Shoestring spring fling to England & Scotland

June was just around the corner; students would be out of school and the horde of tourists would be taking over Europe. Now was the time to get in a brief trip - before the onslaught began!

Ali's well ...

I checked the IAATC (International Association of Air Travel Couriers) fax-on-demand for the last-minute courier flights and noted that Jupiter Air in New York had a 12-day trip to London leaving on May 30 for $150. That was about a week away.

Phoning Marilyn, the courier coordinator, I signed up and was told to meet their representative at the American Airlines counter at JFK at 6 p.m.

Using the Senior Flying Passport I purchase yearly from Continental Airlines, I flew to Newark from my home in Maryland, took an Olympic Bus ($7) to New York City, then a Carey Airport bus ($4 senior fare) to JFK.

The Jupiter representative was late, arriving about 30 minutes prior to departure. He handed me a small envelope, my ticket and instructions, then bade me "Bon voyage," leaving me to check myself in at the counter.

The A.A. counter representative looked at my ticket, pulled my name up on the computer and then said the flight was full and there was no seat for me.

At this turn of events I took umbrage. Several hours earlier I had spoken to another A.A. employee and had reserved seat 28-C on the aisle, not wanting to be wedged between two other passengers.

I told the counter representative that there had better be a seat for me or there would be the devil to pay when the Jupiter shipment arrived at Heathrow without a "warm body" to allow them to clear the shipment through Customs!

She then returned my ticket to me and told me to rush to the departure gate!

Arriving there, the same story repeated itself, but the check-in representative told me to go sit down and she would sort things out. Within two minutes she came running over to me and blurted out, "I've upgraded you to business class. Hurry on board!"

I thanked her profusely, pointing out that it was Memorial Day, and I guessed this was a bonus for being a veteran of WWII! All's well that ends well!

At the other end

Arriving at Heathrow, I went through Customs and Immigration, then proceeded to building No. 139, which was about a block away, where I met Bob, the Jupiter representative.

He took the small white envelope that I was delivering, along with my return ticket, and told me to phone Claire three days prior to my departure date. I was to be at the American Airlines counter and at that time I would get my return ticket and instructions.

My plan was to see Scotland, since I had never been there. Back home I had arranged for an Alamo rental car, which cost me $180 for the week. This included a $30 drop-off charge, since I planned to leave the car in Edinburgh and return to London by train.

On the road

Driving on the left usually makes me nervous the first day, but on this trip I felt right at home. Perhaps serenity comes with old age.

My first two nights were spent with friends in the small village of Mursley, which is about an hour northwest of London. The next night was spent with other friends at their manor home in the Lake Country near Lake Windermere, just south of the Scottish border.

Early the following morning I headed north on M6, passing by Hadrian's Wall, then proceeded over the border into the land of Robert Burns, Bonnie Prince Charlie and "Brigadoon."

Seeing a sign for the town of Lockerbie rang a bell. In December 1988, Pan Am flight 103 had been sabotaged by terrorists and crashed there, killing over 200 people.

One of the victims had been a classmate of my son in elementary school. I stopped in a florist shop for directions and bought a large red carnation, then went to the cemetery and memorial garden. With a lump in my throat, thinking of all those innocent people who had perished so tragically, I left the flower by her name on the marble memorial wall.

I bypassed Glasgow, going on instead to see Loch Lomond. I spent the night at Oban, which is a port with ferries to the Western Isles.

My bed that night was a far cry from the manor house of the previous night. I checked into a youth hostel ($15) and shared a dormitory with nine other shoestring travelers.

On to Edinburgh

The next day was spent sightseeing: Loch Ness (no, I didn't see Nessie), the battlefield at Culloden and Inverness. That evening was spent in another youth hostel in Pitlochry, said to be the center of Scotland.

I headed for Blair Castle the following morning, then went on to tour the largest Scotch distillery in the Highlands. Yes, you do get a sample, but only a dram!

Though I'm not a golfer, many of my friends are, so St. Andrews was a must. I settled for the 19th hole. That evening I arrived in Edinburgh and again checked into a youth hostel in the center of the city.

I spent the next day sightseeing: I would recommend taking one of the bus tours that allow you to get on and off as many times as you wish.

I made the complete circuit, which takes about 50 minutes, then repeated the course stopping at Edinburgh Castle, which consumed about 2 1/2 hours to see the various museums, the memorial and a good view of the entire city.

Next I walked down the Royal Mile, stopping at various points of interest (the house of John Knox, etc.).

More cost-cutters

The following morning I turned in the Alamo car and then went to the train station where I signed up for a Senior Rail Card. Although it costs [pounds]16 ($26) a year, it still saved me money for the one-way fare to London. Using the senior card I paid $73 (plus the cost of the card) instead of $120 - a total savings of $21.

After a 4 1/2-hour trip I arrived in London, where I purchased a week-end bus/Tube pass for about $6 and good for Saturday and Sunday.

London is one of the most expensive places to stay, but I have found that any ex-serviceman is welcome to stay at the Union Jack Club (Sandell Street, London SE1 8UJ; phone advanced reservations direct line, 0171-928-4814, or fax 0171-620-0565).

It is situated right across the street from Waterloo train station. You only have to show a copy of your discharge and you become a temporary honorary member.

Since I am used to youth hostels, I opted for a single room with wash basin and the "loo" down the hall ([pounds]25.40, or $39). Rooms en suite are a little more, and families are welcome. There is a restaurant and I've heard many a great WWII story in the pub on the ground floor.

My three days in London were spent window-shopping, seeing a couple of musicals (half-price tickets at Leicester Square), visiting museums and browsing at the antique market on Portobello Road on Saturday morning.

On Sunday I headed for Westminster Abbey for the 10 a.m. service, which has a grand choir. My seat was right next to Dr. Samuel Johnson - the only person to be buried standing up in that hallowed edifice.

While listening to the choir I thought of my trip to Scotland and what Dr. Johnson had said after he had made a similar journey to the Western Isles with his traveling companion, Boswell: "Regions mountainous and wild. Thinly inhabited, and little cultivation. . . and he that has never seen them, must live unacquainted with much of nature."

Up-and-coming artists

I always try to be in London on a Sunday. To most people this is a lost day because the stores are closed and the museums don't open until noon, but to me it is the day when struggling artists display their work on the fence at Green Park off of Piccadilly.

Over the years I have purchased a number of paintings from promising artists.

About 18 years ago I purchased an oil for $50 from a fellow named Roy Petley. On this trip I talked to some of the artists and they directed me to his agent the following day. My painting would now sell for about $4,000!

So, if you are in London on a Sunday and you like art, by all means take a walk by Green Park and perhaps you too will have a good eye for an up-and-coming artist.

Sometimes you win. . .

On Tuesday morning I was to meet Bob, the Jupiter representative, at the American Airlines counter in Heathrow at 6 a.m. (an ungodly hour to get to that airport because the buses and trains don't start until about that time).

I solved the problem by taking a taxi from the Union Jack Club to Trafalgar Square, where I got the night bus N-69 to Heathrow, arriving in about an hour.

My flight was only half full, giving me three seats on which to stretch out. Seven hours later I arrived at JFK and met the Jupiter representative, who took the envelope.

Then things went awry - nine hours from JFK to Baltimore! Thunderstorms made us sit on the tarmac at Newark Airport for four hours!

But, all in all, I had another great courier trip under my belt.

If you would like to give courier travel a go, contact IAATC, 8 South J St., Lake Worth, FL 33460-3742; phone 561/582-8320.

Small Luxury Hotels' 'Aspects of France'

In France, 16 members of the hotel chain Small Luxury Hotels of the World have put together a special offer for Americans.

In the "Aspects of France" promotion, travelers can linger three nights for the price of two when they enjoy dinner in the hotel during their stay. The offer applies to every category of room and is subject to availability. Guests not taking dinner in the hotel during their stay will be charged for the third night

Participating hotels range from village inns to seaside resorts. Ask for the "Aspects of France" booklet, which divides the country into touring regions, suggests places of interest to visit, describes local food and wine specialties and shows the Small Luxury Hotels within easy driving distance.

The offer is available for stays through March 31, 1998. Call Small Luxury Hotels of the World at 800/ 525-4800.

For a directory of all 233 Small Luxury Hotels of the World, call 713/ 522-3159; there is an $8 shipping charge. You also may visit the web-site at www.slh.com/slh/.

The essential England

Information on Gloucester and the Cotswolds region is featured in a 68-page travel planner entitled "A Visitor's Guide to the Essential England," which offers advice on where to go and what to see in central England.

For a free copy of the planner, contact the British Tourist Authority, 551 Fifth Ave., Ste. 701, New York, NY 10176-0799; phone 800/462-2748 or, in New York City, 212/986 2200, or website http://www.bta.org.uk.

COPYRIGHT 1997 Martin Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group