Although I now live in America, I am British. Like others have already stated, as soon as the tickets were announced, I purchased some and then figured I would worry about the finer details of getting there later.
Needless to say I flew over on the Thursday (day before) and arrived late at night. I was picked up at Heathrow by a couple of mates and went straight out for a curry and several pints of cheap European lager.
Amazingly, the next morning, we awoke early (7am) and headed straight for the London Eye. After viewing the city on a murky, cold February morning, we headed for the nearest greasy spoon cafe for a full English breakfast. By the time we had eaten that we wondered over to Covent Garden, where it was now about 11am. A quintet of strings had just started to play Eine Kline Nacht Musik, so we decided to sit down at the cafe and have a listen. Two bottles of red wine later we were in good spirits. Next up was a couple of good old traditional pubs where we quaffed some fine ales. I think after that we headed for a noodle restaurant for some much needed substance - although the memory of this part of the day is, not surprisingly, a little hazy. Anyway, we headed over to another pub on the opposite side of the river to the RFH at around 6pm, where I had arranged to meet a couple of other people and the drinking and joviality continued.
By the time we headed over to the RFH, nerves had banished any semblance of intoxication. I really was as sober as a judge - not sure how that works, but it did.
The concert was incredible. The first half was brilliant, although it wasn't why we were there, was it? The second half was sublime. I had tears running down my cheeks for most of SMiLE. It is an experience that will live with me forever and something that I truly feel honoured to have witnessed.