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Where are you staying in London? I am a Londoner and would be happy to meet up. I am going to Bristol on Thursday but could meet you on Wednesday. It depends on what you would like to see while in London. We could do a really nice walk along the Thames in the morning and you could get to see quite a few nice visitor attractions during the walk and then in the afternoon you could visit a museum or other attraction, and then do Cardiff on Thursday. Send me a message. I am happy to help :)
Brandilyn wrote: "So... any advice appreciated. I will be flying into London on Tuesday and will be getting to Bristol on Friday.I was planning to spend a couple days sight-seeing and shooting (i.e. taking pics) ..."
Will you have a car? Cardiff is beautiful but check in with someone who knows cardiff before you committ to a hotel (ROFL)... Bath is gorgeous as well...
RJ X
I recently discovered the website of an Amreican student who is spending a year studying in London. She has made several day-trips and written very clearly about them, including trips to Cardiff and Bath. She gives up-to-date information on how to get there, what to see, where she ate, etc.. She's also done quite a bit of exploring in London.http://alexgoestoeurope2014.blogspot....
Bath:
http://alexgoestoeurope2014.blogspot....
Cardiff:
http://alexgoestoeurope2014.blogspot....
I suggest you expand the different dates in the blog archive and you can see where else she's been.
Rj - no I will not have a car... Unless I need one. I have enough trouble driving on the right hand side of the road.
Brandilyn wrote: "Rj - no I will not have a car... Unless I need one. I have enough trouble driving on the right hand side of the road."One benefit of the website I recommended is that Alex doesn't have a car either. She goes by train. While that is a good choice from the point of view of speed and seeing the countryside, it is expensive unless you qualify for a railcard (as she does) or book well in advance. There are good deals to be had going by coach/bus, although you are then at the mercy of traffic (getting out of London can take ages by road).
I just thought of another website with good trips in London and elsewhere, although they do tend to be linked to the Duke of Wellington!! http://onelondonone.blogspot.co.uk
Look for the recent posts entitled "Loose in London", or the ones in the Blog Archive (left hand column, some way down) labelled A Couple in England, London and Waterloo Tour, and London at the New Year.
Thanks, HJ I will be checking out that site for sure
Trains are good for travel between London, Bristol and Cardiff. But buses would be cheaper. The Megabus is one I often see recommended for Bristol to London.The train station in Bristol is fairly central but there are always taxis outside to get you whereever you need to be.
If you want suggestions for places to visit in Bristol I can help with that - depending on what you want to see. It's a great city.
In London I'm guessing you'll want to see all the sights. One of my fave things to do is walking the South Bank past the London Eye. You can walk all the way from the Tower of London to the Houses of Parliament if you don't mind a long walk. I think it takes about an hour.
London is really easy to get around, the Tube is amazing. I recommend the CityMapper app for helping with journey planning within London - I think it might work in other cities too but I've only used it in London.
Despite only living an hour away, I hardly know Cardiff at all. I need to remedy this - it's been on to do list for years. Isn't that always the way though? You see more of a city that you visit as a tourist on the other side of the world than you do of the ones that are just down the road :)
hope some of that is useful!
Ije - I haven't decided where. Any tips would be appreciated
Right now the only things solid about my plans are arrival/departure and my hotel stay in Bristol
Few tips for London: Portobello road has nice little shops, really liked it when I was there. And then there was quirky little home front museum from WWII era but I just can't find it anymore or remember the name. =( It was really interesting as it was so different from other museums I've been in.
Bristol area: Bath really is beautiful. Roman baths were really nice. It's easy to get to by train from Bristol. (I was already in Bristol when I visited it.)
Another is great place Avebury. Great place to just wander around and enjoy the scenery, museums and mansion whole day. There is lot of different sites near the actual hedge that you can visit if you are prepared to walk couple of miles around the place.
You can easily get there (from Bristol) by taking train to Swindon and then walking about 1 block and taking bus to Avebury, takes about an hour IIRC. Train + bus plus ticket is cheap way to do it.
Brunel's ss Great Britain was interesting. There is museum about the different stages and uses of the ship and things from the voyages and then you can visit the actual ship itself as it was when it sailed to Australia. The ship was beautifully restored and pretty labyrinthine.
It's at the end of the wharf in the centre of Bristol, pretty easy to find.
I like zoos and aquariums and visited Bristol aquarium. Much bigger than you'd thought from the outside. =) Great place too.
PM if you are interested to get more details about any of the sights or how to get there. I can give you all my research from last year with maps and all. I'm def. on the anal retentive side when it comes to planning my trips to abroad. x)
Some helpful links too.
National rail Place to look for train connections. You can't buy tickets but it will give you all the operators and connections.
Traveline Best ever. Will give you any combination of trains, busses, tub or other public transport and walking distances from point A to point B.
R.J. wrote: "Brandilyn wrote: "So... any advice appreciated. I will be flying into London on Tuesday and will be getting to Bristol on Friday.I was planning to spend a couple days sight-seeing and shooting (..."
Cardiff is great - we spend a lot of time there on Uni runs and for the rugby! We love Tyrosa, which is a gay friendly tiny little bed and breakfast place in deepest Cardiff. Not the best area, but it suits us, anyway. National Museum of Wales well worth a visit - and free! - as are the arcades, with lovely little cafes. The Bay is a must, with the Millenium centre, and all the Torchwood connections. Plenty of great places to eat there, too.
Cardiff is easy to get around by bus. A day to go ticket costs £3.60 and you can use that for all trips anywhere within Cardiff for the day. You must visit the Bay for the Torchwood connections and if you're into craft then Craft in the Bay is wonderful. Cardiff Castle is fabulous and not to be missed. Try Air BnB for your accommodation. There's one in Earls Court in London which is only £50 a night but the Travel Lodge in Southwark is good too if you book in advance and is near the Old Vic theatre and Borough Market with it's amazing food stalls. The replica of The Golden Hinde is not too far away and is well worth the visit. The Globe Theatre is near too. There are bound to be some Air BnBs in Cardiff.
I forgot to add that you must have the exact change on the buses in Cardiff.
If your leg still isn't quite workable by the time you arrive, talk to your airline. They should be able to have someone waiting for you when you land at Heathrow to help you to the Tube station.This is the Accessible Tube Map: https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/doc...
It lists all the stations with step-free access as well as how to access further assistance if required.
If you have a stick or some other walking aid, bring it with you. Londoners are more forgiving if they see someone with a visible walking problem and will go around you. Otherwise it's not uncommon - especially in rush hour - to get jostled around a bit.
Cardiff is very pretty, especially the castle. If you like Doctor Who, the Doctor Who Experience is also well worth the cost of admission. It's terrific fun and has a superb collection once you're past the Experience part. I loved it.
Most of Cardiff can be readily reached on foot if you're up for walking it. IIRC the streets closest the castle can be a little dangerous underfoot with wonky paving and the like.
I have rearranged my travel plans. I am flying into Bristol on Tuesday. If I am up for it, I might make a day trip to Cardiff on Wednesday or Thursday... But it will all depend on if/how well I am walking.The logistics in traveling with luggage alone in london and then getting to Bristol all on unfamiliar transportation and while impaired just didn't sound like much fun.
I have a wheelchair. If I am weight bearing my then, I will have crutches instead. I don't see myself being ready for a cane by then since I haven't put any weight on my left leg since 24 april. I am still hoping with everything I have that I will be able to make this trip.
I have no idea if I will be walking by then, so I am having to play everything by ear right now. Right now the 9 hours on the plane to Amsterdam is the most concerning part, to be honest. I need to call KLM customer service sometime soon.
Brandilyn wrote: "I have rearranged my travel plans. I am flying into Bristol on Tuesday. If I am up for it, I might make a day trip to Cardiff on Wednesday or Thursday... But it will all depend on if/how well I a..."Brandi KLM are very good and Schipol Airport are very access friendly.
Yep. I've never flown KLM but I've heard nothing but excellent things about their customer service.If you need someone to wheel you around now and then to give your arms a break, let us know :D
Ha! I am thinking about bringing my chair either way, just in case. I will make that decision closer to time to leave. Which reminds me, I need to get my swag together for shipping...
I was planning to spend a couple days sight-seeing and shooting (i.e. taking pics) in London and maybe make a trip to Cardiff... because... Cardiff...
So I would love ideas on where to go/where to stay/how to get from point A to point B, etc.
This is my first trip ever outside of North America and my first trip out of the continental US since childhood.
***Note: I will be on my own, so advice on places to avoid, would also be appreciated***