Let's exclude safaris because they are different each time.
Suppose you really really liked a particular tour or location. Have you ever (or would you consider) doing the same tour again? Or, would you just travel back there on your own?
Most definitely do one again. Remember, unless you do them back-to-back or within just a few years, there is little chance that the tours will be identical. Tauck is always tweaking or changing established tours. One tour we might do again someday is England, Scotland, Wales, our first Tauck tour. The second time around, however, I would expend more effort planning different activities for pre and post stays, and possibly free time during the tour, especially if the free time occurs in the same city or location. While I think I planned well for our first E, S, W, I have gotten much better at getting the most from our tours.
Alan - I'm doing ESW later this year. I've never been to SW and it's been many years since I've been to E. Feel free to comment (or PM me) on free-time activities you did. I like the way you plan, based on your Petra posts. I'll be staying two extra nights in London at the end.
BKMD feel free to ask questions- I think most of the extra stuff we did is in forum posts, many/most with photos- e.g. using the excellent local Lothian buses to get around Edinburgh to visit to HMY Brittania, Craigmiller Castle, and Rosslyn Chapel, in London riding the Eye, visiting the British museum, taking the tube to the Notting Hill area and visiting the famous street/sidewalk market along Portobello Rd. etc. The Wales portion of the tour has changed significantly. While we enjoyed the unique and quirky hotel at Portmerion, it would be interesting to stay in Conwy and see the sights there.
We have not repeated a tour but have done a second where there was overlap with the first trip's itinerary. For example, we did Classic Italy and a few years later did Sicily, the Amalfi Coast and Rome. I have also gone back and looked at itineraries for trips we have previously taken and am intrigued with some of the changes - there are one or two I would consider taking a second time.
Like cvc we have also done trips with overlapping itineraries- Ultimate Alps and Romantic Germany both visit King Ludwig's Linderhoff Palace, Oberammergau and Munich. The second time at Linderhoff we had the opportunity to tour the grounds more thoroughly and see things we missed the first time around. At Oberammergau, instead of revisiting the Passion Play theater, we walked to the nearby edge of town to ride a chairlift up the mountain and a wild and crazy bobsled on rails back down (what a blast!!), and in Munich we took the optional excursion to Dachau.
We have taken the Galapagos tour twice. Different time of year. Because of different itineraries we only had one day where it overlapped the last tour. Would go again too.
Also taken the K and T tour twice with the add on of Rwanda Gorillas. The K and T has changed significantly. It does not go to Samburu any more and hotels are different. Actually preferred the hotels/lodges we stayed in on our first time there. We have no problem visiting places more than once, you never remember everything especially when thirty years or so have gone by. New attractions are made and it’s like a first time visit.
We took the ESW tour this past summer and were in Edinburgh for the Tattoo. Hopefully, you have chosen a time when that is happening.
As far as things to see in London are concerned....definitely go to the Churchill War Rooms. To see it thoroughly, it will take at least half a day. Since we were there in August, we were able to go into Buckingham Palace. While it is nice, if you have been to other palaces, it is not extraordinary. On the theater day we chose "Come from Away" which was very moving. It's about the people and planes that were stranded in Gander Newfoundland on September 11. If you haven't seen it, it's a good choice.
We like to do a lot of walking. On our extra day (which was a Saturday), we headed east into the business district. There's been a lot of construction in recent years with some very impressive buildings. There are many small churches you can stop into. One is a memorial to the RAF. The floor is studded with the medallions from the different units.
One hint I found in the Rick Steves' guidebook is that if you want to get a view over the city without paying anything, there is a building behind St Paul's (One New Change) where you can take an elevator to a roof top terrace where you overlook the dome of St Paul's and can see all of the major buildings on the east side of the city.
If you want a relaxing day, take the boat down river to Greenwich. You get to see the city from another perspective as well as the sights in Greenwich.
Alan mentions Conwy. The hotel is gorgeous, situated on the river with a great view of the castle. This river has a great tide with boats on dry land during low tide. The sunset is wonderful. In the town itself, there's a monument to the mussel industry. We walked along the waterfront and found some kids crabbing. The crabs they got were no larger than a 50 cent piece...not quite what we get on the east coast....but they were having a great time! They adamantly told us that they were returning the crabs to the water since they did not have a fishing license. Did we look like the police? Walk back from Conwy, even if the weather is poor. You follow the river and experience the winds and see the castle from another perspective.
Comments
Most definitely do one again. Remember, unless you do them back-to-back or within just a few years, there is little chance that the tours will be identical. Tauck is always tweaking or changing established tours. One tour we might do again someday is England, Scotland, Wales, our first Tauck tour. The second time around, however, I would expend more effort planning different activities for pre and post stays, and possibly free time during the tour, especially if the free time occurs in the same city or location. While I think I planned well for our first E, S, W, I have gotten much better at getting the most from our tours.
Alan - I'm doing ESW later this year. I've never been to SW and it's been many years since I've been to E. Feel free to comment (or PM me) on free-time activities you did. I like the way you plan, based on your Petra posts. I'll be staying two extra nights in London at the end.
BKMD feel free to ask questions- I think most of the extra stuff we did is in forum posts, many/most with photos- e.g. using the excellent local Lothian buses to get around Edinburgh to visit to HMY Brittania, Craigmiller Castle, and Rosslyn Chapel, in London riding the Eye, visiting the British museum, taking the tube to the Notting Hill area and visiting the famous street/sidewalk market along Portobello Rd. etc. The Wales portion of the tour has changed significantly. While we enjoyed the unique and quirky hotel at Portmerion, it would be interesting to stay in Conwy and see the sights there.
OK, thanks. I'll take a raincheck on the questions, as it's too early. I have another trip (Japan) coming up first that I need to research.
We have not repeated a tour but have done a second where there was overlap with the first trip's itinerary. For example, we did Classic Italy and a few years later did Sicily, the Amalfi Coast and Rome. I have also gone back and looked at itineraries for trips we have previously taken and am intrigued with some of the changes - there are one or two I would consider taking a second time.
Like cvc we have also done trips with overlapping itineraries- Ultimate Alps and Romantic Germany both visit King Ludwig's Linderhoff Palace, Oberammergau and Munich. The second time at Linderhoff we had the opportunity to tour the grounds more thoroughly and see things we missed the first time around. At Oberammergau, instead of revisiting the Passion Play theater, we walked to the nearby edge of town to ride a chairlift up the mountain and a wild and crazy bobsled on rails back down (what a blast!!), and in Munich we took the optional excursion to Dachau.
We have taken the Galapagos tour twice. Different time of year. Because of different itineraries we only had one day where it overlapped the last tour. Would go again too.
Also taken the K and T tour twice with the add on of Rwanda Gorillas. The K and T has changed significantly. It does not go to Samburu any more and hotels are different. Actually preferred the hotels/lodges we stayed in on our first time there. We have no problem visiting places more than once, you never remember everything especially when thirty years or so have gone by. New attractions are made and it’s like a first time visit.
BKMD
We took the ESW tour this past summer and were in Edinburgh for the Tattoo. Hopefully, you have chosen a time when that is happening.
As far as things to see in London are concerned....definitely go to the Churchill War Rooms. To see it thoroughly, it will take at least half a day. Since we were there in August, we were able to go into Buckingham Palace. While it is nice, if you have been to other palaces, it is not extraordinary. On the theater day we chose "Come from Away" which was very moving. It's about the people and planes that were stranded in Gander Newfoundland on September 11. If you haven't seen it, it's a good choice.
We like to do a lot of walking. On our extra day (which was a Saturday), we headed east into the business district. There's been a lot of construction in recent years with some very impressive buildings. There are many small churches you can stop into. One is a memorial to the RAF. The floor is studded with the medallions from the different units.
One hint I found in the Rick Steves' guidebook is that if you want to get a view over the city without paying anything, there is a building behind St Paul's (One New Change) where you can take an elevator to a roof top terrace where you overlook the dome of St Paul's and can see all of the major buildings on the east side of the city.
If you want a relaxing day, take the boat down river to Greenwich. You get to see the city from another perspective as well as the sights in Greenwich.
Alan mentions Conwy. The hotel is gorgeous, situated on the river with a great view of the castle. This river has a great tide with boats on dry land during low tide. The sunset is wonderful. In the town itself, there's a monument to the mussel industry. We walked along the waterfront and found some kids crabbing. The crabs they got were no larger than a 50 cent piece...not quite what we get on the east coast....but they were having a great time! They adamantly told us that they were returning the crabs to the water since they did not have a fishing license. Did we look like the police? Walk back from Conwy, even if the weather is poor. You follow the river and experience the winds and see the castle from another perspective.
Enjoy your trip to Japan and then to ESW.