British Isles & Faroe Islands

Exploring The British Isles Adventure Into Greater London ( Windsor & Runnymede ) Previous:  Prolog Photo Album:  Windsor & Runnymede Video: Windsor Castle & Changing of the Guards So, the time had come to embark on the epic pilgrimage to London, a journey so long it makes a trans-Tasman flight feel like a trip to the corner store. With a 24-hour itinerary and a layover in Singapore—a mere blip in the grand scheme of things—we were ready to conquer the skies. But, Uncle Murphy came knocking again; our bank decided to join the party with a message: our most-used credit card had been put on hold due to a "scam transaction." Thanks, but could you have maybe waited until we were, you know, not in the air? Thankfully, we had a plan B (and C, and D, because we’re not amateurs). Heathrow, as expected, was a symphony of chaos and noise, even at the ungodly hour we arrived. Still, we managed to snag a SIM card, which, at that price, we thought it is a piece of gold. We th...

Prologue From Business Trips to Grand Adventures: My Unexpected British Isles Escapade Ah, the British Isles. A place I've long had on my "somewhat interested, but no rush" travel list. I mean, it's not exactly the Amazon rainforest, is it? More like history on steroids , with a healthy side of overcast skies and crumpets. In my former life as an engineering and finance nobody, my visits were limited to the hallowed London-Oxford-Cambridge triangle. My first trip was way back in 1977, on a business jaunt that took the scenic (and ridiculously long) route from Montreal on my first 'round-the-world run. Basically, my knowledge of the UK amounted to knowing where to find a good layover and a decent cup of tea. That is, until now! The Great British Itinerary Jigsaw Puzzle Planning this trip felt less like a vacation and more like a high-stakes game of Tetris. My trusty sidekick, Google Maps, became a canvas for marking every historical sight, scenic hike, and pub I co...