http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Jen-C/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Jen C en-us Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:02:52 +0000 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:02:52 +0000 We started out this morning with a slight glitch. I was mistakenly booked onto the wrong day trip and didnrsquot notice until it was too late to try and change it there are benefits to waiting until you get to London to book these tours instead of booking them online through a third partyhelliplesson learned. Instead of a ldquoStonehenge Windsor Castle and Bathrdquo trip we ended up o http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Wiltshire/Stonehenge/blog-421539.html Today was our day trip to Leeds Castle White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Cathedral. After breakfast we walked to Victoria Coach Station to catch our tour bus Evansrsquo Tours. The bus left at 9am and we headed first to Leeds Castle driving through parts of London we hadnrsquot seen yet including Elephant and Castle birthplace of Charlie Chaplin. Our tour guide Debbie was BRILLIANT http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Kent/Canterbury/blog-421165.html Today we left Brighton and took the train back to London. We took the 1055am Southern train and arrived at London Victoria at 1206pm. The Underground ticket machine wouldnrsquot read the card we were trying to use Travel tip Use cash to buy tube tickets Itrsquos so much quicker so we waited in the long queue instead to buy our oneday travel cards. After taking care of that we took the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Trafalgar-Square/blog-420778.html It was pouring rain in Cardiff when we woke up what happened to summer UK so we were a little worried about what the weather would be like when we got to Briighton. After breakfast we caught a taxi to the train station and then the 855am train to London Paddington Station. We got to Paddington at 1102am and had 42 minutes to get the tube from there to Farringdon Station. The tubes run quite http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/East-Sussex/Brighton/blog-420768.html This morning after an early breakfast we caught a taxi to Chester Station and then the 822am train to Cardiff. One thing Irsquove learned about the trains here in the UK just because you make a seat reservation doesnrsquot necessarily mean yoursquove actually got a reserved seat. We had seats reserved on Coach B but when the train arrived there WAS NO COACH B on the train. This is the sec http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Wales/Cardiff/blog-420440.html This morning after an early breakfast we caught a taxi to Dublin Ferry Port for our 845am ferry Irish Ferries to Holyhead Wales. The port is about 10 minutes ride from the city center but cost about 16 euro expensive like everything else in Ireland. We checked in checked our luggage and were on our way right on time. The ferry isnrsquot quite as nice as the Stena Line and it was quite http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Cheshire/Chester/blog-420433.html I could hear the wind and rain pounding on our bedroom window throughout the night but this morning when I woke up it looked to have calmed down a bit. You know Itrsquos been raining hard in Ireland when even the locals comment on how bad the weather is. When we left our BB and started driving toward Dublin the sun was even starting to shine so we were quite happy about that.We took the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-420429.html Today was day two in a row of nonstop Irish rain. After a lovely breakfast at the castle definitely the nicest place wersquove stayed at this whole trip and a bit of playing with the resident castle dog who liked to fetch rocks we drove up the N69 to the N67 and crossed the Shannon Ferry to ward the Cliffs of Moher. To say that it was wet outside is a bit of an understatement. Irsquo http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Clare/Cliffs-of-Moher/blog-420427.html It was raining when we got up this morning and continued to rain as we had our breakfast and packed up our car to set out for the Ring of Kerry. It rained during the ENTIRE drive about 120km worth The Ring of Kerry starts just down the road from where our BB was so we left right after breakfast to get started in hopes of avoiding the tour bus traffic coming in the opposite direction. We dro http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Tralee/blog-420417.html Today was definitely an adoenture for lack of a better word. We started out after breakfast from Kilkenny to the Rock of Cashel. The drive from one to the other is pretty easy I still hadnrsquot done any of the driving at this point. The Rock of Cashel is a group of medieval limestone buildings that gained prominence during the 4th and 5th centuries as the seat of the kings of Munster. If you http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Cork/Blarney/blog-419074.html After a good nightrsquos sleep especially considering our hotel was on top of a fire station and full breakfast we walked about two blocks to Thrifty Car Rental this morning to pick up our rental car. Out of paranoia and after learning that one of our fellow guests at our BB in Belfast had just been in an accident we decided to add all of the optional coverage for our car just in case. W http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kilkenny/Kilkenny/blog-418943.html Busy day today. We left our BB early 7am to take a taxi to Belfast Central Station for our 8am train to Dublin. We collected our tickets and then found a caf inside to get some breakfast before boarding the train. The train station was quite empty so we had no trouble finding seats and a place to store out luggage on the train usually there is a dog pile of bags that collect near the doors.W http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-418936.html Today started out a little rocky. After a full ulster fry Irish breakfast mine vegetarian style and very good we headed outside and it was pouring rain we must be in Ireland. We walked over to the Botanic Gardens and Palm House and then to Queens University. It was graduation day so we couldnrsquot really see any of the inside. We had tickets for the city tour hopon hopoff bus so we http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Belfast/blog-418725.html Today was mostly just a travel day After breakfast at the hotel we took a taxi to Central Station for our train trip to Stranraer Port. We got there early so we could wander around the nearby shops but being Sunday most of them didnrsquot open until 11am or later. We walked down Argyle and Buchanan Streets the two main shopping streets after Sauchihallhellipall of them are connected and w http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Belfast/blog-418584.html This morning we had a quick breakfast and then it was off to Glasgow. We caught the 941am train to Oxenholme and then the 1028am train to Glasgow Central. We arrived in Glasgow at about 1240pm picked up our tickets for tomorrow then walked to our hotel the Victorian House on Renfrew Street. We only had the one day in Glasgow so we set out as soon as we dropped off our bags in the room.We walk http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Glasgow/blog-418570.html I suppose I should have been more specific yesterday when I wished for cooler weather here in the Lake District because today it poured rain the first rain wersquove seen since we got to the UK over a week ago. We went down for breakfast my first full English breakfast vegetarian style and then set out for the shops since we had a couple of hours to kill before our tour. We stopped in Boot http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Cumbria/Bowness-on-Windermere/blog-418562.html This morning after breakfast we caught a taxi to Waverly Station for our train to Windermere Lake District. The train didnrsquot have internet access so I am falling even further behind on my blog updates and emails at least I can save them to my computer to update later.. As far as BBs go here internet access can be pretty sporadic. Your best best is to carry your computer to a local cof http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Cumbria/Lake-Windermere/blog-417497.html Today was our day trip to Loch Ness and the Highlands. We set out at 7am this morning and walked the mile and a half to our tour departure point on the Royal Mile. We got there early so we sat at Starbucks across the street and had breakfast while we waited. It was kind of cool to see the Royal Mile so empty. It certainly didnrsquot look that way when we were there yesterdayAt 815am our tour d http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Loch-Ness/blog-417492.html Today was our big walking tour of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. The Royal Mile was established as a royal burgh by King David I in the 12th century. This is definitely the main area to see in Edinburgh unless yoursquore here to shop in which case yoursquod probably be happiest on Princes Street.After breakfast we walked from our hotel to Edinburgh Castle about a mile away. If you come to Edi http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Edinburgh/blog-417462.html Today was a short day. We left Leeds after breakfast and took a taxi to the train station. We took the 912am train to York then transferred to the 955am train to Edinburgh. I spent the entire train ride trying to catch up on my blog writing and photo uploading. The wifi kept cutting in and out so my blog is still going to be a few days behind. Sgh.We arrived in Edinburgh at about 1230pm wen http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Edinburgh/blog-415913.html