International Visitors to The Asylum

[TimeTinker]

We have a number of international visitors attending the Asylum event this year.  This thread is for them to identify themselves to one another to co-ordinate travel etc should they so wish.  After last year's event Lady Elsie and I were able to help people make the most of their trip and visit some other sights in the UK.  We are happy to help facilitate this year too so if people want to talk about the rest of their trip this would be the place to do it.

[Herr Döktor]

I have stickied this thread, seems a good idea to keep it at the top of the page.

[Major Wolfram Quicksilver]

Might it be an idea to put a link to here on the other child boards?

[Wilhelmina Frame]

I will be an international visitor!

I am currently looking for lodging in London for after The Asylum.

I would prefer to stay in the East End and prefer about 100 GBP per night.

Any suggestions appreciated.

[Aeryenne Tederich]

I am currently looking for lodging in London for after The Asylum.

I would prefer to stay in the East End and prefer about 100 GBP per night.

Any suggestions appreciated.

There's a few very nice hotels in the East End, including the following -

Crowne Plaza Hotel (quite expensive, though, the rates start at £100) -
http://www.london.crowneplaza.com/

The City View Hotel (nice and cheap) -
http://www.cityviewhotel.co.uk/

Andaz Liverpool Street -
http://london.liverpoolstreet.andaz.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/

Thistle City Barbican (again, somewhat expensive) -
http://www.thistle.com/hotels/united_kingdom/london/thistle_city_barbican/index.html

But there's plenty of others if one browses around enough ^Q

[Wilhelmina Frame]

I ended up booking at The Academy Hotel in Bloomsbury. Seems nice enough (I hope). Price not terrible. Location strong.

Thank you for the suggestions though.

[frenzygals]

We're from the US, and we will be attending The Asylum, and we would love any help anyone can give us. We are arriving in London on the 7th, and we have scheduled a stone circle tour at Stonehenge for the morning of the 9th. We are planning to spend a couple days in Cardiff, and a few days in London with friends, as well as the 3 days in Lincoln. Any suggestions for great food or sites not to be missed while we're out and about? Any suggestions for hotels near Stonehenge?

[Wilhelmina Frame]

If you will be in London on the Monday evening after The Asylum you are welcome to join the outing to the Dennis Severs House.

See this thread:
http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,25903.msg579391.html#msg579391

[Count Rostov]

... we have scheduled a stone circle tour at Stonehenge for the morning of the 9th.

If you are going to see Stonehenge you should also visit Avebury - which for my money is more impressive. It is surrounded by a whole neolithic landscape.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avebury

Have fun!

[Miss Romwell]

Any suggestions for hotels near Stonehenge?

For Stonehenge, I'd recommend staying in Salisbury (my old stomping ground). The stones themselves are on Salisbury Plain, which is bleak and windswept, and the nearest conurbation of any sort is Tidworth, an Army town of little charm (though home of a legendary haunting, the Tedworth Drummer

Spoiler: ShowHide

http://www.unexplainedstuff.com/Ghosts-and-Phantoms/Famous-Haunted-Houses-and-Places-The-tedworth-drummer.html

).
Salisbury is an ancient city with a fine cathedral within a lovely close, with tours to Stonehenge operating daily, and with easy access to the A303 if you're going under your own steam.
The Red Lion Hotel is very central, and nearly 800 years old, if you fancy a bit more history. The White Hart is only 300 years old, but has cathedral views.

http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-6616-mercure-salisbury-white-hart-hotel/media.shtml

http://www.the-redlion.co.uk/

Hope that helps!

[frenzygals]

Thank you all so much for the help! We've booked a B&B in Salisbury the night before we visit Stonehenge, and we're very excited!

Wilhelmina, my boyfriend has insisted on taking a parkour class in central London the Monday after the Asylum, but if my sister and I decide not to knock our teeth out with him, we may come along to the Dennis Severs house.

Yay!

[TimeTinker]

Bumping this thread - Wilhemena +1 and Daniel +1 are both asking about touring the UK before/after The Asylum.

The Memsahib and I were thinking about taking a day or two in York then travelling on up to Edinburgh. (This would be Monday/Tuesday and Weds/Thursday after the Asylum.

Anyone care to join us on this touristy road trip?

[Wilhelmina Frame]

Yes!

Although, there is some talk of me and my +1 doing something similar before The Asylum as Mr. +1 will be needed in the US the weekend of The Asylum. He is thinking though that he may be able to join me in Lincoln on Wed / Thurs before The Asylum begins so at least he would be able to meet you all.

But keep me informed of your plans as mine are far from solid.

[TimeTinker]

Current plan is:

Daniel and partner to travel to York from Lincoln on Monday 12th by train or coach. (The Memsahib and I have to break down The Asylum on this day and would overnight at home.)

First thing on Tuesday morning we will scoot up to York to act as local guides.  We would then overnight in York. (Second night for advance party)

Wednesday morning we would drive up to Edinburgh from York.  We are contemplating a stop over at Alnwick en route for lunch and a possible visit to the Castle. 

We would then have two nights in Edinburgh. 

Travelodge have a sale on at the moment.  Whilst some travelodges  leave a little to be desired the York Central and Edinburgh Central ones are fine and perfectly located.  Two nights in York would cost just £65 and two in Edinburgh £79.  Very reasonable indeed.

The itinerary is public here to see if anyone else wants to join us.  Could be a nice way to round off The Asylum.

[greensteam]

If the tour decides to drop in on the Birthplace of Steam (Glasgow, where Watt did his thinking) let me know: I will invite up to five people to be my guests for a three course lunch in the elected members' dining room at the Glasgow City Council Chambers.

A simple google image search on glasgow city chambers interior will show you why I am so proud of the place.

[Miss Peggy Bone]

Bumping this thread - Wilhemena +1 and Daniel +1 are both asking about touring the UK before/after The Asylum.

The Memsahib and I were thinking about taking a day or two in York then travelling on up to Edinburgh. (This would be Monday/Tuesday and Weds/Thursday after the Asylum.

Anyone care to join us on this touristy road trip?

I'll put myself and my good man down as possibles for the York leg of this trip as we can combine it with seeing his parents who live near York.  It all very much depends on when he will be returning to work in India however and how my health is standing up after The Asylum. 

[Wilhelmina Frame]

Unfortunately my good man and I will not be able to join you for touring after The Asylum. We will however be visiting some of the same places before I'm dropped in Lincoln.

I'd love for whoever is around to meet my husband, albeit briefly, as he will need to head back to London on Thursday to travel to Paris where the Maison & Objet trade show begins on Friday.

Will anyone be in Lincoln on the Wednesday before or perhaps a lunch on Thursday? I was hoping he would stay Thursday night but that looks unlikely.

[Major Wolfram Quicksilver]

Just thought I'd post a link to help our international visitors who are going to be travelling around the country by train.

[eudyptula]

Any tips on which airports are convenient for Lincoln?  Some airports are very deceptive, they look close on the map but it takes the whole day to get there.

[Major Wolfram Quicksilver]

I think the nearest one is the Robin Hood Airport, near Doncaster.

[Jarrett]

East midlands airport is pretty close too :
http://www.eastmidlandsairport.com/emaweb.nsf

[TimeTinker]

Robin Hood is certainly the closest - (about 30 mins away).  We may be able to offer a collection service to people who fly into here.

[Major Willoughby Chase]

Just thought I'd post a link to help our international visitors who are going to be travelling around the country by train.

An important point to remember for Trainline, they're great for getting the info, but you'll end up paying more if you book through them as the have a booking fee.

Book through East Coast for instance and not only do you not pay a booking fee, but your Advance purchase tickets are usually discounted up to 20% on top of any usual Advance ticket discount.

I'm not affiliated with either of these companies but I do work as ticket office staff on the UK railways.

[Wilhelmina Frame]

I'm not affiliated with either of these companies but I do work as ticket office staff on the UK railways.

Maybe you can help me with a question then -- I'm thinking of getting a rail pass because I'm going to be traveling around some before The Asylum. But, I don't quite get the seat reservation scheme on that. I wanted the pass to be flexible so we weren't tied to a particular timetable but it seems like we'll get stuck to that if we need seats.

We're taking this schedule:

London > York > Whitby > Edinburgh

Then I go Edinburgh > Lincoln (an annoying journey by the looks of it)
and my husband goes Edinburgh > London

[Major Willoughby Chase]

In short, yes, you're stuck, flexibility and seats reservations do not mix and match I'm afraid.  Seats can only be booked on a specific service, for my company these seats must, usually, also be booked before 18.00 the previous day, other companies (usually the company you're travelling with) may offer the service up to two hours before departure, but not all will.  You must also have a ticket to book a seat, 1 ticket, 1 seat, so you can't book seats on all services throughout the day and then decide which one you want to catch.

If you purchase an Advance ticket, it will always come with a seat reservation, the ticket is only valid on the service that the seat is booked on. Advance tickets must usually be booked before 18.00 the previous day, but please be aware that by that point they will have been available for 12 weeks and most of the cheep ones will have gone.

If you book 'walk-up' tickets (i.e. tickets you can also buy on the day of travel and usually the most flexible and the most expensive option) ahead of time, you may also ask if it is possible to book a seat, but it will only be booked for one service, if you do not use that service your reservation will not carry over to the next, however your ticket will still be valid.

Information on Advance tickets here:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/advance_conditions.html

Information on Reservations here:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/purchasing_tickets/reservations.html

Mostly it depends what kind of tickets you were looking at buying, what time and day of travel etc.

For you I would certainly advise booking/buying anything through East Coast as that is who you will be travelling with most of the time on the long journeys, they would also be the first stop for any major enquiries.  Likewise on the days of travel, ask staff at the Station (which may not necessarily be run by the company you're travelling with) if there is an East Coast Ticket Office or information service at that station.

A lot of information I know, but it's difficult to sum up everything concisely.