June 24 Blog

Brit-Bound-Blog

Issue #27…

This Sunday’s Meeting

3 p.m., this Sunday, First Presbyterian on College Avenue. Enter through the north doors and we’ll be in the fellowship room up the stairs and to your right.

I’m sure I’ll have your plane tickets by this time along with the names and addresses of the hotels where we’ll be staying. I guess all that leaves is packing your toothbrush and jumping onto the plane.

I’d encourage you to skim through the blog entries this week if you’ve not done so lately. I was a bit taken aback this week when one of our young travelers asked me, “What’s a carry-on bag?”

Changes..Changes…Changes…

As I’ve mentioned ad nauseum, “change” is not only the motto of both political candidates, but it’s the by-word of travel. We’ve had some changes. Since certain events simply don't happen on Sunday in many parts of the world, and because our schedule is tight, the following edits have taken place in our tour:

1) the schedule doesn’t allow enough time for the “Mystery Tour” option, so those of you who signed up will be refunded the money for that one. They’ll send one check to me.

2) River Dance does not play on Sunday night and on Monday most are scheduled for the Abbey Tavern so you’ll be refunded the River Dance bucks. Yeah, I know..I wanted to see that rascal, too. But hey, it’s all good and we’ll have a great time wherever we go.

3) Some of us opted out of the Loch Tour option in order to spend the day with Jackie Shores, a friend. There’s now a possibility that Jackie will be stateside due to her father’s illness. So…I’m checking with our tour consultant about us signing up for the Loch Tour instead.

More Money Matters…

This from Kathy Bernard, our tour consultant:

Based on the tipping guidelines (which can be adjusted at your own discretion based on service received) the amount to your courier would be $48 per person. The amount to your driver in Ireland would be $15 per person (given to him on Day 6 when he drops you off at Dublin airport), and the

amount to your driver in Scotland and London would be $18 per person, given the day before you leave to come home.

Remind travelers that they'll also want some cash on them for baggage fees. They should try very hard to not exceed one medium sized suitcase of 44 lbs or less.

If they check two bags, Delta will charge $25 for the second bag. Ryan air charges for any checked bag exceeding 33 lbs, so many will probably have to pay a fee at the Dublin airport. Packing light has always been an art form, but these days, not having that talent really costs the traveler, on the spot.

Please don't look upon this tipping as a “hidden charge.” Believe me, it’s standard practice in the tourism industry, although one that sometimes we Midwesterners have trouble understanding.

The Truth about London Taxis

From Bill Curry, re: an article in Budge Traveler magazine: London
Always take the city’s old-fashioned black cabs, which are licensed by the city, rather than the so-called minicabs that sometimes wait outside theaters, restaurants, and bars at night, says Scotland Yard spokesman Alan Crockford. In 2006, an average of 10 women a month were assaulted by the drivers of minicabs, according to the most recent data available from the London Metropolitan Police. Minicabs belonging to a car service are licensed, but even those cars are only legally permitted to pick up passengers who have called to make a reservation-they can not stop for people in the street. Contact the Transport for London office (011-44/20-7222-1234, tfl.gov.uk) if you want a list of licensed minicab company numbers, Crockford says.

A Tip on Ryan Air from Anne

Anne Wildrick passed along this bit of info regarding the airline hopping us to Scotland: Ryanair.com's worst fees are for luggage. Its free weight allowance on checked bags is about 33 pounds collectively. Whether you check one, two, or three bags, if their collective weight exceeds 33 pounds, you'll pay about $10.40 for each pound over the limit!) (about €15 per kilo, or the local currency equivalent; full fees listed here.)

And don't try to pool or share luggage within the same traveling party. That's a no-no. But you can try this Budget Travel tip, instead: Stick an empty duffel bag in your suitcase; if Ryanair tries to charge you extra, shift some of the weight to the duffel and use it as your carry-on bag (which Ryanair allows, given that it's a reasonable size carry-on).