Here is an article about how exchange rates are making travel more affordable.

On May 10, Mother’s Day, I will present at least two different itineraries along with estimated budgets.  Then, we will have a go or no go decision about the trip in 2009.  If it’s a go, then we’ll decide which itinerary to choose.

On another topic, I asked Kerry and Kristy if they would be open to going somewhere other than Great Britain, since it is one of the most expensive locations in Europe.  I want to keep an open mind about trips, and if I see a great trip somewhere else with a great price, I’d like to explore it for us.

The importance of packing light cannot be overemphasized, but, for your own good, I’ll try. You’ll never meet a traveler who, after five trips, brags: “Every year I pack heavier.” The measure of a good traveler is how light she travels. You can’t travel heavy, happy, and cheap. Pick two.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to travel light.  We will be moving from city to city many times on this trip and that means lugging your suitcase through train stations, into cars and taxis, up and down stairs, into overhead luggage bins, over cobblestone streets, and of course it has to survive the airline baggage handlers.  Believe me, any old rolling suitcase is NOT up for the job.  You need a suitcase that is built with quality parts, lightweight, and intended for heavy travel abuse.  Think of a good suitcase as an investment that will allow you to enjoy your trip without worrying about broken wheels, busted zippers, and ripped seams – all very common problems with average luggage. A quality piece will last a long time through many trips and will pay for itself.

I have an Eagle Creek Switchback bag that I bought in 2001 before mom and I went to Europe. It has survived two three-week trips across Europe, a three-week trip down the Pacific coast, two trips to Orlando, and four months of living out of it with constant travel for my old job. I’d say the $250 I paid for it was an absolute bargain; even if I had only ever used it on the one trip it would still be worth it.  It’s still in good shape and I’ll be taking it on the next trip.

Now lets talk about weight. 50lbs may be the airline weight limit, but you need to think about what you are comfortable carrying. You will not always be able to roll the suitcase, there will be many times when you have to carry it. Pick up an empty suitcase to feel how heavy it is, then imagine how it will feel when you have packed it to the gills. Experienced travelers recommend that your total weight be no more than 25 lbs. That goal can be difficult to reach; you have to plan carefully to travel that light.  The easiest way to reach that goal without leaving behind clothes or shoes is to start with a lightweight suitcase. If you shop for luggage online you can usually look at the product details and see the weight info. I recommend that you plan on a 10-12lbs suitcase. Anything weighing more than that better have a pretty significant selling point to make up for the heaviness.

I researched the following bags and they are a good size, get great reviews, and meet all the criteria for our needs. The link takes you to eBags, a luggage retailer with lots of product data and reviews. You might find these bags cheaper elsewhere, but eBags is a good place to research and decide what to buy.

• Eagle Creek Tarmac 25 – $295
  
• Travelpro WalkAbout Lite 2 30″ Rolling Duffel – $116
• High Sierra 30″ Drop-bottom Wheeled Duffel – $221
• High Sierra Level 28″ Expandable Wheeled Upright – $221

Some of these are classic suitcases, some are duffels. Each has their pros/cons, you need to decide which works best for your style of packing.  None of these are carry-on size, I don’t begin to hope that we could all take carry-on size bags. Also, do not get a bag bigger than 30″, as it will not fit in the baggage area on trains. Really, the smaller the better.

Last, I highly recommend that you read this article about packing from Rick Steves: Packing Light and Right.   Very excellent info that I sincerely hope you take to heart.

I just did a quick check of airfare roundtrip to London for Wednesday, July 29 – Saturday, August 8.   It is $1276 PER PERSON on Continental.  Other airlines weren’t much better, they’re all about the same.

In fact, I checked other dates and it’s about the same price for the whole summer. Prices start to dip to $980 RT in late September, then get to their lowest prices in the winter.  Let’s hope we can catch an airfare sale.

Rick Steves’ England 2000-2007 DVD:
All 8 half-hour “Rick Steves’ Europe” TV shows on England and Wales, filmed entirely on location and produced from 2000 to 2007, are together on a single DVD.

London: Mod and Trad — London is quintessentially English…yet cosmopolitan. We check out the new — the Millennium Bridge and the British Museum’s Great Court, and admire the old — well-wrapped mummies and a rare Leonardo. After bantering with Beefeaters at the Tower of London, we do some riverside beach-combing. Strolling the trendy South Bank of the Thames takes us from the Tate Modern to the dizzying London Eye. (WS)

London: Royal and Rambunctious — We whisper secrets across the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral and eat our way through Soho. Then we check out the treasures of the new British Library, roll with the drums at the Changing of the Guard, and cruise the Thames to Kew Gardens.

Great Side Trips from London — After starting with a double-decker bus tour in London, our camera zooms in on Cabinet War Rooms where Churchill plotted against Hitler, the Tate Gallery and the reconstructed Globe Theatre. With London as home base, Rick and his family take day trips to Stratford — Shakespeare’s birthplace — Warwick Castle and Cambridge before moving on to York. Then, Gothic architecture is the topic as we wander through York Cathedral. Along the way, we stop for traditional English tea. After a steam engine trip through the moors, we board the Eurostar to zoom under the Channel.

Northwest England — Rick brings his family along to enjoy the diversity of north England. They visit Ironbridge Gorge — the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution — and Blackpool, a high energy beach town with neon night life, vintage trolly cars, ballroom dancing and a world-class roller coaster. A scenic drive takes us to the calm Cumbrian Lake District where we enjoy B&Bs, Wordsworth’s cottage, hearty walks and sheep shearing. Finally, we explore the Norman cathedral at Durham for its magnificent architecture and Evensong service.

South England: Dover to Lands’ End — From the white cliffs of Dover to Land’s End, we ponder Roman, Norman, and Nazi invasions. After exploring Admiral Nelson’s flagship, we chase wild ponies across the moors and discover an ancient stone circle. For refreshment, it’s cream tea and Cornish pasties.

Heart of England and South Wales — After King Arthur country at Glastonbury, we go back in time to prehistoric Stonehenge. We sample hard apple cider in Wells, meet an eccentric lord in the Cotswolds, and visit an evocative ruined abbey in South Wales.

North Wales: Feisty and Poetic — From towering Mount Snowdon, to evocative medieval castles, to sweeping Victorian promenades, North Wales is a poem written in landscape. We’ll climb a mountain aboard a steam train, learn some Welsh, follow a miner deep into a slate mine, herd sheep with a very clever dog, and work in a pop pilgrimage to the Beatles’ Liverpool. (WS)

England’s Bath and York — Medieval York and Georgian Bath — easy side-trips from London — pack an exciting pair of sightseeing punches. We’ll explore Roman hot springs, cruise quiet canals, marvel at England’s finest Gothic church, and get a surprising dose of Viking history as we enjoy England’s easy urban delights. (WS)

Rick Steves’ Ireland & Scotland 2000-2007 DVD:
All 6 half-hour “Rick Steves’ Europe” TV shows on Ireland and Scotland, filmed entirely on location and produced from 2000 to 2007, are together on a single DVD.  Only two episodes are about Scotland:

Scotland’s Islands and Highlands — In Scotland, legends of Bonnie Prince Charlie swirl with pipers and kilts around crumbling castles. After tossing a caber (log) at a Scottish clan gathering, we remember Highland massacres. We play hide-and-seek with the Loch Ness Monster, tour a whiskey distillery, and take a ferry to sacred Iona. (WS)

Edinburgh — Edinburgh is the historical and cultural heart of Scotland. We’ll explore the castle, peek at the new parliament, dabble in the local literature, sip a little Scotch, get wrapped up in a kilt, and then stow away on Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia. (WS)