The beautiful county of Somerset, which is located just over 100 miles from London, can be reached by car (2 hours and 15-30 minutes) or by train with routes to Bath and Bristol, two of the major cities in Somerset, as well as other locations within the county. Somerset has borders on the Bristol Channel, the Severn Estuary as well as the River Avon. Gloucestershire is to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset is …
About an hour south of Shaftesbury, again along the Jurassic Coast, is the town of Weymouth, a seaside town which sits at the mouth of the river Wey. It is also just north of Portland, where the Sailing events were held during the 2012 Summer Olympics. The town has tourism as a major source of income, boasting beautiful beaches and well-sheltered waters for sailing, as well as access to the English Channel for more …
Dorset borders on the English Channel, and the coast in that area is called the “Jurassic Coast.” The coastal cliffs are said to display 150 million years of history in the layers of rock that are exposed along the coast, hence the name. The beauty of the coast is breathtaking.
First up is Lulworth Cove. Situated on the coast, the cove is a fine example of the effect of erosion on the various kinds …
In the first two articles in this series, we shared about the Underground and the busses. The final transport we want to cover is also an iconic classic—the legendary London Black Cab, although today not all of them are fully black. Once known as a “Hackney Carriage,” the term “Hackney” comes from a part of London where horses were supplied to the city of London. Hence a “hackney” was a horse-drawn carriage. Curiously, the …
In the first article of our series, we wrote about the Underground. In this, the second part, we’ll cover another way to travel in London, the red bus, also known as the double-decker bus. The red bus is an icon of London, and has earned iconic status by navigating the streets of London (and other cities in the UK) all hours of the day and night. The first omnibus service was started in 1829 …
London is such a magnificent city, and most of the points of interest for a tourist are in the center of the city. Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, The Tower of London, Hyde Park, Tower Bridge, Victoria and Albert Museum, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Shard are just a few of the sights to see. If one adds the shopping of Harrod’s, Fortnum and Mason, Selfridges, Liberty, Carnaby Street, Oxford Road, Regent Street, Portobello Road, …
We realized that in this post we had gotten you on the airplane to London, and in this post from the airport to downtown London, but we had not discussed the entry process in the airport. This post is designed to cover that gap.
Before disembarking from your flight, train, or ship you should be given a card to fill out with some information about your plans while staying in the UK. It’s important to …
A delicate subject, for sure, but it is worth sharing a few tips on the English bathroom and how they vary from a typical American bathroom. There are some quirks worth knowing about in advance that may make your “visits” better.
First off, the English bathroom has, on average, zero counter space. Counters are for kitchens, not for bathrooms, at least according to English bathroom designers. Even in more modern American hotel chains, the counterspace …
If you are travelling to England for any length of time, you will need to pack some clean clothes to complete your trip. And then, when you buy trinkets and “goodies” in England, you have to find space (and maybe weight) for them to be packed to return home with you. And that raises the question.
With apologies to The Bard Shakespeare, the real question is “Is it A or B?” To be or not …
Quick update here. I was recently in the UK, driving around, and the experience has reminded me of some things to tell you to help you drive there, too. Nothing to contradict what I’ve already said in Part 1, Part 2 or Part 3, just some observations on how it’s working in 2018.
First up, pay attention to what is painted on the road. If for example you see a circle with a …