"Jolly Old" a United Kingdom Travel Page by tvor

The UK is, of course, more than "Jolly old England", but i do have a Jolly Olde Time" whenever i go. I became enamoured with the history of the British Isles in junior high school thanks to an excellent teacher and two really good TV series, the Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R. I went to France and Italy on a high school trip but i always knew that when i got the chance to travel again, the UK would be the first place i went.

Fast forward to 1993. I signed up for a bus tour around England, Wales and Scotland for 11 days to see the highlights at least. I got my first taste of London and loved it! I still remember laying in bed in the hotel and hearing the hour struck... and thinking My God! I'm finally here in London! that's Big Ben!!! It wasn't, i realized that the next day. I was staying near Islington in what was the Barbican Hotel. It could have been St. Paul's which was a half hour walk away or maybe someone just had the radio on really loud, but in any case, it didn't really matter. That was me the next day standing where the scaffold was in the Tower of London! That was me gawping up at the dome of St. Paul's! That was me walking down the Mall to Buckingham Palace and in Drury Lane in a West End theatre!

But i digress...

My intentions for the tips on this page are to give you an idea of highlights. Most of the places I talk about here are places I haven't spent a lot of time visiting, day trips mostly, and therefore not really enough information to make a proper VT page for that location, I feel. I know that probably means fewer people may see the tips for the locations and maybe if i have some time i'll copy the pertinent tips also to individual location pages.

So...

The UK is of course more than London though London has always been the nerve center, the heart of power that drove the rest of the country, politically and religiously. There are world class universities in the UK, widely varied scenery that will take your breath away, quaint and sometimes "twee" villages, grandiose manors and palaces, buzzing modern cities and lonely, rolling, misty moors. There are smoky, grimy, industrial cities and peaceful villages with gardens and Saturday markets. It is a haven for golfers and fans of rugby, football (soccer) and cricket.

The history of this island goes back thousands of years of course but recorded history for the most part began with the Roman invasion. There are buildings that are still standing that are a thousand years old though those are mainly bits and pieces of castles and cathedrals. There are other buildings and houses that can date back to the 14th and 15th century however. That's astonishing when you're from Canada and the oldest buildings standing are generally about 300 years old.

For example, the photo on the left is a modern plaque commemorating someone that was burned at the stake in that square in 1612. He happens to be my 9 times great grandfather on my paternal grandmother's side. 400 years ago nearly, and the town, Lichfield, was old then!

I've been to the UK 10 times as of 2008 . Sometimes i've only been in London, once i skipped London altogether except to change planes to Manchester. I always try to go see some place that's new to me, a town or city or just a museum or a different area of the city i'm familiar with (either Manchester or London) I have a fiance in Salford and a lot of friends in various locations, people i've met via the internet and have visited and met face to face over the years, forming good and, i hope, lasting friendships. I still love to do and see the touristy things but it's nice to have friends to stay with, to see cities and countryside through the eyes of people that live there.

Things are more expensive in Europe than in Canada where, at the time i write this, the exchange rate is about $2.05CA to the pound which is actually very good (2008). I may still convert things in my head to "my" money but i won't not spend money thinking it's too expensive. It costs what it costs there. Somethings i may not buy if i still don't think it's worth it but that's the same anywhere you go. Mainly i don't think too much about it.

Best things about the UK: Pubs, scenery, history, art galleries, theatre, top class universities, museums, good train network, most things aren't so far apart like they are in Canada. Transportation has become cheaper in recent years with the introduction of deep discount bus (coach) service between major cities and the National Express has had to compete with bargain rates. Train travel has risen in price but if you are vigilant, you can still get good deals if you book well in advance. Day saver returns are usually pretty reasonable and if you are staying a few days, two day savers might even be cheaper than a return ticket.

Drawbacks are the cost of things, crowds and noise in the cities, and there are a lot of tourists LOL me included :) Try to avoid summer if you can, there are always tourists at the major attractions but summer is the worst time. I don't think i'll ever get tired of going to the U.K. though there are lots of other places in the world i want to see as well. I shall return.