Weather

It looks like we'll be seeing rain in London at least some of the time, if not most of the time - and that's where we spend the most time on foot, so be ready. The forecast is actually looking a little better - check out this 7-day for London. I found a 15-day forecast for Scotland and it looks like the weather will be DRY by the time we get there. It will be cool in Scotland, probably not getting above 60 or below 40...

Please call us if you have questions. My cellphone is 387-3868, Ms. J's is 387-3867. TIME TO START PACKING!

Rain - Batteries - Flying Attire

Rain is forecast for London on Sunday, and Monday at least. Be sure to have a raincoat and/or small umbrella - you will need them. We'll have two modes of transportation in London: our feet and the Underground. Obviously we'll be dry while "underground", but on foot we may get a little soggy. Temperatures are expect to be low-50's to upper 60's.

Be sure to charge up your iPods and MP3 players - the flight from Chicago to London is a long one. My advice would be to save your batteries on the first leg so you'll have a full charge for the long second flight. Earphones that fit further into your ear will work better on the plane - shut out more noise.

Also, remember it can be pretty cool on the plane. If you're cold-natured you may want to carry on a jacket and wear pants instead of shorts for the flight.

LONDON 10-day weather forecast

10-day weather forecast for London here.

Last time East London, this time West End

It looks like we'll be staying in the West End (a pretty nice neighborhood) while in London - near Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Our nearest tube station will be Queensway.

Confirmed - Pascal again

It's official: Pascal Wilson, our 2005 tour guide, will be our guide this time as well. He's a great guy and we're all happy to have him again!

Get ready for the weather

London 10-day forecast

Edinburgh (Scotland) 10-day forecast - Remember that Scotland is on the back end of our trip so you won't get an accurate forecast until just before we leave. Also, at the very end we will be even farther north which means it will be even cooler.

Don't forget to use the Fahrenheit/Celsius converter which can be found on the weather pages.

Reminder post - AC adapters

Here's the link again for the AC adapter plugs for DUAL-VOLTAGE appliances. Remember to get the British model - not the continental/European one.

London Underground video

Another great London Underground video here.

Capital of the world?

This story says London is the world capital of the 21st century. Maybe, maybe not - but I'm ready to get back there. The story cites the "Gherkin" building (above) as a sign of London's resurgence. We stayed not far from the palatial pickle last time we were in London. East London has lots of modern buildings because most of the old ones were leveled by the German air force in World War II.

The Thames at night

Check out this view of the river Thames (pronounced "Tims")at London. The huge ferris wheel at left is called the London Eye and is a prime attraction. This view isn't far from (and is perpendicular to) the one below - "London at Night".

Minding the gap

This picture from Mark on Flickr is interesting on a couple of levels. First, it shows how close a Londoner will stand to the speeding Underground trains, and how routine the commuting experience is for them (note the yawner on the left). Second, it reminds me how interesting and pervasive the Underground signage is. This photo includes a poster showing a Beowulf-era helmet from the British Museum - part of an exhibit Ms. Isbell is dying to see!

London at night

That isn't the US Capitol dome you see at the other end of the Millenium Bridge across the River Thames. It's the building that probably inspired it: St. Paul's Cathedral (of big doors fame, see post below). We'll visit it in the daytime. This photo was made late at night after we watched a Shakespeare play at the New Globe Theatre.

Everybody loves liquid

As mentioned in a previous post (below) there are strict new rules about carrying on liquids. This link has all the info. The photo at right is an example of the 3-1-1 rule: containers of 3 ounces or less in 1 ziplock-type bag with a 1-quart capacity.

Also - see this link for a complete list of things you can/can't carry on or check. Remember, NO KNIVES may be carried on.

ELECTRICAL ANSWERS

Power outlets in the UK use a different style plug than the USA and the current it 220 volts - not 120 volts. The simplest way to handle the power conversion is to make sure that your charger, hair dryer, or curling iron is a dual voltage model. With dual voltage applicances all you need is the little plug at the right.

Dual voltage appliances automatically adjust to the higher voltage. This is how you can tell if your equipment is dual voltage: it will say 120/240 volts somewhere on the appliance. The label may be a sticker or it may be molded into the item. Most chargers and AC power adapters for electronic equipment produced in the last few years are dual voltage. Make sure by checking the label! You can get the adapter plugs locally but it may be cheaper to mail order them from the source above. Most adapter kits you buy locally will have both Euro and UK plugs and will cost about $10. You only need the UK plug for this trip. The one mentioned above is $4 plus shipping. You may want to buy two or combine an order with another tripper to save on shipping.

If your appliances are not dual voltage you'll need a power converter - not just a plug. The problem is that these converters are heavy (about one pound) and expensive (up to $40), and they don't always work properly. It may be cheaper to just buy a new dual voltage hair dryer. Target has one for only $15.

If in doubt about power conversion, do your own research. Damage can result to your AC-powered stuff if you get it wrong. You shouldn't necessarily trust my advice on this one!

This link has a detailed discussion of power conversion.

Carrying on

"Some luggage sold as suitable for airline carry-on exceeds all airline size limits.Know what you can and can't carry on to your flight in advance." - The Travel Insider

What can you carry on the airplane? Most travelers will check some luggage, but everyone will carry on something. Here's the best information I have about carry-on luggage:

You are allowed to carry on one piece of carry-on luggage plus a "personal item". The most important thing to know about your carry-on luggage is that it should be 22" x 14" x 9" or smaller. The bag must fit in the plane's overhead storage compartment. Odd shapes or overstuffed bags can cause problems. If in doubt, measure your luggage. Don't trust the label in the store - measure it.

The personal item can be a briefcase, camera bag, handbag, purse, small shoulder bag, laptop (in carry bag), other items not exceeding 36" in total dimension, reading matter, small book-bag style backpack, or umbrella. The personal item will need to fit under the seat in front of you on the plane.

Learn more about carry-ons here.

(JUST IN: The eBags Weekender Convertible (pictured above) is on sale from eBags.com for $49.99 with free shipping. This the bag I took last time and I paid $60 for mine. This bag (which converts to a backpack) does not have wheels. Why would you want a suitcase without wheels? Well, they're more space efficient, more flexible which means they'll fit it tight spaces better, and you can move more quickly with the bag on your shoulder or your back - especially on stairs or rough pavement. This bag is the maximum legal carry-on size. It will not fit under the airplane seat. It must be stowed in the overhead compartment.)

Remember - unlike checked luggage - carry-on luggage is never lost or delayed. The best case scenario is getting all your stuff in your carry-on. Then you know you haven't brought too much. Even if you are checking luggage you should put some of your essential toiletries and a change of clothes in your carry-on in case your checked luggage doesn't reach England as quickly as you do. This link from the Transportation Safety Adminstration describes what sort of liquids you can carry on and how they have to be stored. PLEASE read this information; it could save you a lot of hassle.

Looooooooong Days

One of the great things about visiting England and Scotland in the early summer is that the days are very long. Because you're so much further north of the equator than we are here in Tennessee the sun sets very late and rises very early. These pictures were made in Edinburgh, Scotland between 10 and 11PM if my memory can be trusted. I just checked a weather website and on our last day in Edinburgh this year the sun will RISE at 4:32AM and SET at 9:52PM, It stays light until past 11PM if it's clear. Yes, those are in sheep in the foreground of one photo. Last time we stayed on the banks of the Firth of Forth (the bay that comes into Edinburgh from the North Sea) which is where these pictures were made . We probably won't be as near the water next time, but we should catch a glimpse of the sea while in Edinburgh. By the way, EDINBURGH is pronounced Edin-burra, not Edin-berg.

Shambling

The Shambles is a street in York that dates from medieval times - it's mentioned in the Domesday Book which makes it at least 900 years old. The buildings shown here date from the 1400's. The unique thing about them is how each story hangs out further than the one below until the buildings on the two sides of the street nearly touch. Can anyone guess why? This street is so famous it has its own website.

WHAT ABOUT THE WEATHER?

The pictures above show the temperature extremes we can expect: Sweater, scarf, and jacket weather in Scotland, and shorts weather in London (notice Walt, Jesse, and chase - and the LOOK LEFT warning). What temperatures should we expect on the trip? Our last trip in May/June 2005 was atypically hot. If the averages hold we should be looking at lows in the mid 50's and highs in the upper 60's. Last time we were in the 80's for the southern part of our trip and it was a bit warm. In Scotland it should run 5-10 degrees cooler: we might see lows in the mid 40's and highs around 60. Wind and rain are probably also more likely in the north. Remember, if checking websites about the weather, they use Celsius, not Fahrenheit. 12-20 Celsius equals 53-68 Fahrenheit. I'll post more links for weather averages and temperature converters.

What does this mean? It means pack a jacket or sweater. A hat and even gloves might be helpful in Scotland if you're cold natured. Pack a small umbrella if your jacket isn't waterproof, too.

Check out this quote from a travel message board:

"I've lived in Scotland for the last 3 years, and all I can say about their summer weather is that it encompasses all seasons, sometimes within one month! I've had to bundle up in woolly sweaters and jackets in July, but I've also seen the temps spike to a 'heatwave' which is what most Americans would call normal summer weather! It rarely gets above the high 70s in Scotland in summertime, and it can get quite chilly especially at night or when a fog rolls in (ah, the haar...)

If it gets above 75 fahrenheit the Brits tend to declare a heatwave, but that's not to say they don't get the real thing once in a blue moon...temps this past summer were extremely high down in London, but only got into the mid to high 80s in Scotland.

I don't know how long you'll be there for or what you'll be doing, but I'd count on packing at least one of each of the following: heavy wool sweater, jeans, shorts/skirt. And of course many layers of various weights and sleeve lengths!"

Incomparable York

Here's a couple from York in the north of England. This is guaranteed to be one of your favorite stops. Check out some of our crowd inside Yorkminster - the cathedral. Other photo shows the outside. It's the finest Gothic cathedral in the UK, one of the finest in all of Europe. You can learn more about the Minster here.

Visualize Piccadilly Circus

There are no elephants at Piccadilly Circus, which is sort of the Times Square of London. Circus means that it's circular - traffic circles around it. It was the first part of London we visited last time. This Underground poster allows you to see how the Underground trains move around London, usually below street level.

UNDERGROUND VIDEO

Check out this youtube video (if you have highspeed internet) shot on the London Underground. It features an unauthorized busker playing on the train. Buskers (street musicians) are usually licensed and told where to set up, but they're not supposed to be on the trains. One of the most surreal moments of our last stay in London was the sound of a busker with an electric guitar playing "Under the Bridge" by the RHCP as we rode an escalator down into an Underground station. The acoustics were wonderful!

Scotland or Mordor?

Most of the pictures on this site are mine, but I borrowed this one from a web page. It's the William Wallace Memorial near Stirling Castle (we'll visit both). It reminds me of something out of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings - very weird. Wallace was sort of like the George Washington of Scotland - think Braveheart.

Old, really old

We talk about things being old, but Clifford's Tower in York is really old. It was built by the Normans 800-900 years ago soon after they conquered the Anglo-Saxons. Whoever controlled York controlled northern England, so this castle was important. There are only two other structures similar to this one anywhere in Europe. There's one just like it in France and another elsewhere in England that is badly damaged. In castle terminology the central tower portion is called the keep. We'll see a much fancier keep at Windsor Castle near London.

Yorkshire

We'll pass through Yorkshire (the north of England) on our way to Scotland. Lots of people slept on the bus, but if you stay awake you'll see sights like this flying by. The yellow crop is called rape or oilseed. It's what canola oil comes from and should be in bloom when we pass through next June.

Scottish Rock & Roll

This gentleman met us at the Scottish border. He really rocked.

Signs to mind

These are two important warnings you'll see in London: Mind the Gap means don't fall between the Undergound (subway) platforms and the train. Also there are no guardrails - the length of the station is the length of the stopped train. You don't want to fall onto the electrified track! LOOK RIGHT is a reminder that traffic uses the opposite side of the road from the US. So when crossing a street you look RIGHT first, not left. The traffic moves very quickly. London cabs are made with low front fenders so they don't injure pedestrians so severely - hopefully. These warnings are painted on the street at many intersections.

Pack light!

It's never too early to start thinking about how little stuff you should take on the trip. An old Spanish proverb from onebag.com: "On a long journey, even a straw weighs heavy". This site is full of good advice. This section discusses types of luggage - makes a strong case for backpack as opposed to rolling types. I made the whole trip last time with one carry-on suitcase/backpack - mainly so I'd have hands free to help Janet who definitely had her hands full. And, I'm planning to take even less this time.

Four photos from London, 2005

Just to prove east Tennesseans can make it in London: James with a horse guard, lounging on a large lion in Trafalgar Square, redcoats headed for Buckingham Palace, and Dalton (in UT jersey) walking past the closing gate of No.10 Downing Street (the British White House). Photos from 2005 trip.

First of many photos

Here's your tour director, her niece Kerry, and her husband (the blog author) in front of the "big doors" at St. Paul's Catherdal in London. These are the doors that Charles and Diana walked through when they were married. They are rarely opened, usually only for royalty. We'll definitely stop at St. Paul's. When you see the dome of the church you'll think it's the US Capitol.

Aldgate East Tube station

This link shows a 360-degree view of the Aldgate East London Underground subway station. The Underground (or "the Tube" as locals call it) is how we'll get around London. Those who went on the last trip will recognize it as our "home station" just around the block from our hotel in east London. In case you don't know, the Tube is how we'll get around London. See the links at right for more Tube info. There's a lot of history here - this station was used as a major air raid shelter during the Blitz in the early days of World War II. Much of the station is unchanged since that time. There's no guarantee we'll stay in the same place next time, but this photo gives you a real sense of what a tube station is like. In the daytime it will be MUCH more crowded though.

Welcome UK trippers

This is where I'll be posting tips and trivia to help prepare participants for the 2007 trip from East Tennessee to Westminster (and beyond). We had a great trip in '05 and we're counting on another good time.