Post-Tour Thoughts
Sure, the 7-day city tours aren't as exotic-sounding as a 10-, 14-, or 21-day tour around Europe, but it's a great jumping-off point for those who don't have a lot of vacation time, who aren't sure an organized tour is right for them, or who really just want to focus on getting to know a major European city. This tour provided us with a perfect mix of tour time and non-tour time and we never felt like we had too much of either. The 7-day Travel Card (provided by the tour) gave us the freedom to get around and our guide made sure that everyone understood how to comfortably use the transit system. We hit most of the "biggies" - the important London sites that everyone should check off their lists to be well-travelled - and got just enough information about each site to understand what we were seeing. Our guide Robert was personable, informative, and a master at moving the group through the masses of London. Did we love everything we did? No, but we're glad to say that we've been to all these incredible places, even if we wouldn't necessarily revisit them. And it it so fun to watch various television shows and movies and say - hey, we've been there! Would we recommend this tour to others? Absolutely!
Tour Travel Tips
General Travel Tips
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Public Transit in London
The public transit options for getting around London are myriad and kind of complicated to understand. Lori and her sister did a lot of reading prior to our arrival, just to make sure we understood what we'd need. The folks at the Heathrow ticket office were very helpful, too. In the end, we purchased an Oyster card with a 7-day Travel Card for Zones 1 & 2, plus enough to cover our Tube travel to and from Heathrow and our National Rail trip to Watford. The Travel Card is so handy if you will be in the city for at least four days, as it gives unlimited travel on most forms of transit. It's perfect for hopping from bus to bus just to get a look at the city! The London in 7 Days tour includes a 7-day Travel Card for Zones 1 & 2, so we had that for our second week in London. We have a little money left on our Oyster cards for our next trip! (It's also possible to get a refund on unused funds, if you like.)
Visit Transport for London for lots of great information. Gluten-Free in London
Lesley has a wheat allergy, so we have to be very conscious of looking for gluten-free food. As is the case in the States, it is a little hit-and-miss depending on the type of restaurant you visit. Obviously, the fish and chips are generally out. We did find that most grocery and take-away locations, like Pret-A-Manger, have common allergens well-labeled. All of the restaurants that we visited with the group were very willing to be accommodating, even if they hadn't received prior notice of the special dietary needs.
Gay & Lesbian TravelWe're
as normal as any other couple you might know, but as a same-sex couple,
we generally have to be prepared for less than positive responses from
strangers. There's a lot to be wary of in planning a trip: Are we
going to have a hassle from the tour company? Are we going to have a
hassle from the hotels? Are we going to have any problems with the other
tour members? Thankfully, it could not have gone more smoothly on all counts. As had been the case previously, the Rick Steves' staff were great. Most importantly, our tour group was very friendly. At our group introduction, we identified ourselves as a married couple in order to both live honestly and also to avoid any awkward conversations or silent wondering. We never felt like we were any different from anyone else in the group (we're not) and actually had several very interesting (enlightening?) conversations with other group members about our wedding and current legislation and how it affects us.
Hotel Information
Both hotels were just a few blocks from Underground stations, in quiet neighborhoods. We were able to get a discounted price for The Sumner by booking through Orbitz using a discount code. Other LinksIt almost goes without saying, but the Rick Steves' Europe website is the place to start any travel planning.
Here are links for many of the places that we visited, either on our own, or with the tour. Knowledge is power! |