Jim

We can have a week's accommodation at Barham which I think is between Canterbury and Dover. My wife and I would like to spend a few days seeing London. Would it be possible to commute into London and back quickly and cheaply, for three days? We will rent a car for part or all of the 7 days. Any suggestions or advice are greatly appreciated.

Ben Haines

Sorry: there is no station in Barham. But the site http://www.kentpublictransport.info/bus.htm says that bus number 17 runs hourly from Barham via Bridge to Canterbury, whence you go in 100 minutes by train into Victoria or Charing Cross.<BR><BR>Ben Haines<BR>

ddd

I spent a summer in Barham a few years ago. It's a tiny, charming little village between Canterbury and Dover. Peaceful and unspoiled.<BR><BR>A daily sightseeing trip into London is, IMHO, not very practical. It's a 2+ hour trip each way by train (from Canterbury) or car...and unless you are a veteran London motorist I wouldn't recommend dealing with the nightmare of driving and parking in Central London.<BR><BR>There is so much to see in Kent all of which is easily accessible by car. You could easily spend your week exploring this part of England. Otherwise I'd recommend taking the train into London and staying overnight. Sorry I don't recall the fare but it wasn 't terribly expensive.<BR><BR>Have a good trip.

janis

ddd gave you good advice. Barham (or really anywhere in Kent) is not a practical base for seeing London. Spend your week in Barham seeing all the gorgeous scenery, castles and gardens of Kent ans east Sussex. Then turn in your rental car and spend 3 or 4 days in central London.

Jim

Thank you all for the practical advice. It clearly would not be possible to commute to London on a daily basis. Unfortunately, we only have the week. Our basic dilemma is whether to spend 3 days in Edinburgh and 4 days in London, or to take a week's timeshare. We haven't been to Ed or London before, and we shall have a week in the Scottish highlands and a week in the English midlands, both timeshare. Thank you for your kind help.

janis

If I get you right you have two consecutive weeks - one in Scotland and one somewhere in the midlands. (Which properties? It makes a big difference as to what you can see)<BR><BR>If so - doing 3 days in Edinburgh and 4 in London doesn't make too much sense. You would have to travel on Sat AM from northern Scotland to the midlands and then the following Sat AM up to Edinburgh and after 3 days down to London.<BR><BR>Do you already have your flights booked? If no I would consider flying into Edinburgh a couple of days before your first timeshare. Sess Edinburgh those 2 days before driving north. Then go down to your 2nd timeshare. Then go to London for the final week (or 5 days if you are limitef to exactly 3 weeks). <BR>

Jim

Our plan is fairly tight. We fly to Joburg for a couple of days, then a week's timeshare at Kruger Park, then a week at Scandinavian resort, Aviemore, then the week in question (Ed + London vs a timeshare in England), then a week at Rutland (timeshare), then a week at Malaga (timeshare), then a week with our daughter who is working in Madrid, then a couple of days in Mexico City, and finally a week timeshare in Puerto Vallarta before return to Sydney. We are under pressure to use a timeshare week rather than Edin/London because I think it will soon expire. Cheers.