Originally Posted by sallysimmons

The redspottedhanky website is really good.
http://www.redspottedhanky.com/

I was just able to find tickets from Kendal to Manchester for £6.50 each way (direct).

London is pricier but the trains are direct again (from Oxenholme which is only a mile outside Kendal). £64 return was the best deal I could get for a weekend trip but the journey only takes 2 and a half hours - cool! Plus if I wanted to go from here to DC, which takes about as long, the cheapest fare I can get on Amtrak is $218 or £134.

There are limitations on when you can travel though, so these deals are only good for trips you can plan ahead.

Originally Posted by jasper123

Yes Sally i found train travel in the States was very epensive, I always got the impression that if you want to go somewhere for affordable fare then you went by bus, train journeys to me was regarded as a luxury, in all the 36 years i was in the States i never once went on a train, first of all the nearest train station from where i lived was always at least 270 MILES away,
But here in UK train travel is regarded as the way to go if you dont want to drive or dont have a car, and im spoiled cause in my town of Portsmouth we have no less then 4 train stations, all within a couple of miles from each other,

Originally Posted by jasper123

Yes Sally i found train travel in the States was very epensive, I always got the impression that if you want to go somewhere for affordable fare then you went by bus, train journeys to me was regarded as a luxury, in all the 36 years i was in the States i never once went on a train, first of all the nearest train station from where i lived was always at least 270 MILES away,\

Originally Posted by cheers

Dates to remember Easter is April 24th Daylight savings time US 2 weeks Sunday or March 13th SYK Cheers

Originally Posted by black swan

Yes, another Aussie/Pom same as you Bea!
We emigrated here 37yrs ago & like yourself we went back for 2yrs. Wish we had stayed but times were hard over in UK then. They called the winter of 78/'79 'the winter of discontent' nearly everyone was on strike.
Many times since then we have planned to go back but kids start growing up & then there is never a right time to go. Both married now & we have grandchildren.

It is still a dream but I don't think it will ever happen. We did all the wrong things being unsettled & moving around too much. So now we don't have a house to sell or even savings. OH shares the dream but I know from past experience that he won't buckle down & go through the culture shock & all the difficulties one can expect. So much easier with a healthy bank account.

We are both 69yrs. And of course there is the family here - - not close to any in England. I can so much feel the excitment & pain that Bea is going through because Oz is so far & so expensive to visit.

I have read every post on here from the beginning. I have been really interested finding out what it is like for the average person in USA & Canada.
Also great to hear about the changes in England.
Paula.

Originally Posted by Celticspirit

Bee, it was just announced that Qantas is starting direct flights from Dallas to Sydney. Just wish it had been a year earlier and we wouldn't have had to go through LAX last October. It seems likea very successful airline. Good Luck with the job!!

Originally Posted by Easterndawn

Good Morning Trottytrue, My brother and I used to fight over who would drink the cabbage water, now we know it is full of vitamins but then it just tasted good.

Originally Posted by trottytrue

Easterndawn...Sorry about the car but you have another plan so thats good and the job is firm so thats another worry off your shoulders. I was watching a " An Island Parish" a program about Barra its an Island off the Coast of Western Scotland what a beautiful place last week was episode 5 of 12. The majority of the islanders are Catholics because good old Henry III couldnt get up there so they were spared the reformation. What an unspoilt area that is. Made me long to be home.

Beedubya....Great news about the job Hard to imagine just a few short days and you will be back home. My Dad always drank gabbage water, wonder if that was something the Scots did. My Mother always made the gravy with it if Dad wasnt home. Both my parents would drink a cup of boiled water before breakfast said it was very good for you.
We have two types of bugs I hate here in NH. One is the Spring black fly. You can hardly see them but they have a really nasty bite and then we have the mosquito which the town sprays for in Summer but doesnt seem to help. You dont go out early morning or when the sun has gone down without protection. And you never open a window without a screen on it. Oh and we have enormous horse fly's which chase you and bite you.

Food.... I Remember eating Cows Heart My Mother would roast it and another thing which I hated was stuffed Marrow. She would stuff it with ground beef and onions. Barley soup didnt like that either.

Jasper123...My nephew and niece just went down to London by train they wouldnt think of going any other way. They love it. They think nothing of going down to the theatre staying overnight and then returning the next day. Travel is so easy in the UK. Whats for dinner this Sunday.

Originally Posted by jasper123

I guess bottom line is im home and with my family, and i feel really loved for the first time in more years that i choose to remember, its a great feeling, i was really worried about growing old in America all alone,
Im slowly starting to get Rodney back.

Originally Posted by Fish n Chips 56

Rod...
The one thing you will love about the British rail system is on time performance, Ive been on Virgin a few times and it runs to the minute, dont be late by or a minute or you will have missed the train...
Be sure to take your headphones, the ones I went on had free entertainment just like aircraft.