Planning a Perfect Trip
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Traveling
independently is easy—if you plan for it. In her wanderings through
the countryside of Britain, usually alone, author Dorothy Maroncelli has learned how to make the best of her solo trips by
traveling smart. Here are a few simple tips taken from Chapter 2 of
Britain on Your Own that can ensure the memorable vacation you look
forward to.
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Design
Your Own Tour
Planning on-your-own travel
is easy and enjoyable. Because Great Britain is the number one overseas
destination for Americans, there is a wealth of information available to
you. Besides information you get from libraries, bookstores, the British
Tourist Authority, and the Web, dozens of other sources are listed under a
Resources section in Britain on Your Own.
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Centering your trip around
your own personal interests is the most creative way to plan. Avid readers
can follow in the footsteps of Austen, Dickens, duMaurier, Herriot, or
most British authors, and then stay in the settings of their stories.
Lovers
of art can find the sites where Constable, Turner, Gainsborough,
and other celebrated artists sat to record their landscapes of
Britain. Photographers will find postcard photos everywhere—in
lovely villages, medieval towns, and in sea and mountain landscapes.
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Courtesy
of British Tourist Authority |
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Castle
Combe, one of the most photographed villages in England, was once
voted the prettiest village in England. |
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Those with an interest in
history will find it hard to choose where to go. You can walk on a Roman
town wall or on Saxon King Offa’s Dyke. You can visit ruins of Norman King
William’s monasteries and once-magnificent abbeys, talk with people in
towns changed by England’s civil wars, and find memorials to the Americans
who, in World War II, took part in the greatest military invasion ever
known—D-Day.
A two-week vacation will only be an appetizer to history buffs. |
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This
ancient track past the ruins of a solitary chapel is one of the old
slate roads that led to the quarries in Wales. A wonderful walk but
another one not to be taken alone. |
In
Britain you’ll be able to pursue almost any hobby or interest you
have—music, theater, china, gardens, legends, golf, antiques, and
most others. Walkers will be enticed by the more than 140,000 miles
of walking paths—well-marked trails that are waiting for you.
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In
1898 John L. Stoddard wrote, “England is indeed a paradise for
bicyclists.” In June 2000 the first stage of a new National
Cycle Network opened with 5,000 miles of routes, making Britain a
true cycling paradise.
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Go
Off-Season
The real reward in going
off-season is that you can have the carefree trip you want. From November
through March the hordes of tourists have left and in the towns and
villages the British get back to their daily lives. A sense of peace
returns. And in midwinter the hiss and crackle of a log fire will welcome
you in an old pub with ancient beams and low ceilings and cozy settles.
This is the Britain you go to see.
Travel
Light
This is the most important
and probably the most difficult to do, but it can make the difference
between having a wonderful time and dreading every exhausting move you
make. Maroncelli recommends one carry-on bag weighing no more than twenty
pounds. There is an art to packing light and it is one that you can master
with little effort. A lengthy section in Britain on Your Own gives
“how-to” details.
If you take just three things with you, take a
boundless curiosity, a friendly attitude, and a light suitcase. You will
be assured of a memorable trip.
Travel
Economically
It is easy to reduce the cost
of travel in Britain without sacrificing quality. Off-season airfares cost
less and hotel rates are usually lower. But the big savings in hotels is
in booking package plans, called “Breaks.” Most hotels offer
“Midweek Breaks,” “Leisure Breaks,” or Breaks by some
other name, for those staying two or more nights. The savings per night on
a “Break” package can be anywhere from 30% to 45% less than the
regular daily rate. These discounts are discussed fully in the book's
hotel section. Seniors will learn about many other discounts offered on
buses, trains, admissions, and more.
These
tips are just a sampling of the great ideas, helpful hints, and
suggestions for glorious places to see that you can find in Britain
on Your Own. To receive more great tips for carefree travel in
Britain by e-mail, visit our
Travel Tips page. And
order your copy
of Britain on Your Own today!
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