My Redneck European Adventure
- Thread starter Dave N
- Start date
VAspeedgoat
Well-known member
I'm really enjoying this thread. Hope I can learn some things and maybe go myself one day. Dave, for what it's worth my buddy gave up his usual beer or two in the evening and lost 35 pounds through the summer. So it could easily be that snack. Good luck!
devon deer
Well-known member
Blimey, nice going!
The deal is off if you arrive weighing less than me
I started a little training, and then last Sunday started feeling a 'little unwell' now i don't think i have had the flu, until now, this is going to take awhile to get over, but i should lose weight!
Cheers
Richard
Blimey, nice going!
The deal is off if you arrive weighing less than me
I started a little training, and then last Sunday started feeling a 'little unwell' now i don't think i have had the flu, until now, this is going to take awhile to get over, but i should lose weight!
Cheers
Richard
Ah the flu diet, it works every time.
Don't overlook London's public transportation system (the Underground); they make it pretty convenient to get wherever you need to get to in the city. If you were talking about Buckingham, there's a station within about a block and a half of the palace.
Yeah, I've been looking. I've spotted a couple of decent sounding places to stay that are very close to a station taking us downtown. Leave the car at the hotel and ride into the city. Still trying to somewhat plan out a travel route. Not so sure now about hitting France. May just take up too much time, not to mention money to get over there. Wish the ferry over to Ireland wasn't so expensive!
devon deer
Well-known member
Underground, expolore something called an oyster card, the last time i went i think it cost us $15 each for all day unlimited travel after 09.30
Ireland, it will easier and cheaper to fly from Gatwick to Dublin, only takes about 1 hour
https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/
Cheers
Richard
tarheel
Well-known member
Green Park station, short walk to Buckhouse. If you have time while in London it would be quite an experience to catch a cab over to Camden Lock Market and spend a few (2-3) hours looking around, but steer clear of Brixton and a few other places. Here's a tube map which might help for points of interest. Would be better if there was a venue overlay but it might help. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...ap.pdf&usg=AFQjCNFGJvzQjg-3OvHQKoPLstISW4tduA
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Think we've got a rough travel plan figured out. NO FRANCE! My wife is part Irish, and I would rather go there, so a side trip to Ireland it is. To keep from back-tracking to airports and wasting time, we'll take the ferry over and back. As of now the rough plan is to land in London, make a stop at Stonehenge, and head for Exeter. Spend 3 nights there, then head over into Cornwall MAYBE stopping at the Eden Project (not my idea) and FOR SURE get to St. Michael's Mount. Spend the night in Launceston, then head up toward Pembroke, Wales or somewhere before that. Take the ferry to Ireland Sunday afternoon out of Pembroke and spend 2 nights there. Take the ferry back to Wales Tuesday morning from Dublin to Holyhead and travel to Birmingham for the night. Then we'll go to the outskirts of London for 2 nights before flying home Friday morning.
I searched the distances between stops and think we'll have plenty of time to stop and see different things along the way. Heck, I drive 110 miles round trip every day for work. 200 miles between stops is nothing for us. Guess I'll just work a little MORE overtime to pay off the credit cards!
I searched the distances between stops and think we'll have plenty of time to stop and see different things along the way. Heck, I drive 110 miles round trip every day for work. 200 miles between stops is nothing for us. Guess I'll just work a little MORE overtime to pay off the credit cards!
idnative1948
Well-known member
Great story! Can't wait to follow this as we have been considering a trip to Scotland.
tarheel
Well-known member
Dave, you can go out of Pembroke Dock or drive up to Fishguard and go out of there The ride from Fishguard is shorter but then you have the additional drive time. If you get out to the Pembroke area and have to spend the night there's a little village called Tenby on the coast just a few miles shy of Pembroke with a couple of decent B & B's as well as another village right next door called Saundersfoot. When you get into Rosslare and if you aren't going toward Dublin, the N25 will take you West along the Southern route to Cork City and on to Killarney and the Ring of Kerry if that's your choice, but don't expect to cover a lot of ground there in Ireland as the roads aren't nearly up to fast travel requirements. Don't be too surprised if you see what appears to be rocks growing out of the asphalt, because it is rocks. In some areas the sheep are free range and often found in the road. Cork City is a nice old town with a harbor, Blarney Castle is just a few miles NW of the town but my daughter tells me there are rumors of the local lads going up at night and having a pee on the Blarney stone......can't confirm that because I didn't kiss it. Comfortable B & B on the West edge of Macroom, a small town about 25 miles West of Cork, a lady by the name of McMurtry, kinda diagonal across the road from the Catholic Church.
Or, just drive on up to Dublin for a couple of days and come back for the ferry. You need at least a couple of weeks to do it any justice and two months would be better. Too many pubs and too much beer to be consumed. If you're in a local pub chatting up the natives and some Irishman tells tour wife she has good "crack"; don't be offended. He's telling her she's a good conversationalist, and I'll leave on that note.
Or, just drive on up to Dublin for a couple of days and come back for the ferry. You need at least a couple of weeks to do it any justice and two months would be better. Too many pubs and too much beer to be consumed. If you're in a local pub chatting up the natives and some Irishman tells tour wife she has good "crack"; don't be offended. He's telling her she's a good conversationalist, and I'll leave on that note.
Tarheel, you're a dang talking roadmap! Thanks a lot for all the info. Yep, planning on Pembroke. Not sure where we'll drop anchor the night before. It seems like the ferry leaves at zero dark thirty or late afternoon. Afternoon it is! So no rush getting there in the morning. Not positive about plans inside Ireland just yet. We'll stay somewhere not far from Rosslare the first night then Dublin the next getting us close to the dock to leave the next morning from there.
Can't afford to stay any longer than we are! Some of us poor working stiffs have to make a living back at home. This will just have to satisfy our traveling bug with what we can squeeze in during the week and a half!
One question. How far ahead of time do I need to book the ferry? I looked them up and DANG they're big! When I did a sample pricing they asked what kind of car I had. Not going to know that until I pick it up.
Can't afford to stay any longer than we are! Some of us poor working stiffs have to make a living back at home. This will just have to satisfy our traveling bug with what we can squeeze in during the week and a half!
One question. How far ahead of time do I need to book the ferry? I looked them up and DANG they're big! When I did a sample pricing they asked what kind of car I had. Not going to know that until I pick it up.
tarheel
Well-known member
Since you'll be traveling in high season I'd get it done as soon as possible. You can tell them you'll be driving a smaller 2-4 door sedan, not sure what the rentals are using now but that should cover most choices. There will be a higher demand for the ferries because a lot of Europeans will be on holiday, though most of them do so in August. There is usually a good bit of traffic (Irish gypsies) pulling small camp trailers (caravans) which will also be occupying space on the ferry so don't wait too late.
If you have a source for maps I'd get a Michelin map of the British isles which shows the main arteries and better roads or invest in an ordinance map which shows much more detail but they get more pricey and harder to find. You'll probably have to order one of them from the UK. Richard might be able to give you a lead on that.
Just checked and the Michelin map for GB and Ireland is on Amazon for $10.66.
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devon deer
Well-known member
I have the Michelin road map myself in the truck.
You won't need the highly detailed OS maps, if you were hiking you would, but for just sight seeing they are not necessary, also they are expensive. I have a few for my area, but purely because of the job i used to do and when i go hiking.
I agree, book early, everything, it's peak holiday time in the UK.
Cheers
Richard
Snag number one! Booking a spot on the ferry requires at a minimum the registration number. I assume license plate. Guess I do have to wait until I pick up our car! Hopefully there will still be a slot open 5 days ahead of departure!
devon deer
Well-known member
Dave, have you looked into a flight with Ryanair? They are cheap and flight time is short.
Cheers
Richard
Cheers
Richard
I would suggest you explore uber options if you are in/around Dublin. They are growing overseas rapidly. My son uses them in New Delhi frequently.
