I was very very impressed with the Covent Garden Apple Store in London (so much so that I forgot to take any photos of my visit to the Regent Street store) but one of the reasons was because it was so quiet. Contrast this with the Regent Street store which is now almost so busy it feels uncomfortable, and I was amazed. Covent Garden at 11am on a Thursday was reasonably busy, but the Apple Store felt like it was just getting set up for the day.

In 2009, I got the opportunity to spend a week at Adobe HQ as part of the summer school event for Adobe Education Leaders from around the world. Just before the event, I took the bus to the Cupertino area and wandered outside 'Mecca' for the second time.

In 2009, I got the opportunity to spend a week at Adobe HQ as part of the summer school event for Adobe Education Leaders from around the world. After the week I spent a day looking around including a large Mall nearby. There I saw my first 'normal' Apple Store...one in a shopping mall, as opposed to a larger shop that includes a tutorial area. Despite its small size, it was still very well set up and felt spacious.

In 2009, I got the opportunity to spend a week at Adobe HQ as part of the summer school event for Adobe Education Leaders from around the world. Because I was flying out from San Francisco, I got a chance to pop into town for the day and check out the Apple Store for the second time. It amazed me how nothing had really changed in the store, but I guess why ruin a perfectly great store by altering the layout. What did amaze me more was that I intended to visit the Virgin MegaStore opposite to buy some CDs and DVDs...only to find it completely closed. I couldn't find a CD or DVD store anywhere!!

In 2009 I was staying with friends in Sydney at the same time that my favourite band, The Hoodoo Gurus, were set to play in the Apple Store as part of the iTunes Live series of performances. Apple PR kindly arranged for there to be a couple of tickets waiting for me at the door on the night, but I visited the store for the first time ever (and saw the band gear already set up) during the day.

In 2009 I was staying with friends in Sydney at the same time that my favourite band, The Hoodoo Gurus, were set to play in the Apple Store as part of the iTunes Live series of performances (the recording of the performance can be bought here). Apple PR kindly arranged for there to be a couple of tickets waiting for me at the door on the night.

I was visiting the States to attend a video stream conference after being appointed as a Flexible Learning Leader in New Zealand and at exactly the same time as the conference, a group of educationalists from New Zealand had a briefing at (just inside in a briefing room) Apple HQ in Cupertino. I of course couldn't attend, as the funding was paying for me to go and report on the conference. So instead, I visited HQ the next day (So close, but yet so far!)....and you aren't allowed inside without a reason. Being an obsessive Apple fan boy apparently isn't a good enough reason.

I was visiting the States to attend an video stream conference after being appointed as a Flexible Learning Leader in New Zealand. This was my first visit to an Apple Store and what a great place to start...their flagship store in central San Francisco.