Portable dvd players ~ These things can be a life saver as a movie or two can last the entire trip.   I would suggest renting or buying a movie that the kids have not seen as it will keep their interest longer.  

CD players ~ If your child or children are into music, bring these and bring a nice variety of cd's.   Of course you may have to ask your child to stop singing with the music because they will have no idea that they are singing so loudly or off key.   If this is impossible, you may want to bring your own earplugs.  Do not forget spare batteries.

Books ~ Stop by the library with the kids a few days before heading out and pick out some books that might keep the children occupied on the trip.    Many kids love to read and this can also keep them busy for long periods of time.

Notebooks and writing supplies ~ Most kids like to doodle or color so bringing some notebooks or drawing pads can be enjoyable.   The trick is to let them know ahead of time that it is sometimes hard to draw perfect pictures in a moving vehicle.  

Hand held game systems ~ If you take these along, make sure you have the kids charge them the night before so that the batteries will not run down in the middle of the trip.   Also, bring more than a couple of games.   The more they have to choose from, the better.

Snacks ~ This is probably the most important part of taking a trip.  The kids usually will start asking for snacks shortly after getting in the car.   So, you can either bring a lot of snacks or schedule snack times in the car.   Make sure you have a drink for each of them.   Preferrably in a container that is as spillproof as possible.

So, there is my list and I will be checking it tomorrow night so that we can be ready to go early Thursday morning.   If anyone has any extra tips, please feel free to add them.   I always appreciate new ideas.

(*all costs are listed in British Pounds - use an exchange-rate calculator for prices in your country's denomination.)

1. The Charles Dickens Museum opened in 1925 and is housed in the only remaining structure that Charles Dickens called home. Dickens lived here during the publication of The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, and Nicholas Nickleby. The museum covers 4 floors and includes rare editions and manuscripts of Dickens' work. Also available are lectures, readings of Dickens' works, and the chance to handle items used by Dickens himself.

Hours of operation: Mon - Sat 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sunday - 11:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Cost: Adults - £5, Students and Seniors - £4, Children - £3

Location: 48 Doughty Street, London

2. No London visit would be complete without checking out Westminster Abbey. A working church, not only has the abbey been the coronation church since 1066, but it also boasts 17 monarchs' final resting places as well as the graves or memorials of some of literature's greatest writers. A partial list includes: Geoffrey Chaucer (The Canterbury Tales), Charles Dickens (Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol), Thomas Hardy (Jude the Obscure), John Milton (Paradise Lost), Lord Alfred Tennyson (poet laureate), and Shakespeare. And don't forget about Poet's Corner!

Hours of operation: Generally open for visitors on Mon - Sat, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm. Closed to visitors on Sundays for worship services (though visitors are welcome to attend the services) and religious holidays.

Cost: Adults - £12, All others (children under 16, students with valid student ID, and seniors [60+]): £9

Location: Next to Big Ben & Parliament. Easily accessible by public transportation

3. The British Library is one of the most renown libraries in the world, home to the earliest dated printed book, the Diamond Sutra . Other priceless items held are Magna Carta, Lindisfarne Gospels, Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook, and 310,000 manuscript volumes. Not only are there plenty of titles to choose from, the library can accommodate 1,200 readers onsite.

The British Library is an absolute wealth all across the board and contains so much information and so many goodies there is no way I could list even a quarter of what they offer. So check them out at their website listed below.

Hours of operation: Check the website for each branch's hours (there are four branches)

Cost: free

Location: check website for each branch's location

4. The accomplishments of Dr. Samuel Johnson are touted in Dr. Johnson's House where he lived and worked from 1748 - 1759. Not only did Samuel Johnson put together the first English Language Dictionary (1755), he also created a comprehensive edition of Shakespeare (1765). Built in 1700, the house has been renovated to reflect the house as it was when first built, and visitors can view exquisite interior including furniture reflecting the time of Dr. Johnson's residency as well as various prints and portraits.

Hours of operation: Mon - Sat, 11:00 am - 5:30 pm (May - September)

Mon - Sat, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm (October - April)

Cost: Adults £4, Seniors & Students: £3.50, Children - £1.50

Location: 17 Gough Square, London

5. What would visiting London be without swinging by the Globe Theatre? Founded by Sam Wanamaker, Shakespeare's Globe objective is to fully examine Shakespeare, including his plays and playhouse. The current Globe Theatre is a “faithful reconstruction” of the Globe Theatre during Shakespeare's heyday. Additionally, Shakespeare's Globe offers Globe Exhibition which, according to their website, “explores the life of Shakespeare, the London where he lived, and the theatre for which he wrote”, Globe Education which offers educational programs for whomever wants to participate, and Globe Shop which offers the standard Shakespeare-related fare.

Hours of operation: The hours of operation are intricate due to the play schedule, so check out the website below for specifics.

Cost: Ticket prices range from £5 - £33, and depend on the visibility of the stage from the seat.

Location: 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London

6. Artist Maggi Hambling created A Conversation with Oscar Wilde, a unique bronze and granite sculpture which was unveiled on November 30, 1998.

Hours of operation: Any time

Cost: Free

Location: Adelaide Street, Trafalgar Square, behind the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

7. Scandals in the writing world aren't what they used to be. Check out the Cadogan Hotel, site of Oscar Wilde's arrest for his relationship with another man. The arrest was captured in The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel by poet laureate John Betjeman. Be forewarned: the Cadogan Hotel is super swank, super posh, and super expensive, but if you're goal is to walk where Oscar Wilde did, ask for room 118.

Cost: Rooms range from £255 - £650 a night.

Location: 75 Sloan Street, London

8. Learn about literary London by taking London Walks throughout various parts of the city. Literature-related walks include: Bloomsbury, Shakespeare, Dickens, Sherlock Holmes, Oscar Wilde, and Harry Potter.

Hours of Operation: Mon - Sun, varying times depending on the walk being undertaken.

Cost: Adults - £7, Seniors & full-time students - £5. Children under 15 are free if with a parent. Interesting note: no pre-booking required. One simply shows up at the time and place dictated for each walk.

Location: Each walk meets at a different place depending on the walk. See website for specific details.

9. The Sherlock Holmes Museum is dedicated to the life and times of the most famous of all literary detectives. The characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes and Watson) lived at 221b Baker Street between 1881 and 1904. The interior has been authentically preserved as described in the published stories. The museum also houses a souvenir shop.

Hours of operation: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm daily (except Christmas Day)

Cost: Adult: £6, Child (under 16) £4

Location: 221b Baker Street, London

(website also includes a live webcam from 9:00am - 6:00 pm daily)

10. Nearly everyone who loves books love perusing bookstores for cherished books that have been loved to death or new tomes to add to a collection. With both secondhand shops and chain stores, London is home to a great number of bookstores that offer an outlet for those who love the thrill of the hunt; one never quite knows what will be discovered. For a comprehensive list, visit The Guardian.
    

1. Per capita, New Zealand contains more bookshops and more golf-courses than any other country in the world. The image of New Zealand as ‘just a sporting nation’ is actually false. New Zealanders are intelligent too.
2. Per capita New Zealand has more sheep than any other country in the world. (The Japanese tourists go crazy over them.) In recent years the highest number of sheep the country had was some 70 million in 1981. The sheep population, however, has dwindled since then, so that by 1999 there were only around 45 million. That’s still around 11 sheep per man, woman and child.
3. New Zealand is the first country to see the sunrise, and consequently was the first country to see in the new Millennium. That’s officially correct only because the first place in the world to see the sunrise each day, the Chatham Islands, belongs to New Zealand. The three islands making up New Zealand itself are some 45 minutes behind the Chathams.
4. New Zealand has the most southerly railway station, vineyard and pub in the world. These are all in the South Island. The most southerly capital city in the world, Wellington, is in the North Island.
5. This same capital city, Wellington, has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the world - including New York. Either Wellingtonians are a hungry lot and eat out frequently, or else there are plenty of restaurants that don’t do very well.
6. Auckland, which some New Zealanders (mostly Aucklanders) consider should be the capital city, has more boats per capita than any other city in the world. Auckland has several fine harbours, and of course, the Americas Cup was hosted there with great success in the past.
7. Per capita, New Zealanders have more access to the Internet than any other country in the world. This is not to say that every New Zealander has broadband, or even good access to the Net. Some enterprising New Zealanders have found their own way to get access, with more or less success. And Wellington gets in on the act once more: it’s the most wired city in the world - per capita.
8. Per capita, New Zealanders have the second highest rate of car ownership in the world. Fortunately, New Zealanders are spread over the land fairly thinly, so there are still plenty of places where you can drive for miles without seeing another car.
9. New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the vote, to adopt the eight-hour working day, to operate a tourist board and to introduce the retirement pension. Unfortunately, these great gains have been eroded somewhat over the last few decades. Women, of course, still have the vote - in fact, New Zealand has had two female Prime Ministers - but many people work longer hours for less money now. With the advent of retail weekends, where shops are expected to be open at all hours, many people in retail have lost their right to any sort of proper weekend. And the retirement pension, which used to be set at 60, is now up to 65 - and may climb higher. For better or worse, people in New Zealand are just living longer.
10. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed entirely in New Zealand, in spite of concerns from the American producers, in spite of the fact that the director, Peter Jackson, had never directed one film of that scale before, let alone three, and in spite of the fact that they all said it couldn’t be done. ‘They’ were wrong as usual. New Zealanders aren’t the sort of people who give in easily.