News

A tour of the Trossachs and lochs today, including transporting us back to the Iron Ages. lunch was had at the oldest Inn in Scotland. All brought to life by our Scottish guide Martin, resplendent in Scottish dress.

4 seasons in one day:) Day spent exploring Edinburgh, including the Royal Mile and Castle areas,plus some back streets too. Lunch for some included real haggis

We travelled north to Scotland with a couple of stops on Hadrian's Wall to get an insight into Roman Britain. Crossed the border by being piped by a kilted piper who played "Waltzing Matilda" for us!!! Sorry but photos refusing to upload again - I'll never moan about NZ broadband again:))

Monday has been spent exploring all York has to offer - castles, museums, the Minster, the Shambles (old shops) and the river, as well as travelling back in time to the Viking invasion. Tiring but very enjoyable.

Started with navigator going in totally opposite to correct direction. Stopped for morning tea and saw a hubcap was loose so removed it. Finished day getting lost in York and having to follow a taxi to the hotel

Visited Scarborough and Whitby, two very different seaside resorts. Then over the North Yorkshire Moors to York. Stopped on moors for photos - only to find we were at a military base and the heavily armed policeman was not impressed. Until he found out we were Kiwis and he waved us on with a smile!

The Hop on Hop off bus gave a good overview of the city, and then people went shopping and to gardens and to colleges etc. Weather was a bit cold, so shops were particularly popular!

Today we went well off the beaten track and went from Cambridge to Aldeburgh via Lavenham via really narrow, twisty roads. Lavenham was beautiful - a perfect medieval village. Fish and chips in Aldeburgh was special:)

Took over an hour to get out of London to start trip around Essex and Hertfordshire. Lunch in Sawbridgeworth, walked the canal, visited antique centre, then over drove through rural Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire to our hotel to the north of Cambridge

Harrods, Changing of the Guard, Westminster Abbey, Covent Garden, Dr Who Experience......all doing different things today. Some went to a show at night - "Love Never Dies" by Andrew Lloyd Webber - so glad we are staying in Theatreland:)

Arrived London Monday evening. Easy journey to hotel in the heart of London, on the Strand. Doors opened by man in top hat - very nice place to spend 3 nights;) All on Hop on Hop off bus today, getting orientated. Still can't post photos, sorry.

Saturday was spent touring Dublin, including the museum, Trinity College and the Cathedral.
Sunday was a scenic train trip to Belfast and a tour of the city. Very sobering - much of tour was about the Troubles of the 1960s to 90s

Action packed day! Tour of Cork first - fascinating, very historic.Then Jameson's Distillery - fascinating, very alcoholic! Then long scenic drive to Kilkenny Castle - fascinating, very full of stairs! Finally back to Dublin. Still no pics, sorry, very slow Wifi :(

"So here the scenery is completely untouched, except for the houses and roads!!"
Weather variable - basically a "soft day" ie it rained. Scenery interesting but not as dramatic as the, last couple of days.
Visited Bantry House and gardens and met the Australian husband of the English heir living in Ireland, they have just produced the 10th generation of the family to live in this house.
Photos to follow, but connection here very slow so might not happen :(

The trip round the Ring of Kerry was unforgettable. Craggy, wild, mysterious - I run out of superlatives. Lunch for most was fisherman's soup - a chowder packed full of locally caught fish. Day finished off with an interesting visit to Muckross House (where Queen Victoria stayed) and Ross Castle.

Wow! The Cliffs of Moher blew me away - almost literally, as there was a wicked south easterly blowing! The scenery on the drive was very like a moonscape, interspersed with derelict towers and monasteries etc.
A visit to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park completed another wonderful day

Today we travelled all round Connemara, to the north west of Galway. This is a very big Irish speaking area, so much so that many road signs are only in Irish! We visited Kylemore Abbey which was really interesting, especially once the bitter easterly dropped. Autumn would be a better time to view as there are more flowers out, but we all agreed today was spectacular.

Three of the ladies wanted to get the bus but did not have the right change. A passer by paid for their tickets!Two others booked a table for 6pm to take advantage of a meal offer finishing at 7pm. They turned up at 7.10 pm and still got the meal deal!