Discovering London, For the First Time

I had never been to Europe. There, I said it. But I can't be the only one out there since, come on, doing a trip overseas in the right way requires both money and time and, if you're like me, you seem to regularly have more of one or the other, but never enough concurrently.

And so, finally, I figured it was time to bite the bullet and just do get to Europe. And I decided London was a great place to start.

A trip to the United Kingdom (or anyplace outside the US borders, really) is a big undertaking so my goal here is to walk you through the basics of how to get there and, more importantly where to stay, eat, be entertained, find the hot boys and even be a tourist.

Grab your passport (yes, you need one of those) and let's venture across the pond!

The Friendly Skies via Air New Zealand

You know you're in for an enjoyable flight experience when the first thing the flight attendant says to you as you've settled in your seat is, "Bubbly?" That's how my flight from Los Angeles to London started out when I stepped for the first time on a direct Air New Zealand flight.

But why Air New Zealand over other airlines? Champagne is a great incentive but it was a bit more than that. The direct flight was a very big consideration since it's an 11-hour flight from Los Angeles but when I thought of the 'musts' of my flight, Air New Zealand met every single one of them.

First, Premium Economy is NOT the same as Coach! Thank you, Travel Gods! The appearance of the aforementioned champagne - and a genuinely cheery flight attendant; they were all happy and seemed to actually enjoy their jobs! When was the last time you experienced that? - was just the start of what would be an array of delicious non-airline-tasting food, beverages, snacks and desserts that were there for the consuming (with real cutlery!)...and this was all-inclusive in the Premium Economy ticket.

Also, for the long-haul trips, you'll receive an amenity kit, which includes slippers, socks, toothbrush kit, earplugs, eyeshades and lip balm! Sadly, we've all gotten so used to the shoddy service on most domestic airlines but everything on the Air New Zealand flight, I found, was truly to make the passengers 110% happy. What a concept!

Second, each seat has its own television, which isn't unique but what is special is the in-flight TV service features 100+ movies to choose from and a plethora or both current (Modern Family) and past (Arrested Development) television series.

Once I was settled in and we were in the air (and I had switched from Champagne to a lovely chardonnay) I wanted to put my head in the right UK space and chose to watch all 7-parts of the brilliant BBC series Downton Abbey. (If you missed it when it aired on PBS, find it, be ready to bow at the acting altar of Dame Maggie Smith and watch it...the second season is coming soon).

Third, the seating was divine. I should note that beginning in April, Air New Zealand debuted new planes with Skycouch seats, which is a trio of three Economy seats that can be used as three regular seats or, when putting up the arms, can become a space for you to stretch out and, yes, even take a nap. Perfect for traveling with small children that either need to rest or have a small play area.

Also, for a little extra money, you can purchase a Twin Seat, which is essentially an extra seat in case you want some extra space or prefer to have some solitude on your flight.

Also, in Premium Economy, I melted into my SpaceSeat, which is also a new feature. While you are seated next to another person, the slightly turned angle of the seats truly make you feel like you're in a space all by yourself. And with more overall space and ample recline room, you can make your own space as comfortable as possible.

Also, besides the happy crew, each Air New Zealand flight also has an in-flight concierge who can answer any question about your destination. Truly remarkable and something all airlines should aspire to have!

To book your Air New Zealand trip, visit the Air New Zealand homepage.

Where to Stay: The Five-Star Hotel - THE LANGHAM

So you've made it to London and it's off to the hotel to drop off bags and rest up before exploring the city. Like any trip you might take, budget comes into play in a major way. Some of us want to live in luxury and hit only the five-star accommodations while others are more apt to pay less for lodging and put more of their dollar (or pound, in this case) into food or entertainment.

Thankfully, I did a little of both on my London trip first settling into the five-star radiance of The Langham (http://london.langhamhotels.co.uk/)