Scotland, France, or Brussels?

[Ombud]

Just found a deal to Scotland

SFO - Heathrow - Edinburgh, week at Top 10 Place Hotel with full breakfast, day trip to Loch Ness & Scottish Highlands = $1595.70

Now I just need to figure out if that's my solo trip next year or if I should do Brussels

[Ombud]

After Paris, I've decided Scotland is more my cup of tea (or stout) plus a month in Israel is as close as I want to get to Daesh

Now I'm off to an update on the Jordanian - Israeli - Palestinian water collaboration (Red to Dead)

[Deleted]

Tough choice: we love both. One advantage to Brussels is that there are a lot of interesting day trips: you can go to Aachen, Luxembourg or Amsterdam. Bruges is just wonderful; we liked it so much that the next time we visited Brussels we stayed there overnight.

[mroped]

If you want fast, noisy and crowded than pick Brussels.
For peace and quiet, " move along lad!" attitude, good beer and maybe some really good lamb, pick Scotland. I would!

[Apple]

If that includes airfair, it might not be a bad deal.  Is that one day guided, the rest on your own?  Also, is that with the "single supplement", or is there not one?  I've found that the single supplement can really add on to the cost.  

Of the two (first you posted and second for Scotland), I'd do the first.  But, I haven't been in northern Scotland, and really want to see the highlands.  Hadrian's wall was ok, but it was just a ruined wall, so I'd really want more details about the tours.  Also, if you eat a big breakfast, you'll do better cost wise with the free full breakfast, plus, it's interesting, lol.

As for which location, it depends on what you want out of the trip.  I could see doing a week in Scotland, or a week in Brussels with the side trips (I have been to Bruges, not Brussels, so I'm not positive, but I've heard it's not really a place you spend a whole week, you do it more for easy access to other places).  

When I do my own trips, I try to get the best deal on airfare (we're also west coast, so it's expensive) and then average $100 or less/night for hotels.  I consider managing that to be a pretty good deal.

[Ombud]

$1609 for air from SFO on British Air / 6 Nights lodging at Hilton / 1 day sm bus tour (max 16) as I've always wanted to go to Hadrian Wall (on my bucket list) but won't drive on vacation / view rest on my own with a possible 1k thrown in. $50 more for daily breakfast but I just have a power bar & coffee in the morning so I normally pay less at the local coffee shop

So 1 day with a run, another (see quote), 4 days whatever:

Travel through 2,000 years of history as you visit ancient Roman sites such as Hadrian's Wall, Dere Street, Birdoswald Fort, Steel Rigg and historic villages along the border of Scotland and England. You'll drive through stunning scenery in Northumberland National Park, the Irthing Valley and the Southern Uplands and learn about the Anglo-Scottish wars of the 14th-16th centuries. Your professional guide will illuminate the fascinating history of Roman Britain and the Scottish Borders on this small-group (limited to 16 people) day tour from Edinburgh. You'll meet your small-group in central Edinburgh and travel by comfortable minicoach along Dere Street, a Roman road that linked ports in southern England to Roman settlements in central Scotland. After an hour-long drive you'll reach your first destination, the historic town of Jedburgh, where you'll walk through narrow streets, passing the 12th-century Jedburgh Abbey, an Augustinian abbey. Next, you'll drive to Carter Bar, the crossing point between Scotland and England. Snap photos on the border, and then continue through the magnificent landscape of Northumberland National Park to Steel Rigg, where you can see large sections of Hadrian's Wall. Built in the 2nd-century AD during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian, the Wall is the greatest monument of Roman Britain and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walk along the wall where Roman soldiers guarded their empire's border millennia ago.Next you'll drive west to Lanercost village, the western gateway to Hadrian's Wall, and the location of many battles in the centuries-long Anglo-Scottish wars. You'll stop for lunch in a local restaurant (own expense) and enjoy the atmosphere of the charming village. After lunch, you'll drive to nearby Birdoswald, which is one of the best-preserved forts of the 16 that were built along Hadrian's Wall and the longest continuous remaining stretch of the wall. You'll explore the extensive remains as your guide explains the features of the ancient Roman fortifications, including some recent excavations. When you have taken in the sights at Birdoswald, you'll re-board your minicoach and start the journey back to Edinburgh, with a stop in the Victorian spa town Moffat, before crossing through the Southern Uplands and Scottish Borders to return to Edinburgh.

[grits]

I spent 17 days in Scotland last year.  I was there the last of August, and came home the middle of September.  The weather was nice.  I think it rained twice. The whole countryside was in bloom.
The people were some of the nicest people you can meet.  I have a friend there, and his family took me to Loch Lomond, and the surrounding areas.  Another day they took me to the lands that were once my family's clan land. They took me to Loch Ness. I traveled by train, and bus to places.  Be prepared to walk a lot.  I had a wonderful time.  I intend to return near the end of August this year.   The B&B owner is so nice he gave me a discount on my room for the upcoming trip.  My friends are excited that I am coming back.  Also, the air was as clean and fresh as can be imagined. 

The one place that I did not enjoy was Edinburgh. It was crawling with tourists from a nation I shall not mention.  They were the most rude people I have ever met. The workers in the museums had to keep yelling at them.  The entrance to the crown jewels room in Edinburgh Castle not only has written but emblem signs of no photographs . The man in the room literally screamed at them to stop and they kept on taking them. 

Trams between the terminals in Heathrow run every few minutes.  The people from that same nation jammed us in like sardines so they wouldn't have to wait.  When we tried to get off at our terminal, we were saying excuse me, and they didn't budge.  Finally, people just started bumping them out of the way. 

[Ombud]

Starting to charge 10 days in Provence : 

• Air, train, Avignon hotel $1492
• 23 hr arriving in Paris in catching the train to Avignon Hilton $266
• 23 hour layover between arriving by train from Avignon and flying out to San Francisco hotel $107
• Seine River Cruise $20
• hiking $0
• $1885?
  

[Ombud]

Problem in the website. States Xtra more seat (2 per row) $75 more RT. Reserved it, got ready to pay. Then decided on a different seat. Normally no issue but this time it's $175 more each way -- yeah sticking with 2 in row @ $75 RT but in front of plane -- otherwise it became 3 in a row for $350 RT.

[chiver78]

is Provence your only consideration for France? I can't help you there, but have other locations where I could. just curious.

[Ombud]

It's a 40 mile hike then to see 1 in school in Toulon. 2 days in Paris though.

I have thought about hiking in the Pyrenees but I had a goal to reach in order to book that one and I missed it. I don't want to do a long hike by myself where I'm not physically up to it 100%

[Ombud]

Shared my plans with IRL friends at a concert and they think I'm crazy. Am I?

Yes Marseille is dicey but I'm going to be based in a city with a population of under 100k

I had a lot of fun walking in Ireland last spring so I'm up for it in Provence. Yes it isn't Paris but huge cities dn impress me. Yes I'll see the top 9 sites there but the French countryside sounds better. And a long walk with no one to drag me along (or hold me back) sounds good.

[chiver78]

why do they think you are crazy? I'd do the trip, if it were me. but then again, I spent my early 20s being sent all over Europe by my company, mostly by myself. so that sort of thing doesn't really bother me much. are these people that haven't travelled much? I can see them being hesitant if that were the case. 

[Ombud]

18 days to go!✈

I don't speak a word in French but do a solo trip each year since my divorce. Never went anywhere (other than business & 2 summers abroad) when married. So really enjoy time off!

1 friend is asking his niece in Avignon to join me on a day hike .... GS is asking his BF (school year abroad near there) to catch up with me .... I can hardly wait 😈

[djAdvocate]

Oct 1, 2016 12:26:06 GMT -5 Ombud said:

18 days to go!✈

I don't speak a word in French but do a solo trip each year since my divorce. Never went anywhere (other than business & 2 summers abroad) when married. So really enjoy time off!

1 friend is asking his niece in Avignon to join me on a day hike .... GS is asking his BF (school year abroad near there) to catch up with me .... I can hardly wait 😈

have a blast, Ombud.  i went six months ago, and LOVED it.

[Bonny]

Oct 1, 2016 12:26:06 GMT -5 Ombud said:

18 days to go!✈

I don't speak a word in French but do a solo trip each year since my divorce. Never went anywhere (other than business & 2 summers abroad) when married. So really enjoy time off!

1 friend is asking his niece in Avignon to join me on a day hike .... GS is asking his BF (school year abroad near there) to catch up with me .... I can hardly wait 😈

I hope your are enjoying your trip! I need to check this board more often

Avignon is a cute town and a wonderful intro to Provence. I went about six years ago with my childhood BFF who has lived in Paris for around 35 years. Fascinating town with the whole pope base being in Avignon. And did I mention there's lots of ?

Very walkable town with many cute little eateries.

From a language perspective, Avignon is on the cusp of the Langue d'Oc region. French won out but there are still many, many street signs in "Oc".

This was our favorite dinner hang-out: www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187212-d805521-Reviews-L_EPICE_AND_LOVE-Avignon_Vaucluse_Provence.html

L'epice and Love Restaurant. Franglais speakers will appreciate the pun of the name. She is French but spent about 20 years in San Diego about 5 miles from where my girlfriend and I grew up. Food is wonderful and she's a kick. Get there on the early side because it's a tiny restaurant with an excellent reputation.