This England: Looking Back -- Some Thoughts on Travel

First, I want to thank everyone who has hung in here with my many posts on our England trip. I've loved your comments and hope I have answered some of your questions. This post might answer a few more. I wanted to wrap up with a few thoughts about travel in general (and maybe England in particular.)

All good things come to an end. We boarded our plane home from England, tired and happy -- ready to get back to Lizzie and not ready to leave! 

This England: One Last Day

Our last day in London! And there were places to go, people to see, things to do! On the "things to do" list was one last concert, this at the historic St. Olave's Church. It was one of the few medieval City churches that survived the Great Fire of London, thanks in large part to Sir William Penn who ordered his men from the naval yards to blow up the houses surrounding the church. This created a fire break. That, and a shift of wind, kept the church intact.

Rick, Jenny, T and I took off on the tube and took a short walk to Hart street. We had plenty of time before the concert to explore this small church with its lovely churchyard. Diarist Samuel Pepys called it  "Our Own Church," and supported it both financially and artistically, creating a memorial bust of his wife in the church after her death so he could "see" her on Sundays. In "The Uncommercial Traveler," Charles Dickens described it as "one of my best beloved churchyards."

This England: Back in London with Music, Shopping and a Special Meet-Up!

When last we left our happy travelers, we had completed a road trip to Basildon Park, Hungerford, Burford, Snowshill Manor and Hughenden. We arrived home in time to get to a guitar concert at the wonderful crypt at St. Martin In the Field.

This England: A Day of Music and Art

We're  headed back to England for a bit here on Marmelade Gypsy, sharing some of the things we experienced last October in London. One of Rick's goals in London was to go to as many classical concerts as possible. A second thing, one on his bucket list for years, was to attend a concert at Wigmore Hall, a concert hall that opened in 1901 and is known for its excellent acoustics. During its history, it has hosted many of the greatest musicians in the world. It is also known for promoting new talent and for its learning programs, which work to engage those who might otherwise not have opportunities to explore classical music.

So, after a wonderful breakfast at our hotel, we took off, first stopping in Oxford Street so Rick could take a peek inside the guitar store . . . 

This England: Welcome to London!

Welcome to London! And welcome back to the travel posts! (I will probably be breaking here and there to fill you in on things like holiday fun). And yes, London was beginning to be decked for the season, too!

This England: All's Well in Wells

Before we left home, as I was checking maps and guidebooks, I saw that the town of Wells wasn't far from Bath. And indeed, when I spoke with friend Martha, she said it was an easy bus ride away. I'd been curious about Wells and its cathedral for years, ever since I saw a photo by my friend, the late travel photographer Wally Parshall. I knew this was a spot I'd like to visit.

Rick, on the other hand, wanted to take advantage of the lovely day to take a hike, so I went into the city and hopped the double decker bus, sitting happily in the first row of the upper level, and off I went to Wells!

This England: Time for Tea in Bath

One always hears about rain in England and we got the Bath version on this day. And it was odd -- it would pour relentlessly and hard; then stop; then drizzle; then pour again. It was a good morning to stay in for a bit, especially after our walking day in Cardiff. Rick worked on his family tree, I read. But around noon we decided it wasn't going to clear up and we certainly weren't going to stay in the house all day, so off we went! After all, it was a good day for an afternoon tea!

A Short Visit to Wales

My second great grandmother was from Wales. I know little about her but I've always been a bit curious about England's neighboring country to the west. So, when we decided to base for a week in Bath, it was an added bonus that a trip to Wales would make for a fun and interesting day.

So, Rick and I took off on the train from Bath. It was a fairly short ride, about 90 minutes, and soon we were in Cardiff. And, I have to say it was the smoothest, most quiet train ride I've ever had -- quite different from our American AMTRAK (at least in Michigan!)

This England: A Fabulous Market in Frome

Before our trip, we had lunch with our friends Mark and Martha, whose cottage we were renting. They gave us some tips on things we might want to explore while in Bath and one was going to the Independent, a market in the nearby town of Frome (pronounced Froom like broom). 

Well, one look at the website and we were all in! So the day after rugby, off we went, boarding the bus (which actually arrived on time right down the hill from us!).

This England -- Let's Go to a Rugby Game!

I confess, when Rick said he wanted to go to a rugby game while we were in Bath, I wasn't exactly keen. I mean, what do we know about rugby? I'm not even fond of football and at least I know the rules.

But it is a very English sport and when in Rome (or Bath), get into the swing of it! So, while Rick was out riding his bike from Bath to Bristol and wherever all it took him, I was charged with getting rugby tickets! They weren't terribly expensive and we felt lucky to get them late the day before.

This England: Exploring Bath

All things considered, we woke relatively rested for our first full day in Bath -- and a beautiful one it was. Rick decided it was a perfect day to rent a bike and go on a long ride. I decided to go into the city. Erika asked in the last post if we had a car available or used the bus. For us, it was the bus -- usually (with a couple of exceptions) a very reliable way to get around the area.

So on this morning, I hustled down to the bus, only to stand waiting and waiting. Finally, I wondered if I might be in the wrong place (or had just missed the one before, which is what I realized had happened). Hope and Anchor had turned their closed sign to open so I crossed back over and asked if I might get a cup of tea and a little advice.

This England -- Welcome to Bath!

One thing we knew for certain when planning our trip. If the cottage we stayed in during our last trip to Bath was still available, we wanted to rent it again and have a longer visit. It was, and we did! (This photo is from my walk in the area.)

At first we thought we might visit Dublin or Edinburgh first. But we decided to spend the whole first week of our holiday in Bath (Midford, actually, about three miles outside the city) and branch off from there. It was a smart idea. (See the travel tips at the end of this post.)

That's a Wrap!

I just wanted to thank you all for following me along on our trip to Paris and England. (If there's anything you either missed or want to refer back to, check the menu tab above for Paris/England 2018). One last post, lessons learned. So let's talk.

Some wondered how we could be away so long and that it had to be terribly expensive. Three and a half weeks, much of what was spent in two of the world's more expensive cities, isn't necessarily a bargain.

The cost of this trip for the two of us was right around $6,000. That included air, Eurostar, trains, buses and metro passes; all meals; 21 nights in a hotel (and three fabulous nights staying with blogger Jenny; thank you!); two theatre and three concert tickets; admissions to museums; two river cruises, my Cotswold's bus tour and my personal shopping. It doesn't count Rick's shopping but he didn't buy much. Our hotels were very nice, conveniently located and served breakfast. When we ate out we had nice dinners and usually light lunches, often picking up cheese and a baguette or a sandwich to enjoy in the park. In other words, we weren't whole hog spending but we weren't excessively frugal by any means. (I should also add that if I was traveling by myself, the cost would be higher as we were splitting hotel costs.)

In preparing this post, I looked at a group tour that was to Northern Italy for 13 nights (April 2020). Cost was $6095 with air from Detroit. It did not include travel insurance, tips, or optional tours but it did include daily breakfasts, seven lunches and eight dinners (the rest is on your own). Also included were guides, drivers and luggage porters. In other words, this tour offered 14 fewer days for more money for one person than we did for two. And those tours included a lot of time being on someone else's schedule.

Our flight, on the now-defunct WOW airlines was so inexpensive that we had $1500 between the two of us I put toward getting hotels in better neighborhoods. It was money well spent.

I know that not everyone is comfortable traveling without the benefit of a tour director and having things taken care of for them. Some aren't comfortable with booking online or familiar enough with an area to feel confident in doing so. Others may be worried about language issues. Certainly in England, language is no problem and really it isn't in France, either, although we were lucky to have our friend Jerry with us most of the time. Still, it would have been fine without.

And trust me, in stores, it doesn't really matter the language you speak. Somehow you work it out whether shopping at a market ...

...or a fine department store.

Had I been in a country where the language was more of an issue (possibly Eastern European, Russia or Asian) or if I felt there would be security issues, I might have a different feeling. But we were very pleased to have had the fun of planning and making our own arrangements and saving money. In fact, planning is half the fun!

More to the point, by doing our own itinerary, we were responsible only to ourselves and if we chose to modify it, all it took was a discussion. Remember when I said "My first travel rule is to make a detailed itinerary -- and then blow it out of the water"? When you travel independently, you can do that. And let me tell you, with my foot issues, that became pretty necessary at times. I had to forsake Windsor Castle -- but we had a wonderful river cruise, unexpected, that I would have been sad to miss.

Had we purchased a museum pass or attraction pass in either London or Paris, we may well have saved money on admissions and time in lines (although we really only had one line of any length). But those are usually used within a limited time period and being there for more time gave us the flexibility to group attractions to a neighborhood and not worry about meeting a deadline.

How did we work things out financially? Essentially, we split everything down the middle except shopping. Before we left, I made the hotel and transportation arrangements, keeping track of the total costs. When we arrived, Rick would withdraw ATM cash with a card that had a no-transaction cooperative arrangement with both a French and British bank. I would mark down how much my share of that was. We generally split meals, tickets, everything, keeping a fair accounting. When we returned home, we tallied up who had spent what and evened up. (Obviously, I spent more on our duo-tally than Rick because a girl's gotta shop!) It was a good method that worked for us, saved ATM fees and it was fair.

I should also add that if I was doing this trip on my own, my $3,400 of that total would increase, due to single rooms in hotels (as mentioned above) and, I would suspect, airfare would be much more since a bargain flight like we got might be a thing of the past. Still, it would be well under the $6,000+ of the 13-day Italy group tour. I wouldn't hesitate to travel alone to either of these cities in terms of safety or language issues (and will again).

We were lucky in traveling and the season that we could pack within a carry-on suitcase for the luggage rack. (That's harder if you're going when it's colder because of the clothing bulk). I think probably the only thing I would change packing-wise is adding another short sleeved top, because you can always layer and you never know when the weather will be unseasonably warm. (It was.) Or another button cardigan vs. an open one so I could layer if it was colder than planned. (It definitely wasn't.) Minor things. I was certainly shedding layers!

I would consider bringing pain patches and more advil than you think you'd need if traveling in a country with a language barrier. We were lucky to have Jerry in Paris. In England I could buy breakaway ice packs for my foot. If I'd packed them, TSA probably would have confiscated. Yes, you can buy things there. But sometimes it's not as easy as it might seem.

If you are lucky enough to have blog or real-life friends in any cities you might be visiting, it's well worth asking for some recommendations. I did that and thanks to you saw some things I might not have seen otherwise. And, because I didn't get to all of those, I have more than a few items for the next-time list! Jerry in Paris and Jenny and T in London were gracious in showing us around to things we might not have otherwise found.

The Musical Museum in London

At Gunnersby Park

That reminds me, if you have some sort of disability -- and by this I mean something where it would be uncomfortable to stand in a line for any length of time -- be sure to get a note from your doctor before you leave. We learned later that this would have got us immediate and often free admission to a number of Paris museums. Fortunately, our friend Jerry knew how to present the case in French and we were able to get through with my bad foot, even though I wasn't on crutches or (then) using a wheelchair. I think a companion is included in the free admission.

And one other thing -- don't hesitate to split up and do something not up your travel partner's alley. Rick had the best time cycling around London with T while Jenny and I went to Kenwood House.

And while he was cycling in Bath, I was exploring the Cotswolds.

Rick said before we left, "This is your trip, the trip of your lifetime. I'm along for it."  But I never wanted it to be that way -- I wanted it to be "our" trip -- and I think it was. We both got to do things that didn't grab the other and we got to do most all of it together.

In fact, that time was the longest we had been together, 24/7, in 23 years! And we still are, bad foot and all.

We gave it two thumbs up.

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London: A Rainy Sunday

Sunday was our sixth day in London and I was still on two feet. They weren't pretty and they were pretty darned painful but still moving. Well, into each life some rain must fall -- and it fell hard that Sunday morning.

We decided we wanted to see St. Paul's, home of the Charles and Diana wedding so long ago and one of the most beautiful and famous of Christopher Wren's creations. So, we took the bus from our hotel to its nearest stop, walking the rest of the way, to attend the Matins or choral service.

It's quite impressive, this mammoth landmark, with its enormous dome and expansive entry.

In fact, when you are standing at the steps, you can barely see the dome!

To do that, you have to walk around to the side for a better look. And it's quite a look!

We ventured inside (security check) and found seats near the front and I enjoyed a rather interesting service with beautiful music and a short and well done homily that I wish I could remember now. And it was glorious inside.

Source: Wikipedia/St. Paul's Cathedral

I suspect I spent far more time gaping at the elaborate ceiling and mosaic floor than I did in any serious contemplation of faith.

Source: Wikipedia/St. Paul's Cathedral

(I will say, though, that the acoustics were wretched. It sounded like we were in an echo chamber and maybe where our seats were located, it was. That was quite a disappointment because I think the choir would have sounded lovely if I wasn't hearing them slightly out of synch like two televisions close together but off by a half second in dialogue!)

Source: Wikipedia/St. Paul's Cathedral

My other disappointment was that we couldn't take photos here. (I probably could have tried but it seemed a little wrong!) They had some handsome statues and monuments and I would have loved to record the stunning interior. This postcard will have to do.

After the service we both bought quite a few things in the gift shop and this past Christmas enjoyed carols sung by the choir (which actually sounded really good, no echo!). I bought this wee icon and Rick gave me this beautiful cross for my Christmas tree (which may not go away with the other ornaments. I love it too much!)

Then onward, past the statue of Queen Anne ("The Favourite") in front of the cathedral. One of her political opponents wrote that "it was fitting she was depicted with her rump to the church, gazing longingly into a wineshop!"

After church we walked across Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern. We were wet. It was cold. I was in pain and I had a total meltdown. Rick said, "I'm getting a wheelchair."  And then I really broke because it felt so embarrassing to know you had to be pushed through a museum. I mean, going to museums is what I DO. On my own two feet. And I'm not THAT old. Yet. I will always be grateful to the kind volunteer who waited with me while he looked for the chair and just calmed me down. Yes, "kind." That is the word I'll always remember when I think of her.

The Tate Modern is -- well, modern. Very contemporary art. And that SO isn't my thing. I just don't get it. But I have to say, it was unique. We saw a movie which (we learned, after the first hour or so when we left) runs 24 hours and people are continually looking at clocks or their watches and the time is what the time really is. It's loads of clips and it made no sense but it was sort of intriguing and well edited. It was called -- wait for it -- "The Clock." Then there was this area, which seemed a waste of good space.

(However, it did have all sorts of cool sayings in plaques on the wall, many of which resonated!)

In Lansing we have an area near our home we call the Malfunction Junction because over about three square blocks we see at least one accident/almost accident/remnants from an accident once a week, without fail. So we renamed this sculpture "The Malfunction Junction."

And artist Julie Mehretu is also from our home town, so it was fun to see one of her big pieces here even if I didn't like it. (It was based on protests in Cairo.)

I have no idea what this was.

Or this.

But it isn't a bad thing to go out of your artistic comfort zone now and then. If nothing else, it can be good for grins. And one man's trash is another's treasure, they say. But it was no Klimt experience! As for me, my art will never be in the Tate -- modern or otherwise.

But I can work with that.

Travel Tips:

• Visiting Churches -- If you want to see a beautiful church that charges a hefty admission (or even doesn't), skip the tour and hit a service. Choir services -- Matins and Evensong -- are particularly nice because you get some lovely entertainment with it. They do collect an optional offering, although I found it worth my gift for the lovely music in a beautiful venue.
• Check out Concert/Recital Schedules -- If you enjoy music, don't hesitate to check out free or inexpensive afternoon and evening concerts or recitals. The recitals at St. James were by donation and while you won't hear Yo-Yo Ma performing, you will perhaps hear the Yo-Yo of tomorrow.
• Ask for Help -- Don't be embarrassed to ask for help. I was. I am. I always will be. But they have wheelchairs in museums for a reason -- to help you enjoy the facility. To allow you to see what you wouldn't otherwise. And it gets easier as you do it more than once. When I say "don't be embarrassed" I mean not only embarrassed around the strangers but also to your traveling companion. I hated more than anything to slow Rick down. But he was OK with that. Even before he saw that plaque above that said, "It is in your self interest to be very tender," he was.
• Always take your umbrella. (Get that small kind that fit in your purse or day bag.) 
• Venture out of Your Comfort Zone -- You don't have to do it often if it makes you that uncomfortable, but you might learn something, see something that makes your think or, if nothing else, solidify your own opinion. I can't say I'd return to the Tate. Not my thing. But I'm glad I went. 

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