Three months away - Italy & UK

[Antoallison]

What sort of facilities were at the college. Was it an individual en suite room and if it was warm how would it be and what sort of cost. Thanks

Ensuite rooms about 79 pounds a night and that includes breakfast. I checked airbnb prices as well and they were similar or more expensive but further out. Hotels in the city were very pricey.

Nice white bedlinen and fluffy towels and toiletries supplied.
Welcome biscuits, tea, coffee and facilities to make a cuppa and small fridge for your drinks etc

There was no pool, but there was a student bar in the evenings and many concerts on at various colleges nearby. 24 hour security.

I chose one of the older colleges - Keble for the experience.
Magdalen, Merton were already fully booked for the July dates I wanted.

There was no lift but the porter took my bags up and down the stairs. No cooling but I think you could ask for a fan, I was out all day and just opened the windows at night. No parking included or available at this college but other colleges do have that facility if you are hiring a car.

Check www.universityrooms.com for University Halls of Residence all over the UK.
Including Cambridge, Oxford, Canterbury, London, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Cardiff.

Always available in summer, at Easter and for a short time for the Xmas break.

 

[Antoallison]

I took the excellent Oxford Tube straight to Victoria Train Station then a train to Bromley, Kent to cat sit for my niece during my final 10 days in London.

Getting a little weary now after 3 months on the road, but there is so much to see and do in London that I feel I have to squeeze every last drop out of this holiday.

I managed to finally get to see The Wallace Collection and was lucky to jag a Manolo Blahnik exhibition alongside all that wonderful art.

River trip up the Thames and stroll for lunch at one of the fascinating pubs that Charles Dickens frequented.

Tate Modern was ...er interesting.

 

[Antoallison]

As well as magnificent estates and gardens in the UK, I find their common everyday garden centres great places for a morning or afternoon tea outing.

I am envious of a any garden centre that has a gift shop, restaurant with views, gourmet deli, butchers, florist, Edinburgh Woollen Mills shop, display of art, tea dance, etc etc

These photos are from Coolings in Kent.

 

[Antoallison]

In my last week in the UK I managed day trips to Canterbury for lunch, Chartwell - Winston Churchill’s family home in Kent and finally a train trip to Brighton for the day.

Then packing and niece gave me a lift to Gatwick (what a bun fight that airport is).

::Note to self..study AFF tips in order to get Lounge access for future flights !

QR328 Boeing 777 - LGW-DOH in economy, but an aisle seat 11C.
Very attentive FA on flight came and spoke to me at my seat personally mentioning my name and asked me to let him know if there was anything they could get for me ?? - Surprised, as I have no status.

Then I managed to get a seat on the upper deck - QR900 Airbus A380 - DOH-PER.
Freezing cold in that seat.. I wore an odd combo of a hoodie and a pashmina and still had to ask for an extra blanket.

 

[Antoallison]

Informative timed tour of Chartwell.

Clementine made sure it had a homely decor and many world leaders seemed to appreciate spending time there.

There was a talk in his artists studio where many of Churchill’s paintings are on display.

W lunch on the terrace overlooking the beautiful Weald of Kent.

Last minute gifts in the shop for those back at home and plenty of time to walk about the extensive gardens and grounds.

 

[Antoallison]

I have wanted to visit Brighton, Sussex since 1970, to see the outlandish Regency decor of the Royal Pavillion (built by John Nash) - no photography allowed inside.

I finally got the chance this trip, as a 5W member I contacted lives in Brighton.

I took the 9.30am off peak train down from London and we meet up for the day - so I had my own local guide which always makes visiting a new town easier. We hit it off straight away and I took her out for lunch and high tea, then caught a late train back to London Victoria

..thank heavens for the wonderful English twilight evenings.


Admittedly the gay old town has seen better days, but the sea front has some grand old buildings.

We booked tickets for a flight on the newish British Airways i360 tower. Built in 2016 the needle rises 162 m in the air. The observation deck for the slow ride is a large airconditioned glass pod with a bar.

 

[Antoallison]

A bar with a view of the South Downs, English Channel and Beachy Head on a clear day.... and time for a Brighton G & T or two !

 

[Antoallison]

I was sad to leave the UK, but I also missed seeing my family here - especially my 4 year old grandson.

Not so thrilled about leaving a heatwave in London and getting back to winter in Perth, early August.

Time for a visit to source authentic Continental food at the Re Store, to put on an Italian antipasto and pasta meal and give my grandson the Tam O Shanter he asked for.

TR completed.

 

[OZDUCK]

Thanks for a fascinating TR. You certainly visited some nice and very different places.

 

[craven morehead]

Really enjoyed following this awesome TR many thanks.

 

[VPS]

Thanks so much for the TR. Great memories of lots of places. I loved Chartwell and the garden places

 

[Julesmac]

What an interesting TR. You crammed a lot in that's for sure. Really enjoyed it Thanks

 

[drron]

I reallyliked this TR.But no way are we doing 3 months away.

 

[kermatu]

Great report. Thank you.

 

[rginoz]

Thanks for a great Trip Report. Very enjoyable.

 

[Antoallison]

I reallyliked this TR.But no way are we doing 3 months away.

It was physically demanding, but I felt I had to do it to see many of the places I wanted to see before I die !

Can’t believe that I had 23 years of my mid life where due to a mortgage, 2 kids and a full time job with only 4 weeks off a year, I never even left Australia for our holidays.

This last trip I felt I only skimmed the surface of the UK and still have Ireland, west coast of Scotland, the Lake district etc in my sights - so that is another few weeks away trying to see most of just one small island nation.

How am I going to fit in seeing the rest of the world before arthritis/ just plain old age make it impractical ?

Still I am happy to be able to try and do it and optimistic that for my big birthday next year, I can do another 3 months away.

 

[rginoz]

That's the spirit, Antoallison. The sooner you do your travelling, the younger (and fitter) you will be when you do it. I travel as much as I can in the short term, rather than delaying it until I'm not able to do it.

 

[JohnM]

Well, all I can say is that you've cast off the trainer wheels in no uncertain fashion - now it's time to floor the pedal .