288
3 =	4.32			20 =	28.79			300 =	432
4 =	5.76			25 =	35.98			400 =	576
5 =	7.20			30 =	43.18			500 =	720
6 =	8.64			35 =	50.37			600 =	864
7 =	10.07			40 =	57.57			700 =	1007
8 =	11.51			45 =	64.77			800 =	1151
9 =	12.95			50 =	71.96			900 =	1295
FXCheatSheet for Travelers © 1997-2016 by OANDA, Corp. http://www.oanda.com				60 =	86.36			Interbank rate British Pound (GBP) US Dollar (USD) March 31, 2016
				70 =	100.75
				80 =	115.14
				90 =	129.53

Flights from the USA to London & return

Selected Airlines:

Information and Services - FinnAir

 

The flights you booked thru FinnAir are actually a code share with American Airlines from Philadelphia and with British Air from London Heathrow.  Please note the services differ slightly with each airline. 

Baggage - Economy flying to London on American Airlines Airbus 330-300
Flight 5667 departs PHL 8:45pm arrives LHR 9:00am next morning

• Checked bag = 1 piece not more than 50 pounds
• External dimensions not more than 62 inches (height + width+ depth)
• Carry-On bag = 1 piece size not to exceed 22"x14"x9" plus one purse or laptop
• 2nd bag charge is $100

• Complimentary meal; snacks may be available for purchase
• Personal in-flight entertainment system available in every seat

American Airlines

• Seat pitch is 31", width is 17"
• Do not reserve rows 24, 25, 36, 37, 40, or 41
• Best underseat room is for B and G seats, others have audio/video equipment boxes
• Seat configuration is 2 - 4 - 2 with AB and GH the outer seats 
• Audio/Video on demand to all seats

Baggage - Economy flying to Philadelphia on British Air Boeing 777
Flight 5469 departs LHR 5:15pm LHR arrives PHL 8:10pm same day

• Checked bag = 1 piece not more than 51 pounds 
• External dimensions not more than 62 inches
• Carry-On bag = 1 piece size not to exceed 22"x18"x10" plus one personal piece 16"x12"x6"
• 2nd bag charge is $100

British Air

• Seat pitch is 31", width is 17.5"
• Do not reserve rows 25, 26, 36, 37, 38, 39
• Best underseat room for B and J seats, other have equipment boxes
• Seat configuration is 3 - 3 - 3  for rows 25 and back 
• Best seats to reserve are rows 21, 22, 23, 24 where configuration is 2 - 4 - 2 and outer cabin seats are either AB or JK but these may sale as Economy Premium/World Traveller Plus
• Passenger capacity 280
• Complimentary meals and snacks 

 

Note:  Should you have any airline delays or flight changes upon reaching the airport, you may need to contact your travel insurance customer assistance since you booked your tickets thru a 3rd party website and not directly with FinnAir, American, or British Air..

 Information and Services - La Compagnie & JetBlue

 

JetBlue flights from Orlando to Newark International 

• JetBlue flight 928 departs MCO at 12:50pm and arrives Newark 3:30pm. Seats 8AB.
• Note JetBlue baggage policy same as American above with 1 Checked bag + 1 Carry-On + 1 purse size

JetBlue flight from Newark Int'l to Orlando (jm)

• JetBlue flight 1827 departs EWR at 11:25am and arrives Orlando 1:58pm. Seat 9C  

Amtrak from NJ Penn Station to Charlottesville (ko)

•  Train 171 departs NWK 12:52pm and arrives CVS 7:23pm
  

La Compagnie all business class airline
 
Flight 7 departs EWR at 10:20pm, arrives LTN 10:30am next morning.  Seats 4FD

• Check-in Terminal B, level 3 (upper level), opens 2.5 hours before flight & closes 50 min before flight
• Art & Lounge” space is located on the ground floor level of Terminal B at Newark Airport, nearby the check-in counters.  Passengers have complimentary access.
  In creating this lounge space, the Luxury Lounges Ltd. Company has not only set high standards for cuisine and service but also for decoration and design. This lounge is therefore an eye-catching space for visitors.“Art & Lounge” offers a rich and varied menu, including sweet and savory muffins, energy bars, and a selection of vegetables, cheese, dried fruit, granola, breads, snacks, and refreshments.
  In addition to hot and cold beverages, red and white wine and premium beer are also available.
  The dining space is also equipped for those doing business on the go, with convenient docks for business electronics and Wi-Fi access.
  
  
   

Flight 6 departs LTN at 5:45pm and arrives EWR 9pm same day. Seats 3FD
Take AirTram to P4 and call hotel for shuttle pick-up.

• Check-in Hall, opens 2.5 hours before flight & closes 50 min before flight
• After check-in, all La Compagnie passenger’s speed through security via Luton Airport Priority Lane leaving you plenty of time to relax in our new executive lounge.  More than £1 million has been invested to create a world-class space with all the comforts and features you'd expect, as well as some you might not.
  Located on the 1st floor of the departure area, a comfortable seat awaits you so sit back and enjoy something tempting from our complimentary food menu and a refreshing drink. Refresh with a spa treatment, take a nap in an Aspire SnoozePod or simply find a quiet workdesk to catch up on emails before your business meeting. Whatever the reason for your journey, the Aspire Lounge allows you to make the most of your time before your flight.
  
  
  

Baggage La Compagnie - Boeing 757 both directions

• Checked bag = 2 pieces not more than 70 lbs
• External dimensions not more than 62 inches
• Carry-On bag = 2 pieces 21"x13"x9" each + 1 personal piece not exceeding 39 lbs total

La Compagnie

• Seat pitch is 62" in lie flat position, width is 26"
• Seat configuration is 2 - 2
• Built-in massage feature in seats
• 19 rows for total of 74 seats 
• For convenience and well-being on-board, anti-allergenic pillows, large, soft blankets, and a Caudalie travel care kit, all free of charge.

  

• Enjoy a wide selection of movies, both classics and new releases, TV shows, music, international digital media, newspapers, magazines and E–books all on the personal Samsung Galaxy Pro tablet at your disposal.

• The tablets can also be removed from their ports and used for work, leisure, reading and to monitor your flight in real time. Each tablet has a USB port for your convenience and complete connectivity for your personal devices.

 

Menu 

On board our aircraft, passengers enjoy seasonal menus whose simple and subtle recipes are developed with great delicacy by our chef, Christophe Langrée.

• For overnight travel from New York to London, you can enjoy a dinner in the Art & Lounge - La Compagnie's lounge: different choices of hot dishes and salads will be offered.

• On board, we serve our passengers an easy and light «chic snack» to provide them the freedom to rest.

A full breakfast is offered before the arrival in London. 

• From London to New York,  passengers can enjoy seasonal menus whose simple and subtle recipes are developed with great delicacy by our chef, Christophe Langrée.

In addition, during your flight, you can at any time enjoy a snack. 

• Our chef Christophe Langrée turns every La Compagnie flight into a wine tasting for our passengers.

From our house champagne to our wines, you will find that our selections have been made carefully by our chef and his team. Every bottle has been meticulously decided upon to accompany each meal. 

 

 

What to wear, how to pack for London.

Temperatures to expect during our stay with more updates on weather trends as departure date approaches.

 

Temperature:

In London, the last week of May's historical temperature average is a high of 68 degrees and low of 51 degrees.
The highest recorded temperature in May is 83 degrees, with only 1 day below freezing.

Rain:

Average Rainfall is 2.2 inches during both months of May and June
There are normally 18 days of rain each month, but only 9 days are considered "rainy" as it often is overcast and drizzly throughout the year
The months with the most rain are September, October, November and January

Similar to:

In comparison, New York City's historical temperature for the last week of May is high of 72 degrees, low of 57 degrees
The highest recorded NYC temperature in late May is 97 degrees (1969) and low of 44 degrees (1961)

Plan for one checked luggage bag plus one carry-on for travel documents, meds, and one change of clothing should checked bag disappear. 

You will need to collect luggage at baggage claim and manage it yourself through customs in England and back at your USA airport.  Distance from gate to transportation may be lengthy.

 

Start with one primary color, accent with accessories: 

Black, navy, or brown is usually the best base color.  Plan around this preferred color.

Plan one bottom for every 3 tops.

Think function before fashion.

 

The "must haves":

Trenchcoat or rain jacket (optional hood or zip-out lining)
Waterproof shoes (comfortable, broken in)
Purse/tote with zipper closures to wear cross-body or under armpit to discourage pickpocketing

 

Recommended:

Tights to layer under slacks
Hat for wind and rain protection
Scarf for fashion as well as warmth
Sweater(s) to layer over shirts & under jackets
Windbreaker jacket for non-rainy but cool temps
Socks & insoles to cushion cobblestone walking
Blazer to dress up any shirt or sweater 
Walking shoes, boat shoes 

Optional:

Hat for wear at afternoon tea

Dress for theatre or afternoon tea 

Jeans for non-tour wear 

Compact umbrella

What NOT to wear:

No open shoes

No open totes or purses

No white clothing on plane (think spills)

No white athletic shoes to identify you as an American tourist 

No metalic prints or sequins worn for travel: they set off the metal detectors.  Ask me how I know!

Don't forget:

PJs or nightgown

Tolietries 

Medications 

My best packing tip "to do" at least 10 days before travel

Hint: Jumbo zip lock bags for coordinating outfits

In each Hefty Jumbo or Zip-Loc Big bag pack 1 pant, 2-3 tops, 2-3 underwear, and other items to coordinate with the outfit. Bag with PJs/gown will share space with tights, scarves, etc. You can pack for 10+ days with 5 of these jumbo bags in a checked bag.  I also use one jumbo bag for clothing in my carry-on luggage.  It's especially handy if your luggage needs to be inspected...no undies falling out! Upon return one bag can be reserved for dirty undies!

Prepare the outfit you will wear on the plane complete with underwear, socks, shoes, jewelry at the same time as you pack main suitcase.

Place itinerary copy INSIDE your checked bag along with your contact info at The Rubens Hotel. I will supply you with this document by email.

Place passport copy INSIDE your carry-on bag, and keep passport in your purse/document bag. 

Be sure there is room for your purse inside your carry-on, then you have a hand for taking any food you purchase aboard and upon return you can bring back a carry-on tote with souvenirs. (Allowance is for 1 carry-on and one personal item aboard aircraft). Carry-on should also contain your meds, camera, and jewelry.

Re-examine packed contents 3 days before departure, adjusting for current weather conditions.

Your checked bag should always be 2-3 pounds UNDER 50 pounds or whatever is your airline weight limit maximum.  Best to aim for a bag not exceeding 40 pounds.  It can be done!

 

 

   

 

 
 

For all the news about the "Ladies in London" 2016 tour, 

check back here often! 

It will be a week to remember!

Here's the plan: 26 May - 1 June 2016

 

25 May           Wednesday Karen departs one day in advance
26 May           Thursday     Karen arrives London Luton International Airport

Ladies in Waiting arrive:
26 May           Thursday     Depart USA
27 May            Friday          Arrive London, England, United Kingdom, Afternoon Tea
28 May            Saturday     Chelsea Flower Show (theatre tonight?)
29 May            Sunday        Shopping Harrods, Selfridges, + more (Notting Hill anyone?)
30 May            Monday       Highclere Castle aka Downton Abbey
31 May            Tuesday       Windsor Castle, Thames River Dinner Cruise
1 June             Wednesday Return flights to USA

2 June              Thursday     Karen departs one day after tour guests depart