Hello:

I made a mistake by "winning a bid" on SkyAuction.Com to London. It seems I did not understand all of the costs involved. In any event, my husband and myself are now proud owners of 2 tickets at about the same rate that I could have gotten online. The only problem is I have to do the rest of the trip a bit different.(cheaper)Here is what I've been thinking. PLEASE tell me if I'm way off base or it's doable. We arrive March 13th and depart March 21st.

I've read that London city hotels are very expensive so I was thinking of doing a self-catered accomodation outside of London.

I'm thinking to rent a (cheap)car when we arrive at Gatwick Airport. I've checked rates and it appears the rates are cheaper than picking up in the city or train stations. I've also checked train fares and I think the train is more expensive than a weekly car rental.

I'd like to see the following and checked map quest to see how far all of these things are from each other. They are all between 50-90 miles from one another in distance.

Gatwick to Dover 82miles (Canterbury, Leeds Castle, Rye)
Dover to Hampton Court 90 (Canterbury, Leeds Castle, Rye)
Hampton Court To Oxford 67 (Oxford, Blenheim Palace, Windsor Castle)
Oxford to Bath 66 (Stonehenge, Devon/Cornwall)
Bath to Cotswolds 54 (Various)
Cotswolds to Warwick 59 (Warwick Castle)

I figured I could spend the last 2 nights (Friday & Saturday)in London using points and see some of the city. That leaves me with Saturday through Thursday.(6 nights)to do the other things.

Am I crazy or is this possible? And if so, What 2 cities should I use as a base for the countryside? I'd like to split up the self-catering into 3 nights each.

I'm open to any and all suggestions.

Oh, and this IS our 1st time to the UK.

Thanks to all!

Nic

I'm not sure self catering is the way to go. Self catering is generally one week rentals, Saturday through Saturday. While you may be able to arrange short breaks in the off season, I'm not sure how much of a hassle that would be.

To me, this looks likes a B&B holiday, with two nights someplace east of Gatwick (Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks?) and 4 nights in the central Cotswolds (Northleach, Bourton?).

Well - your itinerary is pretty fractured.

But a couple of comments: It is true B&Bs will be easier to find than self catering properties for such short stays. But in the off season (including March) some self catering places will allow short breaks of 2 or 3 days.

your route of LGW > Dover > Hampton Court > Oxford > Bath > the Cotswolds > Warwick zigzags all over the place. Oxford, Bath and Warwick are all basically on the outside margins of the Cotswolds. So pick one place in the Cotswolds to stay for a few days and use it as a base for seeing everything. This might be an area you could find a short break in a self-catering cottage

Cornwall/Devon is not near anyplace else you are visiting - you'll have to drop the other areas if you want to spend time down in Cornwall.

If you are set on seing Kent to then ron's suggestion of 2 nights in Kent or East Sussex and 4 in the central Cotswolds is a good one.

Hi Nicky,
as it is your first trip to the UK and your only there for a week...why don't you base yourself in London and maybe do day trips to Windsor/Eton etc.
www.nationalexpress.co.uk is a bus company which can get you to Oxford and back in day for example
If you don't have the expense of the car the bus/train option is ok.
I hate packing too much into my trips..it also gives me an excuse to return to see what I missed last time.

I think you are trying to do too much in a week. All of the destinations you mention are wonderful and you will not want to fly through them on the way to the next spot. Roads are much smaller and harder to navigate than in the States so it takes longer to get from place to place. Go to London for two or three days and then pick one area and really see it. I stayed in Oxford last summer for three weeks and took lots of excursions into the countryside (Cotswalds, Bath, Wells). Blenheim Palace is a short city bus ride away from Oxford. Wonderful! Just seeing Oxford will take a day.The architecture is fantastic. I would skip Stonehenge if you had to choose it over another site. It really is just like the pictures.
It's a good idea to reserve a rental car before you leave - much cheaper. And don't get the smallest model; you'll feel more secure with a little metal around you as you negotiate those roads! The train system in England is not what it once was - many routes cut, delays, dingy cars. Drive yourself and really see the country.
I agree with Ron that B&Bs are the way to go. I stayed in a great B&B called Glanville Manor outside Wells in a little village called Castle Cary. It is a lovely manor house on a dairy farm! Not your average inn. From there you could visit Wells, Glastonbury, and Bath. This place is off the beaten track but in beautiful countryside.
Another area of focus could be Rye, Canterbury, and Leeds Castle. (I did not enjoy Turnbridge Wells because of the traffic and congestion.)There are delightful villages throughout the area that you should explore as well. This part of England is certainly worth 2-3 days. I stayed in a tiny village called Cranbrook in a lovely B&B named Folly Hill Cottage. The owners, John and Sonja DiCarlo, were very gracious and the price was quite reasonable. It was an excellent base for exploring southeastern England.
Have fun!

Many thanks to all for your suggestions.

Regarding the car, should I get an automatic? I am a skilled manual trans driver, however, I do prefer automatic. Since this is my first time in the UK, how difficut will is driving on the right?

Thanks again,
Nic

Hi. I couldn't agree more about hiring a car - go for it! It is the only way if you are going to visit the Cotswolds etc. However, automatic cars are NOT the norm over here and you will need to specify with the rental company that this is what you want. Most rental cars are a decent size as well - if it's just the two of you, you will be fine. Some rental cars have a road map in them - check this out as you will need a decent one to get around. A really good website is www.theaa.com This has a routemaster which will help you in planning your journeys - it has the option of 'avoiding motorways' etc which you may find useful. You just put your destination in and you get a step by step guide, including bottlenecks.
When I have holidayed in America I am always surprised that you don't seem to have roundabouts (at least not in the States I have driven in). You will come across thousands of the things in England, everywhere you go, from little mini ones in the road to huge great ones - and don't forget you will be going round them clockwise!
London driving can be a bit hairy but you will notice a difference when driving in more rural areas, where the pace is slower and the driving not so impatient!
M

"Since this is my first time in the UK, how difficut will is driving on the right?"

Maybe this was a typo nicky, but in England they drive on the LEFT and therein lies the problem for Americans. Myself, I could never drive on the left simply because having driven on the right all my life I'd find it impossible to make the switch. I've read that half the road accidents in Britain are caused by foreign visitors from countries where they drive on the right. My dad once rented a car to drive from Edinburgh to Glasgow, said he was OK in town with other cars around to guide him but once he got out in the countryside he found himself wandering over to the right, which was of course wrong! I have a photo of a sign at the driveway of the Loch Ness Visitor Center in Scotland that reminds folks in several languages to drive on the left. When I visit Britain I take the train instead, which has the added benefit of allowing me to watch the scenery rather than the road. However since that's the only way I've traveled there, I can't tell you if it's more economical than renting a car.

I'm a woman and I've driven alone several times in GB in rental cars and on the LEFT.

It's not that difficult. You'll probably need about a day to get used to it, but once you get the hang of driving on the left, it's about the same as driving on the right.

I actually prefer the stick shift as it gives me more control of the car.

Lastly, don't rent from Easycar. I rented from them last trip out and they gave me a bright teal-green sign with an equally bright orange "EASYCAR" splashed across both sides of the car! And that wasn't the only problem!

Why did I rent from Easycar? Well, I like to try different things. Get a rental car at the top end, get a rental car at the bottom end. Stay in a luxury hotel, stay in a hole in the wall out in the middle of nowhere in Thailand.

But... I'll never rent from Easycar again!

Another vote for B&B's. I think that is the way to go. Also agree that Devon/Cornwall are too far for one week if you want to see the other places you mentioned.
IF you are trying to save money, go for the stick shift car. Automatics cost more. If you can drive a stick, you shouldn't have a problem. One more thing...if you are going to spend the last couple of days in London, get rid of the car before you go into the city. I've driven all over Britain many times, with no problem, but do not really every want to drive into London again. The M25 is bad enough!
Also, if you are looking to save money, many big grocery stores have great 'take away' foods in the deli department. Much cheaper than restaurants.
Have a great time.

What is your hotel budget? You may be able to find some nice place in the city with the help of all the knowledeable people here. Make another posted titled something like "Looking for London hotel < $100/night".

I wanted to suggest that you spend the first three nights in London and then a few days in the Cotswalds. You will need a car to appreciate the towns and some nerve to drive a manual transmission the left side of the road. All in all, there are great train trips to Kew Gardens, Hampton Court and a boat trip to Greenwich which you take in the morning and stay in London at night.
London has so much that a week is really not enough. We Americans get antsy in one place. Have fun but don't overdue your itinerary. You'll be sorry. I've been there. check the websites of all the major hotel chains. They usually have some good rates and early booking. Hilton, Hyatt, etc.

I have to say I think it's easy to get hung up on this 'left hand side of the road/right hand side business'. Think about this - thousands upon thousands of English folk (including me)go through the Channel Tunnel or across the Ferry from England to France and Europe each year. This entails driving ONTO the ferry/train ON THE LEFT and driving OFF ON THE RIGHT. It honestly ain't that difficult! We've done it numerous times - and have towed a caravan at the same time. And bear in mind that we are driving on the right in Europe with our driving seat on the 'wrong' side.
I also have to say I have never seen any figures that indicate road accidents in England are often caused by 'foreign' visitors either! I would strongly dispute this!
You can get round London with public transport but if you want to go exploring elsewhere then a car really is vital. Petrol is expensive compared to America but the time you save and the convenience factor with a car is beyond price!

You can do the remaining costs very inexpensively. Since this is your first trip to London, make that your base, there are some great weekly apartments there. Your will find them on line. When in London find the local pubs to eat at, down most side streets in the residential areas you will find a square where there will be a local pub, breakfast shop and usually a flower shop. If you cannot find one, take a cab once and ask the cabbie where the closest local pub is. Forgot about a renting a car for the entire trip, London is a great walking city. It will take up 5 days just to see London. Rent a car for one or two days - get an automatic- shifting with your left hand is impossible in busy situations, and drive to the Cotswolds. You can see alot in one day, if you need two days, you can rent a cheap room out side of Oxford. The road side rest stop with gas has a overnight hotel. Cheap, not great but clean. Go online and find Grayline tours for London, buy a bus tour of Stonehenge and Bath. It is a day trip, the tour guides are great and it is cheaper than renting a car.
Good luck. Do not forget to go to the London discount theater ticket window and buy tickets for a play. The tube (subway) is cheap and easy to use, you can buy a one week pass, buy we walked everywhere.
If you have an extra day and some extra money, check out the Grayline one day Eurotrain trip to Paris. It is a long day but if you will never get to Paris to see the Louve, htis is your chance. You will get 5 hours (roundtrip) on the Eurotrain thru the Chunnel, a quick bus tour of Paris and about 2-3 hours at the Louve.

Nicky, I think you have a good idea to spend most of your time in the countryside with last two nights in London. I absolutely love London but the countryside is also beautiful. Believe me, which ever you choose (all London, all countryside, or mix), you will only whet your desire to return so you can see more. You just can't do EVERYTHING in one trip.

As far as some folks telling you to skip Stonehenge -- depends on how much YOU (or your hubby) want to see it. I didn't go until my most recent trip but it's something I'd always wanted to see and I kept feeling disappointed when I "missed" going. I will go back and spend more time (I was on a tour so we only had 45 min) -- yes it's just a "pile of rocks" and no it doesn't take long to see it, but well, I guess it depends on if you want to go because it's on the list of "Everyone must see this" or if it's on the list of "I must see this". If it's on "everyone's" list, skip it; if it's on your list, go.

As far as driving on the left and driving a manual transmission, I too had a slight bit of trepidation the first time I had to do it. (Wasn't optional, I was in the military and had to get a car to get to the base I needed to visit.) I survived and discovered it was not a big problem. I did discover a couple of key points to keep focused.

1) remember that the driver is closest to the center of the road (as long as you are driving a car spec'd for the country you are in) and you will have an easier time remembering to stay on the correct side of the road. The only thing to be extra cautious about is if passing a parked vehicle such as on a narrow street, you are used to judging you distance from the opposite side. I had an "incident" during my first trip driving with a parked bus -- I rubbed the side of my car along his bumper as I passed. Luckily, no damage done to either vehicle other than a rubber mark on the car but I was extra careful after that and never had any other problems.

2) The gear shift pattern on manual transmissions is the same, I always prefer the car with the stick in the center console, not on the steering column. I had no problems with this and my mind seemed to go into "automatic" shifting just as it does when I drive any other manual car.

3) Be sure to determine BEFORE you start how to put the car in reverse. If you can't figure it out, pull out the manual from the glove box and find out. It seems that this is one of the least intuitive things. I have been caught needed to back out after dark and be able to figure out how to put the car in reverse -- I can figure out where reverse is but sometimes there is some combination such as pushing a button on the shift lever while putting it in reverse.

4) You may want to review the highway code before your trip if you can find a copy. Info can be found at the Driving Standards Agency website (http://www.dsa.gov.uk/). As an absolute minimum, be sure to know the international road signs. Other good info can be found on the Automobile Associate or AA web site (http://www.theaa.com/index.html).

I knew the highway code had to be on-line somewhere. Here it is: http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/index.shtml

My lord, all of you have been so generous with your help! Thanks to everyone. Here is what I've been doing:

I emailed both Foley Hill Cottage and Clanville Manor. (jtmsi's post said Glanvile Manor but I found only Clanvile) Both have responded with availability. We are going to stick with just 1 or 2 areas in the countryside. We'd really like to see the Rye, Leeds Castle, and Canterbury areas. We'll probably spend 3 nights there and 2 nights somewhere else.

I still want to rent a car. When I posted the "right" side, I was talking about the steering wheel. Thank you for the suggestion and link for the highway codes. I'm sure we'll need to adjust but we both want to see the countryside and I believe an auto is the best way to explore. When we went to Italy, yes, we loved the historic big cities, but driving around the country in our own car, exploring small towns, that was so wonderful.

The reason I want to rent the car from Gatwick is it is much cheaper to p/u and drop off at the airport.

So, that is where we're at right now and perusing all different UK sites for information.

Again, thank you for the help.

Nic