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Just got my acceptance letter for University in the fall! So ready to be done with Community College! as my boy Roger Murtagh so eloquently put it... "I'm gettin too old for this shit!"

Congrats man

Yes, congrats FE.
Should help make your coming trip even sweeter knowing that hurdle's been passed.

I arrive in London early am May 8. I will be trying to make it to Stonehenge and Liverpool that day

I don't know if this is still your plan, or are you now taking the (IMHO more sensible) option in your next post of arriving at Gatwick in the morning and out of Heathrow that evening? Having driven all over the UK both in trucks and cars and more recently travelled by train & bus, I would advise that travelling from Gatwick to Stonehenge then Liverpool in a day is really pushing it for time.

Gatwick to Stonehenge is 100 miles - about an hour and a half by car, but well over 3 hours by public transport (Stonehenge is in the middle of Salisbury Plain, where our noble armed forces train). You'd have to travel through London unless you want to try to navigate trains from Crawley to Guildford, but you'd be better getting the London Victoria to Amesbury bus. And once you get to Amesbury, you'll need a taxi for the last couple of miles.
Stonehenge to Liverpool is a straight 4 hour push up the M5/M6 by car - so can be done. By public transport it would be horrific - almost certainly backtracking to London. I'd allow at least 6 hours for this.

So total travelling time would be around 6 hours by car (plus hold ups, pee stops, refuelling, eating). You would love our left-side motorways in a rental car (although at least these days you wouldn't have to rent a stick-shift). Or 9 hours of trains and buses without allowing for connections ("Next bus is in an hour, mate!").
At the risk of offending residents of Wiltshire/druids who might be reading this, I'd miss Stonehenge if I were making this trip. It looks exactly like the pictures, but smaller than you expect and crawling with tourists.

If you're coming from Gatwick into London and out to Heathrow, then from Victoria station (London) you can walk around and see Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, the MI6 building, the Tower of London, have lunch, even fit in a trip on the London Eye and still be at Heathrow 2 hours before check-in. A good time to plan your later three days in the UK, which is plenty of time to travel to Scotland (which while easier up the East Coast is perfectly easy to get to via Liverpool).

Hope your trip is a blast, and maybe you'll get to meet some forum members in Mokum.

Thanks for all the insight Rob! Yes, I am officially going from Gatwick to Heathrow and flying to Dublin the day I arrive. The Stonehenge-Liverpool idea was when I was looking into trying to take a ferry from Liverpool to Dublin.

Thank you for the great information regarding things to see during the day as I travel between airports! Getting some of the typical touristy London stuff out of the way that afternoon is a great idea, freeing up my limited time on the return. Unfortunately I think Scotland will be getting dropped from this trip. By the end of 8 weeks in Europe I'm sure I will be on a tight budget, and I can't see spending that much of my limited time and money on a train. Even Liverpool might be unrealistic. I expect 1 day will be dedicated to Stonehenge, either solo or signing up for a tour. Ideally I would like to make this happen on Sunday... Stonehenge would be a worthy final event to my trip! It will also make a nice bookend assuming I make it to Newgrange in Ireland at the beginning! I will also likely be seeing Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre one of the days. My mom dreamed of being able to do this for her 60th birthday this summer (actually just days after I leave!), but she isn't going to be able to make it over, so I am going to try and do it for her!

T-minus 8 hours 40 minutes til my flight to Europe! 22 days til Amsterdam!

If anybody is from/will be in any of the following places and would like to meet up, here is my itinerary. Send me a message!

Dublin Wed May 9- Sunday May 13 (I have plans during the day Sat and Sun)
Milan Mon May 14-Tue May 15
Venice Wed May 16
Florence Thur May 17-Sun May 20
Rome Mon May 21- Thur morning May 23
Paris Thur night May 24- Mon May 28 (I expect of my 5 days in Paris, 2 days will be dedicated to the Louvre and 2 days to Versailles)

TUESDAY MAY 29 10:45am- THURSDAY JUNE 28 ~6pm--- AMSTER-FUCKING-DAM BABY!!

London Thur June 28- Sunday July 1 (I have plans all day Sat, until ~9pm Sun)

I get to dam on the 30th
See you there for a joint or 2

Mint wrote:I get to dam on the 30th
See you there for a joint or 2

Name the time and place! I look forward to meeting you.

Will be in town also thinks duh

gapie wrote:Will be in town also thinks duh

I'm shocked! Lol cya soon, gapie

sent you a pm friendly

FriendlyEdgar wrote:

gapie wrote:Will be in town also thinks duh

I'm shocked! Lol cya soon, gapie

How about voyagers @ 11 ... That cool with everyone

Wednesday, May 30, 11am @ Voyagers sounds good. See you there!

FriendlyEdgar wrote:Wednesday, May 30, 11am @ Voyagers sounds good. See you there!

Cool see ya there mate
Anyone else ... Dcon , Gapie, Winnie ?.... The more the merrier

Hope you have a great time in Europe. Shame I'll miss you by 1 day in Amsterdam but with over a month and lots of helpful ACD members about you'll do fine.

Since you are in London it makes sense to spend the day there and 'do' the main attractions between flights rather than waste precious time travelling. Remember so close to the Olympics the place will be crawling with tourists so expect delays!