Planning a trip to the UK

[Gutboy Barrelhouse]

Just remember that what EVERYONE is not telling you is to watch out for the CRICKET ball sized hail that is everywhere in the UK.

[Murgos]

Just remember that what EVERYONE is not telling you is to watch out for the CRICKET ball sized hail that is everywhere in the UK.

You should probably PM this to Schild.

[Ironwood]

You could take 2-3 days doing the West Highland Way alone and, at this time of the year, it can be bloody lovely.

That said, the time I did it, it was a couple of months earlier and I ended up freezing and damaging my knees.  So, you know, Warned and all that.

I'm reading the dates here (drunk) and I can't see the month.  Are you talking next month or what ?

[schild]

Just remember that what EVERYONE is not telling you is to watch out for the CRICKET ball sized hail that is everywhere in the UK.

You should probably PM this to Schild.

Eat mah balls.

[Tale]

MIDGES

[Righ]

You could take 2-3 days doing the West Highland Way alone and, at this time of the year, it can be bloody lovely.

If short of time, taking the West Highland Line up to Balmaha and walking the section down the less traveled side of Loch Lomond is worthwhile. Or get off at Crianlarich and climb Ben More and Stob Binnein for the views.

There's a decent site that describes the sections of the West Highland Way. And a walking site that lists the mountains. Here's the two mountains I mentioned as part of a rather more ambitious route that takes in five more.   

[Tale]

Yeah, yeah, West Highland Way. Just be prepared to lose some red stuff.

once it lands on you, the insect probes and tastes your skin and decides whether to feed on your blood

[Murgos]

I'm reading the dates here (drunk) and I can't see the month.  Are you talking next month or what ?

A little short of three weeks in July.

[apocrypha]

Goddamn I reckon I've lost, over the years, my entire body weight in blood to those midges. The only place I found up there where I was safe from them was the far west side of Iona, only because the constant wind was so strong that even the ninja superbastard midges couldn't fly against it.

Also, the Peak District is great, don't miss it if you're planning on passing that way. There's some great walks around Edale, Hathersage, that kind of area. Very different from the Scottish countryside - a lot less "picture postcard" beautiful, but awesome regardless. I find it interesting because in ancient times it was such a strategically important area. Lots of history there. And no midges!

[Ironwood]

I'll be in Canada in the middle of July.

Hmmm.

[IainC]

Imperial tea I think is Lincoln rather than Durham (mostly because I don't remember it) though the description of the two is similar enough to confuse me, Durham has a 1216 copy of the Magna Carta in the Cathedral I'd personally also warn you against the tea room on palace green (outside the cathedral and castle) if you go. Their stuff is pretty meh and not cheap. Leanord's coffee house is a bit tougher to get to but one of the nicer ones in the city, it's down in Fowler's Yard off Silver street. If you see the sign for Rumbletum's, follow it and keep going past it (do not be fooled by quaint name, it's horrible) and that gets you down to it. Of course that might all be a bit too much trouble for a random passing visit :) Also if the weather's good seriously consider getting a rowing boat and messing about on the river. It's fun and shouldn't be full of rowing crews at that time.

If she wants tea then definitely hit Fortnum and Mason, they've got a crap load of their own brand teas. Also when you're in Edinburgh you might want to hit the Whisky shop, there's one in Victoria street and one in Princes mall. There's a few of them around the UK but it seems more appropriate to go while in Scotland.

Yeah for clarity, apart from the initial endorsement of Durham as a place to visit, everything else in my last post referred to Lincoln.

[Oban]

I'll be in Canada in the middle of July.

Who did you piss off?

[WayAbvPar]

I'll be in Canada in the middle of July.

Hmmm.

Swing through Seattle and I will buy you pints until you fall down. Or I do.

[Engels]

I'll be in Canada in the middle of July.

Hmmm.

Swing through Seattle and I will buy you pints until you fall down. Or I do.

I don't drink but I can help.

[Ironwood]

Heading to a wedding solo, so probably won't be able to manage that.  Would be awesome if I could fit it in somehow.  You never know.

[sigil]

I'll be in Canada in the middle of July.

Who did you piss off?

Heck I'll be up there next month.

Toronto, even. 

[Oban]

Heading to a wedding solo, so probably won't be able to manage that.  Would be awesome if I could fit it in somehow.  You never know.

Toronto?

[Ironwood]

Right, I'm heading over there from the 17th June to 1st July.  Flying to Halifax and heading to some place called New Brunswick or summat.

I suspect not.  More investigation needed.

The good news is that with those dates I probably won't miss a Murgosing.

[NowhereMan]

You what this thread needs? A derail.

What's fun to do in Atlanta?

[Teleku]

Drugs.  Shoot Guns.  Both.

[Oban]

Right, I'm heading over there from the 17th June to 1st July.  Flying to Halifax and heading to some place called New Brunswick or summat.

Great time of the year to go.  Enjoy the mosquitoes, black flies, horse flies, deer flies, stable flies and no-see-ums!

[Paelos]

You what this thread needs? A derail.

What's fun to do in Atlanta?

Well let's see, I live there so I should know this. It highly depends on what you're into, but I'll break it down for you.

Sports: The Atlanta Braves are your best bet as they play all the time and Turner Field is a pretty cool venue. If I was going to do it coming in as a tourist I'd get the club level "All-You-Can-Eat" seats for ~$60, which includes unlimited food an beers in addition to your ticket. The jumbotron is also the biggest in pro ball, so it's another thing to check out.

Beer: The Sweetwater brewery does tours and tastings, which a great Atlanta brewer if you've never had it. It's probably the best local beer in Georgia.

Events: The Georgia Aquarium is the world's largest and very very cool looking. If you have never seen a whale shark the size of a Buick swimming over your head as you walk through the giant tunnel under the water, you're missing out.

Bars: The Virginia Highlands are the most popular place to hang out if you're white. If you're not and into more rapper bars or clubs, you go to midtown. I don't go to Midtown. Anyway, the Highlands has a great place call the Dark Horse, also Limerick Junction Pub, and a wine bar at Murphy's. Plus there's tons of good local restaurants there.

Food: Stay away from the high end stuff, as it's not really respresentative. If you're like me, you have to go to the Varsity for a chili dog, which is also the world's largest drive-in. For breakfast, I like a country hamsteak and eggs at a small diner called the Silver Skillet, which was featured on Diner's Drive-ins and Dives. For dinner, I'd hit up South City Kitchen, which does contemporary Southern that's a combination of down home and Savannah seafood creations.

Strip-Clubs: The Cheetah is considered Atlanta's best, fully nude club. I went there once for a bachelor party, and it's a quality establishment. You can expect to pay for it though as nothing is cheap there. Hot chicks though.

[Tale]

What's fun to do in Atlanta?

Watch the sun set behind the Pillars of Hercules as you overlook the Strait of Gibraltar, while your Libyan slave reads you stories of the Tyrrhenian conquest. Beware of Athenians and any change in water levels.

[NowhereMan]

Useful stuff

Hmm... from a quick perusal of that list it sounds like the Sweetwater brewery (though I'm not sure how I'd convince my teetotal uncle it's a good idea) and the aquarium are where I'll be going. I don't think either of my uncles are going to want to visit the strip club so that's probably out. Not entirely sure how much time I'll have and whether I'll be able to persuade anyone else it's a good idea. My uncle's been coming down to Georgia every year for the last 15 or 20 (in that ballpark) and has never actually visited Atlanta, I have no idea if I'll be able to change that but I'd like to see more than just the airport.

Plus the aquarium will give me a chance of meeting all those merfolk around Atlanta, wonder if there are any sexy ones with fish part on the top and the lady parts on the bottom?

[Yegolev]

I don't think either of my uncles are going to want to visit the strip club so that's probably out.

There are several gay strip clubs here, if that's what you mean.

Plus the aquarium will give me a chance of meeting all those merfolk around Atlanta, wonder if there are any sexy ones with fish part on the top and the lady parts on the bottom?

Careful what you ask for!

If your uncles are sticks-in-the-mud, the new World of Coca-Cola is next door to the G. Aquarium.  Let me know if you want to go and I can order up some half-price tickets.  Protip: don't drink the Beverly.

If you go to The Varsity, be sure to go to the one on North Ave.  That is the real one, the largest drive-thru in the world, and it's just not worth getting the chili-dog-shits at any of the other ones.

If you are into live music, I am partial to Eddie's Attic.

[Sheepherder]

gay strip clubs

sticks-in-the-mud

 

EDIT: #1 advice for a UK vacation?  Lots of beer.  When you're leaving the country if your Beer Mass Index isn't at least 3% you've failed.

[Murgos]

So, to bring us back on to UK trips, we were wondering if it would be a better idea to stay in Durham rather than Newcastle for that portion of our trip?

Durham seems like it would be a bit more pleasant a town without being so far out of the way that it makes getting around inconvenient.

[NowhereMan]

I'd say go for it. They're only 15 minutes apart by train if that's how you're going to be getting around. If you're driving staying in Durham means not having to navigate your way into and out of a city if you're using it as a base for visiting other places. Accommodation wise in Durham you might be able to get a cheap deal at one of the colleges since they'll all be empty and a lot of them do B&B outside of term time, provided they aren't full with a conference. The Victoria Inn has some rooms that look nice and it's also a fantastic pub you must visit when you're there. The other pub you've got to visit is the Dun Cow (University education is useful!)

[K9]

Newcastle is a lot nicer than it used to be, although Durham is more picturesque I guess.

As stated, they're really close to one another so you're not going to loose much picking one over the other.

[Murgos]

Ok, the planning is nearly done.  We have a couple of more questions about the Scotland portion of the trip.

After we stop in Edinborough for a day or so we think we want to walk part of the West Highland Way but we're not sure which part of it.  At the moment we are thinking we take a bus from Glasgow to Drymen, walk the Way from there to Rowardennan on one day, spend the night in Rowardennan and the next day walk on to Inverarnan and take a bus back to Glasgow.

-Or-

Take a train from Glasgow up to The Bridge of Orchy and then walk to Kingshouse, spend the night in Kingshouse and then the next day walk to Kinlochleven from where we catch a bus back to The Bridge of Orchy and then take the Train back down to Glasgow.

Can anyone who lives in that area or been to those places help provide us with a little bit of insight?

Thanks!

[ghost]

http://www.wagamama.com/


Go here and eat.  It's awesome.  I like the ones at Covent Garden and Soho.  The night life in London is very cool.  I recommend as much as possible. 

[K9]

Wagamama used to be great, but portion sizes are constantly shrinking and quality has slipped. You can certainly do much better in London for sure.

[Ironwood]

When I did the WHW, I took a drive up to Fort William and started from there.  I got about 2 3rds in with around 3 days of travel.  We took it easy.

The walk was lovely, the stops were nice and scenic with pubs and the weather, apart from one day where it just lashed it down, worked for me.

In honesty, I think it's better to go that way.  You feel you're returning to home, so it's an easier journey.

Apropos of nothing, my work is directly opposite the Wagamamas in Glasgow.  It's lovely.  And staffed almost entirely by totty.

[ghost]

Wagamama used to be great, but portion sizes are constantly shrinking and quality has slipped. You can certainly do much better in London for sure.

That's too bad.  That used to be one of my favorite places.....

[K9]

I can't speak for the Glasgow ones, but the London ones aren't a patch on what they used to be. I'll still go to them for lunch or a quick eat because the service is fast and the food is still decent; it's just not as good as it used to be.

If you're in London you should probably head to Cha Cha Moon, which (like Wagamama) was started by Alan Yau. Unlike Wagamama it hasn't been sold on to another firm.