London, England, Great Britain Trip May 2008

Sun 05/11/08 (day 1) - Philadelphia

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Philadelphia

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Philadelphia, PA, United States

Sun May 11 6:30pm - Sun May 11 11:30pm

Notes

This is "The Plan" as it stands prior to "The Trip". Afterward I'll add "What Actually Happened" in the Journal. :D Fly from PHL at 6:30 pm to Heathrow via British Air. It seems I won't get to see the new Terminal 5 and have been rescheduled to Terminal 4.

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Mon 05/12/08 (day 2) - London

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London

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London, England, United Kingdom

Mon May 12 6:30am - Mon May 12 8:30pm

Notes

Free Day (no Tour Group). Arrival 6:30am. HEX to Paddington, tube to hotel. Plan is to drop off bag, then tube to the Tower of London (opens 10am on Mondays). After lunch it's Westminster Abbey for the afternoon. (Must pay homage to Darwins tomb.) After that, depending on energy, a stroll down The Strand, past Downing St. and the Horse Guards, to Trafalgar Square. Then back up The Mall to Buckingham Palace. (Light out until 8:30pm!)

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Tue 05/13/08 (day 3) - Windsor

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Windsor

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Windsor, England, United Kingdom

Tue May 13 8:30am - Tue May 13 8:30pm

Notes

This morning starts with a Globus Guided Bus Tour around London. Included is an inside Tour of St. Pauls cathedral.

The tour then goes to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard. Not being interested in this, I plan to cut out at St. Paul's and Tube to Paddington to get a train to Windsor. Tour Windsor Castle.

My evening plan is shopping and dinner at Harrods (until 8pm).

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Wed 05/14/08 (day 4) - Stratford Upon Avon

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Stratford upon Avon

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Stratford Upon Avon, England, United Kingdom

Wed May 14 8:00am - Wed May 14 9:00pm

Notes

Globus Tour Day. First stop is a tour of Hampton Court Palace Gardens.

There is a mid-day stop in Oxford. Rumor is we get 2 hours to walk around. I plan to tour The Bodleian Library.

Next stop is Anne Hathaway's house (outside Stratford). Last we tour Shakespeare's House (in Stratford).

I plan to skip the group dinner and attend a Royal Shakespeare Company production of A Midsummers Night Dream.

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Thu 05/15/08 (day 5) - Bath

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Bath

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Bath, England, United Kingdom

Thu May 15 8:00am - Thu May 15 10:00pm

Notes

Today's Globus tour starts with the village of Broadway (possible stop n stroll here?).

Then wends through the (scenic) Cotswolds, past Gloucester to Tintern Abbey in Wales. Hoping for time to shoot some photos here.

Ends with a tour of the Roman Baths in Bath. Bath Abbey is right next to this and free, so that's on my free time list.

In the evening my plan is to hook up with the Bizarre Bath (comedy/walking) Tour at 8pm. Sounds like fun.

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Fri 05/16/08 (day 6) - Brighton

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Brighton

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Brighton, England, United Kingdom

Fri May 16 8:00am - Fri May 16 8:00pm

Notes

Todays Globus itinerary begins with a tour of Stonehenge. I'm really looking forward to this. :) Then a mid-day stop in Salisbury. The cathedral looks nice, but I'm leaning toward the South Wiltshire Archeology Museum. Remains of the Amesbury Archer (2400 BC) are in here! Hopefully we get an hour or 2. Last is a tour of the Brighton Royal Pavillion, Brighton. Brighton Fringe Festival is on! Possibly attend free outdoor performance at the college?

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Sat 05/17/08 (day 7) - Maidstone

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Maidstone

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Maidstone, England, United Kingdom

Sat May 17 8:00am - Sat May 17 8:00pm

Notes

The last Globus day starts with a free morning in Brighton (walk on the beach?).

The mid-day stop n stroll is Royal Tunbridge Wells. Shops here ('The Pantiles'), Calvery Gardens, BIG Commons Park. Looks nice.

Afternoon is a tour of Leeds Castle in Maidstone, Kent. They have a nice rare bird breeding facility (kind of a bird zoo) on the grounds also.

My short Globus tour ends when they drop us in London at 4:30pm.

My plan for this evening is to visit the Tate Modern and walk along the South Bank past the Eye. Hopefully get a photo of Parliament from across the river lit up at night.

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Sun 05/18/08 (day 8)

Covent Garden, UK

City

Sun May 18 8:00am - Sun May 18 9:00pm

Notes

Today I plan to switch from my Globus (expensive) hotel to a cheaper one near Covent Garden (another area of London). Which is also closer to my 2 venues for today.

Afternoon plan is the British Museum (Rosetta stone, Elgin Marbles, etc).

Then I have a ticket for the London Symphony at the Barbican Center. Really looking forward to this! :)

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Mon 05/19/08 (day 9) - Warwick

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Warwick

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City

Warwick, England, United Kingdom

Mon May 19 7:00am - Mon May 19 9:00pm

Notes

Meeting some friends from Virginia at Paddington this morning. We'll travel together to Oxford.

The plan is to drop off our bags at the Inn and take the train to Warwick Castle.

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Tue 05/20/08 (day 10) - Oxford

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Oxford

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City

Oxford, England, United Kingdom

Tue May 20 8:00am - Tue May 20 8:00pm

Notes

Strolling around Oxford with my friends today. Probably visit Christ Church and the Ashmolean Museum.

At 4 they go on to York, and I return to London. Staying right near Paddington as it's back to Heathrow tomorrow for me.

Plan to visit Selfridge's on Oxford Street tonight. Shop for souvenirs (chocolates for everyone, you know!). The Cafe on the 4th floor sounds like a good spot for dinner.

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Wed 05/21/08 (day 11)

Paddington, UK

City

Wed May 21 12:00am - Wed May 21 8:00am

Notes

My flight out is at 4pm, so I'd better get the noon HEX. Supposed to be there 3 hours in advance, right?

No idea what I'll do this morning. Figure it out when I get there!

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Iraida s (View Iraida s's trips)

I love london

Posted 4 months ago.

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makindeg02 (View makindeg02's trips)

i luv to live in great britain

can i live in uk

samuel_ogunbiyi (View samuel_ogunbiyi's trips)

Hi i just which like having your economy tast.i which like coming just too see how beter it look like.

Posted 3 months ago.

yohannisgetachew (View yohannisgetachew's trips)

england isthe best ofin this planet .i wish to see england inshort period of time.

umerk@ymail.com (View umerk@ymail.com's trips)

i wanna go for trip plz

kwoczak (View kwoczak's trips)

Globus sounds like a good tour company. I'm impressed you managed to see so many things on your own. Nice planning!

Posted 2 months ago.

khiori (View khiori's trips)

Thanks Kwoczak! Yes, I'd recommend Globus.

mars78b (View mars78b's trips)

Nice trip, I'm planning to travel to England myself. How did you find the Tube in London? I've heard it's over crowded and friends say take the bus. Did you take your luggage onto the Tube?

Mars78, Yes I took a carry-on size bag on the tube several times with no problem. I found escalators most places, but my bag only weighed 20 pounds so it wasn't difficult to pick up when I had to. Realize it's easier to stand near the doors if you have a suitcase, than squeeze down the isle to a seat.

The tube is crowded but for one person you just pick your spot and hop on. I think if one is traveling with a group of 3+ person, or children, it could be hard to stay together. You'd all have to make your own way on, then make sure everyone knows where to get off!

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Trip Tags

Sun 05/11/08 (day 1) - Philadelphia

Mon 05/12/08 (day 2) - London

Tue 05/13/08 (day 3) - Windsor

Wed 05/14/08 (day 4) - Stratford Upon Avon

Thu 05/15/08 (day 5) - Bath

Fri 05/16/08 (day 6) - Brighton

Sat 05/17/08 (day 7) - Maidstone

Sun 05/18/08 (day 8)

Mon 05/19/08 (day 9) - Warwick

Tue 05/20/08 (day 10) - Oxford

Wed 05/21/08 (day 11)

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