St. Mary-in-the-Marsh, Romney Marsh

If you want to see all of English architectural history in one place, visit an English church.  This is a favorite pastime for tourists and English citizens alike.  You’ll see not only architectural history, but the political/religious history of England and Wales.  In a typical church, you can have architectural elements from the 12th century until present-day, especially if the Victorians missed the church in their zeal to “update” and “renovate” everything.

We have visited churches and holy sites from Holy Island in the north to St. David’s in far western Wales.  We’ve learned to follow the “rules” that aren’t posted in most places but which we’ve learned from doing as the locals do.

Most country churches are open during the day except when there are services.  Of course, you are welcome to come in for regular church services, but obviously you can’t wander about and look at the structure of the church during a service.  In larger towns, some churches have begun to put out boards that say: “Church open.” when the church is unlocked.  Others will have a note by the door where the key to the church can be found if you want to go inside and see it.  Usually it’s only a few doors away.

Let’s start with the basic parish church:
After coming through the lychgate (a free-standing gate usually covered and the place where the pallbearers could rest before carrying the coffin the rest of the way to the church), you will be in the churchyard.  Some country churches have famous people buried in their churchyards, and usually there will be something in the church to let you know about that.

Look up at the eaves.  Even simple country churches can have gargoyles spitting out water.

The tower is where the bells are.  Some churches have spires on top of their towers.  Others have what are called “witch-hats” because the top of the tower looks like what the Wicked Witch of the West would wear.  In Norfolk and Suffolk, there are churches with round towers.  There are plenty of questions by historians as to why these towers are round – and you can find articles about that hanging on the walls in many of the churches with these round towers.  Basic answer:  No one is really sure.

You will enter a church via the porch – a small covered attachment where there often are bulletin boards listing community events and outreach.  This was where marriages took place for many years, because the couple couldn’t go into the church together until they were married in the eyes of the church.  Don’t hurry through the porch to the main door.  Often there are plaques on the walls that list the current and previous parsons of the church back to the establishment of the church.  Also there may be interesting memorial stones in the floor of the porch…even though the words probably are worn from the many feet who have walked across them.  In addition, you can see what outreach programs the church does…insight into the community.  In especially small communities, there may be a listing of which church has a service on which Sunday, because several parishes share the same parson.

When you open the door into the church, make sure you close it behind you.  If you don’t, animals and birds can get into the church…and you’ll find sheep in country churchyards.  A cheap and easy way to keep down the grass and weeds.  If there are other people in the church, especially if they are sitting the pews, be considerate.  If they are there cleaning up, talk to them.  The best guides are the parishioners themselves – and as much as we love talking to the English, they love talking to visitors from outside their country.

Unless posted not to, you are free to take photos (again be considerate of anyone there in prayer), and you may use a flash.  Some of the bigger churches/cathedrals will charge you for a photo license (often around £3) and you will be given a sticker to wear.  It’s a simple way to raise money for continued upkeep.

Some things to look at in a country church:
1) Baptismal font – many of them are works of art which reflect the local history or the village itself
2) Stained glass windows – don’t just look at the design – look at the writing in the memorial section which often lists who donated the window and why.  Also you can find unique items.  There is a small church outside of Bodmin, Cornwall, in a town called Temple (I’m not sure where the town is, but we did find the church).  It was built on Knights Templar land, and one window shows a Knight Templar.  The design of the other windows have a connection to the Templars, too.
3) Memorial plaques on the walls
4) Memorial stones in the floors  – you can see where brasses were ripped out during the Reformation.  Some of the brasses were left intact (although they no longer be on the floor but on display somewhere in the church) if they weren’t secular themes.  These are of particular interest to me because I have a great-great-great (back in the 1500′s) with a memorial stone in Norwich Cathedral.
5) Altars and altar screens.  If you’re in the north of England, especially, but in the midlands, too, you should look to find a small mouse carved into an altar or the screen.  It means it was carved by Robert Thompson, who was known as the “mouseman”.  When he began his woodcarving, he was as poor as a…okay, you get it.  He was as poor as a churchmouse, so he began to put his signature mouse on everything he carved.  Sometimes in bas relief and sometimes flat.  If you visit the original Coventry Cathedral, there is a small gray chair by the altar with the cross at the far end.  Look down at the chair’s leg, and you’ll see a wee gray mouse carved there.  (Then look up and see the carved squirrels on either side of the bay where the altar is placed.) But altars and altar screens are wonderful pieces of art, even if Mr. Thompson didn’t make them.  Some are carved, some are painted, and some are very grand.
6) Painted murals on the walls.  When people couldn’t read and the Bible wasn’t in English, murals on the walls told the story of the Gospels.  Some of the paintings are pretty grim as people are cast down into Hell, but they are always interesting and reflect the style of painting for the time when they were created.  In St. Peter and Paul’s Church in Pickering, Yorkshire, the paintings were rediscovered in the middle of the 19th century, but the pastor had them whitewashed over because he thought they were inappropriate for the eyes of good churchgoing folks.  They were cleaned again and are lovely.  Churches in the middle ages were brightly painted with surprisingly modern designs on the columns.  You can see some remnants of that in St. Alban’s Cathedral.
7) Pulpits.  Some are simple, some are amazing.  The steps to the pulpit in the small church at Llananthony Abbey in Wales are cut into the outer wall of the church, so the parson climbs up a small stairwell to get to the pulpit.
Pews.  Some pews are simple, some are ornately carved.  Many will have kneeling pillows needlepointed by the parishioners that show important aspects of the church and the community.  If the pews are ornately carved (or the whole church is like the parish church in Launceston, Cornwall), look at the back of the last set of pews.  What look like vines with roses/other flowers may instead be self-portraits of the wood-carvers.  Unable to sign their names, they carved themselves (or each other) into the pattern.  If you go into Trinity Church in Coventry (right in front of the cathedral), ask one of the docents to point them out to you.  Another interesting set of pews is in St. Clement’s Church in Romney Marsh.  If the words Romney Marsh bring to mind the 1960′s Disney movie “The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh”, you’ll remember the leader of the smugglers was the vicar.  Disney arranged with St. Clement’s to use its church for interior shots – a great arrangement because the church was in dire need of funds.  But there was a problem – the white pews were too glaring for the movie cameras.  So the pews were painted a soft pink, which they are to this day.  The parishioners decided to keep the color when they redid the church again a few years ago.  Btw, you’ll notice in the big, old cathedrals, there are no pews.  That was because people stood during services.
9) Which leads us to looking in the choir.  Some older churches that were once connected to an abbey will have misericords under the choir seats.  These are carvings – often mythological characters or everyday people – set beneath a small shelf on the underside of the choir seat.  During the middle ages, these seats were pushed up during service, and the elderly monks/sisters needed something to lean against.  The small shelves were introduced to help them.  Misericord derives from the Latin word for “mercy.”  The carvings came later to decorate them.  Some churches still have them in place, so feel free to put your fingers under the choir seat and see if it lifts up.  Btw, photographing misericords led to Bill and me being locked into a church one evening.  I was sitting in the choir and Bill was in a chapel (more on those in a minute) – both of us out of sight of the main door.  We heard the door rattle, but didn’t look up.  We figured someone else was coming in.  When we were done a short time later, we went to the door and found we were locked in.  Of course, Bill had left his mobile in the car, and the church office door was locked.  As we considered that we might be spending the night in the church and wondering what was in the church kitchen to eat (we didn’t want to set off the fire alarms by lighting candles and holding them to the smoke alarms <g>), we realized that this church, unlike most, had a second porch.  This inner door was locked from the inside, although the outer doors proved a bit more of a challenge.  We were able to get out that way eventually without causing any damage and secured the doors from the outside.  Now Bill always carries his mobile with him when we go into churches late in the day.  Lesson learned!
10) Chapels.  Larger churches may have chapels.  Often these are set off to one side of the altar.  They often are dedicated to military units from the area.  You can see original flags (some with very few threads) flying there.
11) Effigies.  Even small country churches may have effigies of important locals.  Churches like St. Mary’s Collegiate in Warwick have amazing effigies.  The Beauchamp chapel has effigies of some of the most important people of Tudor England.  Look at the costumes as well as what is also carved with the person.  A book?  A dog?  A child?  Also where the effigy is placed speaks to its importance.  If it is looking up at a holy figure in a nearby window, it usually is intended to suggest a connection or an especial godliness about the person.
12) Crypt.  If you want to go back in time, go into the church’s crypt.  The one at Hexham Church (once part of the Abbey) in Northumberland dates back to the 7th century.  My favorite is the crypt at St. Mary’s (a very, very common church name in England) Lastingham, Yorkshire.  It is accessible right from the center of the church.  It is said that St. Cedd, one of the early missionaries to England is buried beneath the altar table.  There are also carved stones from Viking, Anglo-Saxon, and Norman times on display there.
13) Bells and clocks.  You can see the ropes where the bells are rung inside, and you can see the clock(s) on the face(s) of the towers outside.  Also many churches have sundials on one side or in the churchyard.
14) Organ.  Some are small and modern.  Others are magnificent and set in a balcony over the church.  Please don’t touch them.  Just admire them.
15) Booklets and postcards are often on sale on a table near the door.  The prices are usually well-marked.  The booklets give you the history of the church and point out items for which the parishioners are especially proud.  The poor box is usually in the wall next to the table.  There may be more than one slot.  If so, they are usually marked for publications or donations.  Even if you don’t take the booklet with you, but used it during your visit to guide you around, pay for it.  Also leave a donation to the church of no less than a pound.  It helps with the upkeep of the church and its grounds.  When I visited a church named (what else?) St. Mary’s in Watford, Hertfordshire, there was no box in sight for the donations.  I opened a drawer on the table and saw someone else had left coins there, so I did the same.
16) Guest book.  If the church has a Guest book, sign it before you leave.  We’ve gotten holiday cards from churches we’ve visited, which is always a treat.
17) Everything else.  Each church is unique.  Some have amazing sculptures.  Some have used book and toy sales going on.  If you buy something in those churches, leave the money in the appropriate box.

Cathedrals will have most of the above as well as a cathedra, which is the official chair of the bishop.  You’ll see it often near the choir.  In a cathedral, the exterior of the building is as important as the interior when it comes to architecture.  Lincoln Cathedral’s front is covered with statues telling Biblical stories.  Even the entry doorways show figures floating up the arches.  And don’t forget the gargoyles!

In the cathedrals, look up at the ceilings and admire the bosses.  These are the small sculptures where the arches of the roof come together.  Norwich Cathedral in Norfolk is famous for its hundreds of bosses that fill the cathedral and the cloister connected to it.  In Lincoln Cathedral in Lincolnshire, look for the imp – a small demon carved at the far end of the church.

You’ll often find a Green man (and/or woman) among the carvings.  This shows the connection to England’s pagan past, but the cathedrals (and the churches) display them proudly as fine works of art.

Visit a “new” cathedral/church like the one at Buckfast Abbey (actually St. Mary’s Abbey, Buckfast) in Devon – a Catholic Benedictine abbey by the way – or Truro in Cornwall or Coventry Cathedral.  In Coventry, what remains of the original St. Michael’s Cathedral after the Blitz stands beside the contemporary cathedral, so it’s easy to compare and contrast the two.

If the church has a tower, consider climbing it.  Yes, it’s hundreds of uneven curving steps to the top, but the view is worth the breathlessness and the sore muscles the next day (what don’t get strained going up get strained coming down!).  Usually there is a small extra charge.  At Coventry Cathedral (in the original part), you can look down on the bells through plexiglass in the floor – and try not to jump off the roof when they ring!  York Cathedral offers a view across the rooftops and to the old medieval walls.  My favorite may be St. Mary’s Collegiate in Warwick, because you look over the town and into the castle.

Visiting other holy sites such as holy wells is fun, too.  Each is as unique as the time it was built and how long it was visited.  St. Cybi’s (pronounced Cubby like on the old Mickey Mouse Club <g>) on the Lleyn Peninsula in Wales has a pool where people could step down into it and a room for changing, because it was in use as late as the 19th century when such privacy concerned everyone.  St. Non’s (the mother of St. David, the patron saint of Wales) holy well is a small pool out in the open air with just a statue of the Virgin Mary next to it.  The ruins of a chapel are nearby.  Stop by the holy well and its spring.

Conwy Castle, Wales

Okay, Anglophiles Anonymous members, we’re here in the countryside of England.  What do we do now?

You have a few choices.  Two are going to be discussed today and others in the coming days.  Today the topics are: visiting protected historical sites and the rules of walking in the country.

Let’s start with protected historical sites.  The two main organizations in England are English Heritage http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/ and National Trust http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-index.htm  Wales has a separate organization.  I’ll talk about that by itself.

Each organization has different sites, but the same goal.  Protecting England’s historical sites.  English Heritage tends to have sites where no one now lives (lots of castles and ancient ruins) while National Trust has properties where the family may still be in residence at least part of the time (and lots of gardens are in the Trust as well).  That’s certainly not a hard and fast rule, but it fits the majority of properties in each organization’s care.

While National Trust developed as families put their properties into the Trust to keep from losing them to inheritance taxes and to help maintain them, English Heritage started at St. Alban’s Cathedral just outside of London.  That’s not quite true – it didn’t start at the cathedral.  It started *because* of the cathedral.  A wealthy gentleman offered to put up the money to rehab the failing cathedral, and the church leaders gladly accepted.  So gladly that they didn’t think to mention that the renovation should be historically sensitive (if it couldn’t be accurate).  Now as you enter the cathedral, you’ll see a Norman style ceiling…which never existed in Norman times.  And there is a rose window, even though the cathedral never had one.  The gentleman had grown up in York, and because York Cathedral had a breathtaking rose window, he decided “his” cathedral needed one, too.  The resulting uproar gave birth to English Heritage, whose mission is to protect historical sites and make sure the renovations are historically accurate/sensitive.  The docents at St. Alban’s still sputtered with outrage when they told me this story (actually a docent and a docent-in-training, so I got to hear all his questions and her answers along with my own).

Another difference between English Heritage and National Trust is that most EH sites allow photographs while many NT don’t.  Always check when you arrive to make sure photography is okay.  Usually if it isn’t, there are big signs, but sometimes the signs are easy to miss.

Both sites have excellent web sites which list their sites and days out events.  Days out mean special events.  For example, EH has days out with classes in flying hawks or spending time with a historical interpreter or even shooting weapons.  NT’s days out tend to be quieter with settings in gardens and special tours.  If one of the events that appeals to you coincides with your time in that region, I urge you to take advantage of it.  There may be an extra charge for the event.

You should buy an OVP (Overseas Visitor Pass) from EH if you intend to visit more than 2-3 of their sites which have an entry charge.  Sites marked open mean that there is no entry fee, but keep to the hours they are “open” because some are accessed only via private property, and you don’t want to be tramping across someone’s barnyard after dark.  The OVP is bought for a specific number of days – either 7 or 14 days.  You can buy it at the first venue you visit.  There’s no need to buy it ahead of time.  The nice thing about the OVP is at sites that have recorded tours (where you wear a headset and push the button to activate the recording at each numbered location within the site), the headphones are included in your OVP.  If you use the headset (which I strongly, strongly encourage), figure you’ll spend 2-3 times as long at the site as if you just go in and walk around.  You’ll learn so much more in a fun manner, and you can stop the recording, replay, etc. if you want to take pictures or want to hear something over.  The length of time of your pass begins on the day of your first visit to an EH site – usually the day you buy it.  Sometimes, they’ll toss in a few extra days just to be nice.

National Trust has an identical program for either 7 or 14 days.  It’s called a National Trust touring pass.  However, in this case, you *must* buy it before you leave home.  Buy it here:

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-visits-overseas_visitors/w-visits-overseas_visitors-touring_pass-buying.htm

Now let’s talk about CADW (pronounced – as close as I can anyhow – as “kaa-do” (rhyming with “baa-moo” – think of those animals in the countryside <g>) with the emphasis on the first syllable).  This is the Welsh version of English Heritage, and cadw is the Welsh word for “preserve/keep”.  You can find them at: http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/  They have a visitors pass called an Explorer Pass.  They are sold for 3 or 7 day visits.  You buy them at attended CADW sites (sites that aren’t just open, but have staffers there), and the clock starts ticking for those when you purchase them just as they do for EH.

If you buy a pass from one organization, check at another organization’s site to see if you get a discount.  Some sites offer those.  If you buy a full membership in one organization, you may be half-price or free entry into other sites even if discounts aren’t offered to passholders.  The best thing to do is read the web sites, decide which one(s) work best for you, and go and enjoy.

One thing you’ll notice at all the sites is that they assume you’ll be rational during your visit.  Unlike sites in the US where there are all sorts of warnings and legal small print, at the UK sites, you’ll see signs of a person falling with stones around him – which means careful when you go along that area because there’s a risk of falling.  If there is a barrier, don’t try to go around it.  It’s there for a reason – either to protect you or the site from damage.  Watch out for others – those narrow, circular towers in castles aren’t meant for two-way traffic.  And don’t hurry through the sites.  Take time to soak up the historical aura…the good and the bad.

Don’t miss the gift shops.  Most sites have souvenir books for the site (and sometimes others).  The EH and CADW books are fabulous – with colored photos and historical information and often floor plans.  The NT books tend to be more about the contents of the home – often with b&w photos and focused on the artwork.  I don’t often buy those unless I’m planning to put characters into a similar house in a similar period.

As I said earlier, if you plan to go to open sites, you need to stick to the times listed for the site.  Usually it’s any time that there’s daylight.  If you are crossing private property, and you very well may be, stick to the path cut into the grass or through the woods.  Sometimes the path is signposted with a footpath sign.

The public has the right-of-way throughout England via a web of footpaths.  The right-of-way is marked with wooden signs that show a walking person and the next destination on the footpath.  Sometimes there is a distance included – such as 1000 yards or 2 miles – but usually it will say only the destination or “Public Footpath”.  Some show a horse, which means that the path is open as a bridle path as well.  If you’re going to a EH, NT, or CADW site via the footpath, there will usually be a sign showing their logo.  EH has the cross-hatched square, NT a sprig, and CADW signs tend to either have the Welsh dragon or simply the letters CADW on a green background.

The rules of walking in the country are simple.  It should look as if you were never there.  Never forget that you’re on private property, even though you have a right-of-way.  That means if there is a closed gate, make sure it’s closed behind you.  If there are animals in the field, do not approach them or disturb them in any manner.  Don’t let them out.  But you can – and should – if you’re around sheep in the spring oh and ah about the cute little lambs.  Most likely the animals will wander away from you because they are accustomed in human encroachers.  Stay on the footpath.  It usually will follow a wall or a hedgerow, but, if it cuts across a field, stay within the mowed border.  Don’t pick any plants or break any branches.  Don’t litter.  Cross a wall only where there is a stile.  Some stiles look like benches.  Stand on them, swing your leg over and down onto the other side.  Some are wooden stairs set over the wall.  Some are just stones jutting out from the wall that you climb like stairs.  Always be careful.  You use them at your own risk.

A word about the Dartmoor ponies (and other such wild animals).  Don’t feed them.  Give them space.  They are used to people admiring them, but they aren’t accustomed to up close and personal.  And they will eat what you offer them, even if it’s not good for them, so just admire them and take lots of photos.

When you reach an open site, respect the site as you have the footpath.  If the sign says don’t climb on the walls, don’t.  But you can touch.  I’m a great believer in touching standing stones and other ruins – just to put my hands where other hands have been.  Stay within the site.  Don’t wander off into the nearby fields or woods, no matter how tempting it may be.  If you pass by someone’s house and they’re outside, nod and say hello just as you would to one of your own neighbor’s.

The Brits like to walk.  You may not have guessed this if you’ve only been in London where everyone taxis and tubes and buses.  But in the countryside, you’ll see people (from the very, very young to the very, very old) walking.  Often with their dogs.  They walk everywhere from the South Downs to the North York Moors.  You’ll see a lot of empty cars along the road, and you can guess their owners are off walking somewhere.  If you plan to do long-distance walking, make sure you have an Ordnance map or other good guide, so you don’t get lost as you could easily do on any of the moors.  A couple of the favorite long distance walks are the cross-England walk from the Lake District to Robin Hood’s Bay or the length of Hadrian’s Wall along the military road (B6318 on modern maps).  You can find websites that show the routes and popular sites and inns/hotels/B&Bs along the way.  There are even services which will carry your luggage from one night’s stay to the next, so you don’t have to tote it with you.

You’ll see white obelisks at certain points (usually high ones) that are Ordnance markers.  They’re at high points because Ordnance, after all, is about aiming guns and firing at a distant target.  An ordnance marker has a plaque on it announcing it as such, and they are marked as such on the maps.  You can used them as landmarks for your walks, but many of them are not on the easiest paths.

One of the reasons we like going out into the country is that the pace is slower, and it “forces” us to slow down, too.  Why hurry when you can spend a couple of hours wandering around a medieval abbey or watch the sunset over standing stones?  We spent one day on a recent trip on Anglesey visiting only Paleolithic and Neolithic sites – mounds and standing stones and ancient villages.  We drove all around the island and marveled.  Along the way, we saw lovely beaches (where we stopped, too) as well as Roman ruins.  On our upcoming visit, we’ll have castle “days” – just visiting a couple of castles which will take the whole day.  That’s easy to do in Wales where there are more castles per square mile than anywhere else in the world (or so they claim!).  Of course, a massive castle like Dover or Caenarfon can take a whole day…and you don’t see everything!

 Pub is the Red Lion in Avebury set amidst the stone circles.

I’d love to invite you all to join me at my local…and sit around a table and chat.  Local?  Pub, I mean.  Pubs are part of what make any trip to the UK special for my husband and me.  We joke that no village in England can call itself a village unless it has a church and at least one pub.  But the joke is based on truth, because in the days before good transportation, the parish church and the local pub provided the framework for a village.  In fact, in Lastingham, a delightfully tiny village on the North York Moors, the church parson’s wife ran the pub a couple hundred years ago.  Very convenient for everyone because they’re across the narrow road from each other.

First thing you need to know about a pub is that it’s not a restaurant (why is the verse from CATS that a “cat is not a dog” playing through my head?).  A pub is also not a bar as we know them in the US.  It’s both and more…and it’s set up differently.

Let’s walk through a trip to our local (that means our neighborhood pub where we go regularly):
Stop as you’re going into the pub and look at the pub sign.  Does it say “Free House” or does it have a name over the top of the sign (or at the bottom) that says, for example, “Greene King” or “Tetley’s” or “Beefeater”?  A free house means that the pub is not owned by a brewery…or in recent years by a pub chain.  Greene King and Tetley’s are both brewers, and Beefeater is a chain.  There is nothing better or worse about a pub that’s not a free house.  Just be aware of what chains you like and don’t like.  For example, the Greene King pubs and the Beefeater pubs all have the same menu (other than specials) wherever you go.

Also notice the art of the pub sign that matches the name of the pub.  Some of the pictures on the sign aren’t what you expect.  Some of them are funny.  Some of them give you a hint of the history of the pub or the area.  Most of them are wonderful pieces of art.

Look at the door and/or a window near the door.  Do you see a sign for CAMRA or Cask Marque?  Those two signs mean that you’ll find real ales inside the pub.  CAMRA is the Campaign for Real Ale, a beer-lovers’ association that has scads of members worldwide.  http://www.camra.org.uk/  Its focus is to make sure that English pubs continue to have hand-pulled ales that are not carbonated in the cask (American beers are carbonated in the keg).  Cask Marque is for excellence in serving that real ale.  http://www.cask-marque.co.uk/

Now we’ll go into the pub.  Some pubs have two doors in the entrance – one to the bar, the other to the restaurant.  At lunch time, both will be casual.  In the evening, some pubs are casual in the bar and more dressy in the restaurant.  Most of the time – but not always – the menus are the same.  Other than a Friday and Saturday evening (and Sunday car very/roast), you probably won’t need a reservation.  Always check to make sure they’re serving in both places.  Sometimes, especially at lunch, the service is only in the bar area.

Each pub is decorated uniquely.  Feel free to wander around and look at all the pictures on the walls and the doodads displayed.  Okay, it’ll mark you as a non-regular, but the regulars all know each other, so don’t worry.  Select a table.  You don’t have to worry about non-smoking/smoking sections because all pubs in the UK are now smoke-free (hooray!!!!).  Check your table to see if there is a number on it.  Sometimes it’s posted on a wooden spoon set in a container.  Other times there is a small circle with a number at one side of the table.  You’ll need to know that number when you order.  If you can’t find it, don’t worry.  Just say where you’re sitting, and they’ll find you.

Look around – there should be a blackboard (or more likely more than one) where the food offered is listed.  Sometimes there are small blackboards over the bar as well, but more and more, those are listing the wines available.  There also may be a menu at the bar.  Ask, and they’ll be glad to tell you that and if there are any specials.  Sometimes there are “specials” boards as well.  Also look for the “afters” or “sweets” board to see what luscious desserts are available.  My rule of thumb is simple – I’ll only order it if it comes with warm custard on top of it.

We usually order our drinks first.  Go to the bar to order your drinks.  All the beers are set out in a row – the hand-pulled ones have the big, heavy-duty pulls and the carbonated beers have the taps we’re accustomed to seeing.  Americans turn up their noses at the idea of “warm” beer in the UK.  My husband did until he tried them…now he’s a member of CAMRA. <g> A pub keeps its casks in the cellar, where they are naturally cooled.  The beer is then pulled up through the tap and into your pint glass (which by law must have a line that shows an exact pint).  Each pull is labeled with the beer and the alcohol content which can range from 3% to more than 6%.  Something that’s important to know if you’re planning to drive after a pint or two.  Every pub has its “regular” ales and then guest ales.  Guest ales can be a new one by the brewery that owns the pub or it can be from a completely different brewery.  Just FYI – a publican will tap a cask only when s/he knows it will sell out in 3 days or less.  If you’re ordering soda, make sure you ask for ice if you want it.  They usually ask, but just in case… Most pubs have a full bar of liquor as well as, increasingly, a good wine list.

Some pubs allow you to run a tab through your meal.  Others ask that you pay as you go.  No rhyme or reason to it.

Take your drinks back to your table and decide what you want for your meal.  Unlike in many Central London pubs, in the country, you need to return to the bar to place your order.  Your food – and your condiments, silverware, and napkins – will be brought to your table.   Remember your table number if you have one.  Sometimes for pubs that don’t have table numbers, you’ll be given a wooden spoon with your order number on it.  Put it in plain sight, so your food can be delivered to you.

If you order another drink, take your empty glass back to the bar with you.  Or if you have only drinks, return your glasses to the bar.  If you have a meal, don’t return your dishes to the bar.  They will be cleared from your table.  Remember you don’t need to tip, but if the service or the food has been extraordinary, feel free to do so.

Pub food is good basic food.  It sounds as if most of the people here have been to the UK and know that the rumors about awful food aren’t true any longer.  You’ll get a lot of grilled food – steaks come with grilled tomatoes and mushrooms – and a lot of fried food (fish and chips anyone?).  Pies are always a good alternative, and there’s usually at least one vegetarian choice as well as – more and more – a choice of Indian food.  A high point of my most recent trip was being served chicken tikka masala with both rice and chips – the ultimate meal of the British Empire.  And for lunch (if you’re really hungry and want to sample something very English) – try a ploughman’s lunch.  Cheese, meat, pickles, bread and butter, fruit and whatever else fits on the plate.

I mentioned Sunday roast/car very above.  There are some places that serve car very every evening, but most places it’s on Sunday.  Car very is a variety of roasted meats and all the accompanying side dishes.  The meat is sliced off for you, and is usually an all-you-can-eat glutton’s dream.  Sunday roast is served at lunch (and if any is left over for supper) on Sundays.  It’s a huge plate of roast (usually the choice is either beef, chicken, or ham).  It comes with veggies and several varieties of potatoes with everything covered with gravy.  If this very English meal appeals to you, you want to get reservations, because the pubs fill up big time for this.

A new entry into the English pub scene, especially in the southeast (Kent and Sussex), around London, and in popular tourist areas (Padstow, Cornwall, is a good example) is the gastro-pub.  Gordon Ramsey (of Hell’s Kitchen fame) has been a leader in this direction.  The pubs look like regular pubs from the outside, but inside they may have a French chef and/or a foo-foo menu that you’d expect in a restaurant in NYC or London.  If you’re looking for good old-fashioned pub food, you won’t find it there.  So always take a quick look at the menu before you order drinks because you may want to go elsewhere for your meal.

A few pubs don’t serve food at all.

As I said at the beginning, the local pub is the heart of a village just as the church is its soul.  Even though the whole dining area is built around a bar, you’ll see families with young children there.  Some pubs have restrictions about the times children can be present or that there has to be a parent with them, but, if you’re traveling with children, I can tell you that I’ve never seen a pub that serves food restricting children at meal times.

You’ll also see dogs.  Lots of dogs.  English dogs are the most well-behaved pets in the world.  Most pubs welcome dogs as long as they stay quietly by their owners or under the table.  Just be aware that there may be a dog lying by the bar, so be wary of stepping on its tail!  Don’t feed anyone’s dog, but do talk about the dog.  Like here, dog-owners adore their pets and love to talk about them.  We found out all about the ferry from Holyhead to Ireland by beginning a conversation about a cocker spaniel with its owner.

And you’ll see cats.  They belong to the pub owners.  Some belong to the pub.  There was a cat in a pub in Hay-on-Wye in Wales that was part of the agreement on the sale of the pub.  The new owners had to allow the cat free range of the pub (much to the delight of the patrons) and take care of it.  Cats in a pub will beg for food, but don’t feed them unless your host says it’s okay.

Pubs have special events – some weekly, some monthly, some focused on the football schedule (and you know I mean soccer when I say that <g>).  Feel free to join in.  We learned a lot about football when we happened to take the table next to the TV in a pub in Mousehole, Cornwall, and were still eating when the game came on.  Everyone in the pub gathered around us, and we cheered when they did.  Many pubs will have a quiz night.  It’s basically a trivia contest played with teams – 2 or more people.  Everyone throws in a pound, and the money goes to the teams with the top 2 or 3 scores.  Often the publican will provide free snacks during the quiz.  We joined in one in Norfolk a year or so ago and didn’t embarrass ourselves – actually came in 5th place out of 12 teams.  It’s a lot of fun and laughs…and, yes, we got picked on as “the American team,” but everyone cheered when our placement was announced and congratulated us.  There are also casino nights (usually for charity) and other such events.

If you are walking/hiking, make sure you clear the mud off your boots before you come into the pub.  Usually you’ll find plenty of room for your backpack and/or walking stick.  Some pubs along walkers’ routes will have space to store your equipment.

Don’t ask for the ladies’ or men’s room.  Ask for the toilet.  “Loo” is a primarily London term, but toilet is used everywhere.

We occasionally will eat at a chippie (a fish and chips shop – that usually serves chicken and chips and other meals, too – but definitely all fried all the time), but 99% of the time we eat country pubs.  We’ve enjoyed the people we’ve met/seen (such as when the reenactors in Roman garb arrived at the Twice Brewed pub off the military road near Hadrian’s Wall).  Now we’ve recreated a pub in our house when we redid our dining room into a pub, complete with a bar (fashioned after the one in a pub in Poundbury – the Prince of Wales’ model village development in Dorset), a clock set to British Summer Time, rafters with beer mats and beer mats, and a genuine pub sign on the wall beside the door.  The pub sign is from the Royal George on Charing Cross Road, sold by the painter who did the new version.  So I guess you can see how much we enjoy pubs!

Hungry yet?

Driving in England – It’s not impossible.  In fact, it can be a LOT of fun.  It takes patience, and it takes practice, but if you can drive on the right side of the road, you can drive on the left.

If you are going to rent a car, don’t rent one in London.  We made that mistake on our first trip, and we got lost (even with a street map) going out and coming back as well as having to deal with all the traffic.  Now there is a congestion fee attached to driving in Central London, and that will be added to the cost of your rental.  And where are you going to park that car????

If you’ve spent time in London at the beginning of your trip, take the tube or a train to one of the airports ringing London – Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, or Stansted (depending on which direction you’re traveling after you pick up your car).  The simplest one to get to is Heathrow, because you can take the tube rather than a train.  In each case, you can pick up your rental car and be on the motorway quickly…and avoid that Central London traffic.  If you’re going into London at the end of your trip, just drop off your car at the nearest airport and go in by tube or train.

Btw, it’s often possible to rent a car in one location and return it elsewhere without an extra drop-off charge.  We did that several years after we took the train to Carlisle and then dropped off the car at Heathrow.  In fact, for our upcoming trip, we’re flying into Manchester and picking up our car there…and dropping it off at Gatwick with no extra fee.

If you’re going to rent a car:
1) Arrange for the rental and pay for it before you leave home.  All the familiar companies are there – but they’re called “car hire” in the UK.  We’ve had the best luck with Hertz as far as the quality of cars and quality of service.  When you make your reservation, tell them that you must have an automatic.  Even though both of us can drive a standard, the idea of shifting on “the other side” and driving on “the other side” at the same time is too much.
2) At Gatwick, you come out of the terminal and go to the building just to the right for car hire.  At Heathrow, it’s away from the terminal, so follow the signs for car rental/hire buses.
3) When you pick up your car, go over the “previous damage” sheet with the customer rep.  You want to point out every boo-boo on the car, because you don’t want to be the one having to pay for it.  We had that problem with National in the UK – they tried to make us (and our credit card company) pay for damage that wasn’t ours…even though it was reported more than a week *after* we turned in the car (and someone else rented it after us).  We had other problems with the quality of cars with National – one with a radio that didn’t work because the antenna was broken off, another with no heat on the passenger side (and this was for a trip in late autumn when the nights were chill – thank goodness for seat warmers!).  Thrifty offered good service and cars, too.

Okay, now you have your car and you’ve tuned your radio (which may need a PhD in engineering to figure out) to your favorite radio station.  Btw, if you listen to one of the major BBC stations, it will follow you throughout the country – just switching to different frequencies as you go from one coverage area to the next.  My first task upon getting the car – while Bill goes over it with the customer rep – is to tune in BBC2 (the adult contemporary station) which advertises itself as 88-91FM for its various frequencies around the country.  We don’t touch the dial the rest of our trip.

You’ll notice that even though the steering wheel is on the other side of the car, the brake and gas pedals are in the same position to each other as you’re accustomed to.  Gas to the right and brake to the left.  Oh, before you go far, make sure you know which side of the car your petrol tank is on – and if it’s petrol or diesel.  Diesel cars are actually a good deal.  They get better mileage and the up-charge on diesel isn’t as prohibitive as in the US.  Also diesel is sold at all petrol stations/garages.  Gas is sold by the liter, and expect to pay a LOT, LOT, LOT more than you do in the US.

Think left when you drive.  It’s easier to think left when you’re just driving along the road than it is when you’re facing an emergency.  It’s instinctive for US drivers to pull to the right in such a situation, but you have to think left.  Our biggest mistake was on our first trip when Bill had to make a sudden turn into a petrol (gas) station and pulled in on the right side…and got honked at for his mistake.  So if you have to pull over on the road or if you’re pulling into a drive, keep left.  You’ll notice that most Brits keep left when they walk, too, which has made for some strange “dances” between Americans and the locals on sidewalks.

The roads in England and Wales are numbered and lettered.  The numbers are M, A, and B.  There are also unnumbered roads.  If you’re going to drive, I strongly suggest you purchase the AA Concise Road Atlas Britain 4 miles to the inch scale.  It’s listed at £9.99, but you can often find it for much less, especially if you buy the previous year’s edition.  And we’ve only seen one time when a road number changed on a very minor country road.  They are available in shops at welcome breaks (rest stops) on the motorways and in bookstores everywhere.  We’re still using our 2005 version, but it’s going to need to be retired soon and replaced.

“M” roads are the motorways – what we call interstates here.  Four-lane highways with limited access and exit ramps.  Most of the exit ramps will be to the left, remember.  The big difference is that you enter from the left and the slow traffic stays left rather than right.  It’s a joke in the UK that no one knows the speed limit on the motorways because it’s never posted.  However, it is 70 mph.  Yes, *miles* per hour.  Even though the UK is ostensibly on the metric system, its distances are still in miles and its speed limits are mph.  (And don’t forget about the pint at the pub!  That’s not going metric!)  You can find out about speed limits in the UK at http://www.smartdriving.co.uk/Driving/DefensiveDriving/Speed/UK_Speed_limits.html You’ll see signs for speed cameras – and they’re there, so watch your speed, especially coming into villages signposted for lower speeds.  At the end of the village speed limit you’ll see a circular sign with a black slash across it – that means the end of the speed limit (or actually a return to the national limit for secondary roads).  You can see an example of UK signage and what it means at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/trafficsigns.pdf

“A” roads are a standard two lane highway.  You’ll see big arrows pointing from one lane to the other.  This means that you have to be back in your own lane beyond that because it’s not safe to pass.  And you’ll see a car passing another at what looks like an unsafe distance with oncoming traffic…but that’s because three British-sized cars can fit across on the highway.  But, if you’re on unfamiliar roads, don’t try this!  You’ll also see some roads like the A1 that becomes the A1(M) which means at that point it’s set up like a motorway, but is still part of the A1 road.  Regular four lane A roads are called “dual carriageways”, and they may have stoplights along them, so be doubly alert.

“B” roads are country roads.  For the most part, it means there isn’t always two complete lanes available all the time.  You’ll be driving along, and the center line/dashes vanish.  This means the road is too narrow for two full lanes.  You’ll see the center line vanish also when you’re driving through a village.  Now this doesn’t mean that the road has become one-way (unless it’s signposted thus).  It’s still two way, but only one lane wide.  Follow the same rules as on the single-track roads below.

Unnumbered roads are the ultimate English driving experience.  They’ll lead you up onto the moors and way off the beaten track.  They are often edged by hedgerows (which you don’t want to drive into because the greenery hides rocks and tree roots).  Some of them have two lanes, but most are single-track.  If you see little arrows on them on the map, it means you’ll be dealing with steep inclines.  Fun driving!  The rules of driving a single-track road are simple.  Always be alert to oncoming traffic.  Take note of the lay-bys as you pass each one.  A lay-by is a shoulder that you can pull over onto.  If a lay-by is closer behind you, it’s your honor to back up and let the other car go past.  Of course, if you can see another car coming, you can pull over right then.  Flash your headlights to let the other driver know you are waiting for his car to pass.  He’ll wave his thanks to you – wave back with a smile.  If the other vehicle backs up first or signals to you, make sure you smile and wave your thanks as you pass.  Btw, you’ll quickly learn while driving these roads why European cars have more sensitive steering and brakes!

When you get to an intersection on a numbered road, you’ll see a signpost with towns in each direction along with road numbers.  If you see a number in ( ), it means that the current road will lead you directly to the road number in the ( ).  You’ll also see this format on the M roads, especially around large cities where multiple M roads come together and branch off.  There are examples of it in the pdf listed above.

Roundabouts are ubiquitous in England.  While people here in New England are paralyzed by the thought of what we call a rotary (especially if it leads to Cape Cod <g>), they are great ways to keep the traffic moving.  As you approach the roundabout, there will be a large sign showing the configuration of the roundabout (and btw, they all have names, so you may be given directions by the name, but more likely it’ll be: “Go three roundabouts and then…”).  The configuration looks like a crop circle with small and large lines sticking out of it.  You want to read it clockwise (as opposed to anticlockwise, as the Brits say).  On each line sticking out will be a route # and town name.  The smaller/thinner lines usually are for stores or dead end roads or limited access roads (like the recycling centre, for example).  All you have to do is stay in the roundabout until you get to your exit (which will be on the left, of course).  Okay, it’s not quite that simple because there are rules of the road with roundabouts, too.
1) Traffic in the roundabout has the right of way.
2) If there are multiple lanes to enter the roundabout, the left one is for left (exiting at the first exit) or straight.  The right lane is for straight or right (exiting at one of the more distant exits in the roundabout.  Some entrance lanes have route numbers painted on the road.  Get in the lane that matches the route you are taking.
3) When you enter and pass each exit, move to the left.  The lanes should do this for you, but be aware of it.  If you miss your exit, just go around again and catch it when it comes up again.
4) Large roundabouts, especially those attached to motorway exits, have traffic lights.  Watch for them.
5) There are double roundabouts (now they really look like crop circles).  Follow the same rules as with a single one.  Exit the first one following your route, and then proceed into the next and do the same.  Once you’ve mastered that, you may want to try the Magic Roundabout outside of Swindon.  See http://www.answers.com/topic/magic-roundabout-swindon  Makes my brain ache just to look at it.
Roundabouts are also great for U-turns.  If you find you’ve missed your turn or turnoff, just go into the roundabout and come back out going in the opposite direction.  We use them for that far too often <g>
Whatever you do, don’t stop in the roundabout (except for a traffic light, of course).  Just keep moving.  As I said, you can continue to go around again if you’ve missed your exit, or exit and find a place to pull off and get your bearings.
Occasionally you’ll see roundabouts that aren’t anything more than a slightly raised area where two roads come together.  Pull slightly to the left around it to avoid oncoming traffic.

Pedestrians have the right of way as they do everywhere.  Crosswalks are well marked, and they may be on major roads where there is a bus stop, so be aware of them.

Some traffic lights (not all of them – just to keep you confused) will turn red *and* yellow before they turn green.  We call it the drag race countdown.

Parking – Don’t try to park on the street.  Parallel parking in the opposite direction that Americans are accustomed to is a challenge you don’t want to try.  Especially when there are car parks in most villages and town centres.  If you’re coming into a village or town, look for the signposts to “town centre”, then watch for the blue parking logo with the big white P on it.  Follow those signs.  Car parks are “pay and display”.  This means you go to the machine at the car park (bigger ones have multiple machines) and put in your coins for the amount of time you want to park (this is the reason you need to keep plenty of coins with you).  Busy areas will have time limits – including designating some car parks as short stay (just a couple of hours) and long stay (up to 8 hours or more).  Make sure you go to the correct one, and avoid car parks that are for stores, if you’re not shopping in that store (you probably won’t be able to park very long there anyhow).  The machine will spit out a slip with the time you can park legally.  Peel back one edge of it and stick it to the inside of your windshield (windscreen in UK) so it’s visible to a passing parking officer.  We did encounter one machine in Lincoln that required us to enter numbers from our license plate before it would give out the display slip, but those machines are the exception rather than the rule.  Parking officers do patrol the car parks, especially in popular tourist areas, regularly, so keep an eye on the time if you don’t want a ticket.

Parking garages are often set up in the same way as car parks, but others have the push a button, get a ticket as you enter.  Check to see how you pay.  Some of them have payment machines in the stairwells instead of at the exits of the garage, so you may need to carry your ticket with you and pay for your parking before you return to your car.  The machine will spit out your ticket to you after you’ve paid, and you insert it in the slot to raise the bar at the exit of the parking garage.  We’ve seen this type of parking garage in many places in England and Europe.

Most pubs have car parks (look for the signs on the building or beside it) which are free as long as you’re drinking/eating there.  You shouldn’t leave your car there all afternoon while you wander about the town, even if you had lunch there.  The car parks are small.

Special alerts for driving in the country:
1)  Just like people, animals have the right away.  If you’re driving up on the moors where the sheep ramble freely, be careful.  Sheep have one of the lowest IQs of domesticated animals, and they will not move…especially if the road has been warmed by the sun and the evening air is chilly.  On several occasions, I’ve had to get out and shoo them off the road so we could pass.  The same goes for wild animals and birds in the spring when they’re more interested in each other and future generations than they are in passing cars.  Also farmers may be moving their animals from one field to another, so be patient if you encounter this.  It never takes long.

2)  Don’t try to slip around the gates at railway crossing.  The British trains travel at a high rate of speed, and you won’t be delayed long.  Build plenty of time into your plans if you’re traveling in the country.  You’ll encounter farm vehicles, horses, and other reasons to slow you down.

3)  If you reach a ford on your journey, you will see a huge measuring stick set beside it to show you the height of the water.  If there is water across the ford (and some of them are dry at certain times of the year) and the level is low enough for you to cross, drive carefully and slowly to the other side.  You may want to check your brakes to make sure they haven’t gotten wet.

4)  If a gate cuts across the road, you can open it and drive through, but you must also close it after you without letting out any animals that may be on the either side.  We’ve seen these the most on the North Yorkshire Moors, but they are also in other places.

5) Again be careful of hedgerows.  They may look like gentle green walls, but you can’t see what’s in them.  Many of them are centuries old, and in that time, trees have grown and been cut back, leaving stumps and roots.  The same is true if you’re on a single-track road and you need to pull over where there isn’t a lay-by.  Watch for rocks (or animals) in the grass along the road.

Most of this has been common sense and “play well with others” info.  Bill and I enjoy driving – put us on a single-track road with arrows showing a steep incline, and we’re happy campers.  Even when we met a milk truck coming at us on a single-track lane after dark without a lay-by near.  <g>

Coventry Railway Station Platform

Pardon me, boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo-choo?  Probably not if you’re in England, but there’s something about trains and traveling on them that has an allure that hasn’t diminished in over 150 years.  And trains are one of the easiest, least expensive ways for you to get from Point A to Point B in the UK.

If you want to travel by train a lot from city to city with overnight stops along the way, you may want to check into a Britrail pass.  http://www.britrail.com/  There are different programs with different length passes, and you need to buy your pass before you leave home.  The web site is great and has all the information you will need to decide which package to buy.

However, the focus of this class is for those who want to take the train occasionally during their visit to the UK or they want to do day-tripping part of the time.  There was some talk on the beaumonde loop about whether you should buy your tickets for regular train travel before you leave home.  If you want to buy a first class, reserved seat for a specific train at a specific time, you may save money if you buy before you leave home.  If you’re doing a nonreserved ticket, you’ll pay the same price here or at the railway station.

If you want to travel by train and you want to see schedules or if a train goes to your destination, your go-to website is http://nationalrail.co.uk/  It’s a fairly easy to use site that covers all the railway companies in the UK.  Unlike the US where it’s only Amtrak (or local commuter rail), in the UK, there are several railway companies.  They all use the same tracks, and their routes intersect to make for easier travel.  However, occasionally, if you’re changing from one railway company’s trains to another, you will need a separate ticket for that leg of the journey.  The web site will tell you that.

So let’s go through the process for getting tickets.  We’ll use the train from Coventry to Warwick.  Go to the website and type in Coventry and Warwick – pick a day and time.  Remember that English trains run on a 24 hour clock.  One of the nice things the site has is the ability to put in the time when you want to arrive rather than the time to depart, so if you’ve got an appointment to keep, you can arrange to be there on (or close to) time.

A click takes you to the timetable page where you see several choices both for outbound and return.  Return is a term you need to know when you’re buying a ticket.  It means round trip.  If your travel is all done in one day, you want to ask the ticket seller for a “one day return”.  Going down the page, you can click details on each suggested train to find out where you need to make changes.  You want to check that because quite a few cities have more than one railway station, and you have to decide if you want to get a cab or a bus between them if you want to take that route/time.

You don’t have to select your train time to find out the fare.  Click check fares, and it’ll give you the information.  It’s important to realize that “cheap” in the UK does not mean something of little value or tacky.  It means frugal.  So when you’re looking for the “cheap” fares, it’s a good thing because I haven’t ridden on any train in the UK that wasn’t a comfortable ride.  Crowded at times, but not uncomfortable.

Once you have your information, you can do as I do and print out the information to have with you (if you’re not bringing your laptop or phone with internet capability).  Or you can buy your ticket online.  Just realize that if you buy a ticket for a specific date/time with a reserved seat, it may be good only for that train on that date at that time.  That is why I wait and buy my tickets in person at the railway station.  It allows for more flexibility in my plans – especially when you never can be sure from day-to-day (even with BBC weather reports) what the weather will be.

So let’s go and ride the train (sounds like a picture book for kids, doesn’t it?).  Give yourself plenty of time if you’re traveling during rush hour, because the lines can be very long to get tickets.  Also tickets will be more expensive during these times.  Unless you ask, you will be given the cheapest fare.  You will be given three tickets: one for your outward bound, one for your return, and one receipt.  Don’t lose your return ticket because you’ll have to pay for a new one if you do.  At many railway stations, you’ll need to swipe your outward bound card to get on the train (and possibly at the destination station to get out).  If you are taking the train up to London (and you don’t have an Oyster card or a visitor pass), you can add on the cost of a one-day tube pass to your train ticket.  It saves time when you reach London.

And be aware that railway tickets that bring you in and out of Central London (or near to it – figure anything close to the M-25 orbital) will cost a lot more per mile than traveling in the country.  A lot more!

Once inside the tracks area of the railway station, follow the signs to platform where your train will arrive.  There are tv monitors in most stations that state which trains are on which tracks.  This is important – and why I sent you to the nationalrail website.  Your train will be designated by its time and its ultimate destination.  There are boards along the tracks that show each train’s stops, but don’t depend on having the time to peruse them.  You need to know ahead of time, and you can find that information if you click on details at nationalrail.co.uk  For example, our train from Coventry to Warwick is for the first leg the Bournemouth train.  Once we change trains at Leamington Spa, our train is bound for Birmingham Snow Hill.  Your train will be posted on the monitor in that manner, and it will be announced when arriving in that manner (although most times they do state all the stops when the train is coming into your departure station).

Trains in the UK are set up for their unique routes and the number of passengers they anticipate.  So you’ll see everything from a single car train (not even a locomotive – more like a commuter line than a train) to a long multi-car train with buffet and first class seating.  Don’t assume your train will have food or even beverages on it.  You’ll see many of your fellow passengers bringing on their own.  Major train stations have places to buy coffee and snacks by the tracks, but again don’t depend on that.

On the platforms, you’ll see monitors giving times and destinations and track #s of incoming trains, and you’ll see electronic message boards that list the next two or three incoming trains and their expected arrival times as well.  Trains run close to on-time, unless there’s a major problem like work on the lines or a broken-down train.  You can check on nationalrail for planned work on the lines, so you can prepare.  My best advice is to be on your platform no later than 5 minutes before your expected departure because most trains are right on time (or a couple of minutes late).

When your train arrives at the platform, you get on.  Some trains have doors only at each end of the car.  Others – and I still think these are way cool – have doors into each compartment along the car.  In the former case, the doors open automatically or you push the button beside the door to activate them.  In the latter case, you unlatch the door, enter, and close the door behind you – unless, of course, someone else is waiting to board.  I have seen the latter trains only on the commuter routes into London from Sussex and Surrey.

Once aboard, find a seat quickly.  Most trains have two seats on either side of the aisle, but you’ll still see compartments on some cars (again more likely nearer London).  The trains make very short stops at each station in order to maintain their schedule.  A conductor may come around and ask to see your ticket.  Have it available in any case, because, as I said, you may need it to get through the turnstiles at your destination.

Listen for your stop to be announced, but keep track of the station stops yourself, too, in case you miss the announcements.  And enjoy your trip.  You may need to push a button by the door to activate it when you want to get off the train at your station.  Just look to your right.  It will be there with directions on use (Push the button – how simple can it get?).  When you come off the train, follow the herd out of the railway station.  Or if you’re the only one getting off at that stop, follow the posted signs that say “Way Out”.

The steps are the same for going home…but in reverse.

The trains serve the cities and most towns in the UK, but not all of them.  Also some journeys are so convoluted or require so many stops or an overnight stay that they aren’t worthwhile for a one day return.  Don’t assume that two trips to two different destinations at the same distance from your originating point will take the same time.  Again starting from Coventry – Oxford and Nottingham are about equidistant.  It takes 45 minutes on a nonstop to get to Oxford and over 2 hours (with one stop) to reach Nottingham.

Check if your destination city has more than one railway station to be certain that you’re choosing the one closer to what you want to visit.  Different routes will take you to different stations.  For example, from Watford Junction station (just outside the M-25 orbital) to St. Alban’s Abbey station takes about 15 minutes while the same origination to St. Alban’s station (on the other side of the town centre) takes 35 minutes.  Plan to walk from the railway station to the town/city centre because the stations were 19th century “afterthoughts” that had to be put where they can.  The distance is usually under a mile – most often from a quarter to a half mile.  Make sure you take note of the landmarks you pass, so you can find your way back.

If you have a seatmate (who isn’t working or reading a paper), feel free to strike up a conversation.  Who knows what you might learn about the area?

Today our topic is money.  For once, it isn’t about writers complaining about money…but us spending it during a research trip.

As soon as you arrive at the airport and clear customs (and the duty-free shop maze), walk right past the money exchange booths.  You will get the absolutely worst exchange for your money at those.

Instead, look for an ATM machine (called “a cash machine” in the UK).  Some banks have reciprocal agreements with US banks so that there are no non-account user fees tacked on.  For example, we bank at Bank of America, and we can use the Barclay’s cash machines as if they were BoA ones.  Check with your bank, or if you plan to travel often, you might want to open an account with HSBC or another bank that does business here and there.  Your money will come out in £20 notes, so you’ll want to break one to have smaller bills and coins (important for car parks, some transportation, and donations to churches – which we’ll talk about later).

Before you leave the US, check with your bank to see if you need to change your pin number for your credit/debit card for use in cash machines.  We’ve gotten different answers on whether it needs to be a 6 digit or a 4 digit pin number when we’ve been with different banks.  You don’t want to get there and not have it work.

The US credit cards of choice in Europe are Visa and MasterCard.  Some places take AmEx, but that’s mainly in the cities or big tourist sites, and Discovery is even more scarce.  You will be charged 3% of your total purchase every time you use your credit card.  This is charged by the credit card companies because they must convert from pounds to dollars.  The actual conversion rate from pounds to dollars is determined on the day your purchase is posted, so that will fluctuate throughout your trip.

One more issue with US credit cards is that in Europe they have a chip and pin system instead of the swipe cards we have.  In other words (if you didn’t have a chip and pin at one time here), the card has a “smart chip” in it, and you have to key in a pin number for the approval process.  With our swipe cards, we find ourselves teaching or reteaching clerks in how to use those.  That’s why we pay with cash as much as possible – to avoid the extra fees and the remedial lessons.

Don’t bother with traveler’s checks.  There are cash machines everywhere, and you don’t have to pay the 10% fee for those.

You’ll need to get used to the sizes and shapes of the British money.  The lowest piece of currency is the £5 note, so you’ll be dealing with a lot more change.  Your regular billfold wallet may not have enough room, so consider bringing a small change purse.  The most difficulty we have is that the 5 pence coin looks like a dime.  Of course, when the exchange rate was so favorable to the pound last year, it was pretty close to being the same <g>

A pound is often called a quid, and pence are called p.  If you’re buying something with a price in pounds and pence, it will be said as, “Three pounds 49 p.”

VAT (Value Added Tax) is common throughout Europe.  What makes it different from our US sales taxes is that it’s already included in the price of the item.  So if the item is 49 p, that’s what you’ll be charged.  It is possible to get a VAT refund, but unless you’ve made a big purchase of £200 or more, it’s probably not worth the paperwork.  The VAT refund has charges on a sliding scale, so you can end up filling out the form and following all the steps and getting very little refunded to you.  Some shops don’t even carry the forms, but ask if you want to request VAT back.  Follow the instructions on the form and be certain to mail it at the airport.  You cannot get VAT refunded on anything you consume/use in the country – food or hotel fees.  Just on hard goods you’re taking out of the country.  There is a similar procedure for US citizens traveling to Canada.

Tipping in the UK – Don’t unless you have received extraordinary service, and then round up the bill to the next pound.  In London, we have encountered “service charges” added to the meal bill, but in the country, it is not expected that you will leave a tip.  Waiters in the UK are not paid a lower wage with the expectation that tips will be given, so don’t feel guilty.  British friends have told us that the easiest way to pinpoint you as a American is to leave a tip <g>

Duty – it’s what you pay on items you bring back from another country into the US.  All the details are here:  http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsroom/publications/travel/knowbeforeyougo.ctt/knowbeforeyougo.pdf
One thing to note (and I take advantage of it on every trip) is that books used for your profession aren’t included in your duty exemption…and they’re duty free.  See page 24 of the brochure.  Also you can see what your personal exemption is (right now $800, but can be combined with spouse).

Okay, we’re done now with the basics – and tomorrow we start with more of the in the country fun details of traveling and visiting and just being in England and Wales!

The Bear B&B Hay-on-Wye, Wales

Welcome back to our next AA (Anglophiles Anonymous) meeting.  Now that you’ve safely landed in England, it’s time to find a place to drop off your bags, so you can begin exploring.  You’ve got several choices – and you’ll quickly see I have very definite bias on this subject. <g>

The first thing you need to keep in mind – whatever accommodations you choose – is that, as a rule, rooms are smaller in Europe than in the US.  Unless you’re paying very high end prices, your room will be smaller than you would expect to have in the US.  And your bathroom will be smaller as well.  Some bathrooms have only a shower.  Others have showers as part of the tub but not as you’re familiar with in the US.  The shower attachment may just be something you use while you sit in the tub.  As long as you’re aware of that, you won’t be surprised.

Hotels – most of the major US hotel chains are in the UK.  We have stayed at hotels in London – on our very first trip in 1997 as well as our most recent whirlwind/long weekend visit in February.  With hotels, it’s just like here in the US – you’re going to get a standard room (though a bit smaller) with standard service.  We prefer hotels in London because many of the B&Bs are in neighborhoods that aren’t as convenient to the Tube as the hotels are.  But we never stay in a hotel beyond London.

Inns – Do not think of the Vermont inn on the “Newhart” show.  Many inns are large B&Bs.  They try to combine the best of hotels and B&Bs.  They have hotel-like rooms with more personal service.  Their dining rooms for breakfast are large, and each room usually has its own table.  There are definitely high end country houses that could give you more of that country inn flavor, but they can be very, very, very pricey.

Canal Boats – This is something we hope to try in the future when we are traveling with friends.  You can rent a canal boat and wander along the canals of England and Wales, tying up in a town you want to explore or just outside a pub.  However, unless you are planning to travel with a larger party, the cost per person of renting a canal boat can be prohibitive.  You can get more information on rentals by searching for “English canal boats” or “narrow boats”.  One company that comes highly recommended is Anglo-Welsh waterway holidays  http://www.anglowelsh.co.uk/

Self-catering Cottages – These are usually weekly rentals.  If you want to stay in one location for a week, don’t mind preparing your own meals (at the cottage), and like privacy, try these.  Often they are connected to a property that has a B&B, so they can be found through the same sites as B&Bs.  They range from simple cottages to places with full kitchens and laundry (again think smaller!) and luxuries like fireplaces.

And last, but certainly not least, the topic of today’s session:  B&Bs – our favorite place to stay beyond London.

B&Bs are as unique as the people who run them.  Some are just an extra room that gets rented out in a house; others are the epitome of what you’d consider a country inn.  Then there are the unique ones in castles and grand country estates.  My agent is going to the London Book Fair next month with a side trip to Oxford.  She found that Keble College rents out rooms in their dormitories as B&B rooms – and the guests eat breakfast in the dining hall with the students.  I can’t wait to hear how that works out for her.

You need to make reservations before you leave.  Yes, you can walk up and down the streets of some villages and see B&B signs in almost every window, but you don’t want to spend your time toting your bags and checking out rooms.  You want a space that will be comfortable and convenient and *there* when you’re ready for it!

Our favorite site for info on B&B (and self-catering) is http://www.farmstayuk.co.uk/  (Btw, the “co” in a British URL is pronounced as the “co” in co-author).  This collection of B&Bs – and their hosts – must pass a rigorous standard for cleanliness, service, food, and even personality.  We have stayed at farmstay B&Bs throughout England and Wales and never been disappointed.  Some are on working farms and some are on “retired” farms.  More and more are making wifi and satellite TV available, and the breakfasts are always great.

Another site that we use is http://www.bestbandb.co.uk/  The B&Bs on this list tend to be more expensive than farmstay, but they are also good accommodations, especially if you want to be in a village rather than on a farm.

Should you stay at a B&B?  If you feel uncomfortable being in someone else’s home, do not stay at a B&B.  If you like the opportunity to sit over a leisurely breakfast and chat with people from around the world, then definitely choose a B&B.  Some B&Bs have a table for each room; others have everyone sitting around a big table.  Either way, there are plenty of opportunities to chat, and that is one of the reasons we travel – to meet people.  A couple of years ago, we were staying in a B&B in Norfolk.  Two other couples were there as well, and we all sat at small tables.  However, when we learned that the older gentleman was there for a WWII Royal Navy reunion and the other gentleman had served in English army, I told them about my service in the US Army…and the conversation really flowed.  “It’s a small world…” is the truth when you’re sitting and chatting, and you discover they have family or friends not far from where you live.  Or you may end up telling them how to visit your part of the world – we’ve given advice often on when to travel to New England to see the autumn leaves.

Some basic facts and suggestions about making your stay at a B&B a good one:
* Select a B&B before you go.  Visit one of the sites I suggested (or check out RAC’s listings or the Welsh or English tourist boards).  Find B&Bs in the area where you intend to stay…and then visit their web sites.  We never stay at a B&B that doesn’t have a web site, because we want to “see” what we’re getting.  For us, it’s important to have a non-smoking B&B, so we check for that.  We’ve stayed at B&Bs where there have been Templar ruins or had thatched roofs or stone circles.  You’ll see each is as individual as its host(s) and building structure.  Always check to see if the charge per night is per person or per room.  Most B&Bs list per person, but some don’t.  Be aware that few B&Bs want to rent a room for a single night and that discounts may be available if you book for more than 2-3 nights.  Also check for days when the B&B is closed.  Many are for Christmas and Boxing Day.
* If you need handicap access, check on B&Bs that offer such rooms.  Remember that the first floor in England is the second floor in the US, because they start with the ground floor.  Many B&Bs have accessible rooms with accessible baths, but be sure to check and include that requirement with your reservation email.
* Phone numbers and email addresses are included on the sites, but most hosts prefer getting queries for rooms by email.  That allows them to handle them during the down times of their days.  Also the time differences between the US and the UK can make for a very narrow window to call.  However, if there are changes in your plans or you have to cancel, contact them right away and if the time is very short, you may want to call.
* If the B&B you select asks for a deposit but doesn’t take credit cards (and many do not), ask if they’ll take paypal.  If not, offer to send a check in US dollars for more than the amount of deposit and ask them to hold it until the end of your stay – you’ll get the check back when you pay them in full.  The cost of getting a check in UK funds to send overseas is huge – and complicated.  The check you send (with the extra amount to cover them cashing it in England) shows good faith on your part and protects their losses if you don’t show up.  We’ve found that many B&Bs, once they realize we’re coming from the US, are willing to forego the deposit, because they know it’s too complicated for both them and us.
* If you have a car with you, make sure there is parking.  Be prepared for tiny, tiny, tiny parking places because some B&Bs squeeze out every possible inch of their property for use.  We stayed at an inn in Canterbury, and the host was kept busy making sure there was room for everyone to get in and out – he even asked when we’d be back approximately and what time we needed to leave in the morning.  A B&B in Horley – close to Gatwick/south of London – will pick you and your bags up when you arrive and then, when you’re ready to leave, take you back either to fly out or pick up a rental car.  They are also located a 10 minute walk from the rail station to London.  Always check to see what value added services a B&B offers.
* Find out what the “check-in” time is.  Most B&Bs ask that you be there between 4 pm and 6 pm.  The time between picking up the kids at school and putting supper on the table.  If you can’t make that window (or whatever one you’ve agreed to), call immediately to update your host.  Once we got very lost (we weren’t so much lost as heading for a town with the same name in a different county and didn’t realize our mistake until it was too late for us to meet that window) and arrived late, but we alerted our host.  Remember a B&B isn’t a hotel with a full staff.
* Don’t forget that when you’re calling within the UK, you have to add a zero before the city code that you don’t use when calling from outside.  The number is country code (44 for the UK), city code, phone number.
* If you don’t have a cell phone # that you can give to your hosts, give them a phone # where you can be reached in case of emergency.  For example, if you’re staying in more than one B&B, give B&B #2, the phone number for B&B #1.  If there is a change with arrival time or reservation, you can be reached asap.
* When you arrive, make yourself at home in your room.  You’ll be given a key to your room, and if appropriate, a key to guests’ entrance to the house.  Don’t lose these, because there’s a hefty charge to replace them.  Unpack if there is a chest of drawers and/or a closet.  You’ll often find extra pillows and covers in the closet, just as in a hotel.  B&Bs usually provide soap and shampoo, too, but often it is a bath gel for both body and hair.  If you prefer your own shampoo, bring it along.  If you haven’t made the acquaintance of British toilets before, you’ll quickly learn that you may have to push down on the handle a couple of times to get a full flush.  Outlets have on/off switches.  If you plug something in, and it doesn’t come on, look for the small toggle switch on one side of the outlet.  Turn it on while in use, but turn it off when not.
* You’ll usually find in your room a folder with information about local places to visit and places to eat.  Feel free to ask your host to make supper reservations for you at a local pub or restaurant, especially for Friday or Saturday night, because otherwise you may have a long, long wait.  We usually ask the day before so it gives our host a chance to make the call when they’re not crazy busy.  Also if a reservation can’t be made at that place for whatever reason, we have time for Plan B.  Check with your host, too, to see if they have day passes to local tourist places.  Some have museum passes or park passes that they’ll gladly share along with maps.  Ask them for suggestions of places to visit that might be far off the beaten track or not in your visitors’ guide.
* You settle your bill with your host after breakfast on the morning you leave.  Most request that you are out by 10 am, so the room can be made ready for the next guest.  Before you leave, check out the guest book and sign it.  It’s fun to read comments from other guests and see where they’ve come from.  In our favorite North Yorkshire B&B, we’ve stayed in the same room three times, so we go back and read the guest book in our room to see comments between our visits.  If you’re a published author, and you’ve set a book in the area, give an autographed copy to your host.  I did that for one B&B (where I’d set the book at the actual site – changing their farmhouse to a castle), and when they saw I’d included them in the acknowledgment, immediately they called their local bookstore to get copies in the store and extras to sell at the B&B.

B&B Terms you should know:
Twin room – a small room.  Sometimes with twin beds, sometimes with a single twin bed.  Make sure you check.
Double room – a larger room.  Sometimes with twin beds, sometimes with a double bed.  Occasionally with a queen or king, but those are unusual.  If you want something romantic, look for a B&B with a four-poster bed.  You’ll pay extra for this upgrade.
Family room – has several beds and is aimed at a family with children.  Also good if you’re traveling with more than one other person.  We chose family rooms where available when we traveled with our daughter.
Single supplement – like on cruise ships and tours, this is the up-charge from the basic per person charge to cover part of the money the host is losing by having only one person in the room.  Again, always check to see if the rates are per night or per person.
Private bath – This means that the bathroom is for your use alone, but it is not connected to your room.  It may be next door or across the hall or down the hall.
En-suite – Your bathroom is connected to your bedroom, so you don’t have to go out into a public space to get to your bathroom.  We prefer these because it means we don’t have to fill our luggage with bulky bathrobes.
Full English breakfast – bring your appetites!  A full English breakfast includes both cold (cereal, fruit, juices) along with a hot breakfast, which usually includes eggs (cooked to order), bacon (looks like ham, tastes like bacon), sausage, grilled tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, and toast.  You’ll have a choice of coffee or tea.  Some include beans or kippers.  Occasionally a B&B will have oatmeal or pancakes (one place we stayed in the Lake District had an actual choose-your-own-breakfast menu), but these are the exception rather the rule.  Of course, if you have dietary restrictions, you should let your host know when you reserve (and remind when you get there).  Each B&B has something unique to showcase with their breakfasts.  We’ve been offered homemade raspberry juice, homemade jams, local honeys, etc.  However, you won’t offend your host if you don’t want a full English breakfast.  Bill loves it, but I stick with the cold breakfast and toast.

I recently taught this course for the Beau Monde Regency chapter.  Now I thought I’d put it out here for the rest of you to see.  It’s in ten parts, so I’ll be posting the classes over the days to come.  Enjoy reading…and imagining yourself off on holiday.  Starting with Beaumaris Castle below <g>

Hi!  My name is Jo Ann, and I’m an Anglophile.  That you’re here at this AA (Anglophiles Anonymous) meeting shows that you are as well.

The sign that you and/or a loved one is an Anglophile is pretty simple:  You are never as happy as when you’re wandering around England (or planning a trip to wander around England).

Over the next two weeks, we’ll discuss the 10 step (maybe it was a 12 step program until the metric system got hold of it) on how to live with being an Anglophile.  I am going to discuss what works for me – and my husband Bill who has become an Anglophile in recent years – while traveling beyond the environs of London.  Please ask questions or toss in suggestions of your own.  We are all in this together, and it’s important that we do all we can to acknowledge our Anglophile tendencies…because it’s a well-known fact that Anglophiles can become quite cranky if denied a regular fix of wandering around England – or at least thinking about it.

Let’s start at the beginning (of the trip, that is).  There are plenty of things you can do while preparing for your next trip to England.  I’m going to start with the basic basics, even though it sounds as if several of you have already traveled across the pond to Merrie Olde.  My assumption for this class is that you are not taking a tour, but will be traveling on your own.  Some of these items you’ll need for touring – or any trip to the UK.

1) Make sure your current passport is up to date.  If it is close to expiration (6 months), even though you will complete your trip before it expires, you may be denied boarding on your outbound plane.  A good rule of thumb is when you get to within 6 months of renewal, renew.  My most recent renewal came up at the time when the Homeland Security regulations were changed, and passports became necessary to fly into the US from anywhere.  Instead of the usual 6 weeks for a renewed passport, it took more than 3 months, and I got nervously close to missing a trip to Sweden to pick up my hubby’s new Volvo (good excuse to travel <g>)  So renew early, because the wait times are still longer than before.  Yes, you’ll have to have another horrific passport photo taken, but it’s one of those better safe than sorry issues.  Information on renewing your passport is at: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/renew/renew_833.html
The good news is that a valid passport is all you will need to enter the UK.  There is no need for a visa.  However if you’re traveling beyond the UK, make sure you have all proper travel documents before you leave.
If you don’t have a passport, get one now!  Don’t wait until you’ve made your reservations because a passport can take 3 months or more to come through (unless you pay for expediting, which makes it very expensive).  Information on getting a first-time passport is at your local post office or at:  http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html

2) Check on electricity and your electronics.  You will need plug adapters for English outlets (and different ones for on the continent).  Sets of plug adapters are available at many travelers’ supply stores.  Our first set was purchased at Brookstone, but now I buy most of our traveling supplies from Magellan’s Travel.  http://www.magellans.com/ You’ll see “adapters and converters” as the first item on their catalog list.  Only adapters are necessary if your electronics can run on both 220 and 120 voltage.  My computer, my camera battery recharger, Bill’s shaver – all have internal converters, so that’s fine.  But hair dryers and curling irons are less likely to have those (check where you’re staying – they may provide these already).  Check the information tag on your electronics to be certain.  If it doesn’t support European voltage, you’ll need a converter which is basically a plug that plugs between your item’s plug and the adapter plug (and is much simpler than that sentence!).  How many adapters and converters should you take with you?  We figure the number of electronics we’ll be taking (and what they require)…and add a couple more for just in cases.  You may be challenged to find enough outlets in your room, but we’ve learned to recharge some items while we’re out during the day and charge others overnight.

3) Make sure your cell phone will work outside North America.  Non-North American phones run on a different system (oh, please don’t ask me all the details) than others around the world.  Some of our cell phones will work with those systems, too.  Some won’t.  Check on your phone, so you don’t find yourself phone-less in the UK.  Btw, the proper term for a cell phone in the UK is a mobile (pronounced with a long I).

4) Planning your itinerary.  This is the fun part.  Also the frustrating part because it’s a fact that you can’t see everything you want to see in the time you’ve got.  On our first trip when we went beyond London, we tried to squeeze too much into our trip.  We were constantly on the move, which meant unpacking and repacking on too many days.  Why spend time doing that when you’d rather be out visiting sites and savoring the countryside?  So we have learned to pick one or two (or more if we’re staying two weeks) locations and focus on that.  For example, we are spending slightly more than two weeks in the UK this spring, and we’re going to Wales.  Nowhere else on this trip.  We are staying at three places on this trip – Capel Garmon in Snowdonia, Tenby in the southwest, and Hay-on-Wye in the east (and because it’s a book town!).  We’ll spend 5 nights in each location…and then the final night close to Gatwick where we’ll be flying out.  We do that, so we don’t have to worry about traffic and missing our flight.
We are flying into Manchester on this trip and flying out of Gatwick, but we didn’t get a penalty for flying in and out of two different airports.  Airlines can be flexible about this – so shop around.  On this trip, we’re on US Airways – using frequent flyer miles.  So ask your airline about flexibility if you need to be there specific dates and can’t get a flight to a specific airport.
Important – don’t pack your days with a zillion sites to visit in a single day.  We usually pick one major site (or a couple of small ones) for each day, which gives us time for sites or other pastimes we might stumble upon.  I will confess right here that I take a lot of pictures, so that means we spend a longer time at any specific location where photography is allowed.  Some of the best places we have visited have been discoveries we made while on our way to or from a planned site.  Wandering along the path less taken is great fun!  We’ll be chatting more about that.
Maps – if you’re going to a very specific area, consider getting Ordnance maps.  You probably will have to order them from England, so give time for them to arrive.  Or you can buy them in local tourist information centres or shops.  If you are staying at a B&B (our topic for tomorrow), ask your host if they have Ordnance maps you can borrow for the day.  Nothing beats these maps with their incredible amount of detail.  If you plan to do a lot of walking, these are great – and there are now ones that are laminated for those “misty” English days.  There are other good maps, as well, and we’ll be discussing those when we get to driving in the UK.
Books – The best overall guides are the DK Eyewitness Guides that someone has already mentioned.  I have one called “A Portrait of England” that is a general book, as well as ones on specific places.  These books can be heavy in your luggage or carry-on, so there are two other books that are my bibles for travel in the UK.  The first is “Town Tours of Britain”.  You can find this as a used book at abebooks.com  The cheapest listing I found is for $7.56 plus shipping.  This book is a three ring binder with pages of various cities throughout the UK – with walking guides and a map.  It also shows carparks, in case you’re driving, or railway stations if you’re taking the train.  Before each trip, I go through and take out the pages for the cities in the areas we’ll be visiting.  The second book is called “No Through Road” (there are several books with this title, but you’re looking for the one published by AA – The Automobile Association – the UK’s AAA) and is set-up identically to the “Town Tours” book.  This one’s focus is on walking tours of the countryside – I just pulled out ones for our Welsh trip for visits to waterfalls and Arthurian sites and ruined castles.  Again, I select the pages I want and slip them into an inner pocket in my suitcase because, like with my AmEx card, I don’t leave home without them.
Online – You can find out about the area you’re visiting by doing a journey first online.  We’ll be talking about specific sites later in this class.

5) Decide on your mode of travel in the UK – again we’ll be speaking more specifically about transportation within the UK in the coming days.  But you need to decide if you’re renting a car, taking the train, canal boat, or the bus as you plan your trip because you may want to book before you leave the US in order to get better prices.  You can also hire a car and a driver, which is definitely an option if you don’t want to drive yourself and/or just want to be taken to one location from where you can take public transportation.  I have never hired a car and driver, so I can’t suggest any companies.  As with everything, do your research and ask for references.

6) Leaving for England.  Here are some suggested to-dos as the day of your travel comes nigh:
* Contact your bank and credit card companies to let them know you will be overseas.  You don’t want to have access to your money/credit cut off because your financial institution is nervous at the sudden appearance of overseas charges on your credit or ATM/debit card.  A quick call before you leave to the customer service 800# on your account should take care of the matter.  It’s much easier than trying to battle the time differences and paying long distance charges just to clear up that yes, it’s you and yes, it’s a legitimate charge.  Take care of the issue before you leave.
* Know the regulations for both TSA and its British counterpart on what you can/can’t bring on the plane as carry-on.  And then check your specific airport in the UK.  For a short time last year, the regulations on the number of carry-ons was different at different airports in the UK as the security systems were updated.  These regulations are strictly enforced (sometimes!), and you don’t want to end up having to figure out what do with “extra” carry-on after you’ve checked your baggage.  You can find this information via your airlines’ web site.
* Packing – Unless you’re traveling uber-first class (like Virgin Upper Class – the yummiest way to fly to the UK), you’ll be restricted to two checked bags.  Right now, there isn’t a baggage charge for international luggage for the first two bags (although you may have to pay if you’ve got a connecting flight), but there are charges at both ends for overweight luggage.  How does an Anglophile who needs to bring back books and other souvenirs handle this?  One trick I’ve used on several trips is to pack “soon-to-be-retired” clothes…and toss them out after I’ve worn them.  This works well for jeans (and the Brits now wear jeans almost as much as the Americans do, so you won’t look out of place) because they take up a lot of room.  Also with shoes.  I’ve traded in sneakers (trainers in the UK) for space for books.
Also make sure you’ve got all your meds and other vital items in a carry-on bag, in case your luggage gets lost.  We’ve had that happen, and many airlines have only a few flights per day from any gateway city, so your delayed luggage may be very delayed.  When US Airways lost our luggage (we made our connection in Philly, but the luggage didn’t), we were without it for two days – one to get it to England, another to get it delivered all the way up to North Yorkshire.  The airline offered us money for clothes, but if I hadn’t had extra batteries for my camera with me, I would have lost out on some great photos.  So my minimums for carry-on are: my camera (with an extra battery and charger), my sound-reducing headphones, my meds, a change of underwear and socks, and toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant.
* Prepare for your flight by making sure you’ll be comfortable and not bored to tears.  That means putting a book (or two) into your carry-on.  Some airlines have movies on demand in all classes; others have it only in business and first class.  The flight from the east coast is at least 6-7 hours.  We usually take the red-eye, which means we leave around 8 pm and arrive around 7 am local time (and remember that the UK and the US don’t change their clocks on the same weekends any longer – and make sure you know if a time is in BST – British Summer time – or GMT – Greenwich Mean time, which are different in the summer).  I don’t sleep well on a plane, so I know jet lag will be an issue for me.  (More on that in a bit).  Also I’m short, and if we’re flying in coach (better known as sardine class, although international flights usually have more leg room than US flights), I know that without a footrest, my legs will be aching bad by the time we arrive.  I solved the problem by buying a footrest.  The inflatable one I have is no longer available from Magellan, but they do have at least one other fold-up one.  I take sound-reducing headphones to help with the plane noise.  Pillows and blankets are usually available, so unless you have one you specifically must have, leave them home.

7) Arriving in England.  On the plane, you will have been given a card to fill out with your name, home address, place of birth, citizenship, and address in England.  You need only fill out the first address where you’re staying in the UK, but make sure you have that first one with you.  Each person in your party needs to fill out one and have it ready along with your passport when you disembark.  If you aren’t given a quick pass (because you’re flying first class), you may spend 45 minutes or more in line (oops, that’s a queue in England) at immigration/passport control.  Passengers are divided into queues based on citizenship.  US citizens go to non-UK/EU queue.  When you get to the head of the line, everyone in your party should go forward to the desk together.  You’ll be interviewed by an immigration officer – the usual questions are how long you’re staying and why you’re there.  If you’re there to do research, just say you’re on holiday.  If you’re doing other business (Bill’s company has a UK division, for example), say it’s business and answer any further questions.  Be polite, but not chatty.  They want to get everyone with a legitimate reason for visiting through as quickly as possible.  Then you need to collect your checked luggage.  Get a luggage trolley if you wish.  They are, unlike in US airports, free.  Once you have your luggage, you have to go out via customs.  Unless you are bringing in product to sell, just go through the door “Nothing to Declare”.  Now you’re in the airport proper, and your visit to England is underway.  Follow the signs to your mode of transportation.  Do not stop at the money exchangers – we’ll be talking about alternatives where you get a better exchange rate during our “money” day.

Eight) Jet lag.  It’s a real thing.  Even if you’re so excited about being in England and you want to do everything NOW, jet lag will catch up with you.  There are a couple of schools of thought on this.  Our choice is to go until we can’t go any longer.  That usually means about 8:30 pm (local time) for us.  So we enjoy our day, get an early supper, and crash.  Other people prefer to take a short nap that first afternoon, but that would make it harder for me to get to sleep well that night and make the switch-over.  We find an early bedtime and sleeping through until a late breakfast works for us.  You’ll have to find what works best for you.

Finally saw this movie last night.  Okay, I was picking nits at the beginning…until I quickly realized how JJ Abrams and company were rebooting the franchise.  I do have one question — was the baddie’s spaceship intentionally made to resemble the baddie’s spaceship in Galaxy Quest, that wonderful satire of the original Star Trek series?  I was the only one who laughed in the theater when the spaceship first appeared. Of course, my husband suggested that Kirk should have been represented at his disciplinary hearing by Denny Crane…

One moment stays with me from the movie which had lots of great moments — including how the “new” Dr. McCoy seemed to be channeling DeForest Kelley right down to the exact inflection of his voice — and that was what I call a “writerly moment”.  I get them at various places in movies.  Two in recent movies.  The first was in “Seven Pounds” which I recently saw on a plane.  The black moment when Will Smith’s character realizes he can’t do as he must and still have what he wants is a classic black moment — and Will Smith is such an excellent actor no words are necessary.  The searing decision and his acceptance of it is visible on his face and in his body language.

But the moment in Star Trek was not a black moment, but a motivational moment that sets the James T. Kirk’s motivation for this movie (and all the rest to come) as well as the original series and the movies.  Captain Pike says to a young Kirk (and I’m paraphrasing here because I’ve only seen the movie once…so far), “Your father was a captain for only 12 minutes but saved 800 lives.  Do you think you can do better?”  Wow!  What great writing — encapsulating a character’s motivation in a single question that is a dare because that is what would motivate Kirk more than suggesting his father’s courage and concern for his ship and crew might be his greatest legacies.

It’s always a treat to see fabulous writing mixed with great acting and exciting CGI.  Can’t wait for the next one!

I’ve been interviewed at Linda M. Faulkner’s Author Exchange Blog.  Check it out at:

http://lindamfaulknertips.blogspot.com/2009/05/author-interview-with-jo-ann-ferguson.html

Then check out Linda’s web site at:  http://www.lindamfaulkner.com/  — and read about her mystery set in Montana where she now lives.  We first met more years ago than we wish to admit when we both lived in Massachusetts.