@MissPrism I never knew you could order groceries online! Do people use that option for regular, weekly shopping?

I do it monthly for the heavy and rather boring stuff, cleaning materials, beer etc.
My daughter-in-law has two children under two and I think that she has a weekly order.

"I never knew you could order groceries online! Do people use that option for regular, weekly shopping? "

In my Cotswold town, lots of us don't because it's often quicker to go to the big supermarkets 7 miles away than fill an online form in (there's an hourly bus stoppoing outside them), and we want to decide on fresh food while we're there. About half the population gets the boring heavy stuff delivered, though, and buy fresh food separately. Supermarket delivery lorries, and their clones from other internet-derived deliverers, make up a substantial proportion of traffic outside our door.

But do we really understand that this basic 20th century technology's not hit Florida yet?

I don't mean to stray from the topic, but flanneruk, I can't believe that supermarkets still don't home-deliver in FL. About 5 years ago, both my parents had broken their hips in FL and both were coming home from rehab on the same day. I wanted to stock their refrigerator with a few items until a home healthcare aide could arrive and help with the shopping (I live in Maryland and was unable to get away). I called every supermarket in the area and not one offered that kind of service. You would think that in an area with so many elderly people who are unable to drive there would be at least one supermarket that delivered! Sad to hear that it still is like that. By the way, my father's brother helped us out and did the shopping.

No they don't! Our major grocery stores (like Publix, Winn-Dixie, or even Walmart) don't provide that option. I'm sure you could probably find a smaller, specialty grocer somewhere in Florida, but I imagine it would be pricey. The ordering online part does seem like basic 20th century technology, but the delivery part actually seems pretty old-fashioned (in a good way!). I think they stopped delivering groceries around here in the 30s or 40s. I'll have to ask my grandparents :)

Hmm...

The Cotswolds have close to the lowest population density in England. Two things follow from this:
- the area's got just about the lowest light pollution in England as well. Even in towns, street lighting's increasingly designed not to reflect upwards and often goes off around 11pm, so you can see the stars properly
- the no light pollution area almost precisely corresponds with the Wal-Mart (trading here as Asda) free area.

So Wal-Mart won't deliver here (ie where I live) either. But they WILL deliver web orders in the far north, east and south of the Cotswolds - though I THINK Stow's too far away from their Leamington branch to qualify. If you've got a postcode for your cottage, enter it at https://groceries.asda.com/asda-esto...questid=374095 and see if it's within Wal-Mart's delivery zone

Ocado won't deliver here either. You need www.waitrose.com/shopping/index.aspx Same merchandise: far classier delivery team.

Hi, yes most of us get shopping online, its great. Am very glad that you're able to stay in Bath - excellent choice and you definately won't regret it. I've just had an hour or so on Tripadvisor checking out B&Bs. As you won't have a car I think that part of the experience of being in and loving Bath is being able to walk everywhere so I've looked for those that are fairly central, close to the things you will probably want to see and importantly are a great walk into the heart of the city. I started off the search by just looking at those under $100. In no particular order the ones that looked good and had great locations were:
Brocks Guest House - 10/10 for location, I used to walk past here on my way home from work when i lived in the city - ranked 45/148
Cornerways - 8.5/10 for location - ranked 22/148
Laura Place Hotel - 9.75/10 for location - ranked 109/148 but only had 2 reviews both of which were good
Holly Villa - 7/10 for location - ranked 28/148
Check them out and am happy to advise on a different price range, just let me know.
Keep in mind that the 5 villages I described are close by, Combe Hay the closest at about 4 miles from Bath, then Wellow, Hinton Charterhouse, Norton St Philip and Farleigh Hungerford. Bath will keep you more then entertained though I'm sure. To add hugely to your holiday experience though you could always take a taxi out to one of the villages to eat one night - Combe Hay has the great pub restaurant, Wellow has an absolutely typical English village pub and does good food and Norton St Philip has the absolutely atmospheric George and has a restaurant.
Happy planning
Tim

Hi, yes most of us get shopping online, its great. >>

strangely, it has never occurred to me! how do you spot the bargains on-line or stop them fobbing you off with the wrong apples?

SpringRaine - MIM or Stow would make good bases, but if you wanted more to do in the evenings, Cirencester is more of a town and has a very good market. Have a good trip, whatever you decide!

"how do you spot the bargains on-line"
They promote them just the way they do in the shop

"or stop them fobbing you off with the wrong apples?"
CW syndrome again. Excessive exposure to criminals deludes you into thinking everyone's priority is ripping people off. If you work in the real world, you know that employees selecting goods for online orders have zero interest in ripping customers off: dreaming about boyfriends, getting the job done fast enough to get down the pub and ripping the boss off are far higher priorities. Management count it a success if 90% of the order going out is what the customer actually asked for: trying to fine-tune things to get rid of wastage is a sophistication no-one would even dream of.

Only in the courts (and the crappier soaps) are people primarily motivated by seeking dishonest financial advantage. And even there, that's only true of the lawyers.

If they have run out of what you ordered, they will offer a substitute which you can refuse if you wish.

I remember Sainsburys bringing Budweiser instead of Budvar
The good Canon was not amused.

Management count it a success if 90% of the order going out is what the customer actually asked for: >>

actualy Flanner, it was that sort of thing that I was really worried about, not deliberate criminality. However, I don't need CW to make me into a cynic - I can do that myself.

Only in the courts (and the crappier soaps) are people primarily motivated by seeking dishonest financial advantage. And even there, that's only true of the lawyers.>>

Touche, Flanner - I am truly put in my place. I'm not sure about the "only" true of the lawyers bit though.

@annhig, I am like you... I guess I can wrap my head around the idea of econo-sized toilet paper and laundry detergent being delivered, but I can imagine the 18-year-olds working at the grocery store here in the US manhandling my produce and squishing my bread, haha! However, it obviously works for all of you there, and I think it's really convenient! Thanks for enlightening me about that option.

@Tim, I really appreciate the list of B&Bs. I thought you might've had some recommendations off the top of your head, so I do hope the researching didn't take up too much of your time. And Happy Planning indeed... what was that NY Times article saying about more endorphins being released during planning than on the actual vacation? I don't know about more, but it's definitely part of the fun!

One final THANK YOU for all who took the time to reply. I will have to hop over to the US forum and answer some Orlando questions to pay it forward. With our recent influx of muggles, I'm sure I'll find someone in need of some advice!

Lucky you! We spent a week in the Cotswolds in June and loved it so much we have already booked our flight and cottage for a return trip in 2011. I plan to put together a detailed trip report in the future because we had such a wonderful time and hopefully some of our experiences will help others visiting for their first time. We stayed in a lovely little cottage near Chipping Campden. I can't imagine being in the Cotswolds for one week and not having a car. For me that would be like looking through the window of a locked candy store....or liquor store LOL or....well, you get the idea. Especially if you are staying in a cottage. We made quite a few trips to co-ops and markets for groceries and supplies. Our fridge and freezer at the cottage were small and we could never have stocked up for a week in one trip. There were no shops or pubs within walking distance of our cottage and we would have starved or been grazing with the sheep if we hadn't had a car 24/7. We literally did a power tour in our rental car from Friday to Friday and still don't feel like we saw or did enough, hence the return trip for a longer period next year. On several nights we were too exhausted to head out again for dinner and we were very glad that we had food to prepare at the cottage. I don't think the trip would have been nearly as enjoyable if we had to lug bags of groceries on foot back and forth. We had the pleasure of visiting many towns and attractions that would have been impossible for us to explore without a vehicle. DH did all the driving so perhaps I am not being fair but he had no trouble adjusting to the left side and driving for him was easy. Our global GPS and global Blackberry promptly shut down when we arrived in London and didn't function again until we returned back home but we managed to do just fine with one very good map. If you still don't want to consider renting a car then I would suggest that you stay in a cottage within short walking distance of restaurants and shops. Broadway might be one town to consider. Maybe re-think the idea of a cottage and opt for a b&b or hotel? Whatever you decide to do, I hope you and the girls have a great time.

trip report, 22 trav - yes please!

Thanks 22trav! My grandfather had a heart attack about a month ago and he's declining quickly. We've actually had to reschedule our trip for March (not an ideal month, I know) and my kids are going, too. So the whole dynamic of our vacation has changed tremendously! Oh well... we'll have more time to plan and anticipate. I second annhig and would love to read a trip report!

Sorry about your grandfather.

Just returned from England last week, and I will say the driving wasn't that scary at all! I'm from Canada, so we were driving on the "wrong side" as well. I do recommend a car as the Cotswalds are a big area, and we didn't even see everything! And I was disappointed to see that the stores close at 5pm, and most pubs don't serve food between 2 & 6pm!!

springraine - so sorry about your GF. having lost my aunt recently, i can sympathise with the difficult time that you must be having.

the good news is that March can be terrific - certainly here in cornwall for the last few years we have had some excellent weather, and the gardens are superb then. more and more pubs open all day, and some will even serve food, but it must be said that this is more likely during the height of the summer season, and easter hols.

although most little shops close at 5 or 5.30 pm, supermarkets usually open much later, so you shouldn't starve. AND strangely, fish and chip shops usually open at about 4.30 pm and close at 8 or 8.30 pm. other takeaways are usually 5.30 - 11pm, and lots now deliver for free within a certain radius. a boon for those with small children who you don't want to disturb, and/or if you want to have a drink.

bookmarking for trip.