Spent Summer there back in '85. Stayed mostly in Banbury in the Cotswalds, with side trips to Wales and Scotland. Was driving a rental Peugeot 205 with an engine the size of a walnut....but I loved every minute of it. Great place...at least in July and Aug....June was COLD and rainy.

Cheers

 

8 times a year from '77 through '82 - two to three weeks at a time business related but a few times brought my SO at beginning or end for some holiday time. Been mostly London, Brighton, Canterbury, Oxford, Stratford, Manchester, Windsor, Warwick. There was a great working pub a couple of blocks from the Palladium where the stage hands went. Scored many tickets in return for a dinner or a couple of pints.

 

Yes, being an American Military wife, we are enjoying wonderful Britain as I write. We are actually down at the furthest tip of England towards the Atlantic called Cornwall. At the end of April there is one of the biggest Mini meets in the country held here. We will take lots of pictures and post them. I must say living here is nice, but it isn't at all what it you would expect. :(

Sunkist

 

My grandmother lives in Abingdon just down the road from Oxford, and whenever I'm over there I pass the mini plant on the way to my Brother's! Funny thing is I've yet to make it in for a tour of the plant. My grandmother's family lived in the same little village outside Abingdon for about 450 years. Kind of sad that she had to move out after so many generations...

 

Spent a week in September 99 after a week travelling by train in Germany and France. Got out to Oxford (obviously before MINI factory was built). No driving hastles - took the tube everywhere (mind the gap!).

 

I was there Fall 74. In London.

Mark

 

I was there in July 2005. Arrived in London 30min after the first bombings in the underground. Our pilot was informing us what was happening as we were getting ready to land. Not a good way to start a vacation! I have to say, I was very impressed on how well oranized everyone was. We were also staying a few blocks away from Russel Square where the bus was hit. Would I go back? You bet! England was fantastic! Stayed for 3 weeks and made it to the MINI plant. Great tour!

 

Your lucky, indeed. My friend who rides the tubes to work each day uses that route. I e-mailed his wife shortly after it happened and, for some reason, he decided to stay home and work out of his house that day. He was indeed, lucky.

Here is proof I visited. It was April, never got over 54 degrees, and rained every day. But, I still had a blast.
The cross walk picture is a very famous place connected with some musicians..... Do you know it's name?

 

No, I don't recognize the sidewalk picture(what is it), BUT, I do recognize the other one with Big Ben and parliament in the background! When I was there, they had that section all blocked off and had helicopters flying very low overhead. And low and behold, who should drive by, but Tony Blair! It was all very exciting. I want to go back. Had a great time.

 

EscapePod, perhaps you're from the "Born in the 80's thread?"

Here's some background on "Abbey Road"....http://www.abbeyroadcafe.co.uk/content/history.html
and more... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_Road_(album)

 

Wasn't born in the 80's, but I did party in the 80's! Born in 62 . I know now why Abbey Road did not look familar. I was never a Beatles fan,sorry. BUT, now I know what it is! Thanks!

 

Not I. But maybe someday I'd like to go. England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Isle of Mann.

It might take a couple of trips I guess.

 

i didn't have to go. my car was available locally in chicago.

 

And here I thought the shire was just a hop and a skip from stonehenge .

 

Lived right near the Bayswater tube stop for about two years. Great place, good experience.

 

cool short vacation, did the tourist stuff.

 

I have seen all the James Bond movies at least 20 times and the Austin Powers about the same...... I'm practically a native.

 

For Christmas, 1967, my grandfather gave each of his three daughters a large sum of money. My mother used her share of the money to send him to England, where he had been born. (He came to the US as a boy.) She also sent me, and purchased a Triumph Spitfire for me to pick up at the factory, as a graduation present.

The factory was closed for tours, unfortunately. I think they might have had - what? - the TR5? under development at the time. But it was great fun, picking up the car at the factory and driving it around Jolly Old England for a month before bringing it back. Saw "Golden Boy" with Sammy Davis, Jr. at the Hippodrome. Saw John Mayall at the Chesford Grange. Spent time in London, Oxford, Cambridge, and a lot of time travelling around Cornwall and Devon, where most of my maternal ancestors are from.

We had the car shipped to New Orleans. My dad and I flew down there to pick the car up, and spent a few days in the Big Easy before driving the car back to St. Louis, where we lived at the time.

Now, that was a magical summer!