In April, I get to go teach a portion of a class for work just outside of London! The trip will span over a weekend, so I've have some free time to go wherever I please. It will be just me outside of class. The only other time I've been outside of CONUS was a trip to Canada when I was a teenager.

I really would like to take a ferry over to Ireland as part of this. Traveling to mainland Europe is a bit outside the scope of this trip.

Any suggestions for places to go with SOME free time? I am NOT much of a city person. I'll screw around London for a bit, then head out somewhere else. I'm not terribly interested in touristy, big name things. I'd rather have a more local experience.

A weekend? You could spend a year’s worth of weekends in London alone and not cover everything. I wouldn’t bother wasting time trying to get to Ireland with the limited time you have and just stay local and make the best of your time there.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
A weekend? You could spend a year’s worth of weekends in London alone and not cover everything. I wouldn’t bother wasting time trying to get to Ireland with the limited time you have and just stay local and make the best of your time there.

this,

we spent a week in London and did not have time to do all we wanted,


if you can

Picadilly at night, just cause
Trafalgar, the museums and Church there are great,


if you drink , hit a pub or 6 and make sure they are CAMRA, as in real ale, asin a hand pumped ale, it it worth it if you are a beer guy

Imperial War Museum in Lambeth. River trip on the Thames. Get a cab or a tube train to St Pauls and wander around on foot. Covent Garden/Leicester Square for sure. St Katherine's dock and the historic vessel collection.

A short tube ride on the Northern Line will take you to the RAF Museum at Colindale/Hendon, otherwise there's plenty of other stuff to do just hoofing it around the West End and Knightsbridge.

Forget Ireland, unless you want to take a plane.

Be sure to enjoy a sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

I must have walked 20 miles in 2 days in London. No museums just the sights. I stayed in Maidstone and caught the train in. Dover, cliffs and castle were nice, scenic looking over the channel. Bovington tank museum is also awesome.

I have never been to the UK, but if I ever do get there I would feast on savory pies. If you like meat or mince pies, I would imagine London is the jackpot.

The London Eye is amazing. I also had a good time at Abby Road Studios.

quote:

Originally posted by divil:I have never been to the UK, but if I ever do get there I would feast on savory pies. If you like meat or mince pies, I would imagine London is the jackpot.

Mince pies are NOT made with minced meat, AKA ground beef in USA.

Here in UK, mincemeat - note lack of the letter 'd', is a delicious pie or tart filling made with sweet spices and numerous other ingredients.

Meat-filled pies, like steak and ale, chicken and mushroom or chicken and ham, even steak and kidney, are generally to be found as pub meals, but only rarely in London, where pies in a pub are rather looked down on as being 'rarther common'.

Remember that a pie is a pastry that totally encloses the contents - it is not a dish with pastry merely used as a topping.

Mince pies = Christmas fare.

Steak and ale pies = pub fare.

Stay away from London it you want a meat-filled pie - unless of course, you want to pay £25 for one...

My top three suggestions would be:

o Tower of London
o Imperial War Museum
o British Museum

My top three things to do in London:

1. Take a London Walks tour. You will see things and places you normally would never see. They have all kinds of themed walks. I’ve been on the Jack the Ripper walk several times. Highly, highly recommended.

2. Try to take in a play at The Globe theater. (See my tag line below as proof of my being a Shakespeare fanboi… heck, one my dogs is named Shakespeare!)

3. Find a pub with real wood fireplace, settle in with a pint and pie. It will be an hour well-spent.

Oddball question on traveling to the UK. I know you can't carry a knife there like we carry in the US. But I always carry one when on the Continent. Would I get in trouble for having one in my checked luggage either on arrival or departure, since I'd like to spend some time in London before continuing on to Germany?

My wife and I still remember the great dinner that we had at Stone's Chop House in November, 1977.

Church War Rooms

quote:

Originally posted by Rick Lee:
Oddball question on traveling to the UK. I know you can't carry a knife there like we carry in the US. But I always carry one when on the Continent. Would I get in trouble for having one in my checked luggage either on arrival or departure, since I'd like to spend some time in London before continuing on to Germany?

I’ve been to the UK and Ireland. I’ve carried a knife my entire adult life and could never understand how anyone, man or woman, could get along without one. I don’t carry a pocket clip folder with a blade in the 3 1/2” - 4” range overseas, but I pack a “gentleman’s folding knife” in my shaving kit (checked baggage) and then carry it after arrival without concern. The one I carry is a Victorinox 2 1/2” folder and it requires 2 hands to open it, but it’s a tool, not a weapon, and that should be quite clear.

See who’s playing at the Royal Albert Hall that weekend.

If you are into watches, make an appointment to visit the Christoper Ward showroom in Maidenhead. They make great watches for very reasonable money.

www.christopherward.com

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:

quote:

Originally posted by Rick Lee:
Oddball question on traveling to the UK. I know you can't carry a knife there like we carry in the US. But I always carry one when on the Continent. Would I get in trouble for having one in my checked luggage either on arrival or departure, since I'd like to spend some time in London before continuing on to Germany?

I’ve been to the UK and Ireland. I’ve carried a knife my entire adult life and could never understand how anyone, man or woman, could get along without one. I don’t carry a pocket clip folder with a blade in the 3 1/2” - 4” range overseas, but I pack a “gentleman’s folding knife” in my shaving kit (checked baggage) and then carry it after arrival without concern. The one I carry is a Victorinox 2 1/2” folder and it requires 2 hands to open it, but it’s a tool, not a weapon, and that should be quite clear.

See who’s playing at the Royal Albert Hall that weekend.

While I agree completely, there is no way in hell I'm going to risk bringing a folding knife. I'll have my Malkoff flashlight; that's about it.

quote:

Originally posted by mttaylor1066:
3. Find a pub with real wood fireplace, settle in with a pint and pie. It will be an hour well-spent.

Honestly, these kinds of things sound the most appealing. I know there are TONS of other things I can do, but with limited time, I'd rather not be dealing with crowds of other tourists. Like I said in the OP, I'm not much of a city person.

flesheatingvirus, this Bud’s for you.

quote:

In the UK, it is illegal to carry any knife in public without a valid reason, unless it has a manual folding blade less than 3 inches long. However, non-locking pocket knives with a blade length up to 3 inches are allowed without any need for a valid reason. It is also allowed to carry a knife that exceeds these guidelines in public, but you will need a good reason to carry it. The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife or weapon illegally is either 4 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
flesheatingvirus, this Bud’s for you.

quote:

In the UK, it is illegal to carry any knife in public without a valid reason, unless it has a manual folding blade less than 3 inches long. However, non-locking pocket knives with a blade length up to 3 inches are allowed without any need for a valid reason. It is also allowed to carry a knife that exceeds these guidelines in public, but you will need a good reason to carry it. The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife or weapon illegally is either 4 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both

Bud??? You must hate America!!

Interesting...but I still don't feel like rolling the dice, even though I technically am anyway by walking about unarmed . I honestly don't think I even own a non-locking folder.