We had our first visitor here to the capital of the U.K., someone other than family. He came on the recommendation of friends back home. You'll have a good time, he's good people. Just show him around, came our emailed instructions, nothing too elaborate he just wa nts to see where, and how you live. Show him some sights and all will be well.

Show him some sights? How do you come to a major global center, a vast city, as diverse as the world itself, with out high expectations. I planned, no agonized over the upcoming itinerary. When my daughter visited earlier in the fall, we attempted to map out our own travelogue of musts, just for such an occasion. Pouring over the guide books we received as gifts, maps, online sites, the schedules of bus routes and Tube lines and stations. We hiked through central London, and it's surrounds with abandon.  At times it felt as if we were on the Bataan Death March. An unending walking tour, cramming as much as possible in the most efficient geographic area within a reasonable amount of time.

Although London is a very walkable city, one must take it in reasonable chunks. Plan your routes around the things that interest you the most. Love museums than plan your day around this section.
Love historic churches and the history behind them, then another plan of attack.
A walk along the Thames yields a variety of sights and experiences.
Love to shop then hit Oxford street and then the amazing Harrods' near the British Museum.

A political junkie, Westminster holds the key for you, the House of Parliament and Buckingham Palace is rife with the pomp of circumstance of royal history. The BBC does nightly stand up news casts from in front of 10 Downing Street.

The call of the sea appeal to you, the glory of naval battles long past but not forgotten. A time junkie and the need for precision, then traveling to Greenwich to visit the Cutty Sark and the Maritime Museum and the story of the competition to measure Longitude is for you.  And yes you can straddle the Prime Meridian,  being in two hemispheres of the world at once.

You can start to appreciate my dilemma. What will be our plan of attack. A museum tour? The myriad of markets that showcase food or flowers? The tacky Camden Locks Market with every kitschy souvenir bearing the colors of the Union Jack?  Oh my god I forgot the Theater District, a vibrant area with more theater productions than Broadway.

The key is knowing your time frame and what appeals most to you as a visitor. You can get a nice flavour of the city by planning ahead and mapping out a doable route. Most of us coming from the states do not realize how much walking is needed and walking in real comfortable shoes. Public transportation is the primary means of getting around. If you plan on visiting central London, a car is the last thing you need. There is no parking, the roads are crowded with merciless taxis, hulking red buses and multitudes of bicycle riders with attitudes. Scooters and motorcycles are prevalent everywhere, in all kinds of weather.  All vying for a right of way. The underground or Tube is the primary mode of transportation for all of London. The "Good Service" announcement on all lines,  is music to daily riders' ears. Combined with bus service and trains, any destination is reasonably accessible. Going outside the city, check for the national rail service first before renting a car.

The old adage states, there is no such thing as bad weather, only people who have dressed poorly. The weather here, is volatile to say the least. As a transplanted Chicagoan, I am used to Mother Nature's dramatic swings. Chicago's unofficial weather motto,  'Don't like the weather, just wait five minutes'. Well London does that statement proud. Although the weather extremes are not as radical as Chicago, one must always be prepared for change. An umbrella is a constant accessory, because the sun may be shining brightly as you enter the underground, it's a good bet it'll be pouring rain at your destination.

Excited to help out a friend, our visitor showed up with little baggage and an unbridled sense of adventure. Only tempered by my own zeal and stamina, I showed him all the sights we could, and he didn't complain or even cost me a meal.  To reward our efforts, a  nice pint of my favorite ale at a classic pub close to home was quite refreshing.

Needless to say, we both learned something during his visit. Perhaps I did more than he, but, I can safely say, I sent Flat Stanley home with a book full of photographic memories and an animated view of London.