Last minute Paris/London tips

I'm not really sure why you'd take your iphone if you're going to turn it off. I don't think you need both, unless there's something I'm missing. I take my iphone, but I use it for texting (with an international plan) and for listening to music. There are plenty of internet cafes in Paris and London that make connecting to the Internet quick and easy, not to mention fairly cheap. It's certainly your choice as to what to bring with you, but I find the less expensive pieces I bring, the better. Find an internet cafe instead and smile knowing your ipad will not get lifted. Have fun!
Emily

We are doing the same thing. We will use our Iphone (international plan) for touring around during the day, download some Rick Steves audio tours (free on Itunes)
Then using our tablet at our apartment in the evening, certainly better for Skype, surfing etc with the larger screen. Have fun!! We will be a couple of weeks behind you!

I did it in 2010 with just using wifi on my iPod. If you can't find an internet cafe easily, just look for a McDonalds. You can just buy a coke and do e-mail there, then go somewhere else for food. Even if you find an internet cafe, you might prefer a wifi spot over using a French keyboard, as some of the keys are in different spots, which can be a pain if entering a password that uses those letters. While I like being spontaneous, I recommend making a specific plan to start off with. In Paris, it is vital to plan by starting from the list of which sites are closed on which days, and which are extra-crowded on the free or nearby days. Your time justifies paying and planning so as to avoid long time in lines. If you aren't sure what to do in Paris, consider taking a couple of days to visit the Cro-Magnon caves in the Dordogne area. You can take the train to Breve and rent a car there. Good luck.