Ed Brill

Back from vacation...

OK, so we had a good time.



The £30 (each) "champagne flight" on the London Eye was one of the best bargains of this trip.  There were only six of us plus a host in the capsule, we were able to bypass all the queues, and it was a fantastic view last night.  A thoroughly enjoyable time.

We also had a special treat as my colleague Gareth Cook invited us to Windsor Castle on Sunday.  Gareth's family lives and works on the castle grounds, and his father was quite a generous chap and took us around for a guided tour on a beautiful Sunday.  Thanks, G, and cheers to you and Dad for an amazing Sunday morning.

I have to admit that this trip, I felt the squeeze of the US dollar more than any vacation in recent memory.  When quick takeaway lunches for two translate out to nearly US$30, or a mediocre dinner costs $70, and a very good meal (Ze Kitchen Gallerie in Paris) is over US$200 (with only a couple of glasses of wine)... or when admission to the Tower of London racks up at US$65 for two... well, it all adds up, fast.  Other than the aforementioned taxis to and from CDG airport, we took no other taxis, and relied 100% on busses and metro/underground passes.  It is possible to enjoy London and Paris without breaking the bank, but the days of going on $25 a day are long in the past.  

As any regular reader knows, I do love spending time in Europe...but...it may be a while before the whole family piles over again.  For now, it's back to reality...and for next time, it's going to be another part of the world.