I played a sloppy game with many errors, partly due to staying up too late to play.
I moved to the coast before settling and then played for 20k in Moscow, which I reached in 1876. It was a nice 20k spot, giving me 115 spt at the end.
I didn't expand early at all, and I started a war just before I could have settled on some saltpeter. The war then kept me from getting the saltpeter. I built a coal plant (after building Hoover Dam) when I forgot to switch to the wonder I wanted. I didn't manage any wars well, and never got a leader. I didn't go to war much at all, though. The mongols attacked near the end. I abandoned some towns, allied neighbors, and ignored them while I waited to hit 20k.
I didn't have any trouble staying far ahead in technology or in trading for resources, so my people were happy and productive. I found it an enjoyable game.
Some early notes:
Move to coast, start CB, warrior then colossus.
Hut gives maps, gold
3300 meet Iroquois settler, can't take it with a scout, they won't trade anything
2850 meet Zulu, trade CB to Iroquois for alphabet
2630 meet Aztecs, trade alphabet for warrior code +10 g
1830 Colossus
1000 bc Republic, 2 towns.
630 Mausolleum
610 library
280 AD meet Mongols