Testing requirements for UK/London

[BroadwayHermione5]

Things are changing daily across the pond regarding requirements. I'd go ahead and book but make sure it's refundable.

Have fun planning your dream vacation. Fingers crossed this will happen for you!

Thank you! And we would be doing travel insurance no matter what! We do that even for short weekends to visit family in PA.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Yeah, yeah, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, etc etc etc are all very good places to visit, but my favorites were some lesser known attractions.

London Transport Museum-I think it's in the Covent Garden area,

River Thames Flood Barrier-a few miles east of Greenwich.

A boat tour on the Thames-Try to time it at low tide. It passes an area where lesser criminals who didn't deserve execution by beheading were chained to the bulkhead at low tide and the rising river finished the job.

Jack the Ripper tour

A Tower of London remembrance-we visited six weeks after Princess Diana died. There was absolutely nothing about her at the Tower. All traces had vanished. Almost every gift shop elsewhere, and even shops that normally didn't sell tourist tchotchkes, had plenty of Diana memorabilia. Further proof that the Royal Family was behind her death???

Oh, and the Tower gift shop individually scanned every single item, when such a practice wasn't yet widespread. Even postcards, magnets, keychains, and other cheap crap. I guess Liz wanted to know exactly how many postcards of Princess Margaret were sold.

Ooo a transport museum. That sounds highly intriguing!
Same with the Thames boat tour! Thank you!

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

Yeah, yeah, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, etc etc etc are all very good places to visit, but my favorites were some lesser known attractions.

London Transport Museum-I think it's in the Covent Garden area,

River Thames Flood Barrier-a few miles east of Greenwich.

A boat tour on the Thames-Try to time it at low tide. It passes an area where lesser criminals who didn't deserve execution by beheading were chained to the bulkhead at low tide and the rising river finished the job.

Jack the Ripper tour

A Tower of London remembrance-we visited six weeks after Princess Diana died. There was absolutely nothing about her at the Tower. All traces had vanished. Almost every gift shop elsewhere, and even shops that normally didn't sell tourist tchotchkes, had plenty of Diana memorabilia. Further proof that the Royal Family was behind her death???

Oh, and the Tower gift shop individually scanned every single item, when such a practice wasn't yet widespread. Even postcards, magnets, keychains, and other cheap crap. I guess Liz wanted to know exactly how many postcards of Princess Margaret were sold.

This made me chuckle. Why would they have anything about Diana, Princess of Wales in the Tower of London? Given the fate of some other royal wives, I think she would have been relieved to be absent. Nowadays we don’t execute those who offend Crown and country . Let me think what we do with them? Umm… oh yes, they exile themselves to the US.
You can see where the ‘baddies’ were drowned by walking along the free footpath which circles the Tower. There is so much to see in that area.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Random and I know I asked this in the initial post but it could have been buried:

There is/was a bar in London that is very like Around the World in 80 days/treasure Island/ overall Jules Verne themed that we were looking to go to. Very themed, with crazy drinks served in crazy things…..is this still around? I know a lot of people who went there and it would be a shame if Covid took it out if business

 

[RUDisney]

Random and I know I asked this in the initial post but it could have been buried:

There is/was a bar in London that is very like Around the World in 80 days/treasure Island/ overall Jules Verne themed that we were looking to go to. Very themed, with crazy drinks served in crazy things…..is this still around? I know a lot of people who went there and it would be a shame if Covid took it out if business

I'm not sure of this, but a quick Google search has a few mentioned. Mr. Fogg's seems to be the top pick. There are several throughout London and it is showing as being open today until 2:00 a.m.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

I'm not sure of this, but a quick Google search has a few mentioned. Mr. Fogg's seems to be the top pick. There are several throughout London and it is showing as being open today until 2:00 a.m.

That’s the one I was thinking of. https://www.mr-foggs.com/mr-foggs-residence/

 

[RedAngie]

‘

This made me chuckle. Why would they have anything about Diana, Princess of Wales in the Tower of London? Given the fate of some other royal wives, I think she would have been relieved to be absent. Nowadays we don’t execute those who offend Crown and country . Let me think what we do with them? Umm… oh yes, they exile themselves to the US.
You can see where the ‘baddies’ were drowned by walking along the free footpath which circles the Tower. There is so much to see in that area.

The Tower sold Diana souvenirs during my first London visit in 1987. I suppose they stopped after she and Charles got divorced.

I have a photo booklet of C&D purchased at the Tower stashed away somewhere.

Diana is still very marketable. During my last London visit in 2014 many gift shops and kiosks in the Piccadilly Circus area had plenty of Diana merchandise.

 

[Imzadi]

I would what you want is an afternoon tea, the one with sandwiches, scones and pastries. High tea is more like an early supper. There are three good choices. The first is a classic tea at one of the grand hotels such as the Savoy or Claridge's. You might also do a tea at the Queen's grocers Fortnum and Mason. For something a little more modern, I would also recommend Oblix West. It's at the top of the Shard and offers a very nice tea and great views.

I have nothing to add about the health requirements. I do want to reiterate choose your afternoon tea/high tea very carefully. I didn't know there was a difference. So, I choose according to what was close by and what came in at a good price. It turned out to be the wrong tea. It did have sandwiches and scones. But no pastries, not anything lavish. It wasn't anything special. And the trays it was served on wasn't anything special, even though it did have a couple tiers.

Later, back home, I told my ex-pat BFF how disappointed I was in the high tea I had. I had hoped it would be lavish and stunning, like the afternoon tea at the Plaza Hotel, or I heard, the Peninsula Hotel on Fifth Ave has an exceptional afternoon tea too. She explained there is a difference in afternoon tea and high tea and I had the wrong one. She actually took me to the Plaza Hotel for afternoon tea, sometime after that. I loved it. That was the experience I was hoping for.

 

[Imzadi]

I had no idea London had a TKTS! Yes we are looking into Phantom and maybe wicked.

Just remember, their TKTS booth won't have the top, most popular shows, just like our TKTS booth. You have to try to book elsewhere for those tickets.

https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on
This is the link to Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. It’s very different as they try to recreate what it would have been like in Shakespearean times. So a standing pit and hard seats (but you can hire cushions and blankets). It’s slightly raucous. There is also a restaurant attached, so easy to make an evening of it. It is just across Tower bridge from the Tower of London.
Don’t forget to visit Wales, the land of castles.

YES! As a Broadway theatre lover, you will want to go. They had just a tour, when I went. I didn't get to see any play as they were still building The Globe. Drag your mom any way you can. The tour isn't long. But well worth it.

 

[Imzadi]

Yeah, yeah, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, etc etc etc are all very good places to visit, but my favorites were some lesser known attractions.

Me too. After seeing so many buildings, and more buildings filled with STUFF, I craved being outdoors. Went to Leeds Castle for a day. Another day, took a leisurely boat trip to Hampton Court Palace. I loved the English rose gardens. Both places just had buses/boats for the latter, that go to & from those destinations, like once an hour. So I didn't have to do a tour with a group to go and were stuck with their itinerary. Each time, I made sure to make it back to London in time to have dinner and see a show in the evening.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

That’s the one I was thinking of. https://www.mr-foggs.com/mr-foggs-residence/

Maybe? I remember seeing a drink served on like one of those weight things but this might be it!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Just remember, their TKTS booth won't have the top, most popular shows, just like our TKTS booth. You have to try to book elsewhere for those tickets.




YES! As a Broadway theatre lover, you will want to go. They had just a tour, when I went. I didn't get to see any play as they were still building The Globe. Drag your mom any way you can. The tour isn't long. But well worth it.

Yep that is why we are gonna pre purchase our phantom tickets haha!

Oh we intend to drag her any which way we can. Now trying to convince my dad to see Les mis is another story lol

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

Maybe? I remember seeing a drink served on like one of those weight things but this might be it!

Alternatively this one. Cocktails are presented in a very imaginative, theatrical way. https://www.thebotanistonsloanesquare.com/

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Me too. After seeing so many buildings, and more buildings filled with STUFF, I craved being outdoors. Went to Leeds Castle for a day. Another day, took a leisurely boat trip to Hampton Court Palace. I loved the English rose gardens. Both places just had buses/boats for the latter, that go to & from those destinations, like once an hour. So I didn't have to do a tour with a group to go and were stuck with their itinerary. Each time, I made sure to make it back to London in time to have dinner and see a show in the evening.

Yes to gardens and parks! Love them, shame I never got to see the ones near Blarney Stone in Ireland as I was in a walking boot and a wheelchair-I was very limited. But we love a good garden! Thank you for the suggestions!

 

[Karin1984]

Yep that is why we are gonna pre purchase our phantom tickets haha!

Oh we intend to drag her any which way we can. Now trying to convince my dad to see Les mis is another story lol

If you don't have any must do shows, and are on a budget. Several shows (Phantom and Frozen among them) switched to online day seats:
https://uk.thephantomoftheopera.com/day-tickets/
Theater Monkey does a good job keeping track:
http://www.theatremonkey.com/day-seat-finder

 

[dvcgirl67]

Wow...I did not know you needed to take a Covid test two days after arrival in the UK....even if you are fully vaccinated. This kind of requirement is what is holding us back from booking any international travel. Having to test upon arrival or before return is a risky deal if you'll need to isolate for 10 days...etc. We only just got most of our money back from a big trip to South Africa that was supposed to take place in May of 2020. Now I'd only book completely refundable hotels and for flights something that doesn't have change fees and with a credit that could be used for at least one year.

 

[floridafam]

My son is fully vaccinated. He just returned from Europe. Each country has different requirements but he did return to the US from London. He was mailed a Covid test to take a few days before his flight back but he never received it. He had to get tested at the airport. He arrived very early to make sure he had time to get tested and not risk having to rebook his flight. I think he paid around 40
USD for the test at the airport.

 

[Imzadi]

Yes to gardens and parks! Love them, shame I never got to see the ones near Blarney Stone in Ireland as I was in a walking boot and a wheelchair-I was very limited. But we love a good garden! Thank you for the suggestions!

Ireland is on my bucket list. As well as Scotland. Did you see the movie, P.S. I Love You? Hillary Swank meets Gerard Butler in Wicklow Mountains National Park in Ireland and the view was breathtaking. I'm talking about the park, not Gerard Butler. Although he was something to look at, too.

Here are some of the photos:
Wicklow mountains national park

Had you been over that way?

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

If you don't have any must do shows, and are on a budget. Several shows (Phantom and Frozen among them) switched to online day seats:
https://uk.thephantomoftheopera.com/day-tickets/
Theater Monkey does a good job keeping track:
http://www.theatremonkey.com/day-seat-finder

Ooooo thank you for this!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Wow...I did not know you needed to take a Covid test two days after arrival in the UK....even if you are fully vaccinated. This kind of requirement is what is holding us back from booking any international travel. Having to test upon arrival or before return is a risky deal if you'll need to isolate for 10 days...etc. We only just got most of our money back from a big trip to South Africa that was supposed to take place in May of 2020. Now I'd only book completely refundable hotels and for flights something that doesn't have change fees and with a credit that could be used for at least one year.

Yeah I knew about testing beforehand and I knew someone that went for business that had to test before they left. Again so much can change before we go, but I’d rather be prepared! The one good thing about London is I doubt taking the test would cost much.