OT: My trip across the Pond PICTURES (more than you want).

[rcperryls]

Getting close. I still have to get a new suitcase (the wheels are about off of mine and it now serves as a kitty bed anyway). If any one is near where we'll be and can meet us for lunch or tea or dinner pm me so we can see if it's possible. The tour is pretty filled but since its just us we can be flexible as well.

Arrive in London on March 22. We will be in London till Friday morning.
Friday the 27th: Lacock, Bath
Saturday: Stonehenge and Avebury (still staying in Bath)

Sunday the 29th: Cotswolds
Monday the 30th: Stratford
Tues the 31st: North Wales
Wednesday the 1st: The Lake District
Thursday the 2nd: Alnwick
Friday the 3rd: York
Saturday the 4th: back to Heathrow

Carole

My daughter will be staying at the house. First thing for all trips is to make sure the kitties are taken care of

Carole

[karen4bells]

Sounds like a wonderful trip!! I am so happy for you, Carole and I hope you have a wonderful time there!!!

[richardandtracy]

Sounds nice. I hope you're being driven - the distances don't look bad on a map, but traffic can be a nightmare and journey times are likely to be a lot greater than you expect. We are 40 miles from central London, so you'd expect a maximum journey time of 40 mins. Well, the best I've managed is 1.5 hrs, while the worst is 4 hrs. In rural areas, averaging 30mph is quite good with all the local traffic you're likely to see.

Year before last we went to Alnwick - gorgeous castle, loved it. The driving time from home (the equivalent of from a little past Heathrow in effect) was 6.5 hrs. 'Doing' the Lake District in a day... some would say a lifetime isn't really long enough.

Will you do what my wife does, I wonder? About half way through every holiday the withdrawal symptoms start to show and every now and again she randomly shouts 'LOOK-CAT!!STOPSTOPSTOP.'

Regards,

Richard.

[Serinde]

Nice tour -- interesting selection of places, although a bit like that old movie If it's Tuesday, This Must be Belgium! (Once "did" Europe that way.) Richard is right: the UK might be "small", but, boy, the miles are long.

Even if you only just stand on the shore of Windermere, you'll get the idea and probably book a return journey. Avebury is stunning, especially if you get some quiet time there and there aren't too many people. As it's before Easter, you might be lucky. If you can, slope off in York to Tracy Franklin's studio. You deserve a bit of quality stitching stash.

[lavenderbee]

My goodness that's a busy trip but lovely places you are going to. So glad your kitties have a new bed, You obviously have her permission to go on holiday. Glad your daughter will be at your house as it is always good to get pet arrangements sorted Enjoy your trip. Hope you bring sunshine with you

[rcperryls]

Sounds nice. I hope you're being driven

We are. and yes Serinde,

interesting selection of places, although a bit like that old movie If it's Tuesday, This Must be Belgium!

. I would have added Scotland if we'd had another week, but since we have way too much to cram in to such a short time we knew that could not happen. There are specific sites at each of those locations which I didn't specify so its not like we expect to see all of the Lakes district or all of Bath. We will be at Stonehenge at sunrise which is going to be great. If we werent' going to be driven we would probably just be in London and maybe one other city. I am too old to be dragging my suticase around and way too old to fit everything I need in a backpack.

And I do expect to be overwhelmed. I'm gonna need a vacation when I get back home.

Carole

[Lizzieh]

Sounds lovely. It's a shame you're not venturing down to Cornwall although we are a bit out on a limb. It would have been lovely to have a cuppa with you.

[Rose]

As I am not familiar with English locations this sounds like a wonderful trip. I really hope you see all that you are wishing for and maybe a bit more!!!!!!!

[MaggieM1750]

Yay.. have fun at my castle in Alnwick (pronounced An-Nik)
My absolute favorite thing inside is the wood inlay table.. amazing woodworking skill
Or if you're not touring castle, the White Swan hotel in town has the dining room from the Olympia.. sister ship to Titanic.
And Barter Books is where the Keep Calm, Carry On poster was found and reintroduced.

[wendywombat]

Yay.. have fun at my castle in Alnwick (pronounced An-Nik)
My absolute favorite thing inside is the wood inlay table.. amazing woodworking skill
Or if you're not touring castle, the White Swan hotel in town has the dining room from the Olympia.. sister ship to Titanic.
And Barter Books is where the Keep Calm, Carry On poster was found and reintroduced.

Alnwick (An-Nik!! ) is delightful...the castle gardens are wonderful! Parts of the Harry Potter movies were filmed there. I love Northumberland! Lindisfarne or Holy Island is great...you have to get the tides right though!

Take a raincoat for The Lakes!! Beautiful, but can be a bit wet!!

Cotswolds...well, so pretty...bet you go to Bibury. Shame that Burford Needlecraft is closing...it's just Wow!!! But Go to Burford and you may just pick up a Bargain!! http://www.needlework.co.uk/" target="_blank Burford itself is wonderful, too, although parking can be a nightmare!!!

York....well! Another superb City...Viking Loom Needlecraft are there http://www.vikingloom.co.uk/" target="_blank and York Minster...I run out of superlatives!

I found Avebury a bit spooky but Stonehenge is great! I remember it when you could wander around the stone circle freely.

Shame I won't be in the UK when you're there as I have a friend living a couple of miles from Burford and I often stay with her on my UK trips. Enjoy!!!
We expect a full report when you get back!!!

[BizzieLizzie]

Those are some beautiful places you're visiting! I work in London so if you fancy meeting up for coffee one lunchtime drop me a pm.

Have a fabulous time.

[Carole]

Sounds like a great trip. You've got some beautiful places on your list. You'll be passing fairly close to me, I'd think, but sadly not close enough or for long enough to grab a cuppa together.

I hope you have a brilliant time here and I look forward to hearing about it

[lcamp]

Sounds like the trip of a life time, Carole! Have a wonderful time and take lots of pictures!

Richard, your wife sounds like me. I get so lonesome for the company of my cats while I'm away.

[Lulu22]

Wow your going to be busy!
You are visiting some very beautiful places, I'm looking forward to finding out what you think of the UK!
Have a really lovely time, I hope the sun is shining for your visit.

[Fizzbw]

I'm still sulking that you aren't coming to South Wales......

North Wales is stunning though it's going to be an amazing trip!

Niki xxx

[Mabel Figworthy]

Bother, on the days that you are anywhere near us, we're in Wales!

Alnwick is gorgeous and Yes, Viking Loom in York is a must for any stash-lover

[rcperryls]

I wish I could see everyone! and everything! I have to win the Lottery. Of course, that means I have to start buying lottery tickets. Then I can take a longer or a few more trips (longer is hard because of the kitties. If I think about that then, I'd never leave the house (except to go to PetSmart for Fancy Feast and litter - they would put a tabu on visits to the vet I am sure). Still hoping to meet with BizzieLizzie and RosemaryD when we are in London. Carole , you said we'd be passing near you (how near is near?) I can check with our driver once we are there and see if we will be close enough and long enough to maybe get that cuppa together.

Carole

[wendywombat]

I'm still sulking that you aren't coming to South Wales......

North Wales is stunning though it's going to be an amazing trip!

Niki xxx

Not coming to France either!!!

You are packing a whole lot of memories into that trip though!

[ayna]

I do hope you have a wonderful time when you come here; I'm sure that a week won't be long enough for all that you have planned but look forward to hearing about it all.

[lavenderbee]

It will hopefully be a bit warmer when you get here. I am sorry I will not be able to meet you in North Wales. I would have loved to have met up with you but I am unable to go very far nowadays due to permanent sciatica. That is why I started x-stitch in earnest as I am less able to go places or see people & needed to get another hobby to add to my list.

Scenery here is beautiful as it is in many parts of UK. DH & I moved here 15 years ago. Came for 2 weeks holiday loved it so much went back to Home Counties, gave in our notice & moved up here