3 weeks- This itenarary too much????$$ advice-opinions please. Basic outline of our possible trip
Jan 31st, 2013, 01:51 PM
#62
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<< Thanks for the help sorry if it sounds like im stubborn really trying to do the right thing. >>
JigEuro...
No need to apologize. You should do what makes you comfortable. We Fodorites love to give advice...and it's only fair that we not get offended if you don't take it all.
I do suggest (and it looks like you are doing this in a small way) that you try a bit of independent travel here and there. Hopefully, you'll find that you like it, and you'll be more independent and less overwhelmed next time - - and there WILL be a next time. Once bitten by the travel bug, there's no end to it.
SS
PS - an 8-hour "tour" of London may not be your best use of time...you might consider dropping that. Covent Garden is just a bunch of stores & eateries; Downing St (as stated earlier) is nothing at all; the changing of the guard is vastly over-rated. For $90 (with 2-for-1 coupons) you can see the Tower (in which you will want to spend a lot of time at your own pace or following a Beefeater around for a free, thorough tour -- not just the jewels), St Paul's, and do the river cruise, and have enough left over for a nice lunch...and take a walk from the Abbey & Parliament to Trafalgar Sq. Spend your 8 hours this way:
Tube to St Paul's.
Tube to Tower - spend several hours there
Take river cruise from Tower to Westminster pier.
Walk up Whitehall from Westminster to Trafalgar Sq
SS
JigEuro...
No need to apologize. You should do what makes you comfortable. We Fodorites love to give advice...and it's only fair that we not get offended if you don't take it all.
I do suggest (and it looks like you are doing this in a small way) that you try a bit of independent travel here and there. Hopefully, you'll find that you like it, and you'll be more independent and less overwhelmed next time - - and there WILL be a next time. Once bitten by the travel bug, there's no end to it.
SS
PS - an 8-hour "tour" of London may not be your best use of time...you might consider dropping that. Covent Garden is just a bunch of stores & eateries; Downing St (as stated earlier) is nothing at all; the changing of the guard is vastly over-rated. For $90 (with 2-for-1 coupons) you can see the Tower (in which you will want to spend a lot of time at your own pace or following a Beefeater around for a free, thorough tour -- not just the jewels), St Paul's, and do the river cruise, and have enough left over for a nice lunch...and take a walk from the Abbey & Parliament to Trafalgar Sq. Spend your 8 hours this way:
Tube to St Paul's.
Tube to Tower - spend several hours there
Take river cruise from Tower to Westminster pier.
Walk up Whitehall from Westminster to Trafalgar Sq
SS
Jan 31st, 2013, 02:58 PM
#63
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,393
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jig euro, you are a good sport to keep coming back here after being bashed about a bit!
We used a TA for our first trip and while in hindsight we realise we could have organised lots of it ourselves, at the time we were a bit clueless, plus we didn't know about Fodor's.
I definitely agree that you don't want to have too many days pre-booked. We travel now with a list of what we want to see and I have it sorted geographically so that each morning we can decide what to do. If the weather is awful then we head to a gallery or museum and save the outdoors for nicer days.
We used a TA for our first trip and while in hindsight we realise we could have organised lots of it ourselves, at the time we were a bit clueless, plus we didn't know about Fodor's.
I definitely agree that you don't want to have too many days pre-booked. We travel now with a list of what we want to see and I have it sorted geographically so that each morning we can decide what to do. If the weather is awful then we head to a gallery or museum and save the outdoors for nicer days.
Jan 31st, 2013, 03:49 PM
#66
I still say (i know i know i'm repeating myself). Let the TA book flights and hotels. And do the rest yourself. Any major city in Europe has tourist information readily & freely available after you arrive. You can plan day by day as you go along. That's how I have always done it.
Jan 31st, 2013, 03:58 PM
#67
I agree- use the TA to book the flights and hotels (as long as you are happy w/ the hotel locations) just to take those details off your plate.
Before you agree to all those airport transfers . . . you need to know how much they are costing. I've seen transfers that were 'offered' by tours and hotels in London for instance that cost 3 to 5+ times what just booking a car service would set you back.
And forget about all those extra tours . . .
Before you agree to all those airport transfers . . . you need to know how much they are costing. I've seen transfers that were 'offered' by tours and hotels in London for instance that cost 3 to 5+ times what just booking a car service would set you back.
And forget about all those extra tours . . .
Jan 31st, 2013, 04:24 PM
#68
Right. I understand that you're (both?) busy, but the more you plan yourself the more you'll get out of your trip. Certainly, let the TA handle the flights (but make sure that any connections aren't too short), and maybe the hotels, but do check the locations - you want to be central.
Feb 1st, 2013, 02:05 AM
#69
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
JE...
I don't see why you can't combine some of what the TA offers and still leave lots of time for self-planned things. One of the reasons I made my suggestion was that there is no way to predict how much time you'll spend at the Tower. I'll elaborate on my "Beefeater" comment:
http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/...s/yeomanwarder
They will lead you around the Tower in a free tour (every 30 min), and they are very knowledgeable and entertaining. You haven't paid for it, so if you want to wander off and ditch the tour, that's OK, too. I personally really like them...and I've been to the Tower several times. There is much to see besides the jewels.
Also, the walk between Parliament/Abbey and Trafalgar should be done with a self-guided walk -- found in any of the standard tour books...there is a lot to see in those few blocks, and you'll not want to see it from a bus.
A lot of newbies to London want to see the changing of the guard -- I did, too, back in 1966 on my first trip -- but I think you'll find the consensus here is that it is over-rated. Large crowds, bad views, long wait. On the Abbey-Trafalgar walk, you can get close enough to touch (but don't!!) the horse guards:
http://www.tourist-information-uk.com/horseguards.htm
The times may not work with the plan I gave yesterday, but if you like what you see on your walk, you can come back at the appropriate time the next day and see the whole thing.
SS
I don't see why you can't combine some of what the TA offers and still leave lots of time for self-planned things. One of the reasons I made my suggestion was that there is no way to predict how much time you'll spend at the Tower. I'll elaborate on my "Beefeater" comment:
http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/...s/yeomanwarder
They will lead you around the Tower in a free tour (every 30 min), and they are very knowledgeable and entertaining. You haven't paid for it, so if you want to wander off and ditch the tour, that's OK, too. I personally really like them...and I've been to the Tower several times. There is much to see besides the jewels.
Also, the walk between Parliament/Abbey and Trafalgar should be done with a self-guided walk -- found in any of the standard tour books...there is a lot to see in those few blocks, and you'll not want to see it from a bus.
A lot of newbies to London want to see the changing of the guard -- I did, too, back in 1966 on my first trip -- but I think you'll find the consensus here is that it is over-rated. Large crowds, bad views, long wait. On the Abbey-Trafalgar walk, you can get close enough to touch (but don't!!) the horse guards:
http://www.tourist-information-uk.com/horseguards.htm
The times may not work with the plan I gave yesterday, but if you like what you see on your walk, you can come back at the appropriate time the next day and see the whole thing.
SS
Feb 1st, 2013, 08:25 AM
#70
yes, if you let your TA book the flights and hotels, [check here what they are suggesting first] we can suggest the best transfers, tours, itineraries etc.
as you'll have gathered, there's nothing we like better than handing on the fruits of our collective "wisdom" to others!
as you'll have gathered, there's nothing we like better than handing on the fruits of our collective "wisdom" to others!
Feb 1st, 2013, 09:51 AM
#71
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 608
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
JigEuro,
understand that first and foremost we want you to enjoy your trip regardless of whichever route you go. the advice you receive on here is valuable because many of us are frequent travelers or have years and years of experience doing so. i too think it's smart to have your travel agent schedule the flights and possibly hotels so that you have the logistics out of the way. that way she won't be "cut out" of the deal... they can normally negotiate better rates on that stuff anyway
understand that first and foremost we want you to enjoy your trip regardless of whichever route you go. the advice you receive on here is valuable because many of us are frequent travelers or have years and years of experience doing so. i too think it's smart to have your travel agent schedule the flights and possibly hotels so that you have the logistics out of the way. that way she won't be "cut out" of the deal... they can normally negotiate better rates on that stuff anyway
Feb 1st, 2013, 10:50 AM
#72
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,586
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<<At this point, if you decide to pay for all of this unnecessary stuff, you only have yourself to blame for getting ripped off.
Don't forget, not everyone travels like many of us do. We want to know we are seeing what would most interest us. Some people are more than content to "go along fot the ride". And don't mind paying to be told what to do.
We went on a Med cruise this past summer and I thoroughly researched each port. I found great private tour operators at 2 ports and scheduled 2 tours that included so much more than the ship's excursion, they were private AND they cost less than the ship's excursions.
When we returned, friends put me in touch with 2 other people who were going on similar cruises (one the exact same one). I wrote long emails to them about our private tours, raved about how much we saw and provided their email contacts. I told them what to make to sure to include and noted that the ship's excursions did not included several sites I thought were very worthwhile to see (and that I would have been disappointed to miss). It could not have been easier for both of them to make the arrangements - it would have required a simple email.
When they returned, I was anxious to talk to them about their trip. I asked them if they enjoyed the private tours. Both said, "No, we just booked the ship's excursion. It was easier".
We enjoyed our trip, and they enjoyed theirs. They didn't feel the sense that they misssed anything. I learned that I just approach things like this differently. Which is why I find Fodors so invaluable - b/c I can ask detailed questions and get the answers, and know I am talking to like-minded people.
Don't forget, not everyone travels like many of us do. We want to know we are seeing what would most interest us. Some people are more than content to "go along fot the ride". And don't mind paying to be told what to do.
We went on a Med cruise this past summer and I thoroughly researched each port. I found great private tour operators at 2 ports and scheduled 2 tours that included so much more than the ship's excursion, they were private AND they cost less than the ship's excursions.
When we returned, friends put me in touch with 2 other people who were going on similar cruises (one the exact same one). I wrote long emails to them about our private tours, raved about how much we saw and provided their email contacts. I told them what to make to sure to include and noted that the ship's excursions did not included several sites I thought were very worthwhile to see (and that I would have been disappointed to miss). It could not have been easier for both of them to make the arrangements - it would have required a simple email.
When they returned, I was anxious to talk to them about their trip. I asked them if they enjoyed the private tours. Both said, "No, we just booked the ship's excursion. It was easier".
We enjoyed our trip, and they enjoyed theirs. They didn't feel the sense that they misssed anything. I learned that I just approach things like this differently. Which is why I find Fodors so invaluable - b/c I can ask detailed questions and get the answers, and know I am talking to like-minded people.
Feb 1st, 2013, 11:42 AM
#73
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 208
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I booked this same 8-hr. London Tour that you mentioned on my first trip to London. We spent most of the day on the bus, stuck in traffic, and we were rushed through the Tower. The above posters are correct about The Changing of the Guard - mostly a waste of time. The Houses of Parl., Big Ben, etc. are just around the corner (literally) from West. Abbey.
The day before the Tour, we had to ourselves, and we had no trouble navigating where we wanted to go on the Tube and we did a lot - on your own, you could see the Tower (1st thing in the AM and no crowds-use the free Yeoman Warder tour), St. Paul's, W. Abbey and the Cabinet War Rooms nearby (with a walk by Big Ben, etc.) easily in 1 day. The dock for the Thames cruise if very close to W. Abbey/Big Ben.
It just takes looking at the tube map and seeing where the location is of the attractions you want to see and coordinating them.
The day before the Tour, we had to ourselves, and we had no trouble navigating where we wanted to go on the Tube and we did a lot - on your own, you could see the Tower (1st thing in the AM and no crowds-use the free Yeoman Warder tour), St. Paul's, W. Abbey and the Cabinet War Rooms nearby (with a walk by Big Ben, etc.) easily in 1 day. The dock for the Thames cruise if very close to W. Abbey/Big Ben.
It just takes looking at the tube map and seeing where the location is of the attractions you want to see and coordinating them.
