Meander Ingwa

You also need to pay a visit to the clock room at the British Museum

I am a solo traveler and will be on Viking Venus January 12,2024 for Northern Lights Looking forward to the adventure as well as the train ride to Oslo after with a few days there before returning to London then home. Am already thinking about a TA from Rome in Fall 2024 and using that as a way to get homeward after a land tour of the art galleries in Italy.

additional hint for the Abbey, they hold choral Evensong service a couple times a week. check the web site for days and times. It is free and you can hear lovely music inside a beautiful space. You cannot linger after, it is not a tour, but to me these spaces become different when filled with singing voices. At Westminster you can actually feel the vibration of the music. At christmas I was sitting by the alter and could feel and hear a single childs voice singing from the opposite end of the abbey. St Pauls has a daily service as well. It is my arrival day tradition

Thats true

I am actually looking at a transAtlantic away from Rome after visiting Italy in the fall. Rail service to Citiv from Rome is about 12 dollars and takes about 45 minutes express or about 1 hr 20 min local stops. I enjoy trains and would not hesitate to use the national rail system

Have not done this specifically, but have walked Inn to Inn along the Cornwall coast path, St Ives to Penzance. I have also done many other inn to inn walks in England and Europe. The Cornwall coast can be blessed with amazing weather and the views along the cliff tops are wonderful. A nice break from the usual town tours. Trails are well waymarked

the possibility of a TA / TP reposition appeals to me as a way to get home from the point of origin. I dont need all the bells and whistles. I am in no hurry to return from a Europe or Asia land tour and actually I think it opens up a lot of fun vacation ideas.

Here in the states I can use the Coin Star machine and transfer the WHOLE balance directly to my Amazon account. I have two Piggy Bank cans that all my coins go in to and it usually comes to 160$ when I empty them.

You cannot beat candied ginger for tasty and it makes a good stir stick in tea

thanks for the tea info. I use Twinings Lemon and Ginger regularly, so will bring some along. I love turmeric and the cuisines that use it, though sometimes it gives me hot flushes and insomnia. Payback for tasty Indian cuisine

What brand of ginger pills are used? I love ginger and eat and drink it regularly , pills would be most practical. I assume there will be lemon ginger tea in the buffet and drink services on Viking

OOoooo as long as you are visiting Fortnums step next door and visit Hatchards, Londons oldest bookstore (1797). You can get a vacation book to take along on the ship

Best way in to London from Heathrow is the Elizabeth Line. Lots of space and quick. It goes further east and connects to many of the Underground lines. It has the most space on the train and the best stations for navigation. Best day away is Canterbury. super easy on the train, The cathedral is magnificent. If you want to do Stonehenge it is best to go on tour. My favorite free tip is to visit the 2 big London Cathedrals ( St Pauls the Abbey) for Evensong, usually around 530 pm. This allows you inside the space for the service without paying a fee. If you really want to visit and dig into the tombs monuments and details, by all means go at regular open time ( entrance fees) , but visiting for free and to sit and listen to music and hear the service is a thing to be experienced. These spaces were why the music was written. No matter your spiritual persuasion , enjoy. They will not permit you to linger and look around. Both spaces get very crowded with tourists during open visit hours The City, the old 1 square mile of the city that was inside the Roman Wall, just west of The Tower. I visit here on Sunday morning and just ramble around through all the little streets and passages. Stroll through Leadenhall Market ramble up to St Pauls. During the weekday it is the international finance hub and super busy. Though that is a bit of a thing to see as well. See >>> londonforfree dot net <<< for a free walking tour pdf ( there are other walks as well On Trafalgar square St Martins in the Fields often has free lunchtime concert. It can be a bit of pot luck but you can hear some good music, sometimes by and up and coming musician. Since it is free it is a good way to have a sit down break. SMitF has a long standing tradition of music and the Academy is world renown for the music produced under Neville Marriner. It is across the street from the National Gallery so a good resting spot after a few hours in the galleries. Many museums are free and many have a late night once a week. You can go and enjoy with less crowds. The VandA , The British Museum and The National are huge and cannot be taken in one bite. Nice things about free museums is that you can visit for an hour and see a few galleries then leave. My favorite smaller museum is The Tate in Chelsea ( not Tate Modern on Southbank) All British painters small and easy to take in. Depending on your personal interests London is home to tons of museums for what ever you enjoy from toys to graphic arts to medicine and surgery. Many of the old hospitals have little museums attached. The free antiquities / rarity room at The British Library by Kings Cross station is is a treat. Everything from a copy of the Magna Carta to Beatles lyrics jotted on a napkin. If you visit the Tower of London, go early and go straight to the Crown Jewels before it get crowded. A walk along the south bank from Westminster to St Pauls and dusk is a wonderful way to spend the evening check out >>> london theatre dot co dot uk <<<to find out what shows are on when you are there. London theatre is tops and you can often see some of your favorite performers there. I would not hesitate to attend a show at the The Globe, even if Shakespeare is not your favorite Getting around London is easy so you dont have to stay right in the core. I would suggest a hotel to stay within a couple blocks of a tube station. Open yourself to staying east or north. Historically I have stayed just south of Kings Cross near Russell Square, but am starting to like staying near Greenwich. Google maps is a great help for finding hotels and if you click on the little Underground roundel on the map it will show you which tube line is close and where it goes.. Be aware that many of the hotels and B&B that are in listed ( historic) buildings will not have elevators. Request a ground floor if you dont want to be climbing up and down (with bags) The Underground map is a masterpiece and its design concept is copied the world round. It does not, however, show you accurate distances one station to the next, particularly stations that are on different lines. Often it is easier to exit and walk than to make a connecting transfer. Google maps makes it clearer. My favorite underground station is Baker Street it is a feast for the eyes. I think the physical graphics of the Underground are a real treat. I have spent a Sunday morning just rambling the lines and getting off at stations. For a peek search "tubemapper" on Instagram An overlooked area is Little Venice and a walk along the Regents Canal to Camden Market. Camden is a real popular place and very crowded on the weekends but I guess that is a bit of its charm. Not sure what kind of shopping you wish to do but I would encourage window shopping in the area around Fortnums including Jermyn Street, with all the famous tailors. Fortnum is worth going inside to see the food halls and other treats. Where to eat??? Again that is such a personal thing. For a quick sandwich bite at lunchtime, Pret is ubiquitous and inexpensive. If you are adventuresome eating then use your google map and search restaurants and then sort by cuisine. The world lives in London and so does its food. The area around Brixton tube station (Victoria Line) is filled with ethnic places and food carts within the Brixton Market and Brixton Village Market. For me the best chinese food in not in Chinatown. I could go on and on. London is my favorite world city. I first visited in 77. There are many excellent London tour leaders and historians on You Tube, Twitter and Instagram. They can spark your interest. With a short number of days, make a list in advance

BaliThai that sounds like a great trip. I am a solo traveler and new to cruising. I love the idea of flying to New Zealand, play focused tourist and then cruising home (western washington) Just a nice option from flying both ways

I would not plan on staying at / near SeaTac and then exploring Seattle. That is a transportation nightmare. Traffic here is not good and you would need a car. I would not take Sound Transit back and forth, myself. Cederbrook Lodge is mentioned often as a happy compromise. A quiet day to decompress may be welcome for adults but the kids might bounce off the walls in a regular hotel room. If you can get a day room downtown I would do that. A Mariners game could be great fun if there is an afternoon game. Stadium known for great and diverse food options. Then make your way to the airport. Uber /Lyft would be my choice. I think SeaTac is a nice airport but it does not rise to a Singapore level where there are nice diversions for a long layover. I would personally try to change that flight, even to the following day. Getting east, across country from Seattle is just never a happy prospect. If you are flying to NY you at least have more non-stop options. But I dont sleep on planes so getting home after a red eye or long flight is a downer end to a good trip

Thank you for your very generous evaluation of the different places. Hopping on a local bus and going for a ride is exactly what I would do. I would be thrilled with the lynx stop too. I was in the middle of nowhere eastern Oregon when our group stopped to visit a Rattlesnake that was snoozing on the warm road . I remember that above many things on that escapade

sadly my checkbook uses seems to be limited to my dentist who is payment on delivery of service with a 2.5% premium for the use of a credit card ( dont blame her) Just coming in to the end of an 8 month course of redoing all my old , worn out crowns and a few teensy chips and divots. my primary grocery does not take credit cards, only debit. Again keeps their overhead down. I still use cash at my local ethnic centered groceries and restaurants my Oyster card wallet usually has 15 or 20 pounds folded up and tucked away from my last trip. I like to have a little change on hand for the first day. I have a miscellaneous collection of world coins and small bills. More as memento than anything else. The art work and graphic are part of what I love

another option away from LHR is the Elizabeth Line. This is a new National Rail offering which brings you into London and points eastward. If you book a hotel near any of the Liz line stations you can proceed directly from the train The train and their associated stations are large and room and step free with elevators. It is only slightly slower than Heathrow Express and much less expensive. You have the advantage of moving into the core and eastern edge of the area rather than transferring at Paddington ( a station I really have never enjoyed)

I agree about grocery stores and markets in general. A great window into life. Particularly with an eye towards what things cost. I think a chance to me young folks so they can practice their English sounds like a great experience, too.

Yes, sorry I was not specific in saying use your ATM card for this Thank you for catching the details

I have two tricks. In your Google Maps use street view and put the little yellow man on the map. click the arrows to "walk around" as a sort of Pre-tour The second is to save an image to your photos files and then use Google Lens to help possibly identify the very specific spot, particularly if there is something distinctive like a sculpture or church As Mskaufman said, the core of Brugge is pretty much as you know it

you can use your ATM card at either destination to have some local cash on hand. Any VISA/MC card will work at a ATM. Use those that are directly attached to a bank rather than panic buying at the airport. As usual contact your bank to make sure you are clear. I like to use cash when buying things like Take away from the local food place or snacks from a store. So many of them run on a narrow margin that the percentage a bank card skims from them is felt. I also sometimes encounter places that are having tech issues. Market vendors away from large cities may also not have tech. But what others have said, most of England and EU are now tech based To tell the truth, I like buskers. I like to have some loose coins to flip into their case or jar to thank them for their music. Charity collectors as well. If you visit places with free entry, like the British Museum, you can easily drop a pound or two in the collection box as you exit.

so much depends on the bulk of the trip. I try to wear the bulkiest thing I have to ease some of the suitcase burden. Shoes are easily slipped off once at your seat and I slip on the booties many airlines give in the comfort pack or slip on a pair of slipper type oversocks. layers for sure. I usually use a fitted jogger knit pant or a maxi length skirt. Cable knit tights if the destination is cool. I like to wear a long length duster style sweater light or heavy. I can use that sweater in my room when the air conditioning is too drafty. This is easy to take off at destination and worn backward serves as a comfy wrap blanket at the seat. I live in Western Washington so I consider my flying wardrobe and what I need for the 1 - 2 hr drive to/ from the airport. I see people at the airport when it is below 40 degrees and they are dressed in clothes appropriate for 80 degrees and wonder if it is worth it being so miserable waiting for the courtesy van. No way to end a vacation At a warm location it is easy to dress light and then change in to the colder reality clothes once you are at the airport. Even slipping on a pair of thick tights/leggings when wearing a long skirt with help deal with chilly, drafty planes and the harsh reality of landing back at home base if the flight is super long ; trans-Pacific, NA to Africa, I take a pair of panties and a bra and change half way thru flight / layover so I feel fresh. A little bottle of Gold Bond or cornstarch powder comes in handy as well. Same with panty liners. Compression sleeves are a yes

Sriracha particularly the brand we call Rooster Sauce; Tuong ot Sriracha by Huy Fong Goods. My refrigerator has no ketchup or mayo

This is true, but in summer I would enjoy going up and hiking down through the woods and community, no matter the weather. Waiting in line is a trade off