Thread: Europe alone! HELP ! ! !

Our family's once-in-a-lifetime vacation to Europe just hit a major snafu. I'm pleading for help so it won't become the worst vacation Ever.
We've been planning to do this trip for years--ever since some friends of ours moved to the UK 6 years ago. It got postponed last July bcz of my ACL.
We've been excited all year to finally meet up and tour with them this summer, counting on them to show us around their stomping grounds.
They just got word that their employer's anticipated move back to the states is going to be THE VERY DAY we arrive! What are the odds?

when/where ya going?

I can offer great Scotland advice & some limited Continent stuff


edit:
talk to me tonight @ the frozen going away & I can relate my info & if nic comes she can give ya Ireland info

What are the odds? Actually, that's typical of my timing, whether it be the stock market or whatever.
They feel sick about it but now they're thrown into high gear getting everything ready to move back and admittedly can't help much. I didn't plan a thing for this since we were kind of relying on them.
I've been known to go on ski trips and decide where to go, lodge, eat as I travel. But I don't know if that'll work in Europe with my fam. Can a family do that in England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany? Can we drive from place to place, pull up to something like a Best Western and get a room for 4 for a few bucks like we can in the states?
Can we just drive on down to Buckingham Palace and drop in for a tour? Grab a bite to eat on Easter Island before cruising for a Holiday Inn?

Yes, I'm being a little facetious(sp? - no spellcheck on a PDA). I know things will turn out fine after I sit down and plan a few things. I'm just hoping for input from peeps who've had successful trips there.
Help.

I've done it on the spur of the moment. It's pretty easy actually. I found cheap houses to rent in Cambridge and Oxford, since school was out. Amazing places in themselves. As for Scotland, there's lots of great stuff to do.

Be forewarned: London is expensive. Perhaps the rad_boo's can help you there.

Got any country specifics? Anything you'd like to see, do, etc? I could prolly help you out with most of the mainland stuff..

From what my dad told me & what friends have told me, flying by the seat of your pants in Europe is easily done.

I have no personal experience in this, however, since I went when I was 14.

Hotels are pretty expensive compared to the States, especially at short-notice and in cities. I would exprect to see no change from at least $150 per room without breakfast if you pitch up at a moderate First Western or Holiday Inn city hotel.

As for Buck House, I'm not sure, check the website. I think you need to pre-buy tickets.

Unfortunately (tragically actually) I just moved out of my swank pad in central Edinburgh (where I would have loved to host any mags) back in with my parents. Now living in the middle of butt-fuck-nowhere, working 12 hour night shifts so not much use for now (although I start 3 nights on 3 off soon). Gotta save for the winter somehow...

When you around? I am not far from London. Beers could be in order at least.

bed and breakfasts can be done for a reasonable cost if you are willing to ask around or stay an extra 5/10 minute drive outof town. I realize a 5/10 minute drive outside of a town like say....London means that you are a 2 hour drive from downtown but for smaller cities it is the way to go IMO. If you want info for Ireland (the south specifically) then you can PM me since I am from there originally and was back working in Limerick (west coast) for a year.
Good luck with everything.

If you need any info on Scandanavia, I'm pretty familiar with that part of the world (Southwest Norway in particular).

The Bed and Breakfast suggestion is excellent. In the US B&Bs seem to be more aimed at a fairly wealthy crowd, but in Europe, they are more of an economical means of lodging. You'll likely have a bathroom down the hall in an older house, but you'll get to meet some natives, and the propietors are usually an excellent source of local beta. I'm assuming that your children are moderately well-behaved, and not too young, since small noisy children are frowned upon in some places. In the big cities, you may have a hard time finding a place to stay, so I would reccomend getting reservations in places like London and Paris. Find a decent travel agent, and they should help you with that part of the trip.

As far as getting around Europe goes, the trains are often your best bet. If this was my trip, I would use trains to get between the large cities, and then use public transportation in the big places. If I was planning to visit some smaller towns, and get out of the cities, I would rent a car for those parts of the trip.

Generally speaking you'll find that the Europeans are incredibly helpful and friendly (I'm not sure what Bush has done to this, but at least a few years ago it was true). Almost everyone is able to communicate in English, but unless you want to be the "Ugly American" NEVER assume that the other person speaks English. Start the conversation in whatever their native language is, and wait for them to switch over to English. Or at a bare minimum, ask if they speak English first. Remember that you're the idiot for being in their country without knowing the language/customs/train schedule, and you'll generally get along just fine.

I'm not sure how long your trip is, but it sounds like a pretty long trip. I'd try to schedule some time in the middle to relax a bit. If, for example, you want to visit London, Paris, and Rome, you might want to stop off for a day or two in the South of France to hang out on the beach. Decide on a general itenerary, but then leave the details up in the air. Remember, the unplanned parts of the trip are often the best.

I go to London every year in the fall (sister lives there). One thing to be aware of is the fact that you will lose 80% on every financial transaction (about $1.80 a pound). Everything in the UK is a fortune - same prices numerically, but in pounds. You'll get more for your euro in Germany.

I recommend Trip Advisor -- they give honest reviews of hotels within your price range, and links to book the room. They also have all you need to know re: Changing of the Guard, tours of The Tower (I recommend), etc. PM me if you want any touristy info, or restaurant tips. But once the Roo's read your thread, I'm sure you'll get all the info you need.

Need any info on Portugal ?

Or germany ? (ok that one was too obvious.... )

Cheap places to stay are youth hostels or the allmighty formule 1 hotels ! and there are many camping places you can stay almost everywhere.
but beware of the summer holiday time .... getting a place to stay can become difficult at some places.

quote: Almost everyone is able to communicate in English......

well, except the French

When are you coming Endless?

Thanks for the info so far everybody. I'm just running out the door to dinner and a concert. I'll answer those of you with questions later.

I very rarely planned any of my travels in Europe. And almost never had problems finding cheap nice rooms, but there were a few occsaions where I was searching a bit late (busy weekends in St.Anton in particular...).

I went to England and we drove around and said "Where are we off to today?" made plans on the order of "Let's check out Stonehenge and whatever's nearby" (we always had plenty of guidebooks on hand) and found nice little places to stay. Definitely not Best Western type thing (hotels were out of my price range in Europe) but finding little bed and breakfast/gasthaus type places was always pretty easy, and they're nicer anyway. There are a million castles and cathedrals and sights to see that don't require advance planning.

Key question here is when? If its right in the middle of summer things get a bit harder, but are still doable if you rock up. The other catch is weekends. If you are anywhere popular on a weekend it will be full in the summer.

Where and when are my two questions, but definitely go, you will have a blast.

Let me know if you are coming to Suisse/Switzerland.

Can provide info. And, I got space.

London and the South of England...............the Roo's will guide you. No problem at all. Send me a PM and let me know when, who, where you are flying in to etc and an idea of what you fancy looking at. I'm a bit rubbish with my studying at the mo but Roo is free most weekends. However, I can find out specific info for you, just keep me informed. I'll try and get some cheap/free tickets for the London Dungeons from my sister-in-law for you.

If you're stuck for somewhere to stay (it can be expensive), we can sleep 4 (if the kids don't mind an air mattress). It's a humble apartment but the hospitality is warm!

There are some lovely places around London and the south. If you want thatched cottage, cream tea English villages we know where. If you want dramatic coastline (also with cream teas) there are some lovely places.

It will be fab to see you what ever. Mulletizer's right, we'll have to get a few maggots together for an evening.


Yogachick, you should look us up when you're over next.

http://www.campertour.com/uk6b.gif

Endless,

let me know the rough dates you'll be around and I can help you out with any infos and guidance over here in Germany as well as with lodging.
August is the peak holiday season over here, but since many people go away there are enough options to avoid the crowds. I am sittin' with my family in the coutry's northwest, but let me know what especially your family/kids would be up for and we can set things up accordingly.
The value for the buck strongly depends on where you are, the metropolitan areas can be somewhat pricey but even there are way's around that.

I think you should check out Fawlty Towers. First rate hotel.

hey I understand you wanna stay in upper europe, but let me know if you are intersted in downstairs such as switz and italy, I would be very glad to be of any help

Yogachick, you should look us up when you're over next.

Will do. Might not be until Christmas this year, my sister is coming to L.A . Aug/Sept which is the time of year when I usually go see her!. She lives in Hove and works in London (at the RCA), so I always start my trip with her in Hove and then we go off somewhere else (different every year, last year was Nice, the year before was Copenhagen, etc). I'll start a 'maggot party in London' thread when I have my trip planned. I'd love to visit her in the winter and then convince her to go to the Alps with me, but I doubt that will ever happen, she doesn't like snow.

Originally posted by yogachik
she doesn't like snow.

...and you're related?

Originally posted by Mrs Roo
the Roo's will guide you

Dreadful punctuation. See Me.