# Planning a UK Walkabout **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 29, 2004, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619 "2004-04-29T03:27:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/81 "2004-05-06T22:27:06Z")
> [@Francesca](#): > > If **Steve** is amenable, I’d also be pleased to hook up with you while you’re in Oxford. I’m half an hour away on the train, but am also hampered by Having To Go To Work On Weekdays. A Saturday or Sunday would be best, if you can work that into your schedule. I would love it if you could join us–the more, the merrier, especially if things get silly. As for whether it’s Saturday or Sunday, I need to coordinate with **garius** and **paulbeserker**. I had originally thought that Oxford would be one day and the tour with them the other, but I’m not sure if the pub tour is an all day event or just evening/night. Or maybe we could just combine it all into one day, if they’re amenable to trotting round Oxford during the day and you and **Steve** are interested in crawling through pubs at night. It’d be a traveling party, but we’d all have to be careful not to say either “Krikket” or “Belgium”. (Douglas who?) Of course, there’s the slightly-less-fun option of seeing Oxford with you and Steve and then Leaving You Behind to see pubs with the London crew. I’m open to pretty much anything. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/82 "2004-05-07T10:41:37Z")
As most British people under 50 live in trainers and jeans, I really can’t see how wearing them would mark you out as a tourist! ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/83 "2004-05-07T10:43:48Z")
The London pub tours tend to be all dayers if theyre at weekends, but we do weekday evening ones too. I was in Oxford last saturday on a pub tour for my birthday. Its an hour and a half roughly on a bus from there to London. I’ve no bother with going there but its a pain in the arse getting back home on a night (set off at 10.45pm from pub, got back to my house at 2.30am). you’ve more chance of getting a full team of dopers in London, as theres quite a few of us that are regulars at these things. As far as sight seeing/pubbing in Oxford goes, thats an all dayer, and if I put this across on NADS as an all dayer in London, you’ll get a team of at least 7-10 of us. upto you. tell me the day and whereabouts you are in London and i’ll sort it. and its spelt berserker people! lookit ma name! 😃 cheers! ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/84 "2004-05-07T10:49:25Z")
> [@](#): > > As most British people under 50 live in trainers and jeans, I really can’t see how wearing them would mark you out as a tourist! You’d think so, but based on my lunchtime experiences in Covent Garden, there seems to be a definite difference between American Trainers and British ones which makes the Merkins immediately identifiable. Don’t ask me what, i’ve never been able to pin it down. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/85 "2004-05-07T11:04:47Z")
You have _way_ too much time on your hands, Gary mate. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Doris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Sir\_Doris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Doris)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/86 "2004-05-07T11:20:53Z")
> [@garius](#): > > You’d think so, but based on my lunchtime experiences in Covent Garden, there seems to be a definite difference between American Trainers and British ones which makes the Merkins immediately identifiable. > . I am currently wearing startlingly white Sketchers with a stars’n’stripes buckle thing on the (elasticated) laces. Am I an American Tourist and if so, where can I get a decent cup of coffee? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/87 "2004-05-07T11:21:33Z")
> [@Jennyrosity](#): > > You have _way_ too much time on your hands, Gary mate. Sod off. Its an important government study 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/88 "2004-05-07T11:51:49Z")
> [@garius](#): > > Sod off. Its an important government study 😛 I bet there is a professor somewhere , in an obscure university , who has been given a huge government grant to carry out research just like this. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/89 "2004-05-07T18:58:24Z")
My passport was shipped today and will be here tomorrow. Next week at this time I will be in London. From what I’m reading, and assuming it’s copacetic with **Steve Wright** and **Francesca** , it sounds as if the pub crawl should be all-day Saturday the 15th (to give all you Londopers Sunday to recover from it) and the Oxford tour would then be Sunday the 16th. This ought to keep us out of all the exam-taking students’ hair, too, which is a Good Thing [sup]TM[/sup]. I’ve put together a tentative schedule in a Word document–anyone who wants it (in the interests of giving advice or making plans to hook up) can have it on request. I can also make it into a PDF file so there are fewer worries about virus transmission. My computer’s clean, but I know some e-mail filters will strip Word documents out as a matter of course. And I’ve been misspelling paulbe **r** serker’s name! :o My apologies, paul, I’m usually much better at proofreading than that, especially since I already knew that’s how berserker is spelt! ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/90 "2004-05-10T10:57:02Z")
I’ll let you off with the spelling mistake. nobody else seems able to get it right either. Antway, I reckon the leisurely South Bank tour will be best, after discussing it with my sidekick garius yesterday. You get to see sights, and pubs. I’ll cross post this on NADS too, where nigh on all the dopers who come to these hang out. I reckon 1.00pm outside Embankment station would be best. If you need directions, I can post them up too, its fairly easy to get to from Ealing, about half an hour on the tube. Hands up everyone who wants beer! ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/91 "2004-05-10T11:32:55Z")
We’ll all keep our eye on this thread, **Morgyn** - if you run into any inconveniences or difficulties, one of us should be close enough to offer practical help (although you’ll almost certainly be fine given you’ve planned this fairly well). You should be able to access here from any cafe or library with internet access. A couple of general pointers: [Budget flights](http://www.flightmapping.com/budget/) are often as cheap as trains for long journeys and much quicker (_eg._ London - Edinburgh, one hour, £20 one way on certain flights). Tourist Information Centres are great at finding accomodation for you. If the weather’s nice, an ultra-cheap option is buying a £10 tent from Asda/Tesco/other big supermarket. Big supermarket restaurants are also a good option for cheap, decent food when other places are closed (\*eg. holidays, Sunday mornings, late at night _etc_.) Have a nice stay. Watch out up Snowdon - it’s safe enough but don’t take any chances. On a clear day and you’ll be rewarded with stunning views from atop some of the world’s oldest mountains. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/92 "2004-05-10T11:51:08Z")
> [@](#): > > after discussing it with my sidekick garius yesterday. feck right off. Your sidekick my arse! Everyone knows you’re the junior member of this superhero partnership. ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/93 "2004-05-10T11:55:22Z")
I don’t think so. You’ve a lot to learn young jedi. Everybody know Pauly T is running this show. Blau! ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/94 "2004-05-10T13:03:05Z")
Sunday 16th, huh? I shall be sure to wear the High Visibility Shirt. (Look out for something in day-glo lime green.) ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/95 "2004-05-10T13:26:33Z")
> [@SentientMeat](#): > > We’ll all keep our eye on this thread, **Morgyn** - if you run into any inconveniences or difficulties, one of us should be close enough to offer practical help (although you’ll almost certainly be fine given you’ve planned this fairly well). You should be able to access here from any cafe or library with internet access. > > A couple of general pointers: [Budget flights](http://www.flightmapping.com/budget/) are often as cheap as trains for long journeys and much quicker (_eg._ London - Edinburgh, one hour, £20 one way on certain flights). > > Tourist Information Centres are great at finding accomodation for you. If the weather’s nice, an ultra-cheap option is buying a £10 tent from Asda/Tesco/other big supermarket. > > Big supermarket restaurants are also a good option for cheap, decent food when other places are closed (\*eg. holidays, Sunday mornings, late at night _etc_.) > > Have a nice stay. Watch out up Snowdon - it’s safe enough but don’t take any chances. On a clear day and you’ll be rewarded with stunning views from atop some of the world’s oldest mountains. Yeah, but Edinburgh airport is miles outside of all the interesting parts of Edinburgh and is a hassle to get to and from. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/96 "2004-05-10T16:32:36Z")
> [@+MDI](#): > > Yeah, but Edinburgh airport is miles outside of all the interesting parts of Edinburgh and is a hassle to get to and from. The airport bus isn’t bad, and it’s fairly frequent. It also stops v. near the Tourist Office in the city centre. It may not be _that_ scenic coming in, but the view as you first see the castle in the distance, and the Pentlands to the south, is pretty good. IMO. And can you send me that doc. **Morgyn;** you have my e-mail. Just a Word doc. should do, and you know how to contact me anyway… ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/97 "2004-05-10T16:52:54Z")
My passport arrived yesterday. The USPS apparently delivers Express Mail on Sundays. Who knew? So now I can legally travel to and from countries other than Canada and border Mexico. You are all being so good to me. _sniffle_ I am looking forward to meeting each and every one of you. This is the plan so far: May 14: Land at Heathrow May 15: Pub Crawl May 16: Oxford May 17: Sutton Hoo May 18: Dover May 19: London (hop-on bus tour, etc.) May 20: Stonehenge May 21: More London, shopping May 22: London, Brackley (maybe), travel to Cornwall May 23: Cornwall May 24: Tintagel May 25: Exeter May 26: Bath (w/ a trip to the Roman camp/city in Wroxter sometime in these days) May 27: Bath May 28: Bath May 29: ??? May 30: Hay-on-Wye (staying in Hereford?) May 31: Hay-on-Wye (maybe) June 1: ??? June 2: Conwy–BusyBus Back Wales tour (includes Mt. Snowden, I think) June 3: Anglesey June 4: ??? June 5: Edinburgh June 6: Edinburgh (meet up with Meurglys and SpaceDog?) June 7: Edinburgh June 8: Inverness & Loch Ness June 9: Durham June 10: Durham June 11: Housesteads Fort & Vindolanda June 12 - 13: ??? Alderley Edge, maybe June 14 - London, Heathrow June 15: Lift off at 8 PM (ish) I’ve been trying to build in a little slack for traveling, laundry, and just breathing. I also expect I’ll be making adjustments as I travel to allow for either more or less time in any one place. At least, I’m led to expect that I’ll be doing that! I’m practically hopping in my chair in excitement. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/98 "2004-05-10T19:43:10Z")
> [@Meurglys](#): > > The airport bus isn’t bad, and it’s fairly frequent. It also stops v. near the Tourist Office in the city centre. > It may not be _that_ scenic coming in, but the view as you first see the castle in the distance, and the Pentlands to the south, is pretty good. IMO. > > And can you send me that doc. **Morgyn;** you have my e-mail. Just a Word doc. should do, and you know how to contact me anyway… Ahh, but when compared to Waverly which is right on Princes Street and in front of the castle it’s pretty bad. ---
**Author:** ![hybrid\_dogfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@hybrid\_dogfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hybrid_dogfish)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/99 "2004-05-10T20:31:38Z")
Damn, various things prevent me being in Durham opn the 9th/10th ☹ (girlfriend in Manchester, 12 hour student party, 8pm-8am 😃 ) antway, I’m sure you will have a good time, tis a nice city. ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619/100 "2004-05-10T22:10:45Z")
It turns out I’m not in the area on the 16th. Bum. But I assure you that Steve is a very good guide and knows all the best pubs. Hope you have a great time! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-uk-walkabout/242619.md?page=6)