Planning a big trip next year
 

Okay, assuming the economy doesn't totally collapse next year, I am thinking about a big trip next year.

My original plan was to go to Russia to see the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino. But the more I think about it, the more expensive and complicated that trip sounds.


So my backup idea was to go to London to do a history holiday. The down side is, I don't know the first thing about the area and I'm unsure how to get around (I'm NOT getting a rental car!)

Any secrets in keeping the expences down over there?

Priorities (atm) what I'd want to see:
The Imperial War Museum.
The Sub museum in Gosport (must see the Holland there).
Any subsimmers want to hook up?


When's a good time of the year to go?

Better include a tour of the light cruiser HMS Belfast. Otherwise jimbuna will throw you into the Thames. :O:

IWM is a must. I'd also visit the the Cabinet War Rooms in the cellars of Whitehall. Basically, it's Churchill's bunker from where he made so many momentous decisions during the bleakest days of the war. I saw it and was impressed.

And try and work in Stonehenge. I'm amazed how many British citizens have never visited the site.

For your backup idea you must consider that its Olympics time so crowds and prices will be up accordingly.
If you are doing the IWM then make the most of London and do the Maritime museum as well, likewise with Gosport do the other side of the harbour for its museums too.

As for keeping costs down, go to the north it might be grim but its a lot cheaper;)
But seriously, even in London B&Bs are fairly cheap and there is no shortage of reasonable hotels either, plus with their London transport system it is very easy to get around.
Also on a costs thing, make sure you get all the best travel discount cards, they may seem like a silly expence on vacation but in reality they pay for themselves very quickly(sometimes in just one train journey). Another thing on public transport over there is to buy tickets in advance as you can make huge savings.
Oh and despite what the Brits will tell you their public transport isn't bad and in London it is excellent.

If you are going as far as Stonehenge, then you have to visit Portsmouth and HMS Victory.

The Imperial War Museum is brilliant. One of my favourites. Get their as early as you can because it gets busy very quickly. I'm going to be in London in a couple of weeks but I'm skipping the IWM this time in favour of RAF Hendon and the V&A (I want to go see their new photography gallery.)

Tribesman is right - despite what Londoneres will tell you, the Underground is great.

Also, Not military related I know but if you are going to be in London you really should try to visit the British museum. I could bang on about the two Tate galleries and a whole slew of other places but the British museum really is very impressive.

As for Stonehenge, well, their are other stone circles across the country which may not be as big or famous as Stonehenge but probably retain more of an atmosphere. An neighbour of mine when I was growing up had part of one in her garden. If you get the chance to visit Stonehenge, cool. Personally, I always think of Spinal Tap when I hear the name. :O:

Lol...If your coming to the London Jason, HMS Belfast is a must see....that 6" cruiser is the biggest vessel left of a navy that was once the largest in the world.

I must actually and try to get along there myself this year if I have time. Never been.

Yeah...it's a worthwhile visit.

I'd say definately the IWM, BM and personally I'd want to visit the Natural History Museum too. HMS Belfast and Churchill's War Rooms also are a must, as is Victory and the other Gosport/Portsmouth museums.

Regarding Stonehenge - yes it is impressive how the stones arrived there and the questions of why/how/when, but there are a couple of points -

The A303, the main road past is notoriously jammed - nothing to do with the stones but it's one of the main routes to the S.W. of the country from London, it's dual-carriageway up to Amesbury (where I used to live/work for a couple of years, so I'm talking from experience) and then single for the next x-amount of miles past the Henge. It has a permanent fixture on Sally Traffic's Travel Reports on BBC Radio 2. :cry:

The actual site at Stonehenge is tiny, always looks massive on the telly, but it really is disappointingly small - about 100' diameter. I'd rather go to Avebury, a village surrounded by stones - about 1300' diameter - and it has a nice pub near the middle. Also not far from Avebury are some prehistoric mounds and the like, as well as the fabled White Horse chalk drawings on the side of hills.

As for when you should come, the 2012 games finish on the 12th of August, and the Paralympics on the 9th September so I'd try for after then, you've also got the advantage of the kids being back at school, and it's usually still good weather.

I've never had a problem getting around London using the Tube, and I'd recommend that over hiring a car in the city - save that for your excursions farther afield. Another must, and I think if possible we should get quite a few of us together, is a Sunday at The Church http://www.thechurch.co.uk/ I've not been since it's moved from Kings Cross but if it's anything like it was it is a brilliant, if a little bit drunken, few hours of your life. :yeah::rock:

I think I'd be able to pop down for a day or two for a museum or two, I'll bring my doggy snacks :up:

I gotta research how I want to get around:hmmm:.
Maybe hire a subsim member.:hmmm:


http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Desti...Portsmouth.htm

http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Desti...-Gateshead.htm



Learned something new, Rowan Atkinson is from..... Newcastle:haha: Jim's uncle?:hmmm::haha:

Mr Bean was originally going to be Mr Buna but US test audiences thought it sounded too Italian.

:arrgh!:

Hmm, shows what I know. It always sounded to me like a Pacific Islander thing.

Ah, you refer to Mr Boona. Or there is the Asian Mr B'hna.

The wifes cousin :sunny:

Surely you will extend your tour to include Scotland Niki!:yep: You will have to do a lot of Googling for tourist information of the various areas, the biggest obstacles would be accomadation and transport IMO, I wish you luck!:up:
I am starting to get a little nervous myself, I have never been outside of Australia and that may change sometime around September next year according to my better half, what do you reckon Jim?;)