Travel: United Kingdom - General

[TwaTau]

nani:

If I may tap on this thread?


Can someone share a 2-3weeks self-drive itinerary for family with kids.

Can recommend:

1) Car rental company
2) Htls/Apts
3) Sightseeing
Any others??

For those that have been to NZ, is UK as easy a drive as NZ?


MTIA

I did my honeymoon there, self drive for about 3weeks in 1997 winter, and that was my first trip to UK. Started off from London and drove as far as Edinburgh and then loop back. Starts drive along the east coast drive to Cambridge, York (Very nice place, if you like country side), Edinburgh (Scotland is generally very nice), Lake district, Stonehenge. Stay mainly in B&B (Most are very well furnish and some 300 to 400 hundred years old) and we only booked the London hotel, the rest we booked them as we drive ahead. If you are travelling with kids, I suggest pre-book ahead, especially if you are travelling in summer. I have also travel to NZ with my kids more recently, and I will say NZ is a much easier as compare to UK. One thing of which is the manual gear shift for car in UK, which was a pain for me. Otherwise, I find both place equally scenic, if you like country side.

[TwaTau]

A few additional things to add, driving ethic there are very good. When you signal to filter, everyone give way! And one thing I remember clearly is that they have alot of circles and if you are not sure which road to exit, just go round and round till your partner figure out the right exit! Buy a good map from their bookstore in London. get the local AA version. It is very comprehensive, or alternative, get a car with GPS.

[TwaTau]

starlight1968sg:

If I remembered correctly, you have to take off your shoes and socks when clearing a part of the immigration.

Then all the more you should wear your most stinky sock, I am sure they will skip you for checking! :sick:

[ksme]

Do you have young kids? My boy loves Legoland at Windsor. He was 9 when we went. We did a day trip out to Windsor for that.


Plenty to do in London itself. Museums are mostly free and public transport for kids below 12 are free as long as outside of peak hours. Check the London transport website to confirm. Use the Oyster card which is like our easi-link. There is a deposit (I think it is 2 pounds) for each card but it can be refunded when you return the card.

We like the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, National Art Gallery. Also went to the Victoria Albert Museum and its affiliated children Museum where toys of many generations are on display.

Go see the changing of guards at Buckingham Palace and enjoy the Parks (Hyde Park, South Kensington Park, Kew Gardens etc).

For day trips, we enjoyed going to Leeds Castle and Cambridge/Oxford as well.

I am so excited for you. Wish we can go back soon.... :drool:

[nani]

Isn't all the way right hand drive for London, France, Germany & Italy?


Btw, don't they have auto-car :?

MTIA

[TwaTau]

nani:

Isn't all the way right hand drive for London, France, Germany & Italy?


Btw, don't they have auto-car :?

MTIA

The British always wants to be different, they drive as what we are doing here in Singapore. The rest of Europe is on the other side of the road.

European preferred the manual gear shift, and therefore, auto car rental are rare, and of course more expensive.

[vlim]

we had very bad experience at London last dec..my brother got pick pocketed and we actually know how the pick pocketer do it by viewing the cctv of the KFC stall which the incident took place... other then this my sis also almost got pick pocket....

[Way2GO]

lovekidsverymuch:

Way2GO:

Wear clean socks and shoes on departure from UK. :lol:

Now why is that important??? :?

Security checks at airport during departure.
Security may ask u to take off your footwear and place
them on conveyor belt with rest of hand luggage,
jackets, overcoats......

Social courtesy lah,
imagine u take off your shoes and
stink up the whole place with smelly socks or shoes!

[Way2GO]

TwaTau:

Then all the more you should wear your most stinky sock, I am sure they will skip you for checking! :sick:

:lol: don't try.
The security is all business.

Cos' of the more detailed checks
the queue can be quite long
Imagine everyone looking at the source of the smell! :!:

[Way2GO]

TwaTau:

Buy a good map from their bookstore in London. get the local AA version. It is very comprehensive, or alternative, get a car with GPS.

GPS is better.
U don't hv to fiddle around with maps
on unfamiliar ground.