We Visited UK and Ireland from 25 Apr to 20 May

Some thirty years back, on our way back from Nigeria posting we had visited London. The short stay then, had whetted our appetite for further travel and was keen to visit once again. This time around we decided to spend four weeks exploring the country side, staying in villages and go out of the beaten track. 

At Shakespeare's Birth Place 

Going that far and spending considerable amount of time and money, it is important to research well and chalk out an itinerary that meets your requirement. As usual, I consulted our dear friend Kshama an avid traveler to help me out. With her vast experience in international travel she was of immense help. She had earlier helped me in planning our trips to Vietnam, Cambodia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.

I have repeatedly blogged saying travel companions are the most important element of happy trips. Sushama, Jai and I have travelled together many times and enjoyed to the utmost. Shubhi Mali, a childhood friend of Sushama joined us on this trip. She matched our enthusiasm and spirit of adventure to the ‘T’. They deserve a big salute for this memorable holiday.

My daughter Akhila is also a globe trotter. She had been advising me from a long time to stay in Airbnb. For various reasons Airbnb was not possible in South America. Opting to stay in Airbnb in UK and Ireland was probably the highlight of our trip. We selected properties which were away from the hustle and bustle of cities and big towns. We were fortunate to stay in huge English country homes and cottages. The privacy and the freedom of having the entire cottage to ourselves is a delightful feeling. Airbnb provided us the option to rustle up a healthy meal whenever we felt like not eating out. Hotel accommodation fades in comparison, especially the cramped rooms and various other conditions.

Our Abode near Belfast.  Mourne View Cottage Ballymacoss,  Lisburn 

Airbnb comes with a rider. You need to have a vehicle at your disposal to reach out to any nearby village, town or city to carry on with your trip. We landed in London and travelled by Bus and Taxi to our Airbnb property in Tunley Village close to Bath. Next morning we hired a Scoda Octavia which stayed with us the entire trip in the island. Having your own car makes travelling extremely interesting, comfortable and easy. It gives you the option of going wherever and frees you totally from scheduling and routine.

Combination of Airbnb and your own car is certainly a game changer.

Driving in UK is all about strictly following the rules and regulations, total alertness on the wheel and safety. The vehicle is under constant electronic surveillance. Any deviation can set you back by hundreds of pounds making a deep hole in your pocket. Sushama and I shared the driving. We avoided taking the car to cities as parking is a big problem.

212 Km scenic drive along the Coastal Causeway in Northern Ireland 

Our one month trip took us Bath, Stonehenge, Tunley, Nailsworth, Painswick, Glastonbury, Macclesfield, Stratford, Windermere, Edinburgh, Loch Ness, Inverness, Belfast, Lisburn, Coastal Causeway Route, Portrush, Blessington, Dublin and London and many other places. We travelled a lot and had fun doing things impromptu. Ate a lot of Fish and Chips, Full English Breakfast, English High Tea and drank the best of Lager, Ale, Stout and Single Malts.

Watch this place for more about the places we stayed and visited

Until then it is cheers.