Scotland Meets Thread (formerly Scotland: A Brave Adventure)

[carpenta]

Yep, there was a packable travel blanket and a messenger bag option. We picked one of the messenger bags and one of the blankets along with two backpacks for the four of us, but only four backpacks arrived. I'd seen something about the change in one of the earlier threads, but someone had said that if you had been given the option to choose you would get the different things. I guess they ran out.

I was told that the green backpack would be the one and only "gift" to be given out for what's its' worth....

 

[janecamillacharlton]

Yep, there was a packable travel blanket and a messenger bag option. We picked one of the messenger bags and one of the blankets along with two backpacks for the four of us, but only four backpacks arrived. I'd seen something about the change in one of the earlier threads, but someone had said that if you had been given the option to choose you would get the different things. I guess they ran out.

We also requested more of a variety I think, but received 3 backpacks. I am OK with that since we rather liked our old backpacks and they have worn out.

 

[Bobo912]

Return guests who booked prior to Jan 2014 were given a choice of gifts. If you meet that criteria, you should get whatever you selected. If ABD didn't order enough that is ridiculously poor planning. Since all the selections would have been in by end of Dec 2012 or early Jan 2013, at the latest, they've known for months how many they needed of each item.

ETA: Of course, I really meant prior to Jan 2013, since prior to Jan 2014 would be everybody, now wouldn't it?

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Return guests who booked prior to Jan 2014 were given a choice of gifts. If you meet that criteria, you should get whatever you selected. If ABD didn't order enough that is ridiculously poor planning. Since all the selections would have been in by end of Dec 2012 or early Jan 2013, at the latest, they've known for months how many they needed of each item.

That's what I thought, too, but I booked on the insider day (day before it went on sale) in May 2013 or so, and I am a return traveler. I guess it's the ridiculously poor planning option

 

[sayhello]

That's what I thought, too, but I booked on the insider day (day before it went on sale) in May 2013 or so, and I am a return traveler. I guess it's the ridiculously poor planning option

I don't know if it's ridiculously poor planning as much as thinking the new backpacks were so great that everyone would want one. (And yes, I realize they should have asked if you did or not, but given how things were going at the start of the season, I think that was just one too many things for them.) I heard that Josh D'Amaro thought these backpacks were just the best thing since sliced bread!

Sayhello

 

[Calfan]

For those who are not staying at the Balmoral for their pre-nights, Kevin at Dreams Unlimited contacted ABD and came back with the following:


ABD requests that you meet the group in the lobby at your first hotel
(Balmoral) no later than 4:30pm.

Your Welcome events will begin shortly after, so you should be checked in
and ready to go by 4:30pm.

 

[calypso726]

Yep, there was a packable travel blanket and a messenger bag option. We picked one of the messenger bags and one of the blankets along with two backpacks for the four of us, but only four backpacks arrived. I'd seen something about the change in one of the earlier threads, but someone had said that if you had been given the option to choose you would get the different things. I guess they ran out.

That sounds like a nice selection. Sorry you didn't get what you requested.

Return guests who booked prior to Jan 2014 were given a choice of gifts. If you meet that criteria, you should get whatever you selected. If ABD didn't order enough that is ridiculously poor planning. Since all the selections would have been in by end of Dec 2012 or early Jan 2013, at the latest, they've known for months how many they needed of each item.

Oh that makes sense. This is our first ABD so that is probably why we were not offered a selection.

I heard that Josh D'Amaro thought these backpacks were just the best thing since sliced bread!

Sayhello

Seriously? It's not that we booked ABD for the free gift or anything but we have seen pics of previous ABD gifts and the "backpack" doesn't quite compare upon first glance Either way we will bring one on the trip and "field test" it to see how it holds up. Perhaps it is sturdier than it looks.

For those who are not staying at the Balmoral for their pre-nights, Kevin at Dreams Unlimited contacted ABD and came back with the following:


ABD requests that you meet the group in the lobby at your first hotel
(Balmoral) no later than 4:30pm.

Your Welcome events will begin shortly after, so you should be checked in
and ready to go by 4:30pm.

Wow! I am glad you posted that. We did not receive any such communication yet from Kevin. I was thinking we had until closer to 6. Changing our pre-trip Saturday plans for the third time now Well, they say third time is a charm, hopefully so

 

[wld]

Getting closer!!! Quick question for you more experienced travelers. When do you exchange money? or do you find a bank and bring it with you? thanks

 

[sayhello]

Getting closer!!! Quick question for you more experienced travelers. When do you exchange money? or do you find a bank and bring it with you? thanks

Personally, I always go to my bank so that I can arrive at least with some of the local currency. Don't exchange money at the airport; the rate is usually awful. ATM's are usually your best bet to get more cash if you need it, but be sure & verify ahead of time where you will & won't have access to an ATM.

I use my credit card if I can. Capital One cards do not charge you a foreign transaction fee.

Sayhello

 

[Tozzie]

Getting closer!!! Quick question for you more experienced travelers. When do you exchange money? or do you find a bank and bring it with you? thanks

I also get some money in local currency through my bank before I go and then usn e the credit card and ATM if I need more cash.

The only warning about atm cards is that the machines in Europe wont accept PIN numbers that begin with zero.

 

[calypso726]

Getting closer!!! Quick question for you more experienced travelers. When do you exchange money? or do you find a bank and bring it with you? thanks

We will order some GBP from our bank and bring a nominal amount as a back up for anything that cannot be paid with a credit card. All purchases that can be, will be paid with a credit card that carries no foreign transaction fees and has a chip and signature feature. We are also bringing one that is chip and pin just in case we run into a need to pay for something at an unmanned kiosk I gotta keep accumulating those airline miles for next year's ABD so we will use as little cash as possible

 

[paddles]

There are ATMs everywhere, so there's no need to bring cash from home anymore. There are typically ATMs at the airport, and if you're staying at the Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh, there's a small mall right next door (part of Waverly station) that has a couple of Barclay's ATMs (if you have a BofA account, you won't get double-charged on ATM fees if you use Barclay's in the UK).

there's also a Starbucks in that mall with free Wi-Fi

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

There are ATMs everywhere, so there's no need to bring cash from home anymore. There are typically ATMs at the airport, and if you're staying at the Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh, there's a small mall right next door (part of Waverly station) that has a couple of Barclay's ATMs (if you have a BofA account, you won't get double-charged on ATM fees if you use Barclay's in the UK).

there's also a Starbucks in that mall with free Wi-Fi

I was just going to chime in about Barclays and B of A. That's what we always do. We order a little bit of cash (basically enough for cabs) and then supplement with the ATM if we need extra cash. The no foreign transaction fee credit card is huge and if you can come by a chip and pin (which are difficult to find), those are the best. We have a chip and signature but not a chip and pin--the first is pretty much useless at the unmanned kiosks. When I was ordering it, they told me it was chip and pin. Sigh. HINT: If you have a foreign transaction fee free card, do *not* accept if a retailer offers to have the transaction charged in dollars. The exchange rate is usually horrible (Harrods I'm looking at you!) and never as good as the credit card companies get (which for my capital one credit card is always close to the spot rate).

 

[Calfan]

I gotta keep accumulating those airline miles for next year's ABD so we will use as little cash as possible

Ditto!

 

[wld]

wow glad i asked! I have only been to Canada once, Mexico once with my daughters spanish club and Guatemala 4 times. the guatemala trips are medical missions so don't need many Q's but is a cash based economy for the most part. I don't even get the whole"chip and pin" thing. i'm going to have to reread your answers again!
Any other big things this not so worldly traveler should know?
(have you guessed i also don't know how to do the quote thing?)

 

[wld]

oh and thanks for the zero tip!

 

[calypso726]

wow glad i asked! I have only been to Canada once, Mexico once with my daughters spanish club and Guatemala 4 times. the guatemala trips are medical missions so don't need many Q's but is a cash based economy for the most part. I don't even get the whole"chip and pin" thing. i'm going to have to reread your answers again!
Any other big things this not so worldly traveler should know?
(have you guessed i also don't know how to do the quote thing?)

In Europe credit cards aren't swipe and sign like they are here. They have EMV cards also known as chip and pin or chip and sign. See pic below. The chip is above the first 4 numbers. It acts like our magnetic swipe. Here, our card readers read the swipe and we sign. Card readers across the pond read the chip and the person enters their pin # for chip and pin cards. There aren't many chip and pin cards in the USA. We did pick up a Penfed chip and pin card that gives 5% back on all gas purchases with no cap, no annual fee and no FTF We are only using it as a back up in case we come across a chip and pin only kiosk. There are decent selection of chip and signature cards. So for those, the card reader reads the chip and then we sign.

You can call your credit card company and find out if they do carry chip and signature cards. If so, they will send you one. We did that with all of our credit cards that do not charge foreign transaction fees we plan on taking. Earlier in this thread I believe I might have posted a list of credit cards that do not carry foreign transaction fees.

To quote one post, click on the bottom right part of the post on the word "quote." A reply box will pop up with the post you are quoting at the top. To reply to multiple quotes, click on the box with quotation marks on the bottom right of each post you would like to quote. They will highlight as you click them but the reply box will not pop up. Once you have clicked the quotation marks of all of the posts you would like to respond to then click on the "Post Reply" box located on the bottom left side of the entire page.

I hope this helps.

 

[calypso726]

We are going to Stirling on our pre-trip I just got confirmation from the Balmoral that David (Paddles' driver) will be able to take us to visit Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument Thank you Paddles for recommendation.

 

[tufbuf]

We are going to Stirling on our pre-trip I just got confirmation from the Balmoral that David (Paddles' driver) will be able to take us to visit Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument Thank you Paddles for recommendation.

How do you hire David?

Were you the first to mention the Outlander series in this forum? Man, I am hooked!!! I'm reading the fourth book already in less than two months, slowed down by 2-1/2 weeks when we were on the cruise. So, thank you!!

 

[calypso726]

How do you hire David?

Were you the first to mention the Outlander series in this forum? Man, I am hooked!!! I'm reading the fourth book already in less than two months, slowed down by 2-1/2 weeks when we were on the cruise. So, thank you!!

Contact the Balmoral CLICKY HERE through their contact us e-mail. Email your request and they will forward it to concierge.

Yes, that was me on the very first post after Sayhello's roll call post I am listening to the series for the third time and am on book 6. You are very welcome If you ever get the chance to listen to the series it is actually better than reading it and I LOVE to read. The narrator is the best I have ever heard. I am waiting on pins and needles for book 8 to come out in March