Off to the UK this friday - any suggestions??
 

Im going on a 1 month business trip to England. My base will be a town called Billingham which is next to Middlesbrough. I have no idea about the place except that their football team is relegated :D

I am already planning on taking the train to London for a weekend, and have been reccommended going up to Edinbrough (Scottland) as it apparently shits all over London.

Any other suggestions on what to do and places to see?
Most of my trips would be via train (long distance) but I have a driver for any city stuff.

Is it better to take a train or plane to Paris? (price wise)

ideas?????

cheers

Ferry from Dover to Calais esp on the way back (see the white cliffs of Dover). Chunnel/Train is just a load of black and boring.

Head to London, get a tube map and get lost :D. Refuse Fosters when you go into every pub.

Personally there are bulk tours (Gray Line etc) and I would just book on them and let them bus you around to all the sites.

Try not to get stabbed my old china plate

[QUOTE=Kato;437715]Ferry from Dover to Calais esp on the way back (see the white cliffs of Dover). Chunnel/Train is just a load of black and boring.

Head to London, get a tube map and get lost :D. Refuse Fosters when you go into every pub.

Personally there are bulk tours (Gray Line etc) and I would just book on them and let them bus you around to all the sites.[/QUOTE]

tube map?

Have u taken the ferry across to Calais? how long? And can u catch a train from there to Paris?

I forget how long, not that long + they have duty free on board etc. I then bussed it to Amsterdam, so not sure of the time to Paris...

Tube map = Map of the underground train. I dunno, I like those things :)

If in London you have to go shopping at Harrods too.

[QUOTE=waxdass;437723]tube map?

Have u taken the ferry across to Calais? how long? And can u catch a train from there to Paris?[/QUOTE]

Tube maps see below
[url]www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/[/url]

You can fit into one day in london heaps of things with the right
planning and can do most of it yourself by taking the tube and your
walking shoes. Print out the map and look for all the sights
and plan ahead so you don't back track too much. Most attractions
have a website you can checkout before going to get prices, opening
times etc like the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St Pauls (worth walking
up to the top of this one). There are also Jack the Ripper self guided
walking tours, and the monopoly board pub crawl... I lived there for
4 months and still didn't get to see everything.

When you land, but yourself an "oyster card". Its the same thing as our multirider
and makes things easier coz you're not forever buying tickets.


Also,
Ferry ride is slow compared to train all the way except you
get to see the white cliffs, and maybe get sea sick.

I thought the Eurostar was great, from Waterloo to the centre of Paris. You can go on a ferry any time, but not a 300 kmph train. Paris is a definite must see. But you may find it cheaper to fly to Paris on one of the cheap airlines. I'd also recommend Dublin for a weekend trip by air.

You won't be far from York either which is well worth a visit. If you like a bit of nature, scoot over the Manchester and up into the Lakes District. Very pretty.

London rocks, lived there for 3 years and still didn't see everything.

Harrods is overrated. Just a more snobby version of David Jones, I was bitterly disappointed.

+1 for The Lakes District. Windemere is a good town right in the middle of it.
+1 for Edinburgh and York.

Loch Ness is a long way out of the way, but it was pretty cool heading there and actually seeing the place where the myth started.

I also found that Snowdonia in northern Wales had some beautiful scenery too. You could even visit Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch on Angelsey in Wales. Totally insignificant place, but funny getting your picture taken at the post office under the sign.

If I remember anything else from my 7 months of travels I'll let you know!

enjoy watching English chicks wearing little miniskirts even though it's -30C

If you into clubbing/dance music scene

Fabric on a friday night
Ministry of sound on a sat night

also the egg is pretty good

THAT IS ALL :)