jad n rich

I know I read the OZ fourm too much and I think it may have turned my UK memories a little bit pukey yellow, so have been looking into some stuff for the holiday.

Firstly weather, next 5 days were forcast as 18-20 with lows of 12 ish, a couple of clear sunny days in there too, pollution and skin cancer index low, now given its almost november I dont think thats bad at all.

Then we go on to transport, obviously going do the a bit of tourist with the kids, didnt know an all day pass for me is 3.80 and the kids are free up to 15 thats on any bus in London.

Hotel recommended by an aussie who recently visited UK, 26UK pound a night for a family room thats for if we go to York where I have never been kids want to see roman and viking stuff, but if you needed to those prices are all over including London too.

Looking at virgin trains a 2 hour journey up north was only 9 UK pound and eurostar 20 UK pound if we were flexible with booking ahead dates etc.

Friend in spain claims she will find us 20 UK pound flights to visit her although could not find any myself.

Freebie days out for kiddies, london museums no longer charge.

If anyone wants to add to my list of UK bargains go ahead.

Some cheap eats would be appreciated didnt find any of them yet.

woodyinoz

Thats fantastic...

You are going to have such a great time.... going green with envy.

Makes you realise that we are paying way too much here and earning way too less!

Pants

but there is the other side of the coin..now a little moan...how come as parents and adults who have to look after and supervise our kids why is it we have to pay so much entry fees into places such as Drusillas, farms,etc...do we get to go on the rides, play on the swings etc.....and yet we have to pay a huge price for just taking our kids places...

now I am not going to moan on cos this is such a lovely thread but just wanted to get that of my chest..!!

rant over and now back to nice things....

places to eat...mmhhh!!!I know in Oz they had certain days where kids under a certain age ate free...I haven't seen any places like that here yet..!!! Anyone else?

Check out this website for travel deals....you may find something.!!

http://www.travelzoo.co.uk/?bbcam=ad...id=travelzoo&x

Sorry about the little moan..!!! its half term here.....

gdcollectables

Hi

here's a link for free stuff (and up to 3GBP) to do in London:

http://www.londonfreelist.com/home.asp

Just did a search on Ask Jeeves, there's also other links for other areas of the UK!

gd

MrsB

The Harvesters and Beefeaters and Brewers Fayre chain type/pub things are always good. I know they are not gourmet stuff, but they have a wide ranging menu, and a salad cart, plenty of kiddie meals, and usually the kids get a few crayons and a sheet from a colouring book.

Pants

Hiya GD

great weblink....I will have a nose too..!!

Geordie George

Whilst browsing the BBC website t'other day, I came across this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/...ow/index.shtml

It's a site which reviews local pubs and, personally, I found it fairly up-to-date and reasonably unbiased. A quick search has revealed that, sure enough, there's an equivalent for North Yorkshire too:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/...ig/index.shtml

I expect that most of the regional BBC websites have them. Always nice to have an insider's guide.

GG

woodyinoz

Forgot about half terms

wallabyWannabe

Hi
I know kids eat free at Frankie and Bennies between 3 and 5 pm. (Bit early I know but if you want a bargain!!)
Frankie and Benies is an American/Italian style chain resturant which can be found in most towns across Britain!
Are you sure kids are free on busses up to 15? I don't know about London but everywhere else is under 5's go free, then it is half fare up to 15.
Try www.Ryanair.com to see if you can top £20 tickets. They are so cheap, but the tax is added on after, so it may end up costing an extra £50 or so unless you get really lucky.
When are you coming over?
There are loads of bonfire events that will be free around britain in the next two weeks aswell, and they are always nice to see, and then come home to a lovely cumberland sausage and jacket potato!
If you have a friend with an Orange mobile phone network, you can go to the cinema on wednesdays for 'buy one get one free' (and you can even buy the kids ticket and get the adult one free)! It is called orange wednesdays.
I will write if something else crops up!

Hope you enjoy your holiday,
Donna.
x

jad n rich

Thanks more great tips

The bus thing says from sept 2005 kids up to 15, had to read it twice myself but it was a london transport site. It even went on to say eventually it will be up to 18, only buses tho think the tube was about 2 pound a day for kids.

Were going in about 4 weeks so will miss halloween and bonfire night pity that I love both.

wallabyWannabe

Will have to take the kids to london then!
What are you doing up at 5.47 am! That is the one thing that really got me last year when we were visiting friends on the Sunshine Coast... you all get up so early!!!! I know it is to mow the lawn etc before it gets too hot, but surely another couple of hours in bed will be good!!
How long have you been away from England for?
It is too dark at 5.47 am to even think about anything at the moment. Clocks go back next week, then it really is dark!
Never mind!
You will be out here around christmas time then. That will be so much fun.
Last year they did an outdoor iceskating rink in St James park (I think)! But it is such good fun as the last time we did it was at the Rockafella Centre in New York, and thought to myself then..'Why doesn't England do this'!
Donna.
x

jad n rich

LOL thats not early here wait till summer, its broad daylight (and sometimes hot ) long before 5 am then. My partner leaves for work about 5.30 and crashes about getting work stuff

Been in OZ 6 :scared: years next year, been back to UK once february 2004 left 40 degrees and landed in frost and loved every second of it.

wallabyWannabe

It is so bizarre!
We were going to emmigrate to QLD but then I got all these really wierd pangs for things like frost, fog, being able to sleep with my window open etc!
I sometimes go into the Expat web site to reassure myself that staying in Britain is what we should be doing! We had such a long hard struggle with our decission about moving out (got all the go ahead etc from government) but me being me could not face saying goodbye to everyone here!
I take my hat off to everyone that does it though, and my friend in Caloundra is probably a bit put out that we are not living out there, but at the end of the day, we can always visit the wonderful land of Oz on holidays.
Will you be visiting family over here for Christmas?
I really love Australia, but I must admit, I felt a bit robbed of christmas last year...Ham! Salad! Where is the roast potatos and stuffing!!!!!
We went with our young children to visit Father Christmas in the shoping mall and bless his heart, he was sat there in a polyester suit and beard wondering where his next Tooheys was comming from. Probably over 35 degrees, (at least there was air con) but bless his heart, he was trying to pretend that he came from a country that was covered in that white stuff and it just did not wash with me!!! The kids could'nt have cared less...they had their oreders in and that was that!
I hope that you make the right decision for yourselves, and really make the most of th U.K. when you are here. It is a great country, but then so is every country, it is just where home is and that is all that counts.
Enjoy your day,
Donna.
x

Yorkieabroad

We were back for a few months with the kdis - first week I picked up a small "101 things to do with the kids" booklet in one of the museums we went to. It was mainly for north yorkshire, but covered a few things elsewhere - am sure other regions must do them too. It had lots of activities, all price coded, with estimated time required at each one. We found lots of new things to do, even though I was brought up there, and the family all still live there. I think it cost 3.95, and the best thing is, it included a 5/per person discount voucher for legoland - saved us 20 quid. A real bargain!!

Haven't found any hotels as cheap as 29, but we used Travelodge a lot when we were moseying around - family room generally 45-55 which was fine for 2 adults, 2 toddlers and a baby.

gdcollectables

Hi

if you fancy going to France for the day, there's always Christmas markets every year, they are normally held in town squares around big Christmas trees and the stalls are in wooden chalets (lots of local crafts and foods). It's usually quite chilly and festive, they open around 2pm and carry on into the evening with music etc.

There's an open air ice rink in Calais each year too!

Here's a link for you:

http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-her...tmas-fairs.htm

gd