Explore Winnie the Pooh country

Site of the "North Pole" As described in the Winnie the Pooh stories by A.A. Milne - situated in Ashdown Forest.
 Credit Pete Wise http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1384986 

There is a new Winnie the Pooh movie coming to our theaters this summer. But did you know that the Hundred Acre Wood, Pooh and Christopher Robin where real? 

Christopher Robin was Christopher Robin Milne, the son of the Author of the original stories, A.A. Miilne. Winnie the Pooh was Christopher's toy bear and many of the other characters that feature in the stories were based on the toys that Christopher had. 

You don't need to travel to the U.K. to see the original Winnie the Pooh bear, he is on display at the New York Public Library along with Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet and Kanga, but if you want to see where the came from and visit  the Hundred Acre Wood you'll need to head to Ashdown Forest in East Sussex.

Ashdown Forest is a medieval hunting forest created at the time of the Norman conquest in 1066 and was used by the nobility and Kings of England up until Henry VIII. Anne Boleyn, one of Henry's Wives grew up at Nearby Hever Castle.  England's first blast furnace was built here in 1496, marking the beginning of the country's modern iron and steel industry. Another author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator Sherlock Holmes of  lived on the edge of the forest. Today it's recognized as an area of special scientific interest as well as being protected for conservation and protection as it hosts some of Europe's most threatened species and habitats.

Many of the places in the Pooh stories relate directly to places in the forest, Hundred Acre wood is, in fact the Five Hundred Acre Wood. Gills Lap is Galleon's Leap and just 200 meters north of there you'll find the 'Enchanted Place'. Eeyore's Sad and Gloomy Place", you'll find at Wrens Warren Valley, and let's not forget the bridge where Pooh played Poohsticks. Pooh Sticks Bridge  is outside of the forest at Posingford Wood, near Chuck Hatch.

You can pick up a map of Pooh Walks from the Ashdown Forest Centre

Less than an Hour from London, Ashdown Forest and the surrounding countryside makes for a great day out of London. just watch you don't trip over a Honey Jar. 

Dine with a member of the Royal Family with this amazing Royal wedding package

Picture Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Westminster_Abbey_-_West_Door.jpg

A six-night Royal Wedding package that includes hosted tours by first-hand family members and associates of the royal family. 

Guests will visit Kensington Palace, Chartwell, Spencer House, Althorp and Westminster Abbey. They will meet a member of Winston Churchill’s family when they tour Chartwell, his family home in Kent and lunch at the family’s current private house. They will enjoy a private visit and lunch at Althorp, the ancestral home of Diana Princess of Wales’ family since 1508. The lunch will be hosted by a member of the Spencer family. 

On the eve of the wedding, guests will dine with a member of the royal family, at their private London townhouse. They will be able to watch the wedding processions on 29 April from the roof terrace of the Institute of Contemporary Art that overlooks The Mall that leads to Buckingham Palace. Dinner that night is at Kensington Palace.

The wedding takes place at Westminster Abbey and guests will visit the Abbey with the Dean of Westminster the morning after the wedding. 

The Royal Tour package also includes visits to the British Museum, the Wallace Collection and dinner at the Mandarin Oriental at either Bar Boulud, London or Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. 

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the late Princess Margaret first learned to dance in the hotel’s ballroom. Prince Charles and Princess Anne visited the tea rooms as children and more recently, the Queen and Prince Philip were guests at Baroness Margaret Thatcher's 80th birthday party. Sir Winston Churchill lived at the hotel when his London house was being refurbished.

The Royal Wedding Tour package, 26 April–1 May, is priced from £13,560 for one person or £22,560 for two people sharing the same accommodation.

Los Angeles to London for less than $421 including taxes

Picture credit: wikimedia.org by Kglavin, crop by Wangi

Hot off the press....

We have found some amazing fares to London using direct British Airways flights. Travel Monday - Thursday until the end of April. 

Space is limited and we suspect it will sell out fast. 

From Los Angeles $421.00 Round trip including all taxes and fuel surcharges.

Delight in Flowers

The Wildlife Trusts Lush Garden" (Show Garden) designed by Stephen Hall. Silver Flora award. Credit: Troika

2011 marks the 98th  anniversary of the start of the world famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show.  


Established in 1913, on the grounds of the Chelsea  Royal Hospital in London, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has become one of the most celebrated annual events in the world and  the  showcase for horticultural excellence, attracting visitors and exhibitors from across the globe.  


Since its beginning, the show has gone from strength to strength and grown from 244 exhibitors in 1913 to over 600 today, including gardens, nurseries, floristry, educational displays and trade stands. It now attracts 157,000 visitors every year.  


Throughout its history, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has witnessed numerous changes, but has always provided a showcase for the gardening fashions and trends of the day. Show gardens have mirrored the changing enthusiasms of the garden designers, from the Japanese and topiary gardens of the early days, through the rock garden craze during the war years, the paved back yards and cottage gardens of the 1980s to the contemporary, sculptural gardens of the present day.  


Enjoy the world's most famous flower show, located at Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London, is a celebration of the highest quality horticulture and is a feast for your imagination, bursting with inspiration for you to take home.

Be the first to view the unveiling of new plants and learn from some of the world's best designers at the Chelsea Flower Show. This yearly event attracts worldwide attention and is the perfect addition to your London vacation. While in London dine at gourmet restaurants and shop in designer boutiques. The combination of London sights and the Chelsea Flower Show make for a wonderful vacation package.

For more details about just one of our Chelsea Flower Show options.. Click here

Romance in the City of Bath

Royal Crescent, Copyright : - Bath Tourism Plus / Colin Hawkins

With royal romances very much a hot topic in the news at the moment, the City of Bath and the surrounding area is claiming to be the perfect place for those special couples in question to take a luxurious romantic break.

Bath offers all the ingredients for a very special romantic break including luxury hotels, a superb range of restaurants for candlelit dinners, a vibrant and cosmopolitan retail scene and a year-round calendar of events.

Here is just a taster of the things Bath has to offer for those who really want to spoil their own prince or princess…

Bed fit for a king
To ensure a wonderful night’s sleep, choose from one of the many hotels and guesthouses in Bath – with glorious four posters featuring in many of the rooms. Perhaps a suite at the Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel or a secluded private section of the Royal Crescent Hotel would suffice? The £15,000 Ammique bed in the Honeysuckle room at the Bath Priory Hotel will definitely fit the bill. This amazing bed has a special suspension system designed for the perfect sleeping position regardless of weight, shape and movement.

The Pump Room, Bath, Copyright : - Bath Tourism Plus 

Serenaded by strings
Afternoon tea in the stunning Pump Room with the Trio playing in the background is like stepping back in time to the romance of Bath’s Georgian heyday. The Pump Room, the social heart of Bath for 200 years, is the place to taste the waters which have played such an important role in the city’s history since Roman times.


Candle-lit dinner
With a wealth of top quality restaurants you will be spoilt for choice when looking for an intimate candlelit corner to dine in style. Try local favourite the Moon and Sixpence specialising in modern British and international cuisine, or for the ultimate indulgence, book a table at Lucknam Park Hotel just a few miles from Bath and enjoy fine dining at this Michelin starred restaurant.


Seeing the sights
As the only city in England to hold the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bath boasts splendid Eighteenth Century architecture set against a backdrop of some of the most picturesque countryside in Britain. Simply strolling around the perfectly preserved streets provides the most romantic sightseeing for couples.


Float in the clouds
At Thermae Bath Spa visitors can lie back in the naturally warm and soothing waters in the rooftop pool and look up at the stars glistening above. Health and wellbeing have been Bath’s forte since Roman times and many hotels provide pampering and preening to order with some even offering couples’ treatments for total togetherness.


A lovebird’s excursion
A hot air balloon ride, gliding over the city and adjoining countryside with a glass of champagne would melt any girl’s heart. Or perhaps a very special outing aboard the luxurious Orient Express where splendour, impeccable service and the finest food are the order of the day. With a little forward planning, a box at the charming Theatre Royal or a concert in the Assembly Rooms during one of the music festivals would make an unforgettable evening.


Naughty but nice
Temptation is all around on the charming streets of Bath. Flower stalls with red roses, handmade chocolates and sinfully silky underwear are all available in specialist and designer stores throughout the city. Bath’s reputation as a fashionable city is due mainly to its vibrant retail scene with a high level of independent shops offering opportunities to find special souvenirs and indulge your princess with some retail therapy.


Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend
For diamonds and other trinkets, a visit to Mallory’s on Bridge Street is recommended. This fourth-generation family business buys diamonds directly from Antwerp and designs and manufactures rings but also carries a vast stock of watches, rings and luxury goods. Personal and unhurried service, typical of Bath shops, scores a hit with visitors looking for something very special.

View of Bath, Copyright : - Bath Tourism Plus 

Hand in hand
Stroll hand in hand through the picturesque parks and gardens within the city or head out into the charming countryside around Bath. The National Trust Skyline Walk is a six mile circuit of the city with magnificent views and benches for romantic moments. Or a stroll along the Kennet and Avon Canal is easy walking on the flat to the George Inn at Bathampton or beyond. There are numerous country pubs with welcoming roaring fires and cosy corners to reward romantic walkers with a wholesome pub lunch.


Tie the knot
Bath has returned to its roots as the most romantic city in the UK. In the Eighteenth Century it became a magnet for fashionable society where Bath played a pivotal role in the marriage market. Today it is once again attracting romantics from all over the country. Over fifty percent of the weddings that take place in Bath are for people who do not live in the city. Unique historic venues like the Assembly Rooms, the Pump Room or even the world-famous Roman Baths, are among some of the premises in Bath and North East Somerset that currently hold wedding licences.


Ever been to bath? Got any tips or suggestions? Where do you think the most romatic place in Britain is? We welcome your comments and suggestions below.

Monsters from the Jurassic age

Triceratops, a herbivore from the Cretaceous Period
© Natural History Museum

The  Natural History Museum is to hold a major exhibition about dinosaurs this summer. The Age of the Dinosaur is an interactive exhibition designed to take visitors on a journey through millions of years to life on earth with the gargantuan and now extinct reptiles. It will show visitors what life on earth was like more than 65 million years ago in swamp-like Jurassic lagoons and Cretaceous forests. Visitors will encounter plants and animals that are now extinct, including life-size animatronic dinosaurs as they navigate the mysterious places where insects, mammals and lizards once lived.

The Natural History Museum is located in Adjacent to the Science Museum and close to  The Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington, Central London. There is easy access to the area on the tube and buses and entry to all three is free, so it's a great way to spend a day or two if your on a budget. Take a box lunch and on a nice day you can enjoy your meal in the gardens outside the Museum. 


While the museums are free, some special exhibitions, including The Age of the Dinosaur do make an admission charge. The Age of the Dinosaur runs from 22 April to 4 September .

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Have you been to the South Kensington Museums? We welcome your thoughts, ideas and comments below.

BA puts Britain on Sale

British Airways are currently promoting Sale fares to the UK from as low as $199.

These are amazing fares if your looking to travel to Britain (or Europe) Between January and April. The fares are good for travel until April 12th. The small print in the BA advertising does warn you that the headline fare is "one way based on round trip travel" and, of course taxes and fees are not included. Weekend supplements (Thursday to Sunday) also apply. There are a limited amount of these fares on flights, and once they have gone.. they have gone! All bookings must be made by Jan 11th.

So, what does the $199 headline fare actually mean when you come to pay the bill. We did a little research and found that the lead price (from New York) comes to $583.00 for a round trip ticket with the government fees and taxes included. Still pretty good. The equivalent fare from Los Angeles is $708.00, from Chicago O'Hare $658.00 and $708 from Seattle. Children under 12 may get a discount of up to 20%.

The fares require an advance purchase of 7 days and the Sunday night rule applies (The earliest return would be the Monday after you arrive). The tickets are non-refundable and heavy penalties apply to any changes you make. 

While the availability appears to be good right now, these fares are sure to disappear fast as flights get booked. So if you planning that trip don't delay to take advantage of these fares. Call or email us today. 

We'll also help you plan the rest of your vacation from tours and tour guides to hotels, transportation and sightseeing. 

UPDATE:
It would appear that Virgin Atlantic are matching some of these BA Fares. In some cases the Virgin Atlantic Fuel Surcharge is Lower, making the total cost even cheaper.  Don't waste your time hunting around looking for the best fare. We'll do the work for you.

In addition to charges made by the airlines, Pinnacle Travel Services may charge a Ticketing or Service fee.