RootsTech London Bound, tips you should think about

The ExCel area looking up the Thames
to London. Oct 2019, by Author

I was at RootsTech London in October 2020, and I loved it. However, I have heard people in the expo hall stating, “how in the world would they get there?” Well, let me give you some ideas that helped me get there, which saved me time and money.

Airport to London: Fly into London City Airport. Do everything you can do fly into here. It is across the street from the ExCel! Plus, it was less than £5 to take a cab across the river to my hotel. Convenient, quick, and you do not have to deal with London traffic or the Tube. 

Airline: I love, love, love flying Aer Lingus. Unfortunately, they do not go to every city in the US, but for a discount overseas airlines, they are great. If they fly to your area, check them out.

The Dublin Secret: There are 16 airports in the world where you can clear US customs in that country. Dublin is one of these airports.  What does that mean for you? Well, you fly back to the US on a domestic flight and do not have to clear customs when you land, which can be a nightmare. I love flying for 5+ hours, walking off the plane, getting my bags, and heading home. For me, it means cutting out the 3+ hours of standing in line here in the US after a long flight.

Well, there are a few things you can think about for the time being. Maybe one of these will help you make your London dream come true. I will have more tips in the weeks ahead!

RootsTech London 2019 - Final week of preparation

Next Tuesday I am flying to London to attend RootsTech as an ambassador and speaker in their DNA Learning Centre. I am so stinking excited!  If you are going to be there too, let me know. I'd love to see you in person.

Packing has not started yet, but the list-making has. I am not frightened about traveling to Europe solo but each trip is so different. This one will also be for two weeks. Luckily, I will be visiting friends while I am over there who have graciously said I can borrow their washer. Fewer clothes to pack (more room to bring stuff back)!

I do say that I have a few things I must bring. Years of traveling back and forth across the pond means I have refined this list down to the basics to make me happy. If you are attending the conference, maybe there is something on this list you have not thought of yet.


Standard Must-Have Items:

• Outlet converters. Invest in a good set of converters. You will not only need to plug your electronics in at the hotel but also around the conference. While USB charging stations are becoming more common, not all places have them.
• Collapsable shopping bag. While we may get one from the conference carrying your own collapsible bag is a necessity. That way you will not end up with tons of single-use bags when you run to the local market or do some light shopping. Plus, most places give you a discount for bringing your own bag!
• Small Umbrella and warm coat. It's the UK...need I say more?!

Airplane Needs:

• Blanket and eye mask. Yup, I bring my own. I invested in a great fleece blanket that folds up into its own zippered bag. I find the blankets on the plane to thin, and I always freeze on flights. Also, I like having an extra blanket to wrap up in while I am at the hotel. A little piece of home while away!
• Freshen up bag. I never get to check in right after landing so having a bag of things that will get me feeling human after traveling in a metal tube for five hours is a must. So, I make sure to have a small overnight bag in my carry on. In it, I have wet wipes, travel-size toothbrush and paste, travel size mouth wash, comb, hand lotion, chapstick, and deodorant. Also, this way I do not need to dig through a suitcase to find these items when I land.
• Headphones with a plug. I love my wireless headphones, but inflight entertainment still means you need an old fashioned plugin set of headphones. While some airlines will give you a set (or sell them to you) having my own that I love to wear is so much better.

Conference Needs:

• Business cards. You will want to get your name out there. Make sure to have plenty to hand out to all your new friends.
• Refillable water bottle. Genealogists are notorious about getting dehydrated at conferences. Take your water bottle and keep it full!!
• Notebook. Not only to take notes while you are in classes but also to record thoughts, ideas, information to follow up on, and even journal your experiences. So much to write about!

Miscellaneous Thoughts: 

• Make sure to photocopy your passport. Leave a copy at home and take a copy with you. Just in case you lose your actual passport you can use the copy at the embassy to get a new one. 
• Call your credit card companies and let them know you are out of the country. That way they will not freeze your cards while you are away. 
• Use a bank card with no transaction fees. I love my bank card!! No transaction fees when I pay for items in Euros or Pounds (an option you can choose at checkout). Plus you get better conversion rates. Ask your bank and credit company if they do this. 
• Carry cash. No joke! Places in the UK use cash more than we do in the US. More than once I have been caught off guard by a cab, restaurant, or merchant that was not happy about taking a credit card. 

Well, those are some of my must-have items. I could write pages! What are your must-have items?

2017 Benjamin Franklin Awards Finalist

I am so happy to announce some very exciting news. My book Genealogy Basics in 30 Minutes has been named a finalist in the 2017 Benjamin Franklin Awards competition in the Craft & Hobby category.  To say I was gobsmacked when I got the email from my editor was an understatement.  

My editor from In 30 Minutes described it as the "Oscars of the independent book world."  From what I understand there is one gold winner (who receives the nifty crystal trophy too) and the other finalists are silver winners.  This means I am now officially an award winning author.  Yeah, that is still sinking in too.

On April 7th at the awards dinner in Portland, OR I will find out if I won the top prize. My flight and hotel are booked. My best friend is attending with me since my husband and kids will be holding down the beach (it is their spring break). Now all I have to do is figure out what to wear!

Pre-RootsTech Wrap-up

Seriously, when did it become Thursday?  The time is flying around here!  Which means I owe you all a few posts letting you know what is going on here at Rootstech.  As well as giving you some fun bits about what I am doing around here!

I arrived into Salt Lake City Sunday afternoon.  Thankfully even though I flew through Denver it was still nice weather and I did not get stuck there like travelers the next day!  I was also lucky that I was able to travel with a great friend (and awesome traveling companion) the whole way which always makes airports and flights so much fun.

The only down side to traveling to RootsTech for me is that I only have one day of research time at the Family History Library.  Those of you who have been there are groaning right now I know it.  Honestly, one day is a drop in the bucket for the amount of time that a person could spend there.

It was great watching my traveling companion make a few amazing finds of her own.  The lucky duck actually spent three days at the library. Three. Days.  Three!  I promise not to hate her too much.

Microfilm Cabinets at the
Family History Library

Those who are family and read this blog with the family connections will be happy that I was able to gather information on a couple lines.  Which means, family history blog posts will be coming in the next few weeks.

Valerie Eichler Lair from Val’s Roots was a sweet heart and helped me organize a research to-do sheet for several lines that I needed to work on for various reasons.  Valerie actually teaches people who to prepare for large research trips to facilities, so check her out if you need any advice.

I worked on my Arvin and Combs lines.  For my husband I worked on his Thompson and McChesney lines.  While I did not complete my whole list, I did make some wonderful discoveries that I can’t wait to share with you in the next few weeks.

Tuesday was play in the morning and work in the evening for me.  I joined a wonderful bunch of ladies on an excursion to the Great Salt Lake.  Before you ask… yes, it was cold…yes, there was snow…yes, we were a bit insane.

However, even in the middle of the winter it was an amazing place to visit.  The vistas were warmth, and thought I was nuts.  No bison pictures for me.  Oh, well.

No it is not real, just a statue.
But look at the view.

breathtaking with the snow covered mountains and the glistening water.  We even saw two herds of bison grazing.  I, however, was the only one who wanted to get out of the car and take pictures.  Everyone else was just fine in the

My luck with food however, has been hit or miss.  Well, really more miss than hit, but those are the situations which amazing stories are made of.  For instance, ask me about the hot sake experiment if you see in the future.

Please tell me I'm not crazy...

In a week I will be at FGS in Fort Wayne, Indiana; my first LIVE national genealogy conference.  I just can’t tell you how excited I am by this.  Excitement is bubbling over in me on a daily basis as I get my packing list together, look through the online syllabus, and finalize my plans.

I am leaving early for Indiana so that I can visit family in the southern part of the state.  Three days at home, and I am tired just from looking at the itinerary I set myself.  Get togethers with both sides of my family and a dinner outing with friends I haven’t seen in years.  

Then during the day I plan to make it to the McGradyBrockman House which has the history and genealogy collections for Knox County Public Library, The Washington Carnegie Public Library, The Daviess County Historical Society, and a few cemeteries.  I will be doing a lot of photocopying to read later.  Thankfully they have their offerings online so I know what I want to see when I get there.

Wednesday afternoon I will arrive in Fort Wayne for the conference.  I plan on attending the welcome social that evening and the extended hours on Friday at the ACPL.  Beyond that I will be taking classes, wandering the exhibit hall, at the social media hub, or chasing my children.  Yes, both my boys are registered and will be attending a number of things with me.  This could turn out awesome or tragic; let’s keep our fingers crossed for awesome.

My oldest has looked through the presentations and made a preliminary list of what he wants to do.  Mostly he wants to go with his grandpa, my dad, who will also be in attendance.  I warned my father that he may have 2 leeches attached to him, but at least they will have a great memory.  So if you are in a class about Railroads or Military and see an older gentleman with 2 boys, that’s my dad, being the trooper he is.

I think I have my day planned and scheduled out to the minute at this point.  Looking at the spreadsheet I feel like saying sleep is for the week.  Or at least for when I get home.  

An article on family heritage travel!

Over the weekend I picked up the April 2013 issue of National Geographic Traveler.  If you have not seen or read this magazine and love to learn about new places or fantasize about those bucket list trips, you should pick up a copy.  I picked up this issue specifically because on the front cover I saw the main story was titled “Return to Your Roots.”  Wow, a feature article in a travel magazine about heritage trips.

The article contained 5 first person accounts by writers who traveled to discover their roots.  They voyaged to Northern Ireland, Taiwan, Sicily, Krakow, and Angola.  Each incredibly personal story drawing the reader into their experiences making you want to know what else they may have found or explored.

In the piece on Ireland the author took her whole family on the trip.  They found her great-great grandfather’s farm, and she immersed her boys into the family experience.  In contrast the author who penned the piece on Taiwan talked about meeting with her birth sisters in the Taipei night market.  You next learn about Sicilian Cooking, the legacy Jewish Krakow, and how a surname from the Jamestown Colony leads a man to find his roots in Angola.

It was wonderful to see how they each had a different experience to share with the readers.  There was no formula, no right or wrong way to take a tip.  They were people searching for a connection to their past and were awed and amazed around every corner.   

At the end of the segment was a Genealogy 101 information box.  It made me so happy to see this included in the article as it is one thing to talk about making trips to find your heritage but something else to take on the genealogical aspect of it.  I was impressed by the author’s advice, links, and suggestions.  Makes me think she may have the bug too.

My husband and I have talked about making treks to the homeland someday.  Choosing which one and when seems to be the problem.  We have mostly Irish, Scottish, and English roots but thrown into the mix are German, Swiss, French, and Norwegian; a lot of choices and a lot of varied places to see on that list.  I also want to take our children with us to see new things and learn about the places our family left before coming to North America. 

How many of you have taken a trip to discover your ancestors?  I would love to hear about it and your experiences.