Ireland, and England 2017 Day 1: Fly to ­ Overnight flight to Shannon. ​ Day 2: Shannon | Killarney We will meet our Tour Director at the Shannon airport and transfer through County Kerry to the Killarney region. This glacier formed countryside is stunning; if you watch Game of Thrones you have ​ ​ seen some of the incredible landscapes. Today we can live like the locals. The best way to acclimate to the time change is to hit the ground running!

Day 3: Killarney Experience the mystical beauty of Ireland as you journey the 112 miles around the Ring of Kerry. Encounter magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean, the Lakes of Killarney, and Macgillycuddy's Reeks (the tallest mountains in Ireland) as you traverse one of Europe's most spectacular coastal routes. Then we will journey to the Skellig Islands­­a pair of remote, craggy islands off the south­western coast of Ireland. Sceilig Mhichíl, or "Michael's rock", is located on Great Skellig and is the site of the most famous and yet least accessible medieval monasteries. Today the islands are home to seabirds including the Atlantic Puffin (and film crews shooting the current installment of Star Wars films ­ yes, you do recognize it!)

Day 4: Killarney | Dublin Today we visit Blarney Castle and the Rock of Cashel. To reach the legendary stone and to receive the "gift of the gab," you'll have to climb the steps of the castle, lean backward under the parapet wall and kiss the stone upside down. You'll also see the ancient ruins of the Rock of Cashel. Then arrive in literary Dublin, one­time home of James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, and W. B. Yeats. In recent years Dublin has developed as one of Europe's busiest entertainment centers.

Day 5: Dublin Take a guided tour of Dublin. In Dublin we will visit the Georgian Squares, O'Connell Street, St. Stephen's Green, Phoenix Park, we will see the Book of Kells at Trinity College and visit St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Day 6: Dublin | Today we take the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead. We will arrive in North Wales where we will visit National park. We will also visit a Welsh Castle, I am hoping for either or , but there are plenty of amazing ones to choose from. This is the inside of Conwy Castle. Photo credits: me!

I took this picture from one of the towers of Conwy Castle during my visit 3/15.

Snowdonia has amazing terrain and landscapes.

Day 7: North Wales | Bath Region Your Tour Director will lead you around this Welsh capital today. Walk through Bute Park, which make up the old grounds of Cardiff Castle. Also pass by the Millennium Stadium, home of the Welsh

national rugby team. Then we arrive in Bath, an English town known for its ties to Roman history and famous literary personalities. Day 8: Bath Region | London

On my last visit the kids were crazy about Bath, they were amazed at the bridges and architecture. I think their favorite part of the tour of Bath was just looking at the neighborhoods, and pulling the bus over to enjoy a huge grassy lawn outside of one of the beautiful Georgian squares. Inside the Roman baths, where vacationing Romans once enjoyed the hot springs, you feel as if you have been transported back in time in this amazingly preserved Roman day spa. One of the funniest pieces of history the kids enjoyed was learning that the Romans would write curses directed at their enemies onto stones and throw them into the baths to be washed down the river to the gods. (My favorite was “the name of the culprit who has stolen my bracelet”.) On the way to London we will stop at Stonehenge. Archaeologists remain baffled as to what the stone circle means and how it appeared. Mrs. Walker in college visiting Stonehenge. Check out that fashion!

When we arrive in London we will have dinner, and I am hoping we will be lodging in the Kensington area. We stayed in the Kensington area on my last trip with students, and there is so much within walking distance; beautiful Hyde Park (think about the Banks’ residence in Mary Poppins), the quirky ​ ​ shops of Notting Hill, and restaurants representing every flavor and culture across the globe.

Day 9: London ​ A local guide will lead us on a panoramic tour of London. We will see Grosvenor Square, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Speaker’s Corner, the Houses of Parliament, and London's South Bank for views of the famous and London Bridge. We will visit St. Paul's Cathedral, , Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street. We also have an option for a themed tour of London, to include sites made famous in film, television and literature including Harry Potter, Dickens, Sherlock Holmes (both Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock as well as the popular BBC show), Dr. Who, the Beatles, and more.

Day 10: London Visit the Tower of London, one of Mrs. Walker’s favorite places to visit. If you like creepy stories, the Beefeater Guards have plenty of them. Meanwhile ravens as big as dogs hop around croaking at you. The Tower buildings have had many uses over the years; perhaps the most infamous was as a jail for political prisoners, not to mention two of Henry VIII's wives, and the young prince nephews of Richard III. The most famous exhibits at the Tower are the British Crown Jewels. Then, exploration and free time in London! We have an option to visit Windsor Castle, or we can choose to stay in the city; we can visit Notting Hill and the quirky shops, we can stroll nearby Hyde Park, we can visit Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square, we can try exotic restaurants off the beaten path, we can see a West End show, who knows, maybe we can catch a Premier League game! The city is our oyster! Our last night in London we have a traditional fish and chips dinner, and we create a special presentation to thank our Tour Director. On my last trip with students to the UK our tour director kept telling me the whole time that my students were the best group of polite, well­behaved, well­mannered and appreciative students he had ever had. During our dinner when we presented him with a card and everyone thanked him, he got a little teary. Day 11 We return home. ​ ​

Why this trip?

A custom tour means: a tour guide dedicated just to us, no sharing hotel rooms, no sharing a bus, no ​ sharing tour experiences.This means we get through sites easier and faster than if we were with a huge group, we get a more intimate and personalized experience, AND we can make changes and detours as convenient. On my last trip to the UK with students, if we saw something we wanted to go visit, we went, we weren’t tied to decision making with other groups. And if the group was tired and needed a break, we could choose something more relaxing. My favorite part of travel is honestly the free time to live like a local. If we want to walk around the grocery store and see what kind of goodies they have (and the Brits have plenty to choose from in the way of sweets and goodies) we can. If we want to stop and stroll and shop down an enchanting little side street we can. If we want to take a hike up a cool looking path we can.

Tour leaders who have been where we are going and know what to expect. I spent a semester in college in the UK, and I ​ have spent Spring Break in the UK two out of the last three years. The UK has a culture and history I am passionate about.

Oh, and I also speak the language.

A longer trip often means savings. If you compare the price per day of other trips I feel this trip is ​ extremely competitive.

England is an easy, fast flight for the time period of Spring Break.

A chance to make new friends while learning through experiences.