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A Tale of Two Cities: Ashley Dowling’s UK Travel Highlights · UK Travel Planning

• 0:04
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the UK Travel Planning Podcast.
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: Your host is the founder of the UK Travel Planning website, Tracey Collins.
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: In this podcast, Tracey shares destination guides, travel tips and itinerary ideas, as well as interviews with a variety of guests who share their knowledge and experience of UK travel to help you plan your perfect UK vacation.
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: Join us as we explore the UK from cosmopolitan cities to quaint villages, from historic castles to beautiful islands, and from the picturesque countryside to seaside towns.
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to episode 121 of the UK Travel Plan N podcast.
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: This week I'm joined by our guest, Ashley Dowling, who takes us through her incredible UK adventure, From exploring London's iconic sights like Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London to planning the perfect day trip to Edinburgh.
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: Yes, you heard that right a day trip to Edinburgh which included a return journey on the Caledonian Sleepout Lowlander train.
• 1:07
  Speaker 2: Ashley shares all the highlights and insider tips from her trip.
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: If you're wondering how to make the most of a day trip to Edinburgh from London, or simply want to hear about some amazing UK travel experiences, this episode is for you.
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: I started our conversation by asking Ashley to introduce herself.
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: So my name is Ashley Dowling and I live in Alton, New Hampshire, and my husband and I went to London for nine glorious days.
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: And you just got back, didn't you Actually not even a week back?
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: We did yes we're not even a week back yet.
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: I know and I was just saying you're pretty good with the jet lag.
• 1:46
  Speaker 2: You've managed to kind of overcome that, which is good.
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: Yes, it's always a bit it's always a bit tough and it's not something I look forward to when I go over.
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: I was thinking, oh, those first few days where I feel so tired anyway, so let's talk about how long so you were you're in the UK for nine days, so let's have a quick overview of your itinerary.
• 2:19
  Speaker 3: Went to Kensington, we did the Tower of London.
• 2:24
  Speaker 3: We went to Edinburgh for a day.
• 2:26
  Speaker 3: We did the Buckingham Palace, we did Westminster Abbey, we did Windsor Castle, we did Hampton Court and we did a whole bunch of stuff added to that that we didn't even plan on.
• 2:39
  Speaker 3: That we kind of fit in or were able to fit in St Paul's Cathedral, the British Museum, we went to the portrait gallery, had the fantastic presentation on the six lives of King Henry VIII.
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: That was amazing.
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: We did the Hard Rock.
• 3:01
  Speaker 3: We did the Royalinburgh, we did, we did caledonian sleeper.
• 3:07
  Speaker 3: We, we did it all.
• 3:10
  Speaker 3: We, we did it all and we, we did beetle stuff.
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: We walked to eat in college.
• 3:15
  Speaker 3: Yeah, we, really, we, we did as much as we could you did, you really did.
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: and I remember when we did the itinerary consult, we were kind of amazed because you're going to go up to edinburgh for the and we were like, right, okay, and we've not had anybody do that one before.
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: So I'm going to ask you about that specifically in a minute.
• 3:31
  Speaker 1: Yes.
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: Obviously, I've just mentioned, you did an itinerary consult with us, which was lovely, so it's how we got to meet you and your husband Ryan, so it was fab.
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: So, but apart from the itinerary consult, how did you go about planning your trip?
• 3:45
  Speaker 3: I really used the articles from your Facebook page and the recommendations of folks that had been there before to kind of base our trip off of.
• 3:56
  Speaker 3: I knew what I wanted to do.
• 3:58
  Speaker 3: As you know, a fan of Royals and being able to trace, you know, like my personal family history back.
• 4:04
  Speaker 3: So I knew I wanted to do the big things like Windsor Castle and Westminster and the Tower of London.
• 4:11
  Speaker 3: But seeing what other folks did off of the Facebook page was really helpful and honestly, tracy you and Doug like a lot of your articles were just amazing, you know, really really helped me kind of pull it all together.
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: Oh, that's great.
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: That's good to hear, and you're also a fan of the podcast as well so that's good.
• 4:28
  Speaker 2: Yes, yes I love it yeah that's cool.
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: Um, yeah, and I'm I'm gonna be over in london um end of september, beginning of october, for probably about six or seven weeks, so I've, I'm gonna start doing lots of videos, so that's gonna be a new thing.
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: So so, uh, we'll be on youtube so you not only will be able to read, read our stuff or listen to us, you'll be able to actually watch us as well.
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: So so, give us a follow that's great give us a follow on youtube or instagram if you haven't, because I will be doing a lot of instagram stuff while we're traveling.
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: Um so this is that's going to be so cool.
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: Um so I know you've visited a lot of places, but, but I want to ask you about that trip to Edinburgh.
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: I'm going to kind of drill down a bit on that because, um so so talk us through what you did in Edinburgh and how it panned out.
• 5:11
  Speaker 3: So, at Doug's advice, we took the liner train over to Edinburgh and got and got out and we got there around 1 PM, um, and then we, we got the Royal mile, we went right to Hollywood.
• 5:23
  Speaker 3: Um, we explored we, we got the Royal mile, we went right to Hollywood.
• 5:25
  Speaker 3: Um, we explored that for a little while.
• 5:27
  Speaker 3: Um, then we walked back, we did um gray fires, kirkyard and, um, you know like we explored that, we did the castle.
• 5:37
  Speaker 3: Very briefly, we did not spend a lot of time in Burrow castle.
• 5:40
  Speaker 3: Um, we had a reservation at Johnny Walker, um, um, that I had made and we had a little bit of dinner there.
• 5:47
  Speaker 3: We walked to two fantastic pubs on the amber rose and the black rose, and then, um, we came back on the caledonian sleeper, which was an experience okay.
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: so because we we haven't, we haven't taken the lowlander, we're actually taking taking the highlander again at the end of September because we're coming back from Inverness, so we're doing Inverness London on the highlander.
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: So how was the lowlander experience from Edinburgh to London?
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: Because it leaves quite late, so you have to kind of hang around a bit, don't you?
• 6:16
  Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I mean, the Caledonian sleeper came back at like 10 pm, or it left at 10 pm, um, so you know, like that worked out actually great for us.
• 6:27
  Speaker 3: Otherwise I don't think we would have been able to fit it in.
• 6:29
  Speaker 3: You know, if it had left any earlier then we wouldn't, we wouldn't have done it, but there's never enough time in in scotland, I feel like.
• 6:37
  Speaker 3: But, um, it gave us just enough.
• 6:39
  Speaker 3: We were like, oh, this is where we're going to come back to.
• 6:42
  Speaker 3: We're going to go back for sure.
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: That's good to hear, and I'm the same.
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: It doesn't matter how many times I go back to Scotland.
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: I want to go back to Scotland and explore more of it.
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: It's just it always calls me back.
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: It's just a wonderful place.
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: So actually being able to go up there and doing what you did and had that kind of taste, it's great that it kind of then given you an impetus to go right, you know what.
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: That's where we're going to go and explore and we can certainly help you with that next time we're going to go to Scotland.
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: We love talking about Scotland.
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: So overall and I know this is a really hard question because you went to some amazing places but what were your favorite places and favorite experiences from the trip?
• 7:20
  Speaker 3: Oh, ok, I wrote these down because I have a few of them.
• 7:24
  Speaker 3: Oh okay, I wrote these down because I have a few of them.
• 7:29
  Speaker 3: For me, we were able to do the Buckingham Palace East Wing tour, hands down, and I got like a little bit emotional about it because you know, like a part of that tour is going into where you see the balcony and for me, you know like this is kind of a royal based trip.
• 7:44
  Speaker 3: You know, like the tour guide stopped us and you know she said I want you to think about who has stood here, you know, and then I was like please don't say that.
• 7:53
  Speaker 3: Like you know, like I kind of, you know, like emotional person anyways, but I, you know, just thinking about everybody who has stood there really just got me, that was a very special moment.
• 8:04
  Speaker 3: About everybody who has stood there really just got me, that was a very special moment.
• 8:08
  Speaker 3: Um, as well as when we went to Windsor, um, I wasn't sure if the Queens, you know the Queen Elizabeth's, you know like we were going to be able to view that they, they say tomb and I feel like tomb is so harsh, but, um, it's what it is and I had really wanted to be able to do that, um, and we were able to do that and it just really it meant a lot to me to be able to do it and see that.
• 8:31
  Speaker 3: So those two things to me were were very important.
• 8:35
  Speaker 3: You know to me that I got to do.
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: Oh, that's fantastic.
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: If I asked the same question to Ryan, what do you think he would say?
• 8:43
  Speaker 3: I think he would probably say he likes St Paul's and we walk to the top of St Paul's Cathedral.
• 8:51
  Speaker 3: I think he liked that, and if I had to, maybe guess the Johnny Walker experience.
• 8:57
  Speaker 3: But I don't know, I might be putting words in his mouth.
• 9:00
  Speaker 3: He, he liked, he liked that.
• 9:09
  Speaker 3: And I for him, like you know, like I'm more of like the royal historian person, like he likes being surprised by things, so I think for him, you know, just the surprise of it all was probably great too oh, that's good.
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: So you went.
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: I know you went to Windsor Castle and you went down to Hampton Court, par, so how did you go about getting there?
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: Was it?
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: Was it straightforward?
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: Did if?
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: Because we get asked that a lot and we do have articles on the website about that um, yeah, it's always interesting to ask, like, how were your experiences doing that?
• 9:33
  Speaker 2: Did you find that straightforward for both of those we?
• 9:36
  Speaker 3: did so.
• 9:36
  Speaker 3: When we went to windsor we took, um, you know, like just the I don't know what it's the railway yep, yeah, just uh, yeah, the above ground train.
• 9:45
  Speaker 3: yeah, yeah, yep, we took the above ground train, and we did the same thing for Hampton Court.
• 9:49
  Speaker 3: We found it was the most easiest, most direct line, because you know how in Hampton Court there is like the option to, you know, do the tube and then take a bus.
• 9:58
  Speaker 3: We were kind of like forget that, we're just going to take the train, it'll get us right there.
• 10:03
  Speaker 3: And it was not a long walk at all.
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: So right there and it was not a long walk at all so we're really happy with our choice to do the railway versus the tube.
• 10:14
  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's the way that that I would generally go, and I live not too far from um hampton court for a while as well, so I always enjoy going there.
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: It's actually really easy to get to.
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: In fact, windsor castle as well is really easy to get to.
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: You just have to remember that you have to get a ticket.
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: You can't use contact list or you can't, that's.
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: There's always so many people that get caught out of that.
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: They come off the train and the signs go no, you can't use your card, you can't use contact list, you have to have bought a train ticket.
• 10:33
  Speaker 2: Um, yeah, so that's always always worth knowing.
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: Um, did you see the change in the guard when you're at Windsor Castle, or yes?
• 10:41
  Speaker 3: so I'm a huge Mary Poppins fan and we go like I've paid my respects to the queen.
• 10:48
  Speaker 3: I'm like all misty eyed and I'm like, oh my goodness, people are gonna think I have a problem.
• 10:52
  Speaker 3: We come out to the changing of the guard, who decides to stand there and play none other than feed the birds, and a whole Mary Poppins selection.
• 11:00
  Speaker 3: So then I'm crying even more.
• 11:01
  Speaker 3: Like it was just, it was like a series of perfect events.
• 11:05
  Speaker 3: I mean, we just walked right into it and I was like you've got to be kidding me.
• 11:09
  Speaker 3: Like did they know I'm here?
• 11:11
  Speaker 3: Like what happened?
• 11:12
  Speaker 3: It was amazing.
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: It was amazing.
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: Oh, that's fantastic.
• 11:16
  Speaker 2: That's fantastic.
• 11:17
  Speaker 2: So I know you did the opening ceremony as well at the Tower of London.
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: How did you find that?
• 11:23
  Speaker 3: I thought that.
• 11:23
  Speaker 3: I think that was very special.
• 11:26
  Speaker 3: I'm very glad that we did that.
• 11:29
  Speaker 3: We had booked two tours with walks, so we had done the opening ceremony and then we did the Westminster Abbey tour.
• 11:33
  Speaker 3: But the opening ceremony at the Tower of London was, I felt, like I was witnessing a little piece of history, you know, and the keys were literally, you know, like you've seen them like that round you're like when you picture old keys, you're like, oh, that's, you know, like you've seen them like that round.
• 11:47
  Speaker 3: You're like when you picture old keys, you're like, oh, that's, you know, like that's really what they look like.
• 11:50
  Speaker 3: And I zoomed in and I got a picture of them because I was like no one's gonna believe me, this is literally what they look like.
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: It's amazing, isn't it, watching that ceremony the open one and the closing.
• 12:00
  Speaker 2: They're just so because you are watching.
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: Like history, it is an event that goes on every single day of the year.
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: It has its routine of how it's done and also the fact that you have the Yeoman Warder explaining what's happening as well, which is really important, I think.
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: And I saw you've shared your photo and I don't know that Yeoman Warder.
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: My aim is to have met all of them, and so I was like, oh, I don't know him.
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: There's a new one.
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: I know, so did you.
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: How was it?
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: Was it good?
• 12:31
  Speaker 3: I mean, what did he?
• 12:32
  Speaker 3: Was he?
• 12:32
  Speaker 3: I mean, they're all brilliant, it was great, he was hilarious.
• 12:34
  Speaker 3: So the first thing he's, you know, like he had us all line up, and you know, the first thing he asks is you know, is anybody from America?
• 12:43
  Speaker 3: And I was like don't know if I'm gonna raise my hand, and then he goes well, if you are, we have a gate for you here, and then we turn around and there's traders gate and I'm like I love you, he was great, I, he was so funny and you know, like really just made you know, like it was a short ceremony but really just made it, you know, all that more special for us.
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: And the Irish guards were there the Irish guards were there that day and we're irish as well, so it was a bonus treat to see them oh, that's perfect, and then you get to go and see the crown jewels like before anybody else so I know I always go around the travel later a couple of times because I'm like I'm gonna have a really good look at these things yep, we did.
• 13:22
  Speaker 3: We went around twice and that man that, that big diamond, something I know it's, I know they're just you kind of go wow, wow I know they are amazing.
• 13:33
  Speaker 2: They are beautiful.
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: I don't know if I'd like to have one of those things on my head, because I think that must be incredibly heavy, um but they're very pretty to look for, I look at and I know that they they're very, very popular with everybody.
• 13:43
  Speaker 2: So I always say um, you know, if you're going to get the child of london, do walks trail.
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: So you get to the opening ceremony is amazing.
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: And then you get to see that go straight into the crown jewels, which is great, so that's good.
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: So did you do any other tours?
• 13:55
  Speaker 2: Obviously did.
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: You did the two walks tours.
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: Westminster abbey is amazing as well.
• 13:59
  Speaker 2: Did you go to the jubilee galleries when you were there?
• 14:01
  Speaker 3: we did.
• 14:02
  Speaker 3: Yeah, aren't they amazing?
• 14:03
  Speaker 3: They are, they are.
• 14:05
  Speaker 3: And I what was me, of course, was they still had the numbers up from where people stood for the queen service, so that, for some reason, just enthralled me.
• 14:14
  Speaker 3: I was like you've got to be kidding me.
• 14:16
  Speaker 3: You know, like, this is where people all lined up, and it just it amazed me that you know, like, not to mention all of the, the death masks that were up there and.
• 14:26
  Speaker 3: I just like, oh my goodness, like what?
• 14:29
  Speaker 3: Where is this hiding?
• 14:30
  Speaker 2: I know you're not allowed to take photos up there, so I'll just mention because I'm not going to cut it out.
• 14:34
  Speaker 2: We've got your dog in the background, so we need to introduce your dog because I could.
• 14:37
  Speaker 2: No, it's fine, he's cool.
• 14:38
  Speaker 2: What's his name?
• 14:39
  Speaker 3: yes, there I have two, so they are stark and happy and they are supposed to be quiet, but but you know, I think you want a little bit of attention.
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: It's like, hey, can we join in on the podcast?
• 14:51
  Speaker 3: Yeah, there's something.
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: So how did you get around?
• 14:55
  Speaker 2: So obviously you took the LNER service up from London, Edinburgh and I know Doug helped a lot talking about the train travel.
• 15:02
  Speaker 2: What?
• 15:03
  Speaker 2: About in London itself.
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: How did you get around?
• 15:05
  Speaker 3: So we mostly did the two.
• 15:07
  Speaker 3: We Ubered a little bit um, but we we walked a lot um and Riz picked us up, you know, like at the airport, and he picked us up um, you know, or he brought us back.
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: So he he was lovely, uh, 10 out of 10 recommend like he was fantastic oh, he's amazing.
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: He's picking us up next month.
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: I mean by actually by the time this podcast comes out, the middle of october.
• 15:29
  Speaker 2: So I'll actually be in london, um, oh, but uh, yeah, he's, he's picking us up.
• 15:34
  Speaker 2: He will have picked us up by this point and it's always really good to see and riz will be taking doug back to the airport because he he'll be back in australia by the time this podcast comes out.
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: He's only getting a month in the UK, whereas I'm getting three.
• 15:51
  Speaker 2: So what about accommodation?
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: Where did you stay and were there any highlights to that?
• 15:57
  Speaker 3: We stayed right at the resident.
• 15:58
  Speaker 3: Victoria Cannot recommend that enough.
• 16:01
  Speaker 3: We were within walking distance from the Royal Muse and it took us three minutes to get to Buckingham Palace, which for me was great because we went down there, um, I think around 10 PM one night and everything was all lit up.
• 16:17
  Speaker 3: It was, it was stunning, it was, it was exactly what I had envisioned and I did not find it expensive at all compared to you know, like I think with where are we next the St Regis, which was absolutely not an option, I was like no, no way, it's tucked right in there along with everything else.
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: So I was surprised can be an extremely expensive place to stay in.
• 16:50
  Speaker 2: It soon adds up, um, yes, and there are some some very expensive hotels I have not stayed in yet, but if any of you hotel guys are listening that, I'm quite happy to come in and try out your hotels.
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: For sure, yes, put it out there.
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely okay, let's talk food.
• 17:02
  Speaker 2: So we talked a little bit about whiskey, but what about food?
• 17:05
  Speaker 2: What were the?
• 17:05
  Speaker 2: What were your favorite?
• 17:06
  Speaker 3: okay, we had some amazing food?
• 17:10
  Speaker 3: Um.
• 17:11
  Speaker 3: We did go to the english grill at um, which was a restaurant right next door to us.
• 17:16
  Speaker 3: We had beef wellington and it was everything that I thought it would be.
• 17:20
  Speaker 3: We um ended up at the old bank of england, um, where we had some meat pies a la Fleet Street and all of that we did.
• 17:32
  Speaker 3: I always get it wrong.
• 17:33
  Speaker 3: Yield Cheshire Cheese.
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: Yes, yield Cheshire Cheese yes.
• 17:37
  Speaker 3: Yep, so we did that.
• 17:38
  Speaker 3: We had a drink there.
• 17:39
  Speaker 3: We didn't get food there, but we had a drink and it was amazing.
• 17:43
  Speaker 3: And then we ended up at the rooftop in St James.
• 17:50
  Speaker 3: Yes, um, that we just had drinks and a little bit of charcuterie, but that was very, very good too.
• 17:58
  Speaker 3: Um, I would recommend if if anybody is looking for a spot with a view and they want a nice drink, the rooftop at St James was great.
• 18:06
  Speaker 3: It's it's in Trafalgar, so I know a lot of people it's not their first, you know like choice to eat at, but it was, it was great.
• 18:13
  Speaker 2: Oh good.
• 18:13
  Speaker 2: No, it's always good to have recommendations.
• 18:17
  Speaker 2: What about in Edinburgh?
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: What did you?
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: I know you mentioned a couple of pubs.
• 18:19
  Speaker 2: Did you eat when you were there?
• 18:20
  Speaker 2: I hope you ate yes.
• 18:23
  Speaker 3: Yes, we did.
• 18:24
  Speaker 3: We, um, we had a few things at Johnny Walker, but after that we ended up at, um, the Amber Rose, which was we had, you know, like I had macaroni and cheese.
• 18:34
  Speaker 3: I'm a little embarrassed by that, but it's made with real English cheese, to which I replied.
• 18:39
  Speaker 3: I hope so.
• 18:40
  Speaker 3: It didn't even occur to me.
• 18:43
  Speaker 3: It was delicious, it was lovely.
• 18:45
  Speaker 3: My husband got fish and chips a few times, you know, because you have to.
• 18:49
  Speaker 3: We really did have a good time, the best one, I will say, for for breakfast we went to the deli rubichon where we got one of the square croissants, yes, with the cream inside.
• 19:02
  Speaker 3: Yeah, um, I am really glad that I didn't know that that was a short walk through green park for us to get there, because I would have been there every morning.
• 19:13
  Speaker 2: it was delicious oh, I know, I have to admit I'm already thinking my jeans are a little bit tight and I just know how many things I want to eat when I get over there.
• 19:20
  Speaker 2: I'm like, oh, the list is long, the afternoon tea list.
• 19:23
  Speaker 2: I'm like I want to do lots of afternoon teas and I'm like, oh, but we'll be doing a lot of walking.
• 19:27
  Speaker 2: You do a lot of walking, so you kind of you do walk it off.
• 19:31
  Speaker 3: Yeah, we did end up doing an afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason and that was.
• 19:36
  Speaker 3: That was a good experience, that was fun, it was, it was great.
• 19:39
  Speaker 3: And after that I didn't really get a lot of tea.
• 19:42
  Speaker 3: Like that kind of surprised me.
• 19:43
  Speaker 3: I wasn't sure you know like I don't know what impression I was under, but I figured you know, like, I could get tea and scones everywhere, Apparently not, I mean, or maybe I just didn't look in the right places, but um, so I when we got them, we got them.
• 19:58
  Speaker 2: You enjoyed them.
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: That's really good.
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: Oh, I want to ask you about the Churchill Arms as well, cause I know you'd booked a meal there.
• 20:03
  Speaker 2: How did that go?
• 20:06
  Speaker 3: So I ended up getting an email from them saying that they were closed for food because something had happened in their you know, like in their kitchen.
• 20:16
  Speaker 3: So instead of going to the Churchill Arms, we went to the Albert, which was also really great.
• 20:21
  Speaker 3: Oh, that's great, yeah, and closer to us.
• 20:24
  Speaker 3: So I didn't know that existed, so it was great.
• 20:27
  Speaker 2: There's so many.
• 20:28
  Speaker 2: I'm busy doing my new product, which hopefully will have launched by the time this podcast comes out, which is going to have a lot of information about different places to eat in london.
• 20:38
  Speaker 2: I can't eat all of them.
• 20:39
  Speaker 2: I'd like to.
• 20:39
  Speaker 2: I'd have to probably spend the rest of my life in london just to even think about eating in all these amazing places, but but it's been really fun doing all the research and all the different.
• 20:49
  Speaker 2: Oh, there's just, yeah, amazing places to eat when you're there.
• 20:52
  Speaker 3: So good food everywhere we went to.
• 20:54
  Speaker 3: We ended up at the Hard Rock because I wanted to go over and see the vault and we ended up in the vault and my favorite band is Aerosmith, so he, let me hold one of Joe Perry's guitars and I'm.
• 21:07
  Speaker 3: He was like don't tell anybody this, but I'm just going to tell you, and you know all of your listeners.
• 21:11
  Speaker 3: But I got to hold it and, like you know, I was so, so, very excited.
• 21:19
  Speaker 2: Oh, that's so good.
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: And you also did.
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: You went to do the um the Abbey Road walk Beatles, did you?
• 21:24
  Speaker 3: do that.
• 21:26
  Speaker 3: Yeah, we ran up.
• 21:26
  Speaker 3: We ran up to Abbey Road and we did that.
• 21:29
  Speaker 3: Um, totally didn't realize it was as busy as it is right there, and how upset the people got, you know, like waiting for people to cross the road which I don't blame them Um, so we did, we did that.
• 21:42
  Speaker 3: We ran across really really quickly and just sort of filmed ourselves and then we actually we found the Abbey road store, so we bought some things from there and then they um came back.
• 21:52
  Speaker 3: We did go to Savile row and we saw, you know, like their um, you know building there where they played the last show, and um, do you know what we did?
• 22:02
  Speaker 3: That was really cool.
• 22:03
  Speaker 3: Um, we went on this little tour of like the shops of London.
• 22:07
  Speaker 3: So we went to like John Lobb and, um, we went to the lock and the hatter, um in James Fox, so we saw where Churchill bought his cigars, and we went downstairs and sat in Churchill's chair.
• 22:21
  Speaker 3: At John Lobb he has the replicas and the templates for all of the royal shoes, so there's literally Queen Victoria's template of her shoes, and then when we went to the Hatter, they have the diagrams of everyone's head who's had hats made.
• 22:40
  Speaker 3: It was fascinating I'll have to send that info to you.
• 22:43
  Speaker 2: It's fascinating yeah, absolutely, because I'm adding that to my list.
• 22:46
  Speaker 2: I need to go and try.
• 22:47
  Speaker 2: I need to go and do that.
• 22:48
  Speaker 3: That sounds great I'll send it to you.
• 22:50
  Speaker 3: It was amazing and I it was a little wary about just walking in knowing that like I was like I can't afford anything in here, but I really want to know the history of this.
• 23:02
  Speaker 3: And they seemed really cool with people coming in, which was great, because he explained to us how they made the hats, how they made the shoes, and it was just that also for us, kind of made it feel like OK, this isn't just the average tour, like this is something, this is something special.
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: Yeah, and honestly they'll be used to majority of people walking and not being able to afford anything in the shops.
• 23:26
  Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, it wasn't happening.
• 23:30
  Speaker 2: No, just just look and appreciate and that's it.
• 23:32
  Speaker 2: It's like, like that's me walk out.
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: But that does take me into a really lovely question that I do like to get in, if I can, and ask, which is did you buy anything?
• 23:41
  Speaker 2: As if you did, what did you buy?
• 23:44
  Speaker 3: so I, before we left, I was like how am I going to buy as many souvenirs as I would like to buy and fit them all in?
• 23:52
  Speaker 3: So I have a fantastic friend who makes quilts and um, so I bought tea towels from everywhere we went and she's going to turn them into a quilt for me and I, I just I thought that was the coolest idea because I was like I can't really take home a lot of big, bulky souvenirs.
• 24:13
  Speaker 3: But the tea towel, I mean I probably have like 20 tea towels, you know, ready to go, and I just I'm going to give them to my friend Laura and say, here you know, like, do what you, do what you can, and I think that would be the coolest souvenir.
• 24:27
  Speaker 2: I love that idea, I really do, and I want to.
• 24:30
  Speaker 2: I want to see a picture of it when she's done it.
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: That would be amazing.
• 24:33
  Speaker 2: Now you're giving me an idea I spoke to.
• 24:35
  Speaker 2: I did a podcast the other day with Heather, who'd visited with her family and they started collecting the little ducks.
• 24:43
  Speaker 2: You know, you get the little duck like Henry VIII duck and Winston Churchill duck and Jane Austen duck.
• 24:48
  Speaker 2: So that's now on my list this time to go back.
• 24:51
  Speaker 2: So I need to collect ducks.
• 24:52
  Speaker 2: And now I'm thinking like, like I do, I usually buy tea towels and I've got loads, yeah, and then they get it put in the drawer and then I think, should I?
• 24:58
  Speaker 2: Can I put them on the wall?
• 24:59
  Speaker 2: And you know I used to make quilts so I never even thought about doing that.
• 25:02
  Speaker 2: That's genius idea.
• 25:04
  Speaker 3: I love that idea.
• 25:05
  Speaker 3: Thank you, yeah I, I just wanted something different.
• 25:09
  Speaker 2: So oh, and I need to ask you as well, because I know that, um, you're a ballet dancer, so so I saw the lovely photos and I will put them in the show notes that you made it to the Royal Ballet.
• 25:22
  Speaker 3: And was that special?
• 25:22
  Speaker 3: It was like wherever we go I try to find the local dance studio, the dance area, and you know, finding the Royal Ballet was pretty special.
• 25:34
  Speaker 3: I was able to take a picture out front.
• 25:36
  Speaker 3: You know, like finding the Royal Ballet was was pretty special.
• 25:38
  Speaker 3: I was able to take a picture out front.
• 25:39
  Speaker 3: I was able to go in and talk to them and just say hey, you know like I am from here.
• 25:42
  Speaker 3: I have, you know, wanted to come over for forever and you know like they were fantastic.
• 25:48
  Speaker 3: They had a tea towel.
• 25:49
  Speaker 3: I bought it, um, you know.
• 25:52
  Speaker 3: And then after that, you know like we went around to the other places.
• 25:55
  Speaker 3: There was a dance store called block and freed and I got some souvenirs and some things for my kids and you know it was that that was pretty special too oh, that's brilliant.
• 26:06
  Speaker 2: Um, so I'm gonna kind of wrap up, but I'm gonna ask the question I always ask at the end of the podcast what is the one tip that you would give to anyone visiting the UK for the first time?
• 26:17
  Speaker 3: So I thought long and hard about this.
• 26:20
  Speaker 3: I wanted to give something interesting, and my best advice when visiting for the first time is to look everywhere, because we went on a lot of tours and every time a door was open I would look, because you know like they're very good at directing you where you should look, but I wanted to look everywhere.
• 26:35
  Speaker 3: So you know like they're very good at directing you where you should look, but I wanted to look everywhere.
• 26:38
  Speaker 3: So you know like, especially when we were in Buckingham, I was, you know like, looking down the corridors and looking other ways, and I just feel like you get a little more sense of your belongings when you look around everywhere.
• 26:51
  Speaker 2: So that's my advice Look everywhere.
• 26:53
  Speaker 2: No, that's a really good tip.
• 26:55
  Speaker 2: Look up, look down corridors, look everywhere.
• 26:57
  Speaker 2: No, that's a really good tip.
• 26:57
  Speaker 2: Look up, look down corridors, look around.
• 26:58
  Speaker 2: You never know you, never you know.
• 26:59
  Speaker 2: King Charles might've been wandering around one of those corridors at some point.
• 27:03
  Speaker 3: Look down.
• 27:03
  Speaker 3: There's when we went to Holyrood, I was not looking down and I missed the blood spot.
• 27:07
  Speaker 3: You know, lord Darnley and I had to turn around and go back and I had to ask and be that person who was like I missed the blood spa.
• 27:15
  Speaker 3: So look, look everywhere, absolutely.
• 27:18
  Speaker 2: Oh, and one question I'm going to.
• 27:19
  Speaker 2: I'm just going to ask now um, because there's been a lot of feedback in the Facebook group about Kensington Palace.
• 27:26
  Speaker 2: Now, I personally really like Kensington Palace because to me it's that tie, the Queen Victoria.
• 27:32
  Speaker 2: She was born there, there's her toys, which I just think are amazing to see.
• 27:35
  Speaker 2: Yeah, um, but I've there's been a bit of like didn't enjoy it, did enjoy it.
• 27:39
  Speaker 2: So how, how were you with Kensington Palace?
• 27:41
  Speaker 2: Did you enjoy it?
• 27:42
  Speaker 3: I like Kensington.
• 27:43
  Speaker 3: I mean, I thought it was beautiful, I thought I wasn't.
• 27:46
  Speaker 3: I did not expect to see her crowns, which was special.
• 27:50
  Speaker 3: Um, I love the Diana Memorial, I love the gardens.
• 27:54
  Speaker 3: I thought that Kensington, you know like I can get where.
• 27:57
  Speaker 3: People say that because it doesn't seem as grand in nature, but I think you have to remember where it started, you know I mean.
• 28:03
  Speaker 3: So for me, I personally love Kensington and I would.
• 28:06
  Speaker 3: If anybody has it on their list and they're doubting, it do it Brilliant.
• 28:10
  Speaker 2: Well, I'm going to go again when I'm back.
• 28:12
  Speaker 2: I don't know how I'm going to fit everything in, but I'm determined to go back to Kensington because I really enjoyed it.
• 28:17
  Speaker 2: Well, Ashley, it's been just amazing catching up with you.
• 28:20
  Speaker 2: It's been so good to chat with you today.
• 28:22
  Speaker 2: Thank you so much Honestly, it's just, it's so honestly.
• 28:25
  Speaker 2: I love talking to you guys when you come back from your trip, and it's just all and so where are you going to go next in the UK?
• 28:34
  Speaker 3: Scotland.
• 28:34
  Speaker 3: Excellent, yeah, I got to get to Balmoral.
• 28:38
  Speaker 3: I got to do Balmoral.
• 28:40
  Speaker 2: Well, I haven't been there yet either, so maybe we should both add that to our list to visit for sure.
• 28:46
  Speaker 2: Yes, oh, thanks so much.
• 28:48
  Speaker 2: Honestly, it's been great to chat with you, ashley.
• 28:50
  Speaker 3: Thank you and for all your help.
• 28:53
  Speaker 2: Thank you for tuning in to this week's episode of the uk travel planning podcast.
• 28:57
  Speaker 2: As always, show notes can be found at uktravelplanningcom.
• 29:01
  Speaker 2: If you've enjoyed the show, why not leave us feedback via text or a review on your favorite podcast app?
• 29:07
  Speaker 2: We love to hear from you and you never know.
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: You may receive a shout out in a future episode, but, as always, that just leaves me to say until next week.
• 29:17
  Speaker 2: Happy, uk travel planning.