Holiday in England

[JJuggle]

A tentative visit to England is shaping up for my family sometime in August. We'd be in London for a couple of days and likely around Cheltenham for the rest.

So, who would this be near?

Also, how far is Cheltenham from Mostyn? If it's workable perhaps I could spend a day at the Mostyn Mayhem (http://www.unicycle.org.uk/mostyn2004/2004.htm).

In any event I'd like to insist on putting one day at least aside for me to spend with some riders.

Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

[nickjb]

You'll be about 2 1/2 hours from Mostyn.

There are lots of riders around London and a few near Cheltenham. You'll be right next to the Forest of Dean which is a great place for a ride. Very popular with mountain bikers. I sure you'll get a few riders keen for a days playing there.

HTH
nick

[treepotato]

Holiday in England

soar the title of this thread and thought ah ha!

come to Calstock Unicycle club! we love to meet people!

[sarah.miller]

Rapheal,
If you and the girls want some time at the beach while your in the UK, why not pop down to the South West, meet TreeP, Phil, Paul, thinuniking, and me and others to go play with. The beaches are prety nice too. Our local beach at Dawlish Warren just came 6th in a list of Englands cleanest beaches ( its the highest placed Devon beach). We were going to go there today to fly kites but it kept raining, so have had a lazy day at home instead.

Sarah

[treepotato]

meet TreeP, Phil, Paul, thinuniking, and me and others to go play with.

come and see us that would be cool to have our own mini uni meet

[JJuggle]

Originally posted by sarah.miller
Rapheal,
If you and the girls want some time at the beach while your in the UK, why not pop down to the South West, meet TreeP, Phil, Paul, thinuniking, and me and others to go play with. The beaches are prety nice too. Our local beach at Dawlish Warren just came 6th in a list of Englands cleanest beaches ( its the highest placed Devon beach). We were going to go there today to fly kites but it kept raining, so have had a lazy day at home instead.

Sarah Hmmm, thinuniking, huh. Well as long as Ben promises not to harm me, it sounds quite nice. ;) :D :eek: How far is where you are from London or Cheltenham?

The more my wife and I talk about this the more we want to do it.

Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

[phil]

Exeter, where Paul and Sarah live, is about 2 hours away from Cheltenham according to the AA (http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp); I live very slightly nearer. If you decide to come down this way I for one would like the opportunity of meeting you! We'll promise to stop Ben correcting your grammar all the time... :)

Since moving down to the South West from the East Midlands I've been quite impressed by the number of unicyclists down here. Now I get to ride with other people many weekends after having to put up with months on end of riding on my own.

Dawlish Warren used to be the nearest beach years ago when I lived in Devon, and I still think it's one of the best beaches I've been to.

Phil

[JJuggle]

Originally posted by phil
Exeter, where Paul and Sarah live, is about 2 hours away from Cheltenham according to the AA (http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp); I live very slightly nearer.Sounds doable. If you decide to come down this way I for one would like the opportunity of meeting you!Likewise! We'll promise to stop Ben correcting your grammar all the time... :)Thanks! :)Dawlish Warren used to be the nearest beach years ago when I lived in Devon, and I still think it's one of the best beaches I've been to.British place names are surely the best as well.

Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

[treepotato]

and treepotato lives about an hour or so from Exeter (think thats right) and i'd love to meet up with everyone i get lonely unicycling down here in cornwall...sniff

[JJuggle]

It looks like I'll also be staying a day or so with some friends in Walthamstow. That's somewhere in the London vicinity I'm told. :D

Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

[JJuggle]

Well, we're booked to arrive at Heathrow at 9:05 on 7-Aug. We'll be in Cheltenham the 7th through 12th and then in London the 13th and 14th.

The Cheltenham Juggling Club meets on Sunday evenings and I'll probably head there on the 8th.

Hopefully I'll be able to spend a day with some unicyclists. Look forward to meeting some of you. :)

Emma is particularly excited about seeing Big Ben, some costume museum in Bath, and not eating anything marmite related.

Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

[bugman]

Scouting out a country to move to if Bush wins again.;)

[JJuggle]

Originally posted by bugman
Scouting out a country to move to if Bush wins again.;) "If"? I would have thought you'd use "when".

In any event, no, Canada is close enough for those purposes. Just so damn cold.

Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

[treepotato]

Scouting out a country to move to if Bush wins again.

come to england!

mind you we've got tony blair so not really a terific improvement but still you get away from the bush

[thinuniking]

huh what did i do?:confused: i harm my self mainly i am only online due to a uni spin injury :( wow i have a reputation coool!
Ben

[unicus]

I think leow (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=981) lives in Cheltenham, if memory serves me right.

Originally posted by JJuggle
Emma is particularly excited about seeing Big Ben, some costume museum in Bath, and not eating anything marmite related.
I went to Bath recently for the first time though we didn’t go to the costume museum, the Roman Bath’s are good mind. On the Saturday we were there we saw a street performer with a 8ft DM giraffe (kept telling the ordiance it was 10ft :) ) made me wish I’d taken my uni.

Oh and I wouldn't eat Marmite either.

Cheers, Gary

[rogeratunicycledotcom]

Do come to Mostyn Mayhem, it is a really cool convention. Really relaxed with a lot more unicycling than at a normal juggling convention (might be because I help organise it). :-)

Roger

[JJuggle]

Well, we're flying to England tomorrow evening and will be arriving at Heathrow the morning of Saturday, 7-Aug.

Between my own inertia, my wife's itinerary, and the fact that 8 days is way not enough time, I haven't really gotten around to contacting anyone to try to meet up. I will have access to Unicyclist.com from my friends place, though if opportunities arise.

I will be going to the Cheltenham Juggling Club (which meets in Shurdington) meeting on Sunday, 8-Aug at 7:00 PM. I've been in contact with Leo W (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/member.php?s=&action=getinfo&userid=981) and he has said he'll show up. If there's anyone else in the area who can make it, that'd be great.

Cheers all,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

[zod]

Have a good time! Haven't been to England in 16 years.......need to get back there myself some time in the near future....

[JJuggle]

Originally posted by zod
Have a good time! Haven't been to England in 16 years.......need to get back there myself some time in the near future.... Thanks. We were last there in 1989 and before that '87. This is going to be the first time we see some of the countryside, though. Should be nice. And I'm hoping my 10 year old enjoys it, too.

Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

[JJuggle]

Take care all. We're off. There's a chance I'll check in during the trip, but if not, I'll be back on the 15th or 16th.

Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Cheltenham/London, England

[JJuggle]

Our holiday in England has come and gone. We all had a wonderful time. Here follows a pointlessly lengthy account.

Some of our pictures are here (http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?Ucollid=45112220306&Uphotoid=22635420306&collid=45112220306&page=1&sort_order=0). Hopefully, it doesn't require a login.

Firstly, and not that they were filled with excited anticipation, I would like to apologize to the unicyclists who offered to meet up for a day. There just wasn't time. My wife gave up a trip north to do genealogy and I a day unicycling in order that we could do all the things we wanted to as a family and with our friends who hosted us.

We spent 6 days staying with friends in Cheltenham doing local tours of the beautiful towns and one day trip into Wales. The last 2 days we were in London, also staying with friends doing the little sight-seeing we could.

As with any trip abroad there were unpleasant moments. In Wales we were snubbed at a pub and refused food service because it was near the time they stopped serving. The people ahead of us were taken and there was no one behind us, so it did seem arbitrary at best to turn us away.

At Sudeley Castle there was nothing for my daughter to eat and the staff refused to simply sell us a plain bit of bread (which they had) and some butter (which they had) because that was not on the menu.

And most unpleasant, at Liverpool station the Circle Line to the Tower was closed and the man at the desk with the large, bold, fully capitalized word, "INFORMATION", stared silently and blankly at me when I asked him for alternate directions to the Tower. Then to add insult to injury the young woman behind me laughed heartily at my expense and explained to me that answering such questions was not his job. As a New Yorker who has always gone out of my way to help tourists even when they clog up Rockefeller, I was particularly pissed off and wanted to use some foul language; my wife prevailed on me not to.

OK, so that wasn't so bad, but just struck me as worth a mention.

Our previous two trips had only included London and one day trip to Bath. I was looking forward to seeing the English countryside, previously only experienced in the movies, and I was not at all disappointed. It is spectacularly lush, green, and hilly. On Sunday we picnicked on a hill just outside of Cheltenham and the view was great. We could see for miles.

Sunday night I visited with the Cheltenham Juggling Club. Leo White, one of our occasional posters was kind enough to get me directions and attend with his wife and delightful 20 month old daughter. The highlight for me there was getting started on my first attempts at 7 club passing.

Saturday we had spent driving around and trying just to stay awake until night so as to not have such bad jet lag.

On Monday I picked up our rental car. Driving on the left is not so bad (I'd done it once before in the Virgin Islands). The biggest challenge driving through town was not drifting to the left to adjust to what seems a normal position on the road. I nearly clipped a van the first 5 minutes, but managed to compensate and get used to it. Roundabouts, known as circles in the US, are also quite fun.

Monday we drove to Stratford-upon-Avon and then to Warwick Castle. Stratford is a nice little town, although bigger than we expected with lots of touristy crap stores and restaurants. Pizza Hut and the British restaurant, Pizza Express seem to be ubiquitous throughout England. I'm sorry to say that my daughters' picky eating habits being what they are, we ate a both a few times. We, of course, toured the house where Shakespeare was born which was enjoyable.

Afterwards we drove to Warwick Castle which is currently owned by Madame Tousauds and has some fine wax figures of the last 19th century aristocratic inhabitants. The castle grounds have little show bits such as a jester who performs and who explained carefully that court jesters did not juggle.

On Tuesday we spent a very long, exhausting, and fun day in Bath. We did as much as we could including the Royal Crescent (my wife did the museum while Emma and I played ball), the Costume Musuem (Emma and my wife - I took a walk), tea at Sally Lunn's, and the Roman Baths. Lunch, of course, at Pizza Express. After the baths we watched a street performer do his show. He was very good, although his banter included virtually no original material. He ended, ta-da, by juggling torches on a 10 foot unicycle. After the show we talked briefly and he let me ride his regular uni around a bit.

On Wednesday our friends drove us to Wales. A place called the Priory, although I can't remember the exact location. Not from Ross on Wye, I do know. Here the scenery was mind-blowingly gorgeous. The Priory sits in the bottom of a valley around which are farms with cows, sheep, and horses. While walking up a path towards the pastures we were treated to an enormous boom which turned out to be fighter jets that do low flying exercises through the valley. I nearly filled my pants. The cows didn't seem to mind though. Unable to get lunch anywhere, we ate crisps, fruit, and those unbelievably crappy things the English call sandwiches that we got at a grocery store.

After the Priory we toured around with a stop at Tintern Abbey about which there is, so I'm told, some famous poem. It was closed, apparently falling apart and under restoration.

One interesting thing about England is that space is everywhere at a premium. Our friends in Cheltenham have three rooms, one of which has a bath and sink, one of thich has a toilet and sink and one of which has only a toilet. Not one, however, has enough space to stretch ones legs and the sinks are barely wide enough to avoid splashing water on the floor when washing ones face. The other thing that really hit up against my American sensibilities is the roads that are one lane wide such that, not infrequently, two cars meet forcing one to back up until the road widens slightly and the other can pass. With cars parked on either side this happens in some London neighborhoods as well.

On Thursday we drove to Sudeley (rhymes with rudely) Castle which dates back far enough for Henry VIII and Elizabeth I to have spent time there. It was a safe house for the royalty during the Civil War and was subsequently trashed by Cromwell. Henry's last wife, Katherine Parr ended her life there 16 months after Henry died. Much too soon it would seem as she spent time massaging his ulcerated legs. Her husband at the end apparently also hit on the then teenage Elizabeth, causing Katherine to banish her. Twas ever thus.

Friday morning we returned our car. It was fun driving, but like trying to get by in a country where you know the language only a little, it is physically and mentally exhausting to drive on the "wrong" side and I was glad to be rid of the car.

Our Cheltenham friends were kind enough to drive us to our London friends' home in Walthamstow. We paid for the petrol which goes for around $7/gallon.

Once in London we had a pleasant lunch and caught up with our friends. They have a 4 year old daughter and she, having no older sister, and Emma my daughter, having no younger siblings, enjoyed each others company. After lunch my wife and I took the tube to Covent Garden. What a touristy, lousy place. Shops selling all manner of things you don't need at exhorbitant prices. I was disappointed. Anyway, we went back to Walthamstow and had a very nice veggie barbecue.

By the way, of the 4 friends, two couples, we stayed with only one has a proper job. One is a freelance photographer, one a writer and the other taking leave to spend time with her daughter. So, we were lucky to have lots of company the whole time.

On Friday we went to the Tower of London and spent a good 3 1/2 hours there seeing the Crown Jewels, Armoury, a guided walking tour and just tooling around. The cafeteria there, by the way, is among the best you'll find at a tourist spot. The Tower is nearly 1,000 years old and despite being such a major tourist attraction is well worth the time. An entire day is not enough to see it all.

After that we went to Westminster Abbey to meet up with our friends. They were there, but it was closed. Here we encountered the largest crowds. Outside of 10 Downing Street, the residence of Tony Blair, there is a perpetual protest by opponents of Britain's involvement in the Iraq war.

We all 6 strolled, bustled really, along the Thames down towards the Royal Festival Hall. Here is where the Houses of Parliament are and Big Ben. Big Ben is what my daughter was most looking forward to seeing and she was not disappointed by it. The London Eye ferris wheel is there as well. It's huge, and frankly, to my eye, should not exist. All along the walk there are mimes in costume standing still until someone tosses a coin into their hat whereupon they do a 15 or so second bit of motion. I can't deny them their living but even the good ones are less than entertaining. Some of them aren't even actual trained mimes, but just people in costumes posing as performers. Rose, the 4 year old, was very entertained though, and begged for a coin to throw to each of the half dozen or so we passed.

At the end of the walk we ate, yes, you guessed it, pizza at a "gourmet" pizza joint. I tried pizza with pineapple for the first time and it was pretty good.

On Sunday we flew home, Emma barfed just before we entered customs but fortunately was not taken for a "mule" and home we made it.

Next time we're planning at least two weeks.

Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

[sarah.miller]

Originally posted by JJuggle


As with any trip abroad there were unpleasant moments. In Wales we were snubbed at a pub and refused food service

That not because your american, its becasue your not welsh:-) it happens to other non welsh people too. And it could have been becasue you had a child with you, plenty of landlords don't believe children should be allowed in pubs.


At Sudeley Castle there was nothing for my daughter to eat and the staff refused to simply sell us a plain bit of bread (which they had) and some butter (which they had) because that was not on the menu.
snip
Pizza Express seem to be ubiquitous throughout England. I'm sorry to say that my daughters' picky eating habits being what they are, we ate a both a few times.

Wow, she must be a really picky eater, with a high pizza tolerance.


. After the baths we watched a street performer do his show. He was very good, although his banter included virtually no original material. He ended, ta-da, by juggling torches on a 10 foot unicycle.

Bath's buskers will very rarly use origianal material as the old tried and tested is so good at getting the money in, its tourist spot so most people only see the act the once...why change it if it ain't broke.


Unable to get lunch anywhere, we ate crisps, fruit, and those unbelievably crappy things the English call sandwiches that we got at a grocery store.

Sounds like you had a bad experience gennerally with the food! Be honest tho, do visitors to the states ALWAYS pick the right places to eat. I had some pretty grim food while in Washington the other year.


The other thing that really hit up against my American sensibilities is the roads that are one lane wide such that, not infrequently, two cars meet forcing one to back up until the road widens slightly and the other can pass. With cars parked on either side this happens in some London neighborhoods as well.

It's good for keeping speeds down tho! These are roads that were designed for low volume horse drawn traffic, not for vehicles that move too fast to stop quickly. Dod you drive on any so small they have grass growing in the middle between the two tyre tracks.


t. The London Eye ferris wheel is there as well. It's huge, and frankly, to my eye, should not exist.

Arh, but did you not on first sighting it think, " blimey, some one left a really big unicycle lying around" and then wonder if one could ride it.
As a londoner the eye is one of the "tourist" things I WOULD recomend a visitor to do, the veiws are fantastic and the in flight staff know their stuff about what your seeing and how far and in what direction places are that your looking for. I'm glad my home town had the vision to grant planning permission to a New monument for London.


On Sunday we flew home, Emma barfed just before we entered customs but fortunately was not taken for a "mule" and home we made it.

Too much pizza?

Sarah
well done for finding the E&E peice within 24 hours, I wondered how long you'd take.

[JJuggle]

Originally posted by sarah.miller
Too much pizza? At that point it can only have been not enough pizza.

Cheers,
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ