London Extension

Some of you have asked about extending your stay in London. Wimbledon is going on while we are there, and others are just interested in seeing more of Europe's largest city.

If you are interested, this is the procedure. A STAR (Special Travel ARrangements form) must be completed and submitted to Passports at least 120 days prior to departure, accompanied by $425 non-refundable fee ($225 processing fee and $200 additional airfare.)

Additional airfare may apply. Please note that the exact cost, along with your flight schedule, will be determined within 30 days of departure. You will be notified 90 days prior to departure if Passports is unable to honor your request.

Passports does not make any individual travel arrangements other than changing the return flight and the airline is at the sole discretion of Passports. Specific airline/routing requests cannot be accepted.

Please let me know if you are interested and I will send you a STAR form. If you have any additional questions about an extended stay in London, then email me.

Stonehenge

Stonehenge, located in southern England on the Salisbury Plain about 90 miles southwest of London, is one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world. The giant ring of standing stones was erected over 4,000 years ago, but a circular earthbank and ditch surrounding the stones is even older...over 5,000 years old!

There are actually two mysteries surrounding Stonehenge. One is how 30 enormous sarsen stones were moved from their original location, arranged upright in a circle, with a ring of 30 additional lintel stones placed on top. Each of these stones is about 13 feet high and weighs about 25 tons! Within this circle are additional stones forming a horseshoe shape.

Mystery number two...exactly what did the ancients use Stonehenge for? Several theories have been proposed including an astronomical observatory for the summer solstice, the longest day of the year (which is 21 June 2009...the day before our visit). This event brings thousands to the site for the annual celebration to watch the sunrise. (Hopefully, they will be partied out by the time we arrive!)

Another theory is that Stonehenge was used as a religious site...hence the horde of "Druids" that descend on the area during summer solstice.

Most recently it is believed to have been a burial site and/or healing site as cremated remains dating back to 3,000 B.C. were unearthed there in May 2008.

In answer to the most asked question: No, we will not be able to walk among the stones, but we will be able to walk around it. But if you'd like a virtual tour inside the stones, go here for a 360 degree view from the inside by moving your cursor around inside the picture. For more information, see the official Stonehenge web site.

Travel Tips from Passports #1

Note: The following is a reprint of a few tips from the Travel Tips section from Passports. It can viewed in its entirety at Passports and typing in your username and password or the group preview code farmer09 (that's a zero and nine). I will periodically post some of their tips on our travel blog for your convenience.

*Travel light, especially if you are visiting several cities! Take one SMALL carry-on bag and one medium-sized piece of baggage (wheels are essential) to be checked. We recommend that you bring only the necessities. Once you have packed your bags, pick them up and carry them for a few yards then ask yourself if you are prepared to spend the next week or so doing the same. If not, then you have over-packed! Do not lock your suitcase before a flight. Security agents may need to look inside, and may break your lock in order to do so.

*Be prepared for any kind of weather. Always pack a sweater, sweatshirt or other light, long-sleeved outerwear in case of cool evenings or cloudy days when you are traveling in the summer.

*Layers are the tops! Take a couple of close-fitting tank tops to wear under your shirts/tops, if you get a bit chilly. They will take up hardly any room in your suitcase but that extra layer will keep you cozy. Even on warm days, nights can be cold, and it's always cooler on oceans or rivers.

*Always wear a pair of broken-in, comfortable walking shoes or sneakers during the tour and on the airplane. Never take new shoes on tour.

Chateau de Chenonceau

The romantic château, or castle, of Chenonceau in France's Loire Valley has a rich history. Begun in the 16th century, it is often referred to as the château des femmes as it was traditionally a castle for women as reflected by its many female residents.

It was built in 1513 by Katherine Briçonnet. The castle was eventually sold to the crown and Henry II gave it to his older mistress, Dianne de Poitiers. She is responsible for expanding Chenonceau Castle over the set of arches spanning the River Cher, giving the appearance that the château is floating on water.

After Henry's death, his wife Catherine de Medici took over the château and developed the beautiful gardens. In turn Catherine bequeathed Chenonceau to her daughter-in-law Louise of Lorraine. The castle was later saved from the ravages of the French Revolution by another woman, Louise Dupin. Chenonceau was restored to its original glory in 1950.

An audio tour can be downloaded to your ipod at the official web site. Under "Chateau & History" in the top menu bar, click on "Tour of the Chateau". This provides an unbelievable 360 degree tour of several rooms! You can zoom in and out with + and - at lower left of photo. Click on any of the arrows in the lower left under "Tour" to go to different rooms and floors. But above all, in each room, place your cursor over the picture and drag it around for that 360 degree view! Don't forget to go up and down to see the entire ceiling and floor.

Do the same 360 degree tour for "Parks & Gardens" and see the entire chateau and garden area. If you would like to "see" all those women of Chenonceau, go to the "Galerie des Dames" in the top menu bar of this web site. And of course you need to know how to correctly pronounce Chenonceau. Click on "Standard Pronunciation" beside the blue arrow. Now you're a pro!

Weather

Wondering what the weather will be like in Paris and London in June? It appears Paris will be quite pleasant, average 72-75 degrees, with some possible cool nights. A light jacket for the evenings will be handy. Dressing in layers is always a good idea.

London's driest months are May and June, and temperature averages are around 68-71 degrees days and in the 50s at night. Again a light jacket will probably be useful. Of course, anywhere, anytime can still be rainy. Be prepared with an umbrella or hooded rain jacket.

What to Pack...

You might consider some of these items when planning your packing:

--Lightweight weather proof jacket with hood (It's bound to rain at least once!)
--Lightweight compact umbrella (the kind that's only 6 inches long and fits anywhere)
--Neck pillow for the plane or the bus (the foam kind that takes up more packing space or the inflatable kind that takes up no room at all)
--Passport pouch or belt (one that hangs around your neck or fits around your waist and under your clothes...the important thing is that your passport, credit cards, and majority of your money are out of sight and not easy for a pickpocket to snatch)
--Digital camera with extra batteries and memory cards (the more megapixels the better and more optical zoom is better than digital zoom as it allows for better cropping and sharper images)
--Small, compact binoculars
--Good sized back pack for your carry on for the plane (this can be stowed in the luggage compartment of the bus later)
--Rolling luggage (see previous blog on this)
--Day bag or fanny pack for carrying on the bus each day (just for that day's necessities, camera, etc.)
--Compact travel hair dryer
--Voltage converters for European plugs (kit will contain the voltage converter and the various types of plugs used internationally...their electrical outlets are not like ours)
--Blank journal
--Compass (for reading a map!)
--Universal luggage lock (allows the airlines access for inspection, but keeps other prying hands out)
--Travel alarm
--Good comfortable walking shoes (I like Teva brand, especially the sandals, but anything comfortable for walking distances and multi-level ground is fine. Watch for sales and look at outlet malls....just don't bring a new pair of shoes that are not broken in!)
--Tour guide books (Dorling-Kindersley Eyewitness Travel Guides are my favorite. They are in color, have maps and building diagrams, tell the highlights of a site, etc. They are a bit pricey, so look for them in the used book section of book stores and online. There are the regular travel guides with everything and then the Top 10 guides which are smaller, lighter weight, and cheaper. Suggestions: Top 10 Paris, Paris (complete), Top 10 London, London (complete), Top 10 Normandy, and Loire Valley. (If anyone has other suggestions for travel guides, please post.)

Note: I don't advocate buying from these online stores unless they are the best buy after doing comparative shopping. The links are provided to show you what the item looks like or to provide more information.

London and Paris City Guides

Budget Travel Online provides city guides called "Snap Guides" which contain a lot of useful information. Two of the cities on our tour, London and Paris, are featured in these handy online guides.

Snap Guide: London features three online pages of links including a variety of maps of the London Underground (p. 1), printable walking tours (p. 2), official London theatre guide (p. 2), and a guide to Wimbledon (p. 3) which will be taking place during our visit. The snap guide contains much more information and you can download the 8-page mini-guide at the link in the middle of the page.

Snap Guide: Paris also features 3 online pages of links. Especially interesting is the City of Paris link (p. 1) and then click on Visit for a variety of links on sites in the city of lights. You can also download the Paris 8-page mini-guide.