https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsZ692V8EOvddGxUOVFTSWl4czFuTmVRWWg3Z0ZTeHc&usp=drive_web#gid=0
Link to Travel Itinerary:
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Travel Itinerary and Budget Analysis
Link to Budget Analysis:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsZ692V8EOvddGxUOVFTSWl4czFuTmVRWWg3Z0ZTeHc&usp=drive_web#gid=0
Link to Travel Itinerary:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n2WaPzcrSjJfOcu7fJkxeQoDi9pVswlJ_-OOGWaYSvg/edit
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsZ692V8EOvddGxUOVFTSWl4czFuTmVRWWg3Z0ZTeHc&usp=drive_web#gid=0
Link to Travel Itinerary:
Day 13- December 27
Today is our last day in England, so we woke up a little earlier so that we would have enough time to pack up and sit down to have our last breakfast at the hotels breakfast buffet. Once we finished packing up and checking out of the hotel we took a taxi to the airport.
We got there around 10:20 so that it would leave us enough time to get our bags checked and
everything situated for our flight back home. We loaded the plane and took off at 11:40. On the plane both Rebecca and Mary Beth slept while Maya, Sydney and I took airplane selfies and watched movies. Once Rebecca and Mary Beth woke up we were all hungry so we all ate lunch together. Our flight didn't return home until 3:45 p.m.
As soon as we landed we greeted all our friends and told them about our days in England. We shared all of the places we visited and what we did. We also told them that they should join us next time we visit England because its such a great experience and it's so much different from the United States of America due to the colder weather, tourist sites,and even the language. England in our opinion is so much prettier and there is so much more fun and activities to keep people entertained. We mentioned how its a relaxing romantic getaway and a very nice place to spend vacationing in both the winter or summer. We also included that it would be an educational and fun way on learning new cultures which include different holidays, food, and hobbies.
We are so happy to be home since we were gone for so long, but we all still miss England and all the fun we had traveling and spending time with each other.
- Zoë
We got there around 10:20 so that it would leave us enough time to get our bags checked and
everything situated for our flight back home. We loaded the plane and took off at 11:40. On the plane both Rebecca and Mary Beth slept while Maya, Sydney and I took airplane selfies and watched movies. Once Rebecca and Mary Beth woke up we were all hungry so we all ate lunch together. Our flight didn't return home until 3:45 p.m.As soon as we landed we greeted all our friends and told them about our days in England. We shared all of the places we visited and what we did. We also told them that they should join us next time we visit England because its such a great experience and it's so much different from the United States of America due to the colder weather, tourist sites,and even the language. England in our opinion is so much prettier and there is so much more fun and activities to keep people entertained. We mentioned how its a relaxing romantic getaway and a very nice place to spend vacationing in both the winter or summer. We also included that it would be an educational and fun way on learning new cultures which include different holidays, food, and hobbies.
We are so happy to be home since we were gone for so long, but we all still miss England and all the fun we had traveling and spending time with each other.
- Zoë
Day 12- December 26
Today is December 26 which is the day after Christmas; in the UK, today is Boxing Day. Boxing Day is a day that is almost like a second Christmas.Tradesmen and servants would get presents from their employers, in the past. Today, Boxing Day is a national bank holiday or national holiday. In the UK, Australia, and Canada, it is a day for shopping! It's is like the American Black Friday where most stores have dramatic price changes and sales.
Boxing Day is also similar to our Thanksgiving because of sports. Rugby is very popular in England, Wales, and Scotland and there are multiple matches played and shown on the television. Ice hockey also has its time in the spotlight on Boxing Day as well. Several games are played and multiple championships like the IIHF World U20 Championship.
Since we only had one more day in England, we decided to have a day of fun! We went to Cadbury World in Bournville, Birmingham. We got there by train and the cost to get there was $17.98. The cost to get back was $14.71.
Cadbury World is an amusement park focused on chocolate! We tried some and it is the best chocolate I've ever had. We rode the mini roller coaster which was really for little kids but it was still fun! I would definitely recommend Cadbury World. It is extremely family friendly and a lot of fun!
-Rebecca
Boxing Day is also similar to our Thanksgiving because of sports. Rugby is very popular in England, Wales, and Scotland and there are multiple matches played and shown on the television. Ice hockey also has its time in the spotlight on Boxing Day as well. Several games are played and multiple championships like the IIHF World U20 Championship.
Since we only had one more day in England, we decided to have a day of fun! We went to Cadbury World in Bournville, Birmingham. We got there by train and the cost to get there was $17.98. The cost to get back was $14.71.
Cadbury World is an amusement park focused on chocolate! We tried some and it is the best chocolate I've ever had. We rode the mini roller coaster which was really for little kids but it was still fun! I would definitely recommend Cadbury World. It is extremely family friendly and a lot of fun!-Rebecca
Day 11- Wednesday, December 25
Today is Christmas Day! We woke up at 9 am and went to the Balthazar restaurant which is in central London. This was a great Christmas breakfast! They had all kinds of breakfast foods and we had a nice time with each other. After breakfast we went back to the hotel to open our gifts that we got each other. We all loved the presents! By the time we finished all of that is was already 11:30. We went out to the streets of London and everything was so beautiful! The lights and Christmas decorations were amazing.
We then decided to go ice skating in one of London's many outdoor rinks. It was located at the
London eye on the South Bank. It was beautiful! By the time we finished ice skating it was already 3:30. We decided to have an early dinner since it is Christmas and we didn't have lunch.
We went to dinner at a fancy restaurant called Greig's. It was perfect for Christmas dinner and they had great food! We were there for about two hours so by the time we left it was already about six. Since we had a long week and the trip was winding down we decide to go see a movie to relax. When the movie was over we went back to hotel.
When we were back at the hotel we were talking about how great London was so far! We definitely would recommend for other tourists to go to London during Christmas time! London is truly spectacular at any time of the year but during Christmas time there is something truly magical about it. There is so much to do and so much to see and going during Christmas just makes it that much more amazing! London is beautiful during Christmas time and is an excellent place for tourists, from any country to visit during the Christmas season!
We had a great Christmas day in London. It is a Christmas we will never forget!
- Mary Beth
We then decided to go ice skating in one of London's many outdoor rinks. It was located at the
London eye on the South Bank. It was beautiful! By the time we finished ice skating it was already 3:30. We decided to have an early dinner since it is Christmas and we didn't have lunch. We went to dinner at a fancy restaurant called Greig's. It was perfect for Christmas dinner and they had great food! We were there for about two hours so by the time we left it was already about six. Since we had a long week and the trip was winding down we decide to go see a movie to relax. When the movie was over we went back to hotel.
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| Ice Skating in front of the London Eye |
When we were back at the hotel we were talking about how great London was so far! We definitely would recommend for other tourists to go to London during Christmas time! London is truly spectacular at any time of the year but during Christmas time there is something truly magical about it. There is so much to do and so much to see and going during Christmas just makes it that much more amazing! London is beautiful during Christmas time and is an excellent place for tourists, from any country to visit during the Christmas season!
We had a great Christmas day in London. It is a Christmas we will never forget!
- Mary Beth
Day 10- Tuesday, December 24
Today is Christmas Eve! We wanted to go to Windsor Castle today, so we woke up at about nine this morning and ate breakfast at out hotel. Then we walked to Waterloo Station, the closest train station to the hotel. It was only about a ten minute walk. The station was huge!
The inside was very busy and crowded. We were able to get tickets for the 10:45 train, so we had to wait for about 30 minutes. The tickets were only about $24. We just got some donuts and magazines to pass the time. We boarded the train at about 10:40 and left right on time. The ride was pretty long, just over an hour and a half. Once we got there, it was already after noon so we decided to stop for lunch before we went into Windsor Castle.
The castle was only about a five minute walk from the train station and there were tons of places on the way to the castle. We stopped at this cute little place called Nando's. They were a Portuguese chain restaurant that served chicken, and it was delicious! We went to the ticket box for Windsor Castle and got our tickets and got audio tours. There was a little bit of a hike up to Windsor from the ticket office, but there was such a great view! You could see the actual castle perfectly.
Our personal favorite was Queen Mary's Doll House. It was a doll house built in the early 1920's for Queen Mary. It was a gift for her and the original idea came from her cousin, Princess Marie Louise. The princess had many connections and because of that, the dollhouse has many features such as running water and electricity. The house is made to show how the royal family would have lived at this time. Many things in the doll house are replicas of things in Windsor Castle, and the whole house is built to scale (one inch to one foot). It was beautiful and so interesting to look at! The details were incredible. There was even toilet paper in the bathrooms!
By the time we were finished with Windsor Castle it was dinner time. On the way back to the train station we stopped at The Crooked House of Windsor, or The Market Cross House. It is called the Crooked House because it is in fact crooked.
The castle was only about a five minute walk from the train station and there were tons of places on the way to the castle. We stopped at this cute little place called Nando's. They were a Portuguese chain restaurant that served chicken, and it was delicious! We went to the ticket box for Windsor Castle and got our tickets and got audio tours. There was a little bit of a hike up to Windsor from the ticket office, but there was such a great view! You could see the actual castle perfectly.
Windsor castle is the royal family's "second home" (the first being Buckingham Palace). It was built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror. The royal family has been living in it since Henry I and it has been occupied the longest out of any European castle.
There is so much to see at Windsor Castle! The queen
reside there, though, so you can't go to all parts of the castle. You can go to St. George's Chapel, which was founded in 1348 by Kind Henry III. You can see the Grand Staircase and Royal Vestibule. There are so many rooms from the past kings and queens that you can walk through.
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| Grand Staircase |
Our personal favorite was Queen Mary's Doll House. It was a doll house built in the early 1920's for Queen Mary. It was a gift for her and the original idea came from her cousin, Princess Marie Louise. The princess had many connections and because of that, the dollhouse has many features such as running water and electricity. The house is made to show how the royal family would have lived at this time. Many things in the doll house are replicas of things in Windsor Castle, and the whole house is built to scale (one inch to one foot). It was beautiful and so interesting to look at! The details were incredible. There was even toilet paper in the bathrooms!
By the time we were finished with Windsor Castle it was dinner time. On the way back to the train station we stopped at The Crooked House of Windsor, or The Market Cross House. It is called the Crooked House because it is in fact crooked.
We decided to go look around at some of the shops at Windsor. We ended up buying tons of postcards and key chains for souvenirs.
Then we made our way back to the train station and went back to our hotel. Today was a great day in Windsor!
-Sydney
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Day 9: Monday, December 23
Today we woke up at 8:00 a.m., and went down to have breakfast at the hotel. While we were eating we discussed all of the things we still wanted to before we left. We decided that one of the places we wanted to visit before we left was Hampton Court. We had all heard that it was a real nice place to spend the day and that visiting the gardens were a must do. We left the hotel 9:30 and headed to the train station to get to Hampton. The train picked us up at 10:05 and on our hour long trip we played on our phones and wrote about everything we had done so far in England to make the time go by faster.
When we arrived at Hampton Court we went to the Great Hall, a room with a beautiful hammer- beam roof and walls that are hung with Henry VIII's best tapestries. After we finished viewing the amazing art in the Great Hall we wanted to do something that we did not get to do often so we decided to go to Hapton's world famous maze.
The maze covers a third of an acre and contains half a mile paths. Before we went in we were told to try to stay together as much as possible so that one person does not get lost. We stayed together for about the first five minutes and then we turned it into a race to see who could get to the finish first. Of course we all went different ways trying to see which way was the fastest. After about thirty minutes I get completely lost and have no idea where I am and I get a call from Zoe saying that her, and Marybeth had already finished the maze and were waiting for us at the end. About an hour later I was still lost and had no idea where I was when I got another call from Zoe saying Rebecca had just finished and they were starting to get bored waiting for us. Then I tried really hard to find the finish and get there before Sydney. I finally found the end and was so relieved when Sydney dashed past me towards the finish. I chased after her as fast as I could but there was no way I could have caught up to her
By the time we all finished the maze it was about 1:00 and we were all starving. We decided to go to Tiltyard Cafe to have lunch. While we were there we talked about our experience in the maze and all laughed at how long it took Sydney and I to finish. After we all finished eating, we went to see the Hampton Gardens. The gardens are a total of sixty acres with pretty flowers, plants and wildlife. It was absolutely beautiful! There were a bunch of amazing fountains, and lime colored trees forming an arch to walk under. While we were walking we saw a family of deer all huddled close for protection and it made the garden even more amazing!
When we were done at the gardens we all decided that it was a good time to start heading home. We all slept on the train ride back because the whole day had been exhausting. When we finally got back to the hotel we went and had dinner and went to bed.
--Maya Meurling
When we arrived at Hampton Court we went to the Great Hall, a room with a beautiful hammer- beam roof and walls that are hung with Henry VIII's best tapestries. After we finished viewing the amazing art in the Great Hall we wanted to do something that we did not get to do often so we decided to go to Hapton's world famous maze.
The maze covers a third of an acre and contains half a mile paths. Before we went in we were told to try to stay together as much as possible so that one person does not get lost. We stayed together for about the first five minutes and then we turned it into a race to see who could get to the finish first. Of course we all went different ways trying to see which way was the fastest. After about thirty minutes I get completely lost and have no idea where I am and I get a call from Zoe saying that her, and Marybeth had already finished the maze and were waiting for us at the end. About an hour later I was still lost and had no idea where I was when I got another call from Zoe saying Rebecca had just finished and they were starting to get bored waiting for us. Then I tried really hard to find the finish and get there before Sydney. I finally found the end and was so relieved when Sydney dashed past me towards the finish. I chased after her as fast as I could but there was no way I could have caught up to her
By the time we all finished the maze it was about 1:00 and we were all starving. We decided to go to Tiltyard Cafe to have lunch. While we were there we talked about our experience in the maze and all laughed at how long it took Sydney and I to finish. After we all finished eating, we went to see the Hampton Gardens. The gardens are a total of sixty acres with pretty flowers, plants and wildlife. It was absolutely beautiful! There were a bunch of amazing fountains, and lime colored trees forming an arch to walk under. While we were walking we saw a family of deer all huddled close for protection and it made the garden even more amazing!
--Maya Meurling
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