The UK and Ireland

[mrs. sweet]

^thanks sis. i'm actually thinking of omitting Ireland, sa Northern Ireland na lang siguro. kulang sa oras kasi.

London to Edinburgh, anong ok na ride? train or plane? lemming for train though, anong train naman ang ok. travelling with our 2 girls btw, 15yo and 12yo.

[Missus O]

^ Personally I would opt for a plane ride since in 30 minutes nandun ka na. Check easyjet and british airways for promos. I once used my BA miles and only paid £140 return flight for 4 people. That's for 4 people.London Heathrow - edinburgh and back.   Some opt for train ride as minsan may scenery na maganda but sometimes trainrides are more expensive as well.

[shegie_285]

^ I'd go for plane too dahil ang tagal ng byahe sa train...

[mama squeak!]

Or you can make the train journey an experience all by itself! After experiencing the Orient Express (Venice to Paris) my hubby and I are looking at the Royal Scotsman for our next train ride when we revisit the UK. It's a 2day/1 night train journey from London to Edinburgh. There is just something special with train rides especially in Europe.

[m_lim]

mama squeak,

may Vat refund rin ba shopping sa London? kamusta pricing ng designer goodies? halos same ba sa Paris?

[mama squeak!]

^Yup you get 10-13% nett of fees. I think for French designer goods it will still be cheaper in France.

[mrs. sweet]

Virgin Trains East Coast from London to Edinburgh, sino na naka-try?

D ko carry Orient Express mama squeak! Travelling with kids, parang sayang naman hehe Pag kami na lang siguro ni hubs

[Missus O]

^Virgin trains are just like the regular rail network.  Check the prices. Sometimes plane rides are cheaper. Plus its faster.

[mrs. sweet]

^feel ko kasi more time consuming pag sa planes, considering we have to be there hours before the flight then transfers pa to and from the hotels pa. while sa train kasi, nasa city center yung stations. also, would like my kids to experience train rides din sana.

[Missus O]

^ Actually you don't need to be hours ahead going to the airport. It's a local flight. 1 hour is enough. But if you prefer taking the rail, might be better getting the first class coach, more leg room, lesser seats. But if you'll be taking the regular coach,  choose the center seats so you and your kids can face each other unless the backward lurch of the train makes you dizzy. 

By the way Edinburgh train station  is not in the city  centre. You may need to take the bus or the scotrail to Waverly station, depending on where your hotel is located.

[mrs. sweet]

^Di ba they have a station in Waverly?

It will be our first time in Edinburgh, nangangapa pa hehe

[Missus O]

^ Yes there is a station in waverly but the line of Virgin trains don't pass trhough it. 

[Missus O]

^Oops sorry, Virgin East Trains pass through Waverley pala. 

[mrs. sweet]

Decided for the train na. Now, start searching for Edinburgh to Belfast then Belfast to London naman .

[cosmochick]

Got our UK Visa na! Mga sis, ok ba pumunta pa sa Northern Ireland?
Or should we apply for Ireland Visa para worth it ang trip?

[mrs. sweet]

^same thoughts, parang mas ok sa Ireland kesa sa Northern Ireland.

when punta mo sis?

[waychraych]

To those who have been to UK,
- Are Windsor and Warwick castles worth the visit? How many hours does it take to tour each castle?
- My bestfriend wants to go to Cotswolds. Ano pwede isama na tour/area sa Cotswolds?

[shegie_285]

^^^ Definitely Ireland compared to Northern Ireland, I know hassle lang ang visa. I dont think there's something to see in Belfast, so kung NI Giants causeway (which for me isn't that impressive or baka dahil overcast nung pumunta kami) and Titanic museum lang (we didn't go). When we went pa to the causeway, Sunday, walang mabilhan ng food on the way from Belfast, may open pero maliit na mga gasolinahan lang, this was in 2010.

[mrs. sweet]

^yan nga iniisip ko eh, kaso another visa kayanin pa ba if after uk visa ko sya asikasuhin, sked ko mar. 23 sa uk, travelling on june 3

[shegie_285]

^ I think kakayanin pa, UK visa is 2 weeks right? So even if 3 weeks mid April dapat you have the visa back na. Mabilis lang din naman ang Irish visa.

Also, I was just checking flights recently from Dublin to anywhere in Europe na travel within 3 weeks, suddenly kase we decided to go on a city break weekend of 18 March. Pansin ko kahit malapit na ang flight, ang Dublin - UK flights naka-sale pa din sa Ryanair.