Planning: Getting Information
I include a section on the planning the trip for a few reasons. One is that I find planning trips almost as much fun as taking them. I learn a lot about places by planning trips and there is the added benefit that well planned trips run more smoothly with less chance for disasters. I also think you will better understand our trip if you understand how the trip was planned. I view the trip planning process as a large complex puzzle (I enjoy solving puzzles). The "solution" to this puzzle is a balance among our interests and resources.
The first step was to gather information. The best place to start is the library. I checked out all the travel guides on Great Britain I could find. I also went to local bookstores to browse the ones I couldn't get at the library. Each book is written with a different perspective and it takes a while to find one that shares your point of view. Also, some books are better for planning while others are better for use while traveling. For planning, I like the books with lots of pictures (such as Eyewitness Guides). I also like the thick, comprehensive guides that are geared towards independent, budget-minded travelers (such as Lonely Planet and Rough Guides). Rick Steve's books are less comprehensive, but are full of practical travel tips for novice American travelers. I am not a fan of Fodor's or Frommer's guides, although I will read anything in preparation for a trip. I am particularly fond of The Blue Guides and The Intelligent Traveler's Guide to Britain. These are serious texts for people who want an intense introduction to local history, art and architecture. I bought the Michelin Guide to Scotland to travel with because it is compact, has nice maps, and is written more for motorists, rather than train travelers. I also like the way it rates sites (1 to 3 stars). Since we were going to be driving, I also got the AA Road Atlas of Great Britain (published for the US market by AAA), which came with a free pocket guide to London.
Another source of information is the British Travel Authority.
However, I find most of their information to be superficial advertisements
which are of little use. More useful is the Internet. There
are a bazillion web pages with more information than you can really use.
Trying to find something useful can be challenging and time consuming.
But if you are looking for very specific and current information,
such as events, prices, and opening times, web pages are extremely helpful.
Another great source of information on the Internet is the rec.travel.europe
newsgroup. Here you can converse directly with other travelers.
I was a regular participant in the newsgroup for over a year. I met
many nice and helpful people by e-mail, although you must be careful since
you never can be sure with whom you are dealing with over the Internet.
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