How do you make travel plans to another country?

[Cure]

I'm thinking about going to London in the summer to see a play, but I'll probably only have enough money to go alone. I live in the Northwest USA.
How do I even go about starting to plan for this sort of trip? I'm sure I need a passport, and a flight and hotel reservations, yes, but where do I do this? And how would I go about finding my way around a new city and currency? I have never been on an airplane or out of country before. Help!

 

[LedHead1]

Dear Cure:

Where? How to Plan?
I always Consult with the Professionals.
A friend of mine owns a Travel Agency.
She books all my flights & Hotels.
It's the easiest way to handle Intl' Travel.

Currency?
NOT really an issue with me. I go to my
bank here in California & buy Pounds.
I use my American Debit/Credit Card
while in Europe. Do NOT carry around
a lot of currency. Just buy a few hundred
Pounds to make your time in England
easier. A warning! The UK is expensive!
The pound is a strong currency. That
U.S. Dollar you have is only worth about
0.61 in England. One Pound= $1.62 USD!
(NOT too much buying "power"!)

Finding your way around?
Buy a Michelin Guide of London. Get
material from your travel agent! The
Underground in London is fairly easy
to navigate!

Good Luck~
Have FUN~
Save your Money~
You will need it!