Travel Buddy

I'm a keen amateur photographer, and I don't get many opportunities to go 'out' and shoot without a husband and baby in tow; anyone with children will know how distracting that can be.  So I'd love to find a travel buddy who'd like to do cheap day trips in the UK (rail) or to the Continent using EasyJet or RyanAir.  I'm open to any location or city, although I am inclined more towards castles, abbeys, ruins or medieval towns.

I'd be available every other Thursday and Saturday or on Sundays.  I realise that there's probably not much good travel time left before cold and rain sets in, but perhaps we could do one trip before the winter comes, then pick again in the Spring.

Anyone one up for a day out?


(PS:  Graham, if there are any takers, we'll take the plans to the Meetings board, if you're okay with that)

I'd be up for going out a time or two.  I've been toying about with a digital camera we bought off of litl_u.  I'd love to take some pictures myself. 

Im always up for a trip. Scotland is very scenic as well as my own Warwickshire. Italy is FAB and flights are pretty cheap. A day trip would even be possible if booked early enough Im available every weekend and every other Friday and Monday.
Pebbles

Well if we would like to do a day out, we should get thinking about places to go or next thing you know we'll be into the cold, rainy winter!  RyanAir has a few places on the cheap (Dublin, perhaps?).  I've never been to Bath, Oxford or Canterbury.  I'm certainly open to suggestions!

As an example, if we choose Dublin and left on Sat, 9 Oct (out of Stansted), we could get a round-trip for as low as £37.80 (taxes incl).

Sounds like a great idea Caitlinn. I cannot commit to anything just now as we are moving house in the next few weekends, but would love to find a cheap euro flight to go somewhere and have a wander round. Good or bad weather, I am always excited to see a new place! It would be so cool to fly to Dublin on the cheap, wander round, find a reasonable hotel for drinks and good cheer, and then fly back the next morning. Or, as you suggest, just a day to wander round.

I keep an eye on this thread and see if anything goes and where I am in the move.

JNA

Those are all good suggestions.  I've never been to any of them either.  The only weekend I can't do is this weekend and the weekend of 16 October.  Sometimes you can also find decent deals on day trips by coach.  Just another thought.  I would LOVE to do Oxford, you know, with the HP connection and all. 

Thought - do you or anyone have a National Rail card?  I've been thinking about getting one.  If one of us have said NR card, we'll get train tix for a wee bit cheaper. 

Coach tours sounds like a good idea too.  I've had a look at one site so far and it's a bit more pricey (£55-ish) than £38 to Dublin, but the advantage is that you get to see three cities or historical areas rather than staying put in one city/area.  A few tours caught my eye and I know at least one will catch Elle's: Bath, Stonehenge and Salisbury; or Oxford, Stratford and Warwick Castle.  http://www.goldentours.co.uk/

Since we have at least three interested, do we want to try and arrange something -- whether coach, rail or flight -- for 9 or 10 Oct?

Pebbles, do you have any low cost carriers/airports near you?

I've been drooling over some other places serviced by RyanAir: Genoa, Stockholm and Malmo.  *sigh*

The 9th or 10th would be cool for me.  I've done Stonehenge once before, but would be open to doing it again!  There was one train company...Southwest maybe? That did like a deal where you caught the train to Salisbury and then you got a coach that took you not only to Stonehenge but to Avebury as well.  It's all about the stones, man! 

They all sound really good though.  Maybe we should put up a poll?

What about this ...

How about if we all spend the next few days looking for cheap deals, whether they be coach, rail or air.  Post suggestions and travel details as we find them, then say on Thursday, vote for the one we like best.  That would also give others time to see the thread and join in if they are so inclined.

Sound like a deal?

I would  be up for this as well. I have my new camera, and havn't had a chance to break it in properly  

I am just a stone's throw from Salisbury, and can easily take the coach in from Bournemouth.  One thing to note,, on Tuesdays and Saturday's, it's Market Day. They have some great stalls in the market square.

Just following up a bit on the Salisbury/Stonehenge option ...

There does appear to be a deal with Southwest trains for a guided Stonehenge tour and an open-top bus tour of Salisbury.  http://www.swtrains.co.uk/fares%5Fdiscounts/specialoffers/default.asp?cboPageSelect=2

The special rate is £38.40 pp, travelling from London, Waterloo.  A normal return to Salisbury would be approx £25, + £5.40 admission to Stonehenge.

I haven't been to either place, so this is certainly an option for me.

Those interested might want to look at:  http://www.escapebytrain.co.uk/ by National Rail.  Loads of ideas there and some of them on special offer.

I can't go now...between work & playing on a hockey club my weekends are taking up...but if people want to travel in the spring I'll be all up for it!

Hubby has off for two weeks in October, so I have a bit more time on my hands.  For anyone who can travel mid-week, there are some fantastic deals to many places in Europe.  RyanAir return tickets for under £30 to destinations such as Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Spain, France, Germany and Italy.  The requirement is that you book by this coming Thursday (midnight).

I think I may try one of these mid-week specials so if anyone has free time on their hands mid-week and access to RyanAir, do let me know and perhaps we could arrange a little jaunt to the continent.

I realise that most people will only be available to on the weekends and I still do want to do a weekend trip (Oct 9 or 10), so this European jaunt would be in addition to the weekend trip (not in place of).

Sorry, Caitlinn, I know you said Thursday but I have class Wednesday nights and last night we went out.  I haven't had much time to surf for ideas, but if you don't mind waiting until the weekend, I'd like to contribute some more ideas to the pot!