In need of advice

[Bob C]

Tell her to avoid Syria and North Korea-- other than that, most places are pretty friendly toward US citizens... well, maybe Iran is out as well.

In the UK the most unfriendly thing she'll encounter in January will be the weather, which can be pretty miserable, even if you hail from Red Lodge. January will find most things closed -- especially castles. If she can hold out, I'd recommend visiting the UK in late April and early May.

I'd add Venezuela to that list. I was warned about that when vacationing in Aruba a few years back.

[okiwen]

OK, so maybe I didn't explain this correctly. I see everybody latched on to the American thing and not the question as to where you'd rather travel.

Personally, i couldn't care less what they thought and the whole claiming Canadian is silly and offensive to me, so I guess I expressed myself wrong.

She would like to travel to one of the three but would like opinions. I understand that January is a poor month but she didn't have a choice in her birth, just that she attended. Of the people that live there or have traveled to them, where was most enjoyable, even for January? She is looking to enjoy herself for 6-10 days.

[Jock Scot]

OK, so maybe I didn't explain this correctly. I see everybody latched on to the American thing and not the question as to where you'd rather travel.

Personally, i couldn't care less what they thought and the whole claiming Canadian is silly and offensive to me, so I guess I expressed myself wrong.

She would like to travel to one of the three but would like opinions. I understand that January is a poor month but she didn't have a choice in her birth, just that she attended. Of the people that live there or have traveled to them, where was most enjoyable, even for January? She is looking to enjoy herself for 6-10 days.

Can you help us a little? Is your friend a "town" type of person, or a "country" type person? London will have most things open, but dare I say it, one big city is much like another, although London does have a lot of History, more than many cities perhaps. However many trips (check up if these are available in January) to Stratford-upon-Avon for example, can be arranged. I am not confident that many other British cities will have that sort of option available in January.

On the other hand, if the "country" is the prefered option then take a train to wherever and pick a station to dismount and find a B&B,/hotel/pub explore the locality, and move on and on agian. But check if the "Big House", Castle, whatever is going to be open.

[theborderer]

It really depends on what her interests are. Its no good going on a Castle tours if she is not interest in castles. All tours show start dates of Mar/ Apr
Try this link for tours in Scotland and Ireland.
http://www.cietours.com/world/escorted_tour.
Welsh Tours also start in March/April
link is http://www.cietours.com/world/escort..._of_wales_8d/#

Have fun looking

[Meggers]

She is a pretty casual lady and does not want to go anywhere that thinks they hate old Americans.

It's so sad that she even has to consider this Baaaaah some people (and NOT just Americans) really need to pass a "How to act overseas" test in order to travel.

As for the British Isles and Ireland, I don't think it would be an issue but this is coming from someone who has never left the USA so my opinion really doesn't count much in this. My grandpa goes to Ireland all the time and he always loves it.

[J_Mimbs]

I've traveled a bit in Europe (never to the UK sadly) and I've never had any issues. Act friendly, be polite, and most people with do the same back. Just remember to be patient and respect their culture the same way you'd expect them to respect yours.

[okiwen]

She is not shy in the least. Mentioned going to the pubs hanging with the locals and getting the flavor of the people. She would like to sight see and has no problem with taking bus or train.

[Jock Scot]

She is not shy in the least. Mentioned going to the pubs hanging with the locals and getting the flavor of the people. She would like to sight see and has no problem with taking bus or train.

Right, that helps her a lot! BUT SHE NEEDS TO CHECK WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO SEE IN JANUARY. OK if it were my friend, I would advise this, baring in mind what I have just said.:

Fly to Glasgow. Spend a day there.
Take a train to Edinburgh. Spend a day there.
Take a train to Inverness. Pehaps dismount(for an hour or two) at Perth/Pitlochry(perhaps stop for the night)/Blair Atholl.
At Inverness. Take taxi to see Culloden/Fort George/Cawdor Castle/ Urquhart Castle(via boat trip on Loch Ness?).
Take a train back to Glasgow ready to fly out and use any spare time to explore the city further.

Be warned, I mean it, the weather at that time of year can disrupt any travel plan!

[kilted scholar]

This is not strictly in accordance with the expressed destination since it is part of England but it does address the question of the weather in January. If your friend likes quiet rural areas then the Scilly Isles (28 miles off the SW coast of the UK, out in the Atlantic) could come into consideration. They are delectably isolated and, moreover, have the best weather for January. St Mary's, the main "town" - really a village - is usually as warm or warmer in January than the south of France and the northwest coast of Africa. This is due to the North Atlantic drift. Its daffodil harvest is in January. Snow is very, very rare - as is frost.

As I say there's probably a less than 0.1% chance that this will be of interest but if the weather is a factor then it could be considered.

NB: I have no association with any entity likely to benefit economically from this!! : )

[Pleater]

Coach tours no good then - but - despite the original outline not including England, with it being January I'd advise the South of England just for the weather.

Some - though by no means all - years it has been mild enough to consider walking on the promenade on Christmas day, and when the entire country was knee deep in snow and satellite images showed the UK looking much like an iced biscuit, we were a brown bit at the edge which had been missed.

There is a lot of history and old stone buildings which might be shut for the winter, but it is still possible to walk along ramparts and around the area of the old towns - see cathedrals and cobbled streets, old cottages and the like.

Travelling by rail and coach is not difficult, all along the south coast between London and however far you want to go.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: