Tour from Australia
 

Hi, I've posted about a trip of a month or so in England in a previous posting but have discovered this tour from Australia...where I live...
I'm middle-aged and don't drive so thought this might be the way to go...
Have heard of a tour company that does 26 days
Cambridgeshire 4 days, Harrogate 3 days, Scotland-The Borders, Cheshire 3 days, Cotswold 2days,the south west 3days, Wessex 3 days and
London 4 days...does this sound doable...The tour company is called
Odyssey Travel.
Departs Australia 26th July 09.
I could go early and meet up with them and then I could stay in London for a week at one of the many places already suggested to me in the other post. This would give me time to recover from jet lag and see some places on my own.
What do you think?

ooops 26 days in all not 26 days in Cambridgeshire.

I know nothing about that company, but having travelled extensively allover the UK, to me the itinerary seems good for somebody like you who comes a very long way and wants to see a lot. It is not as crazy a schedule as some - you stay several nights in many places, that takes the edge off - other companies make you pack every day or so. So it looks fine to me.

But I hope somebody can tell you about the company itself?

In your other post you stated you wanted to stay 5 days in three or four places. Now you are thinking about a fast paced tour. Really, you can do this kind of thing on your own, however, if a tour is you cup of tea, ....

In your Post on the Australia Forum you talk about Academy Tours - is this for a different tour or the same one?

If you want to be w/ a group -- and don't mind hours each day on coaches and having to get ready and on the road early each AM - I have seen worse itineraries.

However I wouldn't be lulled into thinking all those multiple night stops mean a restful itinerary. For instance - 3 nights Harrogate. You most likely won't be spend much time in Harrogate. That will be your base for seeing York, the Dales, Moors, Whitby/the coast.

Maybe if you give us a link to the specific tour we can look for "issues".

You posters know a lot!Fantastic info.

Yes,I was worried about the 'tour' thing with Odessye and how fast paced it might be.I'll ditch that plan entirely.I think i can handle the England trip ok by myself and with all the knowledge and help i've gained here.

The Academy tour group are different. That is for late March, for Venice. We stay in one place for 13 days but take trips out each day and have some afternoons free. It sounds great but they don't have a similar trip to England. I just wondered if anyone had been on a trip with them. they sound great to me.
www.academytravel.com.au

Hi moonrise,
I think the itinary is doable, however there is the issue of being led everywhere. Personally I don't like that because I enjoy going where I want to go when I want to go there, however this kind of trip may well be perfect for you . If that is the case go for it and I would also consider some 'me' time in London before the group meets up. That sounds like a good idea.

On a cautionary note. You arrive in the first week of the school summer holidays and it looks like this year because of the economic environment in the UK and the value of the £ v €/$ there will be a massive increase in people staying in the UK for holidays so you will probably be visiting at one of the busiest times of the year.
Despite this I am sure you will have a ball !!
Its a shame you don't have a plan to visit Wales, it's a bit like England but better ...lol :-)

Muck

But thats just me with my realist hat on again.