United Kingdom

ITINERARY:
This trip was done mostly by train starting on Aug 4 in Czechoslovakia (Prague) and going to WEST GERMANY (Frankfurt on Main), continuing to BELGIUM for Aug 5 and 6 (Brussels, Ostend) and on ferry over the English Channel to UNITED KINGDOM from Aug 6 to Aug 15, beginning in England (Canterbury, London, Windsor Castle, Bournemouth, Stonehenge, Stratford, Coventry, Liverpool, Blackpool, Lake District, Carlisle). Between Aug 16 and 17 Northern Ireland (with Giant’s Causeway, Belfast) and Aug 18 to Aug 25 Scotland (Glasgow, climbing Ben Nevis, Loch Ness, Inverness, Perth and Edinburgh) and for Aug 26 through Aug 28 back to England (Cambridge, London). Then a ferry to NETHERLANDS where from Aug 29 through 31 (Rotterdam, wind mills, den Haag and Amsterdam). Back to WEST GERMANY on Sep 1 (Nurnberg) and Czechoslovakia (Prague).

Travel company: No travel company used, but an invitation from England needed to get a Czechoslovakian government permit for travel to Western countries. We traveled mostly by train and slept in youth hostels.
Who took part: I traveled with a childhood friend Frank Z. (Aramis).

ITINERARY:
On June 17 early morning flight from Prague, Czech Republic to London, UNITED KINGDOM. An individual visit of Kew Gardens. From June 18 sightseeing of London followed by a bus tour of southern England (Canterbury, Hastings, Battle, Brighton, Winchester, Stonehenge, Exeter, Dartmoor Nat. Park and Plymouth), then 2 days in Cornwall (with the St. Michel Mount, Land’s End and St.Ives). Back to England (Glastonbury, Bath with the Roman spa) to Cardiff in Wales. A ferry crossing to REPUBLIC of IRELAND, where from June 24 until June 29 (visiting Waterford with the Crystal Co., Cork, Blarney Castle and its kissing stone, the Western Coast with Tralee, Ennis, Cliffs of Moher and Galway where many people speak Gaelic). On June 29 entering Northern Ireland (a porcelain co., Londonderry, Giant’s Causeway and a capital Belfast). On June 30 crossing back to Ireland and its capital Dublin (2 days sightseeing visiting also the Trinity College with the Book of Kell and the Dublin Castle). From here a ferry back to Wales taking pictures of the 58 letter long name of the railway station. Then getting over the Snowdonia Mountains to England (with the city of Chester and Lake District). On July 3 to Scotland with Gretna Green (here the anvil marriages in the past) and Glasgow. From Glasgow past Loch Lomond, Fort Williams, by ferry to Isle of Skye, followed by Loch Ness, Inverness, a Highland excursion with the Inverewe Gardens and Glen Ord Whisky distillery. Then the Battlefield of Culloden Moor, Balmoral Castle, St. Andrews (a famous golf course), Forth Train Bridge to capital of Scotland, Edinburgh. After day and a half there back to England visiting the Hadrian Wall, the City of York, Coventry (destroyed in WWII) and Stratford-upon-Avon (a birth place of Shakespeare), Blenheim Palace with the tomb of Churchill in Blendon. We still visited the university city of Oxford before returning to London, where on July 10. Here I spent another 4 days doing the city mostly on foot followed by 2 day visit of a friend from my last African trip, Ken, outside London. With him I went to a castle Ightham Mote. Then I returned by air to Prague, Czech Republic.

Travel office: Globus (through Paulus Travel & Cruise, Inc.)
Who took part: 22 mostly American and British tourists, an English tour leader Peter, some local guides and a bus driver

ITINERARY:
Early in the morning on Nov 12 I drive a rented car from Vista to Los Angeles Airport. Flight from LAX via Dallas Ft Worth to Gatwick Airport in London, UNITED KINGDOM. In Hilton Hotel in London I meet my birdwatcher friend Bob. We make a walk through the center of London and take a ride on the London Eye (a Ferries wheel).

Next morning, Nov 14, flight from Gatwick Airport to Banjul the capital of GAMBIA. Meeting the the total of 9 travelers, the Limosa Holidays leader Brian and the local Gambien guide Dembo. Surprise birding on the ground of our hotel with a lot of new birds (lifers) for me.

First seven nights (Nov 14 to Nov 20) in Bajul birding in its vicinity. Between Nov 21 to Nov 22 Tendaba Camp, Tendaba. From Nov 23 to Nov 25 Bao-bolon Camp, Georgetown and a boat ride on Gambia River and its tributaries. Between Nov 26 and Nov 27 another stay in Tendaba Camp, Tendaba. On Nov 28 return to Banjul and flight to London Gatwick. Overnight in Hilton Hotel.

On Nov 29 in the morning to Gatwick Airport and flight via Dallas Ft Worth to LAX and by rented car home to Vista.

Travel office: Limosa Holyday of London, U.K.

Who took part: 9 birding travelers (among them my Chicago friend Bob), a tour director Brian and a local bird guide Dembo both very good birders. I collected over 300 new birds during this trip.

ITINERARY:
Very early on Apr 14, 2004 I leave Vista in a rented car from Budget for Los Angeles airport. Here I board an American Airlines plane to Ft. Lauderdale in Florida. There I board the ship “MV Discovery.”
Overnight the ship sails to Nassau, a capital of the island country BAHAMAS. There is a sightseeing tour of Nassau in the morning. In the afternoon, I go by myself by boat to nearby Paradise Island with “Hotel Atlantis,” whose grounds I stroll through.
After two days on the Atlantic Ocean with some interesting lectures our ship lands in Hamilton in Bermuda on Apr 18. The island belongs to United Kingdom. I take part in a sightseeing tour of the island with stops at an aquarium and a cave. In the afternoon, I visit the Royal Naval Dockyard with its fortress by myself using a ferry and a bus to get there. Later I take photos and video of Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse. The following day I visit St. George by a local bus. It was the first capital of Bermuda. In the afternoon I walk through Hamilton, the present capital of Bermuda including the Hamilton Fort.
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ITINERARY:
At noon on Oct 21, 2004 I drive a rented car from Vista to Los Angeles airport. Early evening I take an American Airlines B-777 plane to London Heathrow in UNITED KINGDOM where at noon Oct 22. I have accommodation in Hilton Hotel at the airport. Here I meet some fellow travelers. Next morning a Qantas charter flight takes us from London Heathrow to Athens, GREECE where in the afternoon. By bus to the harbor in Piraeus where boarding our ship “Minerva II.” I get a very nice cabin with a balcony.
The following morning, Oct 24, is a sightseeing of “Athens with Acropolis” and in the afternoon of the “Temple of Poseidon” on Cape Sounion. After night sailing Minerva II. makes port in another Greek harbor Nauplion. I take part in the morning trip to “Heraion and Tiryns.” In the afternoon, Minerva II. sails to Heraklion on the Greek island of CRETE where early morning on Oct. 26. Here I have signed up for morning trip to excavation of “Minoan city of Knossos” and for “Lasithi Plateau Drive” for the afternoon. On Oct 27 Minerva II. lands at the city Aghios Nikolaos in the northeastern part of Crete. Also here I take a bus tour from the city with visit to remains of “Minoan town Gournia” and other places.
After a day on the sea with interesting lectures our ship comes to Kusadasi in TURKEY where we sightsee ruins of the “Roman city of Ephesus” (my 3rd visit to this place) with a show in its theatre in the morning and the “Apollo Sanctuary in Dinyma” and a “theatre in Miletus” in the afternoon. Day after Minerva II. moors in Antalya in the evening. The following day, Oct 31, I am taking a bus tour to “Aspendos,” built in 2nd century AD and probably the finest and best preserved in Asia Minor. We see a show in its theatre. An aqueduct is a major attraction here. In the afternoon, I go by a tour bus to “excavations of Perge” originally a Hellenistic city founded in 1000 BC.
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ITINE RARY:
On Nov 12, 2011 before noon I leave Vista in a Hertz rented car for Los Angeles airport. At 6PM I board a Virgin Atlantic plane taking off on almost 11 hrs. flight to London. The plane lands in UK on Heathrow airport in London after lunch the following day. A minibus takes me and other 4 to our “Copthome Tara Hotel.” I sleep most of the rest of the day and the night.
On Nov 14 by bus to Gatwick airport. There we board a Monarch Air plane for less than 5 hrs. flight to Hurghada on Red Sea. We land in Hurghada, EGYPT in midafternoon. Then by a bus to our ship “Discovery” in Safaga.
The following morning, I take a trip to Luxor. This time there are only 2 buses from Safaga and no military escort. With uninterrupted explanation by our guide, we reach Luxor in about 3-hour drive. After crossing Nile, we are soon in “Valley of the Kings.” My 3rd visit of this place. Back in Luxor for lunch. After drive past the “Luxor Temple,” We stop at the “Karnak Temple.” During my previous visits there were some 150 buses parked at its parking area. There are only 8 buses here today. After the recent Egyptian revolution, few tourists come to Egypt. We are sightseeing Karnak almost alone. The a drive back to our ship in Safaga.
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ITINERARY:
On Jun 23, 2016 thanks to a storm over southern England my plane departs Prague, Czech Republic for London Heathrow early in the afternoon with 1.5 hrs delay. After 1.5 hrs flight we land in London. From Heathrow to Gatwick airport by bus. In Gatwick I am late for my plane to Island of Jersey in the Channel Islands. However, no plane departed that afternoon to the islands due to bad weather. Spending night on the airport and buying a new air ticket, I fly to GUERNSEY the following morning and taking a ferry from there to JERSEY, where with one day loss I am back at my original schedule.
On Jun 25 I take a sightseeing tour by bus around the Island of. Next day afternoon I take a ferry back to Island of Guernsey. Here I spent next 2.5 days visiting nearby Island of Sark and using the regular bus transportation around the Island of Guernsey. Then another ferry ride to Jersey for one night. On Jun 30 a flight to Gatwick, a bus ride to Heathrow and a flight to Prague.

Travel office: Fischer, Czech travel office arranged my solo trip.
Who took part: I traveled alone.

ITINERARY:
Before noon on Aug 4, 2016 I fly from Prague, Czech Republic to London Heathrow. From there by the underground to London City airport. Here I catch a smaller plane to Isle of Man in the Irish Sea. A taxi takes me from the airport to my hotel in the capital of the island, Douglas.
During next 3 days on the island I explore the northeast of the island taking the Manx Electric Railway, the south and southeast with the Steam Train and the town of Peel on the west coast taking the public transportation buses.
After lunch on Aug 8 a taxi takes me to the airport, a smaller plane from the island to London City airport. From there by underground to Heathrow airport. Then a flight from Heathrow brings me to Prague in the evening.

Travel office: Fischer, a Czech travel company arranged my solo trip. Who took part: I traveled alone.