Epilogue: England 2018 (Part II - Travel Tips)
Even though my trip was six months ago, I wanted to share about the logistics of it, from packing to transportation to accommodations to food to planning. Here's a very long post with some travel tips, mostly written for me because I like to write. :D
Packing
Since traveling is one of my life's passions, I watch shows and read blogs about it, some of which are about packing. Super nerdy, I know. It's just interesting to me to learn about how someone who travels for a living packs their bags. You really learn what is important, what's not, and tricks about organizing. I've also lost luggage before (on our honeymoon; we were super stressed until it turned up a day later) and I never want to experience that again, so I am a firm believer in not checking bags. Carrying on is the way to go.
Suitcase
Since traveling is one of my life's passions, I watch shows and read blogs about it, some of which are about packing. Super nerdy, I know. It's just interesting to me to learn about how someone who travels for a living packs their bags. You really learn what is important, what's not, and tricks about organizing. I've also lost luggage before (on our honeymoon; we were super stressed until it turned up a day later) and I never want to experience that again, so I am a firm believer in not checking bags. Carrying on is the way to go.
Suitcase
I was determined to pack as little as possible for this two week trip. I already owned a bag that is carry-on size, but I wanted one that was smaller even--one that would fit under the seat on the plane. After much research on size, durability, and price, I went with this bag. I did have to be strategic with how I organized everything and it was a bit cramped on the trip home, but it worked great overall. I ended up putting my bag in the overhead bin anyway during the flights so that I could have leg room. I'm still glad that I used this small bag because it takes up so little space in the overhead bin that I am more likely to have it near me than way behind or in front of where I'm sitting on the plane. For travel outside of the plane (trains, buses, Ubers, walking a ton), it was also nice to have such a small bag.
Clothing
My biggest struggle with packing is outfits. I typically bring way too much because I like options and being fashionable. I really honed in this time on what I needed. For clothing I brought the following, and this includes what I was wearing while traveling (remember this is a two week trip):
Toiletries
My toiletries took up a chunk of space in my bag, as well. I have a lot of...products. Shampoo, conditioner, dry shampoo, body wash, contact solution, contact case, extra contacts (just in case), toothbrush, toothpaste, face wipes, face wash, deodorant, lotion, make-up brushes, make-up (concealer, bronzer, eyebrow pencil, eyeliner, mascara, chapstick), and Advil were all necessary for me. I finished a lot of the products while I was there so that freed up some space in my bag on the way home. Travel size products are more than enough for two weeks; I brought halfway empty shampoo, body wash, and lotion and was just fine.
One thing I didn't pack, but will remember next time, is a wash cloth. I forgot that hotels in Europe do not provide them and my AirBnBs didn't have them either. I will also bring band-aids next time.
Accommodations
AirBnB
I'm so glad that I did AirBnB, even though I was pretty nervous about it before actually booking. I read all of the reviews from previous users, so I felt comfortable with my choices and had reasonable expectations. I did Google Maps "walks" from the flats to some of the main places I wanted to visit to see how many minutes it would take me to get there on foot, which really helped me gauge how far I was from everything. I thought it might be awkward being in someone else's space, but it actually felt quite normal. I didn't have much interaction with any of the people I stayed with, which is kind of preferable, but it also would've been okay if they wanted to chat. It was nice staying in neighborhoods and in real English homes. It made it convenient to go to restaurants, cafes, and pubs that were off the beaten path, which provided a more authentic experience. Cambridge was a middle-range in terms of price, Durham was a bit more pricey, and Newcastle was on the cheaper side. I felt like what was represented on the website was my experience, which is all you can really ask for. I knew what I was signing up for and I definitely would use AirBnB again.
Hotel
I was too much of a wienie to do AirBnB in London; I just was worried about weirdos in the big city, I guess. I'm glad I stayed at a hotel because it provided me with creature comforts that you don't get in someone's home and I was needing that a bit at the end of my trip. The hotel I chose was a great one. I, again, had done Google Maps walks from King's Cross so I knew how many minutes it would take me to get to the hotel, as well as everywhere else I was planning to go in London. I knew where the Tube station was that I planned to use to get to the airport in relation to the hotel, as well. The hotel was moderately priced and completely adequate. I knew the room would be tiny (and it was), but it worked for what I needed. Trip Advisor was a huge help in picking a hotel! If you're ever in London and need a hotel nearby to King's Cross, but also not a super long Uber or Tube ride from main touristy things, this is a solid option.
Food
Every meal except for one during the trip was exceptional. I had done a ton of research on this on Trip Advisor and on restaurant websites beforehand. I made a list of places I was interested in for each city and kept it in my Google doc, which really helped narrow down options while I was actually there. I would highly recommend doing this so that you don't feel so overwhelmed picking a place out of the millions of options once you get there.
Food is definitely pricier in England, but the prices kind of creep up on you. It might be £8 or £10 total, but you forget that the cost is actually $10 or $13. However, tipping isn't really a thing there, so perhaps the costs for meals end up being similar. Since I usually eat a meal that works for both breakfast and lunch and would consider myself more of a conservative eater in terms of volume, I don't think I spent an exuberant amount on food. I for sure splurged on my afternoon teas (about £20 each) and on a few drinks...but you gotta splurge sometimes on food while on vacay. I ate out for every meal, so I knew this would be an expense and it was worth it. I don't think I experienced enough local culture from a food/pub/restaurant perspective my first time in England.
My favorite meal was the one I had in Newcastle at Quilliam Brothers Tea.
It was like an eggs benedict with sausages. I just looked it up and it was a poached duck egg with Hollandiase on a custom stottie (which was like a thick English muffin type of bread on the bottom). The tea I had picked for this meal was a twist on Earl Grey and went well with the meal. So yum!
I created a list of must-have foods for the trip and had most of them while I was there: fish and chips, bangers and mash, some sort of pie (I ended up with a steak and ale pie), scones, "something with clotted cream," Pimms, tea, and ale. What I didn't have this time but will look forward to next time is sticky toffee pudding and a full English breakfast!
All of the food was so fresh. To me it just seems like the quality is better across the pond, but it might be because England can do no wrong in my opinion. :P
Transportation
Flight
I booked my flight on United's website so that I could pick my seat. I would have preferred British Airways because I had a great experience with them last time, but that airline is a bit of a splurge, so went with the economic option. The round trip flight cost about $640, which was cheap, in my opinion. (My round trip flight in 2010 was around $800.) My flights to and from were both completely adequate; I had good experiences. The United app was super helpful and am glad that I thought to use that.
Bus
I used a whole variety of buses on this trip!
My biggest struggle with packing is outfits. I typically bring way too much because I like options and being fashionable. I really honed in this time on what I needed. For clothing I brought the following, and this includes what I was wearing while traveling (remember this is a two week trip):
- 6 tops
- 1 cardigan
- 1 pair of jeans
- 4 pairs of socks
- 6 pairs of underwear
- 1 bra
- 1 t-shirt and yoga pants to sleep in
- 1 pair of shoes
- 1 pair of flip flops
- 1 beanie
- 1 medium weight scarf
- 1 jacket
Toiletries
My toiletries took up a chunk of space in my bag, as well. I have a lot of...products. Shampoo, conditioner, dry shampoo, body wash, contact solution, contact case, extra contacts (just in case), toothbrush, toothpaste, face wipes, face wash, deodorant, lotion, make-up brushes, make-up (concealer, bronzer, eyebrow pencil, eyeliner, mascara, chapstick), and Advil were all necessary for me. I finished a lot of the products while I was there so that freed up some space in my bag on the way home. Travel size products are more than enough for two weeks; I brought halfway empty shampoo, body wash, and lotion and was just fine.
One thing I didn't pack, but will remember next time, is a wash cloth. I forgot that hotels in Europe do not provide them and my AirBnBs didn't have them either. I will also bring band-aids next time.
Accommodations
AirBnB
I'm so glad that I did AirBnB, even though I was pretty nervous about it before actually booking. I read all of the reviews from previous users, so I felt comfortable with my choices and had reasonable expectations. I did Google Maps "walks" from the flats to some of the main places I wanted to visit to see how many minutes it would take me to get there on foot, which really helped me gauge how far I was from everything. I thought it might be awkward being in someone else's space, but it actually felt quite normal. I didn't have much interaction with any of the people I stayed with, which is kind of preferable, but it also would've been okay if they wanted to chat. It was nice staying in neighborhoods and in real English homes. It made it convenient to go to restaurants, cafes, and pubs that were off the beaten path, which provided a more authentic experience. Cambridge was a middle-range in terms of price, Durham was a bit more pricey, and Newcastle was on the cheaper side. I felt like what was represented on the website was my experience, which is all you can really ask for. I knew what I was signing up for and I definitely would use AirBnB again.
Hotel
I was too much of a wienie to do AirBnB in London; I just was worried about weirdos in the big city, I guess. I'm glad I stayed at a hotel because it provided me with creature comforts that you don't get in someone's home and I was needing that a bit at the end of my trip. The hotel I chose was a great one. I, again, had done Google Maps walks from King's Cross so I knew how many minutes it would take me to get to the hotel, as well as everywhere else I was planning to go in London. I knew where the Tube station was that I planned to use to get to the airport in relation to the hotel, as well. The hotel was moderately priced and completely adequate. I knew the room would be tiny (and it was), but it worked for what I needed. Trip Advisor was a huge help in picking a hotel! If you're ever in London and need a hotel nearby to King's Cross, but also not a super long Uber or Tube ride from main touristy things, this is a solid option.
Food
Every meal except for one during the trip was exceptional. I had done a ton of research on this on Trip Advisor and on restaurant websites beforehand. I made a list of places I was interested in for each city and kept it in my Google doc, which really helped narrow down options while I was actually there. I would highly recommend doing this so that you don't feel so overwhelmed picking a place out of the millions of options once you get there.
Food is definitely pricier in England, but the prices kind of creep up on you. It might be £8 or £10 total, but you forget that the cost is actually $10 or $13. However, tipping isn't really a thing there, so perhaps the costs for meals end up being similar. Since I usually eat a meal that works for both breakfast and lunch and would consider myself more of a conservative eater in terms of volume, I don't think I spent an exuberant amount on food. I for sure splurged on my afternoon teas (about £20 each) and on a few drinks...but you gotta splurge sometimes on food while on vacay. I ate out for every meal, so I knew this would be an expense and it was worth it. I don't think I experienced enough local culture from a food/pub/restaurant perspective my first time in England.
My favorite meal was the one I had in Newcastle at Quilliam Brothers Tea.
It was like an eggs benedict with sausages. I just looked it up and it was a poached duck egg with Hollandiase on a custom stottie (which was like a thick English muffin type of bread on the bottom). The tea I had picked for this meal was a twist on Earl Grey and went well with the meal. So yum!
I created a list of must-have foods for the trip and had most of them while I was there: fish and chips, bangers and mash, some sort of pie (I ended up with a steak and ale pie), scones, "something with clotted cream," Pimms, tea, and ale. What I didn't have this time but will look forward to next time is sticky toffee pudding and a full English breakfast!
All of the food was so fresh. To me it just seems like the quality is better across the pond, but it might be because England can do no wrong in my opinion. :P
Transportation
Flight
I booked my flight on United's website so that I could pick my seat. I would have preferred British Airways because I had a great experience with them last time, but that airline is a bit of a splurge, so went with the economic option. The round trip flight cost about $640, which was cheap, in my opinion. (My round trip flight in 2010 was around $800.) My flights to and from were both completely adequate; I had good experiences. The United app was super helpful and am glad that I thought to use that.
Bus
I used a whole variety of buses on this trip!
- This was my first time taking Peoria Charter and it was a good idea. It is worth the $32 to and from the airport for the convenience of pick up and drop off at the door, not dealing with traffic, and not needing to park. I will definitely utilize this in the future.
- My trip from Heathrow to Cambridge was through a coach company called National Express. I rode this bus (also a charter) to Cambridge because it's what I had done in 2010 and it worked back then and it felt nostalgic to make the trip this way again. The coach this time was in better shape, but much more full. It was a fine experience and I would recommend National Express if you're looking for longer travel and don't want to try to negotiate the train and Tube.
- I used the regional bus system to travel from Durham to the smaller towns nearby. It was interesting to me that you can pretty much take a regional bus anywhere within perhaps 30 mins away, unlike here where the city buses do not go outside of town. I didn't love using the bus station in Durham; it was pretty confusing. I did start using an app on my phone, which made it a bit easier. This bus system also was not cheap--a round trip to Crook was £6, which is almost $8. I'm sure the locals have some sort of bus pass and if I do this kind of thing again, I suppose I should look into it. I don't even know how to use the bus system in Bloomington/Normal, so I was proud of myself for figuring this out (with a lot of assistance from locals).
I took many train rides, short and long. It's definitely my preferred method of travel in England. It's kind of hard to screw up and is generally comfortable. I know for next time to book the longer journeys in advance so it's not so expensive. The websites and apps are super helpful.
The trains this time were much busier than when I was traveling around Cambridgeshire in 2010. I think it's because everyone was coming back from the bank holiday or summer holidays, in general. Sometimes it was hard to find a seat; one time I was kicked out of a seat because it was reserved. I didn't mind it being full because it provided me with eavesdropping and observation opportunities, but it's nice to have a train to yourself too.
A couple of interesting things about the train in England--sometimes they don't check your tickets. You can go an entire journey without someone stopping you to see that you've paid to be there. When they do check, it is a uniformed train employee who punches a hole in your ticket after you show it to them. Additionally, some of the seats face backwards, which I don't prefer. I don't get motion sickness, but it just feels kind of wrong to sit the wrong direction.
Underground
As previously mentioned, I took the Tube solo to Heathrow. I made sure to stay near a station where I wouldn't have to switch trains to get there, so for this reason, it was very easy. Next time I'm in London, I plan to try to get a little more adventurous with the Tube system. It really opens up a lot of possibilities.
Uber
I definitely used Uber more than I expected I would, but I guess I also underestimated how much walking I was going to do and how my shoes would hold up. Overall, I spent a little under $65 on eight Uber trips. I actually thought it would've been more expensive than that with the pound to dollar conversion. Knowing this, I definitely feel like that money was well-spent. I chose times to use Uber when I had walked all day and basically couldn't any longer or the length of walk would have negated the whole excursion. I had all good experiences with Uber; the drivers were prompt and professional.
Bike
I used that Oxo bike in the countryside outside of Cambridge and also inside the city, which was a good experience. If it was available in other cities that were flat, I definitely would've used it. I was on the bike for about an hour and it cost less than £3, so even going for a joy ride for a few hours would be quite reasonable. The bike itself was super comfortable.
Sightseeing
I had my days mapped out well before I left. I had a Google doc saved with bullet points for each day, sometimes even with a timeline for the day. It was so fun putting this all together. I was very strategic, figuring out that certain activities were only available on certain days, at certain times, and in certain cities. I scoured Trip Advisor and local websites for Cambridge, Durham, and Newcastle, finding everything that one could possibly do in the vicinity during the dates that I was there. I was worried that I had planned too much for myself, but at the same time worried that I would have down time. I decided it was better to be over-prepared with activities; I could always change my schedule and decide not to do something. Such is the beauty of solo travel. This trip truly was beautiful from that standpoint. Everything I did was exactly what I wanted to do.
General Travel Tips (as if you asked for this)
- Do all the research. Look everything up on Trip Advisor and peruse websites to double-check opening and closing dates and times, as well as any special policies. I was super informed about where I was going and what I was doing, so there weren't surprises.
- Get an aisle seat or middle section aisle seat on the plane. Ease of being able to get up, stretch legs, and pee is more important to me than looking out the window or sitting at the front in order to deplane earlier.
- Arrive early. Duh. This just makes your life better to scope out the place and know what's happening rather than running around like a madwoman.
- Do a good mixture of things that get you out of your comfort zone and things that feel comfortable to you. I feel like I would've been exhausted if all day every day I was doing unfamiliar things. Spending an afternoon reading in a café or calling it an early day and going back to my room were needed every once in a while.
- Bring a washcloth and a baggy to store it in. Hotels and AirBnBs do not provide this in Europe. I'm still kind of on the fence about this tip because obviously you can wash fine without it and a wet washcloth can get gross. But I guess for those who really feel they need it, bring it.
- Bring a plastic bag to carry groceries/souvenirs. England (and many European countries) charge for plastic bags or just don't really offer them. I'd recommend bringing just one small plastic bag in case you have bulkier items that don't fit in your purse.
- Cash and two cards minimum are needed. I brought plenty of cash and ended up getting more while I was there. I mostly used the cash at restaurants and pubs. I also had a debit card and a credit card; three places did not take my debit card, so I was so glad I had the credit card too. I had to sign for everything, even with my debit card. Almost everyone asked to see my ID with my signature to compare to the back of the card, which I feel like people used to do here but they don't anymore.
- Don't be afraid to ask for help or for someone to take your photo. Admittedly, this was awkward at first, but I got used to it. I didn't do it as much as I should have and regret it. I don't want to have travel regrets.
- Own it. Just own that you're there and, if you're traveling solo, own that you are alone! Every meal I was eating alone and in public (obviously). This also starts awkward, but becomes empowering!
Happy travels!