YOUR O.A.T. ADVENTURE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE®

New! Idyllic : England’s Lake District, the Scottish Highlands & Orkney Archipelago 2022 Small Groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! (average of 13) Overseas Adventure Travel ® The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled 1 Dear Traveler,

At last, the world is opening up again for curious travel lovers like you and me. And the O.A.T. New! Idyllic Great Britain: England’s Lake District, the Scottish Highlands & Orkney Archipelago itinerary you’ve expressed interest in will be a wonderful way to resume the discoveries that bring us so much joy. You might soon be enjoying standout moments like these:

There’s nothing more idyllic than the English countryside. It’s like stepping into a panoramic postcard of shimmering lakes, craggy hilltops, and mountainous tarns. You’ll witness this ethereal beauty when you spend A Day in the Life of a Herdick Sheep farm in England’s Lake District. You’ll be greeted at the village hall by James, a local spokesperson for the Herdwick farming community, and other farmers within the community to learn about what life is like farming here in the Lake District. Then, you’ll get a hands-on experience at the farm, as you help feed and herd the sheep, before sitting down for a farm-fresh meal with James’ family.

The lands of the are full of endless beauty but are also rife with a storied history that stretches back millenia. Though culturally unique from England in many ways, Wales has never truly been its own separate nation. Over the centuries, the relationship between these neighboring nations has been shaped by the political, economic, and cultural leanings of England. There has been growing support for Welsh independence with the percentage of people who would vote for separation from the UK at an all-time high. You’ll hear the arguments for and against this movement during a conversation with two locals—one Welsh and one English.

The way we see it, you’ve come a long way to experience the true culture—not some fairytale version of it. So we keep our groups small, with only 8-16 travelers (average 13) to ensure that your encounters with local people are as intimate and authentic as possible. It’s also why your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader will be a resident “insider” who can show you the culture as only a local can.

To ensure that your adventure is truly unique, put your own personal stamp on it. You can arrive early and stay later, add a pre- or post-trip extension, spend time in a Stopover city, or combine two or more trips. Plus, your itinerary offers ample free time so you can pursue your own interests.

So until the day comes when you are off to enjoy your New! Idyllic Great Britain: England’s Lake District, the Scottish Highlands & Orkney Archipelago adventure, I hope you will relish the fun and anticipation that this O.A.T. Adventure Travel Planning Guide® will inspire. Should you have further questions, feel free to call our Regional Adventure Counselors at 1-800-955-1925.

Love and peace,

Harriet R. Lewis Vice Chairman, Overseas Adventure Travel

P.S. For further peace of mind, please know that we are EXTENDING our Risk-Free Booking Policy through 12/31/21. Learn more at www.oattravel.com/risk-free-booking.

USA Today “Best Tours” 10Best Readers’ Presented by Choice Awards Solo Traveler

2 CONTENTS

A Letter from Harriet Lewis ...... 2 The O.A.T. Difference...... 4 The Freedom to Personalize Your Experience ...... 6 Grand Circle Foundation...... 8 The Leader in Solo Travel ...... 9

IDYLLIC GREAT BRITAIN: ENGLAND’S ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: LAKE DISTRICT, THE SCOTTISH HIGH- CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE LANDS & ORKNEY ARCHIPELAGO Culture of the British Isles ...... 71 Your Adventure at a Glance: Language in ...... 73 Where You’re Going, What it Costs, Language in Ireland ...... 74 and What’s Included ...... 10 Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary ...... 12 Shipping & More ...... 77 Pre-Trip Extensions ...... 29 Post-Trip Extensions ...... 40 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY Dates & Prices ...... 49 United Kingdom in Brief...... 80 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 80 ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION England ...... 80 Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. . . 50 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 80 No Visas Required ...... 50 England: A Brief History ...... 81 Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ...... 52 Scotland...... 82 Vaccines Required ...... 53 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 82 Money Matters: Local Currency & Tipping Scotland: A Brief History ...... 83 Guidelines ...... 55 Northern Ireland ...... 84 Tipping Guidelines...... 58 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 84 Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ..... 59 Northern Ireland: A Brief History ...... 85 Optional Tours ...... 59 Ireland ...... 86 Communicating with Home from Abroad . . 60 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 86 Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . . . 62 Ireland: A Brief History ...... 87 Suggested Packing Lists ...... 64 Electricity Abroad ...... 66 RESOURCES Climate & Average Temperatures ...... 68 Suggested Reading ...... 89 Suggested Film & Video ...... 91

O.A.T. Health & Safety Measures...... 95 Notes...... 96 Map ...... 99

3 EXPERIENCE THE O.A.T. DIFFERENCE in the United Kingdom

This adventure not only showcases iconic sights, but takes you beyond them to experience the culture through unique activities, engagement with the natural world, and authentic encounters with local people. Since our founding in 1978, O.A.T. has become America’s leader in personalized small group journeys on the road less traveled.

SMALL GROUPS: 8-16 TRAVELERS LOCAL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION (AVERAGE OF 13)—GUARANTEED To see the world like the locals, you should The world feels more intimate and engaging travel like one. Our small group size allows when your experience of it is also personal us to take the roads and waterways that are and genuine. That’s why our groups never less traveled, and we often follow them using exceed 16 travelers. This gives you access to the same unique modes of transportation people and places larger groups simply can’t that the locals use—be it a canoe, a camel or a reach. More authentic interactions. Deeper vintage cab. bonds with your travel mates. Personal service from your Trip Experience Leader. Smoother UNIQUE LODGINGS transitions. And a far more satisfying Our lodgings reflect the local character, experience than any traditional tour offers. from smaller family-run hotels and historic manors to comfy inns. Occasionally, larger THE BEST TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS hotels closer to city centers are used. Wherever Your English-speaking, O.A.T. Trip Experience you stay, you’re assured fine comfort and Leader is a resident of the region you are visiting, hospitality. so you will get a true insider’s perspective that brings each place alive—the stories, food, OUR WORLDWIDE OFFICES customs, hidden treasures and more. With 36 regional offices around the world, we are perfectly poised to leverage our local AUTHENTIC CULTURAL CONNECTIONS relationships to deliver an excellent experience Engage with local people through visits to and value. During this trip, you’ll be supported farms, factories, markets, and artisans’ studios; by our team in . school visits; Home-Hosted meals; and more.

Stroll the cobbled streets of Stromness, Scotland Explore the grounds of Edinburgh Castle with fellow travelers

4 THE PILLARS OF DISCOVERY En riching. Inspiring. Unforgettable. These features form the foundation of your Idyllic Great Britain adventure.

GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION (GCF) VISIT and we’ll meet a local Tangier woman to GCF was established in 1992 to help change discuss women’s roles and the challenges they people’s lives in the world where we live, face in contemporary Moroccan society. work, and travel. To date, we have pledged or A DAY IN THE LIFE donated $200 million worldwide. Do you ever wonder, “What would it be like By investing in the places we explore— to live here?” when you visit new lands? Let’s including local schools, cooperatives, or arts find out during your O.A.T. A Day in the Life, an centers—we hope to give locals the skills and exclusive, immersive experience that places confidence they need to become leaders of you in the heart of a community where you’ll their generation and preserve their heritage meet various people where they live, work, for many years to come. We’re proud to play and play; visit the neighborhood school; lend a a part in preserving precious locales like the hand with daily chores; and break bread with Bryggen waterfront district of Bergen, a living our hosts. example of the glory days of the Hanseatic On this adventure, we immerse ourselves in League, and supporting villages like Harmi in the daily activities of a Herdwick sheep farm Estonia, whose once-struggling school is now during A Day in the Life experience. We’ll help a center of community life. the farmers feed and herd the sheep, as well CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS as sit down for a meal together. Every culture has its joys and achievements, HOME-HOSTED EXPERIENCES and we celebrate them all. But every place Stories shared. Differences solved. Taste buds also has its challenges, and to gloss over them engaged. Good will extended. It’s amazing the would not do justice to those whose stories things that can happen across a kitchen table, need to be told—nor to you, as a traveler who so we’ll break into groups of 4-5 to join a local deserves more than a sugar-coated version of family in their home for a snack or a meal. things. So our Trip Experience Leaders will This is a rare opportunity to witness family lead frank discussions on controversial issues, life, learn local customs, and taste some and introduce you to people whose stories will home-cooked fare. expand your understanding. On this adventure, we’ll learn more about the For example, we’ll speak to an expert in rich culture of Wales when we share a meal Russia about free speech and the popularity with a local family in their home. During of President Vladimir Putin; in Zambia, we’ll our visit, we’ll have the opportunity to get a have a candid conversation with a park ranger glimpse of the family’s daily life—where they in Kafue National Park on trophy hunting, a live, what they cook, and how they feel about controversial sport which generates around their homeland. $200 million in annual revenue across Africa;

5 You're in control with THE FREEDOM TO PERSONALIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE Exclusively with O.A.T. Your Choice. Your Adventure. Your Way.

It’s your adventure, so why not make it exactly what you want it to be? We offer an exclusive variety of options that let you tailor your adventure so it’s completely your own. In fact, O.A.T. is the only travel company to offer this level of flexibility and choice for a truly personalized experience.

PRE- OR POST-TRIP EXTENSIONS 2. Great value: All extensions include Every O.A.T. adventure offers at least one accommodations, daily breakfast, and optional pre-trip and one post-trip extension. airport transfers. Here’s why more than 55% of O.A.T. travelers 3. Continuity and camaraderie: You’ll usually choose to take a pre- or post-trip extension: travel with the same Trip Experience Leader who leads your main trip, enjoying more of 1. You’ll maximize your discoveries—often his or her insider expertise—and more time in an even smaller group than your main to bond with the group. adventure (on average, 6 travelers with a dedicated Trip Experience Leader)—and take advantage of your included airfare.

Optional Extensions offered with your Northern United Kingdom adventure

Exploring the : Along England’s Southwest Coast: & Salisbury, the Jurassic Coast & 7 nights pre-trip from $3295 7 nights pre-trip from $3095

Mont Orgueil Castle, Jersey, United Kingdom Jurassic coast, Dorset, England

Scotland & the Emerald Isle: Glasgow, Classic English Landscapes: Belfast & Dublin The Cotswolds to London 7 nights post-trip from $3395 7 nights post-trip from $3495

Glasgow, Scotland Castle Combe, Cotswolds, England

6 ARRIVE EARLY, STAY LATER our Regional Adventure Counselors can provide Extending your time abroad—with us or recommendations when helping you plan on your own—is the best way to broaden this option. your experience. It’s also a practical way to COMBINE ADVENTURES maximize the value of the international airfare You’re already overseas. Why not see more and covered in your main itinerary. maximize your value by avoiding the cost and Expand Your Discoveries Before length of another international flight? Here’s or After Your Adventure why 2,250 O.A.T. travelers combined two or more adventures in 2019: Arrive early in the first destination on your pre-trip extension or main adventure, or stay • Save a total of $600-$3000 per person when later in the last city on your main adventure or you combine two adventures compared to the post-trip extension. By coming early, you can cost of taking each trip separately. rest after your flight and adjust—with time to • Apply the 5% or 6% Frequent Traveler Credit explore. By staying later, you have extra time you earn on your first trip to your second trip. to relax, pack, or continue exploring. • Sir Edmund Hillary Club members save an Perhaps you’ll choose to spend more time in extra $250-$350 per person when booking Chester before your main trip; arrive early multiple trips in a calendar year. in Windsor on the Channel Islands pre-trip • Our Regional Adventure Counselors make all extension; spend more time in Salisbury the arrangements for a seamless experience. before your England’s Southwest Coast pre-trip extension; conclude your main trip with more Combine this trip with our Irish Adventure: time in Inverness; remain in Dublin after Dublin, Belfast & the Northwest Counties your Scotland & the Emerald Isle post-trip adventure—for a total cost of $8790-$10,890 extension; or spend more time in London after per person—and save $800-$1300 per person your Classic English Landscapes post-trip versus taking each trip separately. extension. Whatever you choose, our Regional AIR PREFERENCES Adventure Counselors are here to help you 54% of our travelers customize their air tailor your O.A.T. airfare to personalize your itineraries: experience. • Choose your departure city and airline Stopover in any major international city • Depart from one city and return to another Travelers with O.A.T. airfare have the • Upgrade to Premium Economy or opportunity to stopover in popular cities en Business Class route to your main adventure. Speak with one of our Regional Adventure Counselors to learn FREEDOM OF CHOICE DURING YOUR more about your options and to arrange your ADVENTURE international airfare. Our itineraries provide a balance of included You are free to choose however you’d like to activities and free time so you always have spend this additional time exploring, including the flexibility to participate in included the tours you take, activities you plan, and activities, go off on your own entirely, or do a restaurants you visit. If you’d like ideas about mix of both. how to spend this time and what to see and do,

7 GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION Changing people’s lives, one village, one school, one person at a time

GIVING BACK TO THE WORLD WE TRAVEL Dear Traveler, Since our inception in 1992, the Grand Circle In 1992 we established Grand Circle Foundation has pledged or donated more than Foundation, an entity of the Lewis Family $200 million to projects around the world. Foundation, as a means to give back to the world that had already given us so JOIN OUR GENEROUS TRAVELERS much. We’ve pledged or donated more We consider each and every one of our travelers than $200 million worldwide to support to be partners in our worldwide giving. the education of young people and the Some travelers, however, are so inspired by preservation of international treasures the schools and villages they visit, they are and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. compelled to give more. In fact, our travelers have donated more than $1 million in 2019 Of course, none of this would be possible alone. And because we have no administrative without your help. A portion of the costs, 100% of donations are used to help proceeds of every adventure is donated to change people’s lives. Grand Circle Foundation—so just as your life will be enriched by the discoveries BETTER OUR OWN COMMUNITIES— you’ll make on your journey, you’ll also ALL AROUND THE WORLD help to enrich the lives of the people you’ll In addition to the destinations where we travel, meet along the way. we strive to better the communities where Thank you for traveling with us, and for we work—from our headquarters in Boston helping to change people’s lives. to our 36 offices around the world. In Boston, more than 99% of our associates participate Love and peace, in community service each year. Worldwide, nearly all of our offices organize annual community service events of their own. Harriet R. Lewis Chair, Grand Circle Foundation How you can help To learn more about ongoing Foundation projects, you can sign up for our weekly e-newsletter, the Inside Scoop, at www.oattravel.com/community/the- inside-scoop. When you do, you’ll not only receive updates on Grand Circle Foundation, but the latest news and discoveries on all things Grand Circle and Overseas Adventure Travel.

SCAN ME See how Grand Circle Foundation is giving back in this video Open the camera feature on your mobile device, and hover the lens over this code to scan it. A pop-up notification will take you www.grandcirclefoundation.org directly to the video.

8 THE LEADER IN SOLO TRAVEL in the United Kingdom—and Around the World

ON THIS ADVENTURE … FREE Single Supplements: We don’t charge The leader in solo-friendly a single supplement on this adventure and travel for Americans—by optional trip extensions—a savings of $650- the numbers $1295 per person compared to other travel companies. But single spaces fill quickly, so early reservations are advised. More than 50% of all O.A.T. travelers are women who travel solo Travel Solo, But Never Alone: On average, half of your group will also be traveling independently, so it’s easier to forge special In 2022, we’re offering 30,000 bonds as you experience unforgettable singles spaces across all O.A.T. moments together during your adventure. adventures. That’s 86% more than Plus, your Trip Experience Leader can help offered in 2019 connect you with fellow travelers who share your common interests. 92% of our 30,000 single spaces You’ll be in good hands, thanks to your have FREE Single Supplements. The dedicated local Trip Experience Leader remaining 8% have the lowest single (a resident of the United Kingdom), and supplements in the industry. the expertise of our regional office team in London.

Increased Single Space: In 2022, we have In 2022, we’re offering 25 exclusive up to 7 single spaces per departure. women’s departures on some of our See available FREE single space at most popular itineraries www.oattravel.com/nXN2022.

NEW! 101+ SCAN ME Tips for Solo Women Travelers This complimentary, 96-page booklet is a comprehensive collection of savvy tips specifically for seasoned women travelers going solo. Learn about safety for solos, packing like a pro, the best travel apps, self-care on the road, and more. Scan this code to view an online copy or to request one by mail.

9 New Adventure Savings: $500 per couple on ANY 2022 departure

New! Idyllic Great Britain: England’s Lake District, the Scottish Highlands & Orkney Archipelago Small Group Adventure England:!ĞāŭŶāũ̇dÖĴā'ĢŭŶũĢóŶ̳Ά̳Scotland: Edinburgh, Orkney Islands, Inverness

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Small groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! It’s Included (average of 13)

Explore in a small group of 8-16 33 meals—15 breakfasts, 9 lunches, FROM PER DAY DAYS • • travelers (average group size of 13) and 9 dinners (including 1 Home- $ $ Hosted Lunch) 5695 335 17 • International airfare, airport transfers, government taxes, fees, and airline fuel • 17 small group activities Including international airfare surcharges unless you choose to make Services of a local O.A.T. Trip your own air arrangements • FREE Single Supplement Experience Leader All land transportation • • Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and • Accommodations for 15 nights luggage porters Maximize Your • 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward Discoveries & Value your next O.A.T. trip

SCAN ME Optional extension s : Exploring the Channel Islands: Watch our #1 most popular video Jersey & Guernsey for this adventure 7 nights pre-trip from $3295 Open the camera feature on your mobile device, and hover Travel from only $471 per night the lens over this code to scan it. A pop-up notification will take you directly to the video. Along England’s Southwest Coast: Salisbury, the Jurassic Coast & Cornwall 7 nights pre-trip from $3095 Travel from only $443 per night Scotland & the Emerald Isle: Glasgow, Belfast & Dublin 7 nights post-trip from $3395 Travel from only $485 per night Classic English Landscapes: The Cotswolds to London 7 nights post-trip from $3495 Travel from only $500 per night

Idyllic Great Britain: England’s Lake District, the Scottish Highlands & Orkney Archipelago

10 Orkney Islands Itinerary Summary Skara Brae Kirkwall To/From U.S. Atlantic POST-TRIP EXTENSIONS Internal flight Gills Bay Inverness Land route Ocean L. Ness Ferry route SCOTLAND Pre-trip extensions: 7 nights in 060Miles Atlantic L. Lomond Exploring the Channel Islands: Jersey & Ocean Glasgow Guernsey OR 7 nights in Along England’s Inverness N. IRELAND Southwest Coast: Salisbury, the Jurassic Isle of Belfast PRE-TRIP EXTENSIONS Skye Coast & Cornwall Cairngorms N.P. IRELAND ENGLAND To Manchester Windsor Irish Sea London Dublin Glendalough WALES ENGLAND Gatwick SCOTLAND From Inverness Cambridge Dunblane DAYS DESTINATION Stirling n e l Cotswolds h C h a n E n g l i s Edinburgh St. Peter Port 1 Fly to Manchester, England Guernsey London Jersey St. Helier FRANCE Bath ENGLAND To Hadrian’s Wall Manchester WALES From English Channel 2-4 Chester London NORTHERN Atlantic Salisbury IRELAND Ocean ENGLAND Lake District N.P. ENGLAND y qua Beer Dales N.P. 5-6 Lake District ew I ISLE OF MAN N R North E Falmouth n n e l L Irish Sea Manchester Sea h a A i s h C g l N En Caernarfon FRANCE D 7-9 Edinburgh, Scotland S Chester Snowdonian Mtns. WALE

10-12 Kirkwall What to Expect 13-16 Inverness

17 Return to U.S. Pacing: 5 locations in 16 days Post-trip extensions: 7 nights in Scotland Physical requirements: Must be able to walk approximately 2-3 miles unassisted & the Emerald Isle: Glasgow, Belfast & each day and participate in 6-8 hours of daily physical activities Dublin OR 7 nights in Classic English Flight time: Travel time will be 7-16 hours and will most likely have one connection Landscapes: The Cotswolds to London View all physical requirements at www.oattravel.com/nuk2022

3 Ways Travelers Are United Kingdom : The O.A.T. Difference Personalizing This Adventure Unbeatable Value Travel at the lowest price and per diems in the industry. Join the more than 85% of travelers who are choosing to personalize their adventure People-to-People Experiences: Spend A Day in the Life of a Herdwick sheep by arriving early, staying later, and discov- farm in England’s Lake District and get a hands-on experience, as we help feed ering more. and herd the sheep. We’ll also meet the industrious sheepdogs who assist the • Add a pre- or post-trip extension to family corralling their flock. Plus, enjoy a traditional Welsh meal with a family in maximize your discoveries and value Caernarfon during a Home-Hosted Lunch. • Arrive early or stay later in a favorite city O.A.T. Exclusives: Get a fuller picture of this region by engaging in frank • Upgrade your seat and choose your conversations with the people who live here. We’ll meet with English and preferred airline carrier Welsh locals in Chester to talk about the divided topic of Welsh independence. Then we’ll learn about a similar topic on the Orkney Islands when we congregate in Kirkwall’s Town Hall to discuss the pros and cons of the Scottish independence movement.

Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www.oattravel.com/nuk2022

11 Idyllic Great Britain: England’s Lake District, the Scottish Highlands & Orkney Archipelago

YOUR DETAILED ITINERARY

BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE WITH AN OPTIONAL PRE-TRIP EXTENSION 7 nights in Exploring the Channel Islands: Jersey & Guernsey

Day 1 Depart U.S. Day 6 Ferry to Guernsey Island • Explore St. Peter’s Port Day 2 Arrive in London, U.K. • Transfer to Windsor Day 7 Explore Guernsey • Visit Candie Gardens • Visit Day 3 Fly to Jersey, Channel Islands • Explore St. Helier Day 8 Visit Rocquette cider farm • Explore L’eree Headland Day 4 Visit Jersey War Tunnels • Lunch with a Nazi descendant • Explore Day 9 Fly to Manchester • Join main German bunkers adventure in Chester Day 5 Visit a Jersey Cow farm

OR 7 nights in Along England’s Southwest Coast: Salisbury, the Jurassic Coast & Cornwall

Day 1 Depart U.S. for London, England Day 6 Discover Falmouth • Visit a traditional Cornish bakery • Explore the Day 2 Arrive in London, England • Cornish coast Transfer to Salisbury Day 7 Explore Land’s End Peninsula Day 3 Explore Salisbury • Visit Chysauster Village • Visit St. Day 4 Explore the Jurassic Coast • Beer Michael’s Mount quarry visit Day 8 Visit Bodmin Moor • Moors pony Day 5 Visit Dartmoor National Park • farm visit • Visit Port Isaac Transfer to Falmouth Day 9 Fly to Manchester • Join main trip

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

12 Day 1 Depart U.S. for Manchester, England any changes that may need to occur). Logistics, safety and emergency procedures, and any Depart for your overnight flight to questions will also be discussed. Manchester, England. Dinner: Tonight, you’ll be given a voucher to Day 2 Arrive in Manchester, England • dine at the hotel restaurant any time you wish between 7pm-9pm. Transfer to Chester • Destination: Chester Evening: You have the freedom to retire to your room for the night to rest, or to experience • Included Meals: Dinner Chester’s nightlife. You might like to find a local • Accommodations: Hotel in Chester or similar pub where you can grab a pint with your fellow Morning/Afternoon: You’ll arrive in travelers and toast to the discoveries to come. Manchester in the morning or afternoon, depending on your specific flight arrangements. Freedom To Explore: During your three days in Upon arrival, expect to spend about 45 minutes Chester, you have the freedom to explore this clearing customs and completing any health fascinating city on your own during your free guidelines your airline requires. You will then time. Below are some recommended options for be met by an O.A.T. representative and escorted independent explorations: to your hotel by private motorcoach. The • Browse the Chester Indoor Market: Located transfer from the airport in Manchester to the in the city’s center, the Chester Indoor city of Chester is approximately 45 minutes, Market is a popular meeting place for locals, depending on traffic. with dozens of individual shops and stalls Upon arrival at our hotel in Chester, we’ll check offering a diverse, eclectic mix of goods all in, receive our room assignments, and meet sold by local shopkeepers. One of our favorite up with our Trip Experience Leader and those stalls is The Cheese Wedge, run by a friendly travelers who took our Exploring the Channel local named Kevin whose philosophy is to Islands: Jersey & Guernsey or our Along England’s try before you buy—which makes choosing Southwest Coast: Salisbury, the Jurassic Coast & between his wide selection of cheeses Cornwall pre-trip extensions. Depending on much easier. where we stay, hotel amenities may include • Hours: 10am-6pm, Monday-Saturday. an on-site restaurant and bar, while each of • Cost: Free. the hotel’s air-conditioned rooms typically • Take a stroll through Edgar’s Field: A feature coffee- and tea-making facilities, a 10-minute walk from the city center is an safe, TV, wireless Internet access, and a private oasis of green and calm known as Edgar’s bathroom. You’ll have some free time to settle Field, with views of the River Dee near the in and unpack. Then you may wish to join our end of the Old Dee Bridge. The park occupies Trip Experience Leader on an orientation walk over 2 acres of land and is home to a unique of the surrounding area. Roman shrine to the goddess Minerva, Around 6pm, we’ll gather together in a private overgrown with greenery. Edgar’s Field is room at the hotel for a 45-minute Welcome Briefing with our Trip Experience Leader, during which we will introduce ourselves and review our itinerary in more detail (including

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

13 also the traditional home of the local fishing Chester has a significant Welsh population; community and fishing boats can often be in fact, more Welsh people recently moved seen bobbing in the nearby river. across the border to this city than any other • How to get there: A 10-minute walk from place in the UK. This makes it an ideal location the city center. to discuss the relationship between Wales • Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. and England. • Cost: Free. Though culturally unique from England in • Enjoy a cuppa at Chester Cathedral’s many ways, Wales was never truly its own Refectory Café: Located in the 13th-century separate nation—apart from a short period monk’s dining hall of Chester Cathedral, the in the 11th century. Instead, it was comprised Refectory Café is a unique place to grab a cup of different kingdoms united by language and of tea or coffee and a bite to eat. Gaze up at culture—but divided by rivalries and territory the medieval vaulted ceilings, 17th-century disputes. This division made it easy for the tapestries, and intricate stained-glass win- larger and more ambitious England to take over. dows as you savor a freshly made , Eventually, in 1283 AD, the last independent cake, or pastry. factions of Wales were defeated by England’s • Hours: 11am-4pm, Monday-Saturday; King Edward I. Over the centuries, the 12pm-4pm, Sunday. relationship between these neighboring nations • Cost: A typical meal costs around $10 USD. has been shaped by the political, economic, and cultural leanings of the more populous England. Day 3 Explore Chester • Visit Roman And while the Welsh language is still taught in Amphitheater • A conversation about the schools, only about 19% of Welsh people use it relationship between Wales and England regularly. with Welsh and English locals Yet despite these signs of English cultural • Destination: Chester dominance, there has been growing support • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner for Welsh independence with the percentage of people who would vote for separation from • Accommodations: Hotel in Chester or similar the UK at an all-time high. Today we’ll hear Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-9am, the arguments for and against this movement with English and American options available. during a conversation with two locals—one Welsh and one English. During our one-hour Morning: Around 9am, we’ll walk around 10 chat, we’ll have plenty of time to ask any minutes together to one of Chester’s oldest questions we may have. attractions—its ancient Roman Amphitheater. Dating all the way back to the 1st century, Then around 10:30am, we’ll set off on a walking this amphitheater is the largest discovered tour of Chester. We’ll see more evidence of in Britain. While not as grand in scale as the its ancient past in the surrounding Roman Colosseum in Rome, excavations have shown walls made of local red sandstone. We will also the arena was used for various forms of similar stroll Chester’s old city and visit the Rows—a entertainment, including gladiatorial combat. unique shopping district that features 2-story covered arcades and Tudor-style half-timber This morning, we will meet some of Chester’s buildings. And we’ll witness Chester Cathedral: modern-day residents—one English and one Founded as a Benedictine abbey in 1092, then Welsh. Situated right on the border of Wales,

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

14 later rebuilt in 1250 in the Gothic style, the Around 10:30am, we’ll arrive at our first stop in cathedral today represents all the major styles North Wales—Caernarfon Castle. Rising from of English medieval architecture, from Norman the banks of the River Seinont, Caernarfon to Perpendicular. Our 1.5-city hour tour will Castle is one of the most famous medieval end at a local restaurant where we will stop in fortresses in Wales and—along with King for lunch. Edward I’s other castles in Conwy, Beaumaris, and Harlech—is a UNESCO World Heritage Lunch: Around 12pm, we’ll enjoy lunch in Site. Unlike Edward’s other Welsh castles, a local restaurant, featuring a selection of Caernarfon Castle was created not just as an traditional Cheshire cheeses. imposing fortress of defense but was also a seat Afternoon: The remainder of the afternoon is of royal power and seen as a symbol of English free for independent exploration. Perhaps you’ll dominance over Wales. visit Chester’s famous Wishing Steps and see if We’ll explore here until around 12pm, anyone is putting in the considerable effort it after which we’ll break into smaller groups supposedly takes to have a wish granted—for of no more than 5 and drive to our next it is said that anyone who can run up and down destination—lunch. the stairs twice without drawing breath will see their dreams come true. Lunch: Around 12pm, we’ll be welcomed into the home of a local Welsh family living nearby Dinner: We’ll reconvene around 6pm tonight in Caernarfon, a traditional Welsh-speaking for a Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant. town, for a Home-Hosted Lunch. The families Evening: Free to spend as you wish—ask your we visit will be from a variety of different Trip Experience Leader for recommendations. backgrounds—from farmers and fishermen to teachers. During our visit, we’ll have the Day 4 Overland to Wales • Visit Caernarfon opportunity to get a glimpse of the family’s daily life—where they live, what they cook, Castle • Home-Hosted Lunch • Welsh and how they feel about their homeland. We’ll Slate Museum visit • Return to Chester sit down together and savor a typical Welsh • Destination: Chester meal while making cultural connections • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch across the table. We’ll also have plenty • Accommodations: Hotel in Chester or similar of time to ask our hosts any questions we may have, such as what their position is on Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today we will Welsh independence—thinking back on the experience a slice of daily life in Wales as we are conversation we had yesterday. welcomed into the home of a local Welsh family for a Home-Hosted Lunch. Read more about Afternoon: We’ll bid our hosts goodbye around this immersive activity below. 2pm and begin a scenic drive through the Snowdonian Mountains on the way to our Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-9am, next destination, the coal mining village of with English and American options available. Llamberis. Here, we’ll visit the local Welsh Slate Morning: We’ll depart our hotel around 9am Museum, where we will hear about the quarry via private motorcoach and begin the 1.5-hour (now more than 100 years old), the dangers drive to North Wales this morning. slate miners once faced, and even learn how to split slate during a demonstration.

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15 We’ll embark on our 1.5-hour drive back to Lake District is a popular vacation destination Chester around 4pm, arriving back at our hotel and national park known for its glacial lakes, around 5:30pm. craggy mountain fells, and sprawling green countryside. Its wealth of natural beauty Dinner: On your own in Chester—ask your Trip attracted an array of poets and writers in the Experience Leader for recommendations. 19th century—from William Wordsworth and Evening: Free to spend in Chester Samuel Taylor Coleridge to Beatrix Potter. however you wish. These impressive connections made the Lake District as famous for its literary pedigree as it Day 5 Transfer to the Lake District • Scenic is for its pastoral scenery. drive through Yorkshire Dales • Meet with We’ll arrive and check in to our hotel a local dry stone waller around 4pm. Depending on where we stay, • Destination: Lake District hotel amenities may include an on-site restaurant and bar, while each of the hotel’s • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner air-conditioned rooms typically feature coffee- • Accommodations: Hotel in Lake District and tea-making facilities, a safe, TV, wireless or similar Internet access, and a private bathroom. We’ll Breakfast: Served at the hotel from have about an hour to settle in and unpack. 7am-8:30am, with English and American options available. Then around 5pm, we’ll join our Trip Experience Leader on an orientation walk of Morning: We depart early this the area. At the end of our walk, we’ll meet up morning—around 8:30am—to begin our drive with a local dry stone waller named Robert. to the Lake District. During our journey through ’s countryside today, one defining feature you Our overland journey will take us through the may have noticed is the rugged stone walls Yorkshire Dales, a scenic region of Northern that curl around fields and line roadsides. England famous for its white limestone cliffs, Incredibly, these walls are created without the rivers, and lush green valleys—or, “dales.” The use of concrete—instead, craftsmen assemble natural beauty of this upland area earned it the these walls by expertly fitting each slab of rock recognition of being named a national park in and stone together. Robert will explain the 1954. We’ll have plenty of time to admire and skill it takes to create these distinct walls and appreciate the views during our 3.5-hour drive, discusses how the knowledge of this age-old with a scenic stop or two along the way. craft may be lost, as fewer and fewer people Lunch: We’ll arrive in a small Dales village learn this distinct technique. around 12pm, just in time for lunch on Dinner: After our conversation with Robert, your own. we’ll walk to a local lakeside pub to enjoy Afternoon: You’ll have some free time to dinner around 6:30pm. explore this little countryside village on your Evening: The remainder of the evening is on own. Then around 2pm, we’ll climb back your own—ask your Trip Experience Leader for aboard our private motorcoach and drive the recommendations. rest of the way to the Lake District. Located in the Cumbria region of northwest England, the

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16 Day 6 A Day in the Life of a Herdwick We’ll also get a hands-on experience at the sheep farm farm, as we help feed and herd the sheep. We’ll then meet the industrious sheepdogs who • Destination: Lake District help corral the flock—and learn how these • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch clever animals are trained during a herding • Accommodations: Hotel in Lake District demonstration on the Lakeland fells. Next, or similar we’ll head inside to help prepare lunch. Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today we immerse Lunch: With James and his family at their farm. ourselves in the daily activities of a Herdwick We’ll enjoy the traditional hearty fare farmers sheep farm during A Day in the Life experience. usually serve for their midday meal. We’ll help the farmers feed and herd the sheep, as well as sit down for a meal together. Read Afternoon: Around 2pm, we’ll thank James more about this exclusive activity below. and his family for their hospitality, then drive back to our hotel, arriving around 2:30pm. The Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-9am, rest of the afternoon is free for independent with English and American options available. discoveries. Morning: This morning, we’ll depart our hotel Dinner: On your own—perhaps you’ll ask via private motorcoach to spend A Day in the your Trip Experience Leader to recommend a Life of a Herdwick sheep farm. Herdwick is a favorite local pub or restaurant. breed of domestic sheep native to the Lake District in northwestern England—the name Evening: The evening is free to spend as “Herdwick” is derived from the Old Norse you wish—you may choose to settle down herdvyck, which simply means “sheep pasture.” early in preparation for our journey to Though low in lambing capacity and perceived Edinburgh tomorrow. wool quality when compared to more common commercial breeds, Herdwicks are prized for Day 7 Overland to Edinburgh, Scotland • their robust health, their ability to live solely by Visit Hadrian’s Wall foraging, and their tendency to be territorial, • Destination: Edinburgh which means they rarely stray over the difficult upland terrain and become lost or hurt. 99% of • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner all Herdwick sheep are commercially farmed • Accommodations: Hotel in Edinburgh here in the Lake District. or similar Breakfast: Served at the hotel from We’ll arrive around 9:30am and be greeted at 7am-8:30am, with English and American the village hall by James, a local spokesperson options available. for the Herdwick farming community, as well as some of the other local sheep farmers. We Morning: This morning, we’ll check out of will learn about what life is like farming here our hotel and around 8:30am we’ll begin our in the Lake District during our chat with the drive to Edinburgh, stopping first at Hadrian’s various families present. Afterwards, James will Wall—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—which invite us to his farm where we will meet two is located near the border of England and generations of his family and learn about how Scotland. sheep farming has changed over the years.

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17 Around 10am, we’ll arrive at Hadrian’s Wall. features coffee- and tea-making facilities, a Built to guard the wild northern frontier of safe, TV, wireless Internet access, and a private the Roman Empire in AD122 and stretching bathroom. We’ll have about 1.5 hours to settle an incredible 73 miles from the North Sea in before joining our Trip Experience Leader on to the Irish Sea, the wall was an ambitious an orientation walk of the surrounding area. undertaking that required vision and an Dinner: Our walk will end around 6pm at a local outstanding level of engineering skill from restaurant where we’ll have dinner together. the ancient Romans. The wall would become more than just a barricade—it evolved into Evening: On your own—perhaps you’ll head to a bustling, multi-cultural military zone one of Edinburgh’s traditional Scottish pubs. comprised of forts, barracks, towers, and even small towns. The wall impresses to this Freedom To Explore: During your three days day, its stone might standing starkly against in Edinburgh, you have the freedom to explore the natural beauty of the Cumbrian and this iconic Scottish city on your own during Northumbrian landscapes—reminding visitors your free time. Below are some recommended just how far the power of the Roman Empire options for independent explorations: reached. We’ll begin our explorations here, • See the inner workings of Parliament: walking along a section of the wall, arriving at Discover the moving parts of Scotland’s Vindola Fort around 11:30am. government during a visit to Parliament. Vindolanda Fort is one of ’s most Scottish Parliament can be traced back to the important ancient Roman archaeological sites. 13th century, and today you’ll learn how this The sprawling site is comprised of nine forts body of government has changed since its built on top of each other—soldiers from all establishment. You may even have the oppor- over the Roman Empire, including Belgium, tunity to meet with a member of Parliament Germany, and France were stationed here. to get an authentic glimpse of this Scottish We’ll also have the chance to walk through authority. Vindolanda Gardens, located just beyond the • How to get there: A 15- to 20-minute taxi fort. We’ll have between 11:30am-1pm to ride, about $13 USD one way, or approxi- explore independently here, including free time mate half-hour walk. for lunch. • Hours: 10am-5pm, daily. • Cost: Free. Lunch: On your own—Vindolanda offers visitors an on-site café where you can enjoy • Visit Roslyn Chapel: Built in the 15th century, hot and cold drinks, snacks, lunches, and this historical site took around 40 years to afternoon tea. finish. As you explore the church, notice the impressive number of stone carvings that Afternoon: Around 1pm we’ll re-board our depict nature and sacred symbols. The church private motorcoach to continue our drive to is an active site of worship and is still in Edinburgh. use today.

We’ll arrive in the city of Edinburgh around • How to get there: A 35- to 45-minute bus 4pm and check in to our hotel. Depending on ride, about $7 USD one way. where we stay, hotel amenities may include • Hours: 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday. an on-site restaurant and bar, while each of • Cost: About $9 USD. the hotel’s air-conditioned rooms typically

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18 • Get a first-hand experience of Scottish back into Edinburgh’s history as we stroll the tradition at The Scottish Country Dance Club: winding cobbled streets and down the Royal Whether you’re new to the dance floor or Mile, a stretch of the city that extends from an experienced foot-tapper, this club offers Holyrood Road to Edinburgh Castle—our next dance lessons for all levels. Learn from a local destination. professional during an hour-long class, and We’ll arrive at Edinburgh Castle around gain insight on the roots of Scottish dance 11am. Perched atop Castle Rock—an extinct and traditional music along the way. volcano—the castle is a mighty presence in • How to get there: An approximately 5- to the city. Once used as the royal residency for 10-minute walk from the hotel. Scottish monarchs, a fortress for armies, • Hours: 4pm-8pm, Monday-Friday. and a prison for pirates and POWs, the castle • Cost: Approximately $7 USD per person for now serves as one of Edinburgh’s leading a one-hour lesson. attractions. A visit to the castle would not be complete without discovering St. Margaret’s Day 8 Explore Edinburgh • Visit Chapel—the oldest surviving building in the Edinburgh Castle city, which dates back to the twelfth century. • Destination: Edinburgh We’ll enjoy a guided tour of the castle, after • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch which your Trip Experience Leader will present • Accommodations: Hotel in Edinburgh you with a voucher to use for lunch. or similar Lunch: Around 12pm, you may use your lunch Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-9am, voucher to dine at your choosing of one of with Scottish and American options available. Edinburgh Castle’s on-site restaurants.

Morning: We’ll kick off our discoveries in Afternoon: The remainder of the day is yours Scotland’s capital around 9am when we set off for independent exploration. You can visit on a tour of the city. Our local guide will have a Roslyn Chapel, a 15th-century church known unique perspective on the city as they are a part for its impressive stone carvings. Or, you may of an organization whose aim is to empower choose to visit Scottish Parliament where homeless people, assisting in their personal you can get a glimpse into the local body of growth and development by providing training government. that prepares them to become full-time tour Dinner: On your own—perhaps you’ll find a guides. You will have a chance to ask our guide restaurant that serves traditional dishes like any questions you may have as we explore with neeps and tatties, or turnips and together. potatoes. Throughout our walking tour, we’ll see Evening: You are free to spend the evening as the stark contrasts between Edinburgh’s you wish. You may join your fellow travelers for labyrinthine Old Town and organized New a nightcap at the hotel bar, or you can retire to Town, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. your room to get some sleep. We’ll drive through the New Town where we’ll notice neoclassical buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. Then, we’ll say goodbye to our motor coach and begin our explorations of the Old Town on foot. We’ll be transported

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19 Day 9 Visit William Wallace We’ll wrap up our discoveries around 12:30pm Monument • Conversation about the and head to lunch. Dunblane massacre Lunch: Around 12:30pm in a nearby café. • Destination: Edinburgh Afternoon: After lunch, around 1:30pm, • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch we’ll re-board our private motorcoach for • Accommodations: Hotel in Edinburgh the 15-minute drive to Dunblane. Upon or similar arrival, we’ll meet with a local whose family Breakfast: Served at the hotel from was affected by the Dunblane massacre. On 7am-8:30am, with Scottish and American March 13, 1996, Thomas Hamilton shot and options available. killed sixteen students and one teacher, and injured fifteen others before killing himself Morning: Today, we’ll depart around 8:30am at Dunblane Primary School. It remains the and drive to Stirling to visit an iconic piece deadliest mass shooting in British history to of Scotland’s history—the William Wallace this day. During our hour-long conversation, Monument. we’ll have time to ask any questions we may Around the world, the name William Wallace have—such as how the community has fared in is immediately associated with the movie the decades following this abject tragedy. Braveheart. But to the people of Scotland, he Then around 2:45pm, we’ll drive back to has been a symbol of freedom for centuries. Edinburgh, arriving at our hotel around Born in 1270, Wallace was a Scottish knight 3:30pm. The rest of the day is free for your own who became one of the leaders of the First War discoveries. of Scottish Independence. One of his greatest victories was here in Stirling—the Battle of Dinner: On your own. Perhaps you’ll try one of Stirling Bridge in 1297. Eventually, Wallace Scotland’s beloved soups and stews, such as was captured and turned over to King Edward , a creamy smoked fish soup. I who had him hanged, drawn, and quartered Evening: On your own to spend as you wish. for acts of treason. Wallace famously responded to this charge: “I could not be a traitor to Edward, for I was never his subject.” We’ll Day 10 Fly to the Orkney Islands • arrive at his monument in Stirling around Overland to Kirkwall 9:30am—an impressive tower standing on a • Destination: Kirkwall hilltop overlooking the city—and learn more • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner about his life and heroic deeds. • Accommodations: Hotel in Kirkwall Then, we’ll pay a visit to Stirling Castle—often or similar compared to an ornate brooch clasping the Breakfast: Served at the hotel from Highlands and Lowlands together. One of the 7am-7:30am, with Scottish and American largest and most important castles in Scotland, options available. both historically and architecturally, it sits high on a volcanic outcrop and has been a symbol of Morning: We’ll check out of our hotel early this Scottish independence and national pride since morning and leave for the it was first built in the twelfth century. around 7:30am. We’ll arrive around 8am for our 9:30am flight. We’ll touch down on the

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20 Orkney Islands around 10:45am. Located off the once home to church clergy members and northeastern coast of Scotland, Orkney is an portions of it date back to the 16th century, archipelago made up of 70 individual islands, including the iconic arched gateway that only 20 of which are inhabited. We’ll depart the bears the coat of arms of the first Protestant airport around 11:30am and head to Kirkwall, minister, Gilbert Foulzie. In 1968, the muse- the largest town of the islands. um officially opened its doors to the public and today it provides a thorough introduction We’ll arrive to our hotel around 12pm. to the history of the islands. Plan to spend Depending on where we stay, hotel amenities about one hour here. may include an on-site restaurant and bar, while each of the hotel’s air-conditioned rooms • How to get there: A 10-minute walk. typically features coffee- and tea-making • Hours: 10:30am-5pm, Monday-Saturday. facilities, a safe, TV, wireless Internet access, • Cost: Free. and a private bathroom. After dropping off our • Admire expertly crafted jewelry at the Sheila luggage, we’ll join our Trip Experience Leader Fleet gallery: Native Orkney jewelry designer for a 30-minute orientation walk. Sheila Fleet is known for finding inspiration in the sky, sea, and lyrical landscapes of Lunch: On your own—ask your Trip Experience the Orkney Islands. Her pieces feature both Leader for recommendations. traditional Celtic and contemporary styles Afternoon: The rest of the afternoon is free and often incorporate the use of hand-paint- to make your own independent discoveries ed enamel. From graceful necklaces to in Kirkwall, Orkney’s colorful capital and an delicate bracelets and striking rings, Sheila ancient Norse town. Fleet’s Kirkwall gallery is a must-see for jewelry enthusiasts or those simply looking Dinner: Around 6pm we’ll reconvene and to purchase a one-of-a-kind gift for someone walk from our hotel to a nearby restaurant they love. for dinner. • How to get there: A 20-minute walk. Evening: The rest of the evening is on your • Hours: 9am-5pm, Monday-Saturday; own—ask your Trip Experience Leader for 11am-4pm, Sunday. recommendations. • Cost: Free. • Take in the dramatic coastal landscapes Freedom To Explore: During your three days of Deerness with a walk along Mull Head: in Kirkwall, you have the freedom to explore Venture to the remote peninsula of Deerness, on your own during your free time. Below are a natural area featuring magnificent sights a few recommended options for independent such as Gloup, a collapsed sea cave. Here, explorations: you’ll catch the furthest point of the pen- • Journey back in time at the Orkney Museum: insula, Mull Head, which is believed to be From the Stone Age to the time of the Vikings one of the most beautiful coastal circuits of and modern day, follow the storied history of mainland Orkney. Enjoy unobstructed views the Orkney Islands, an archipelago situated of precipitous cliffs, miles upon miles of open off the northeastern coast of Scotland. Peruse sea, as well as the notable archaeological ancient artifacts and other period pieces from site of the Brough of Deerness, consisting all facets of Orkney’s prehistoric and early medieval past. The museum building was

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21 of tenth-century settlement remains. Plan from scavenged materials whenever possible. to walk approximately 5 miles on grassy, The tabernacle was crafted using wood from sometimes boggy terrain. a shipwreck, while the gates enclosing the • How to get there: A 20-minute drive. sanctuary were fashioned from scrap metal. • Hours: Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Italian POW Domenico Chiocchetti—one of the • Cost: Free. chapel’s most skilled creators—returned to Orkney in 1960 to assist in a restoration project.

Day 11 Explore the Orkney Islands • Visit Next, we’ll continue to delve into Orkney Churchill Barriers Island’s World War II history by visiting the site • Destination: Kirkwall of the wreck of the HMS Royal Oak. Submerged • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch almost entirely upside down in over 100 feet • Accommodations: Hotel in Kirkwall in the water, the Royal Oak is a designated war or similar grave and serves as a solemn reminder of the many lives lost that day in 1939. Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-8:30am, with Scottish and American Around 11:30am, we’ll drive about 30 minutes options available. to Orkney Fossil & Heritage Centre where our first stop will be lunch. Morning: We’ll depart via private motorcoach around 9am this morning for a day of Lunch: Around 12pm at the Fossil Museum. discoveries around the island. A local guide Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll have some time will join us to provide information, details, and to visit the Orkney Fossil & Heritage Centre. insider perspective as only a local can. Travel back in time a few hundreds of million Our first stop will be the Churchill years ago and discover a wealth of geological Barriers—about a 15-minute drive from our wonders, impressive fossils of prehistoric sea hotel. The barriers were built more than 80 creatures, and fascinating minerals like rocks years ago in response to a surprise attack: In that glow in the dark. October of 1939, a German U-boat entered Around 2pm, we’ll head back to our hotel, Scapa Flow—a natural bay sheltered by five of arriving around 2:30pm. The rest of the the Orkney Islands—and fired torpedoes at the afternoon is free. HMS Royal Oak battleship, resulting in the loss of 834 lives. To prevent future attacks, then Dinner: On your own. Head out into Kirkwall First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill and try some of the fresh seafood it is rightly ordered the building of the Churchill Barriers famous for. to block off the eastern approaches to the naval anchorage of Scapa Flow. Though created Evening: Free to spend as you wish. during a time of conflict, today the barriers serve as vital links between these island communities.

A short walk from the barriers, we’ll find Orkney’s famous Italian Chapel. Built during World War II by Italian prisoners of war, the chapel is highly ornate—its decorations made

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22 Day 12 Conversation about Scottish Today, we’ll hear from both sides of this issue independence • Explore Skara Brae and during an hour-long conversation during which the Ring of Brodgar we’ll have plenty of time to ask any questions we may have about this divided issue. • Destination: Kirkwall • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Then around 10:15am, we’ll climb back • Accommodations: Hotel in Kirkwall aboard our private motorcoach and depart for or similar Skara Brae, arriving around 11am. The most well-preserved Neolithic village in northern Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-9am, Europe, Skara Brae was established around with Scottish and American options available. 3000 BC—but then was literally lost to the Morning: We’ll drive to Kirkwall’s town hall sands of time. Uncovered in 1850 when a and city center this morning, arriving around historic storm scoured away the sand, Skara 9:15am. Here, we’ll meet with two locals Brae was revealed, and this UNESCO World to discuss the pros and cons of the Scottish Heritage Site today provides glimpses of the independence movement. stone beds and seats that were part of life 5,000 years ago. Since Scotland first formed as a nation under the House of Alpin in the ninth century, it We’ll explore this ancient village for around has maintained a fierce independent streak, two hours, after which we’ll have lunch. defending its sovereignty against English Lunch: Enjoy lunch on your own around 1pm in invasion in two wars of independence. Although Skara Brae’s visitor center. Scotland formally joined the United Kingdom in 1707, attitudes among the people continue to Afternoon: Around 2pm we’ll begin our drive be divided, with many people today yearning to back to the hotel, stopping along the way to be a separate nation once again. As recently as witness more of the islands’ prehistoric past. 2011, the Scottish National Party won a majority Orkney’s west mainland is home to a large of seats in Scotland’s devolved parliament collection of archaeological sites, including (a delegation of powers from the central UNESCO World Heritage Site the Ring of government of a sovereign state to govern at a Brodgar—a Neolithic henge and stone circle regional or local level), and the governments older than Stonehenge and the great pyramids of the United Kingdom and Scotland agreed to of Egypt. hold a referendum on the question: “Should We’ll explore these mystical stones for about 30 Scotland be an independent country?” The vote minutes, after which we’ll drive the rest of the was held in 2014, and its results reflected the way to the hotel, arriving around 3pm. The rest people’s strong, yet divided, opinions about of the afternoon is free. this thorny issue. With a record-breaking turnout of 85%, the “no” option prevailed Dinner: We’ll meet in our hotel’s lobby around with 55.3% of the vote, while “yes” received 5:30pm and walk about 10 minutes to a local 44.7%. Scotland would remain part of the restaurant for dinner. United Kingdom. Evening: On your own. You may want to pack for our journey to Inverness tomorrow.

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23 Day 13 Ferry ride to St. Gills Bay • Scenic TV, wireless Internet access, and a private drive along the North Coast 500 • Transfer bathroom. We’ll have about an hour to unpack to Inverness and get settled in before dinner. • Destination: Inverness Dinner: Around 6pm we’ll walk to a nearby • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner local restaurant for dinner. • Accommodations: Hotel in Inverness Evening: On your own—ask your Trip or similar Experience Leader for recommendations. Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-9am, Freedom To Explore: During your four days in with Scottish and American options available. Inverness, you have the freedom to explore this Morning: We’ll check out of our hotel this Highland retreat on your own during your free morning and around 9:30am begin our time. Below are a few recommended options for hour-long drive to the ferry terminal. After independent explorations: arrival and check-in onboard, our ferry • Peruse the wares at the indoor Victorian will depart for St. Gills Bay around 11:30am. market: Shop for local crafts including As we sail, enjoy gazing out at the rolling jewelry, art, and even bagpipe accessories at green hills and rugged coastlines along the Inverness’s covered market, which dates back not-too-distant shore. to 1870. In addition to myriad shops, where We’ll arrive at St. Gills Bay around 12:30pm, you can often meet the artisans, the market disembark our ferry, and board a private also has ample cafés and food stalls where motorcoach. We’ll then drive to the village of you can stop for a coffee or a cup of ice cream, John o’Groats, located near Dunnet Head—the or pick up artisan chocolates to take home. northernmost point of mainland Great Britain. • Hours: 10am-8pm, Monday-Saturday. We’ll arrive around 12:45pm. • Cost: Free. Lunch: Around 12:45pm at a local restaurant in • Explore the Inverness Museum & Art Gallery: John o’Groats. Delve into the history and culture of the Highlands at one of the top-rated museums Afternoon: We’ll depart John o’Groats around in Inverness. The museum boasts a large 2pm and begin our journey to Inverness, variety of artifacts commemorating local dubbed the capital of the Scottish Highlands. life, as well as crafts made by contemporary Our route is the North Coast 500 road, a Scottish craftspeople, while the two-story famously scenic drive along the coastal gallery features rotating exhibitions that North Highlands—boasting views of rugged highlights artists from the Highlands, mountains, white sand beaches, and the sea. Scotland, and beyond. Our drive will take around three hours including Hours: 10am-5pm, Tuesday-Saturday. stops to soak in the scenery along the way. • • Cost: Free. We’ll arrive at our hotel in Inverness • Take a class at the Freedom Within Life yoga around 5pm. Depending on where we stay, studio: Exercise your body, mind, and soul at hotel amenities may include an on-site this women’s-only yoga studio in the heart restaurant and bar, while each of the hotel’s of Inverness. Classes last approximately one air-conditioned rooms typically features hour and are taught by certified instructors. coffee- and tea-making facilities, a safe, Mindfulness and massage therapies are also

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

24 available. Your Trip Experience Leader would Evening: Free to spend as you wish in be happy to help you find the schedule and Inverness. reserve a spot. • Hours: Monday-Thursday; class times Day 15 Visit Loch Ness • Eilean Donan vary. Castle • Explore Isle of Skye • Cost: About $11 USD. • Destination: Inverness • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 14 Explore Inverness • Visit a local kilt maker • Accommodations: Hotel in Inverness or similar • Destination: Inverness Activity Note: Our overland journey to the Isle • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch of Skye will take approximately four hours, • Accommodations: Hotel in Inverness with stops along the way. or similar Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-8am, Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-9am, with Scottish and American options available. with Scottish and American options available. Morning: Around 8am, we’ll begin our private Morning: Around 9am this morning, we’ll motorcoach journey to the Isle of Skye, with depart for a walking tour of Inverness, taking in stops along the way to enrich our discoveries. sights such as Cavell Gardens where we’ll learn Our first destination will be the village of Fort about the nurse who this garden is dedicated Augustus, located on the shores of Loch Ness, to—a woman who sacrificed her life to help arriving around 8:30am. POWs. We’ll also ascend to the Inverness Castle Viewpoint to take in sweeping views of the Covering an area of nearly 700 miles, this is city below. one of the largest bodies of freshwater in Great Britain. We’ll have the chance to soak up the Our walking tour will end around 11am at the serenity here as we witness the vast lake and doors of a local kilt maker’s shop. He will tell rolling hills blanketed with greenery along us about the rich cultural history of kilts in the shores. We’ll also learn about the folklore Scotland and how it continues to be a symbol surrounding Nessie, an aquatic monster that of Scottish patriotism. We’ll also learn the is believed to live in the lake—keep your eyes names of famous tartans and the clans they are peeled for this legendary creature. connected to, and see how a kilt is made. We’ll wrap up our visit around 12pm, just in time We’ll depart around 9am and continue on to for lunch. Eilean Donan Castle—arriving around 10am. A 13th-century castle in the Highlands of Lunch: Around 12pm, we’ll walk to a nearby Scotland, Eilean Donan is perched on a small local pub for lunch. tidal island located where three sea lochs Afternoon: The remainder of the day is free for meet: Loch Duich, Loch Long, and Loch Alsh. your own discoveries in Inverness. One of the most photographed fortresses in Scotland, it has featured in movies such as the Dinner: On your own—ask your Trip James Bond classic “The World is Not Enough.” Experience Leader for recommendations. We’ll spend about 30 minutes here, grabbing Perhaps you’d like to try some local game such some coffee and refreshments at the castle’s as roasted grouse in blackcurrant sauce. coffee shop.

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25 Around 10:30am we’ll continue our journey Day 16 Explore Cairngorms National Park to the Isle of Skye, arriving around 12pm. • distillery visit and tasting Here, we’ll visit Clan Donald Center, located • Destination: Inverness at Armadale—a magnificent Highland estate which celebrates the history of Clan Donald, • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Scotland’s largest and most powerful clan. • Accommodations: Hotel in Inverness With roots dating back to the 1200s, members or similar of the clan once ruled over certain areas of the Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-9am, Hebrides, as well as some land in the western with Scottish and American options available. highlands. The chiefs of this ancient clan were known as “Lords of the Isle,” and the power of Morning: Today, we have the chance to explore these landowners reverberated for centuries Cairngorms National Park, located deep in until the title was surrendered to the British the ruggedly beautiful Scottish Highlands. crown in 1493. The Cairngorms mountain range became one of Scotland’s second national parks in 2003 Our Trip Experience Leader will give us all and is now the largest national park in the vouchers for lunch, giving us the flexibility U.K. Cairngorms National Park is also home of choice. to some of the region’s endangered species, including the golden eagle, the red squirrel, Lunch: Around 12pm at Clan Donald Center. and the Scottish wildcat. We’ll depart our hotel Perhaps you’ll choose to dine at the Armadale by private motorcoach around 9am and arrive Bar & Bistro and savor a traditional Scottish around 10am. beef pie. Once we arrive, we’ll be joined by a local guide Afternoon: After lunch, aound 1pm, we’ll who will lead us on a hike—one of the most have about 2 hours to explore the grounds of popular activities in the park as it offers trails Armadale Estate. You may choose to join our suitable for beginners to the most seasoned of Trip Experience Leader on a walk around the trekkers. We’ll set off on a scenic lowland trail, castle and its lush gardens overlooking the taking in the sheer size, scale, and remoteness Sound of Sleat, a narrow sea channel off the of our surroundings. Jagged peaks rise from western coast. We’ll wrap up our explorations lochs large and small, while grassy hills are here around 3pm and begin the drive back to spotted here and there with bunches of thistles Inverness. and heather, depending on the season. We’ll Dinner: We’ll stop around 5pm for dinner at wrap up our hike around 11:30am. a traditional Scottish country house. Expect a Lunch: On your own. You may want to try a hearty, simple meal enjoyed by rural Scottish sandwich and tea at one of the local coffee families at the end of their workday. shops in the park. Evening: After dinner, we’ll depart around Afternoon: We’ll bid the Cairngorms goodbye 6:30pm and arrive back at our hotel around around 12:30pm and drive to our next 7:30pm. The rest of the evening is on your own. destination—Tomatin Whisky Distillery. You may want to turn in early after your day of Whisky connoisseurs will know that the discoveries. Highlands is famous for producing single malt known for its spicy and earthy notes. During our visit, we’ll get an intimate

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

26 look at production of this world-renowned we’ll raise a glass and toast to our discoveries in spirit. Tomatin whisky in particular owes its northern United Kingdom with a hearty Slàinte smooth flavor to the soft water used from the mhath—”cheers” in . nearby Alt-Na-Frith Burn which flows through Evening: The evening is free to spend as you the Monadhliath Mountains. wish—you may want to get to sleep early for In the company of a whisky expert, we’ll your journey home tomorrow. tour the distillery’s facilities, including the room where the barley is “malted” and the Day 17 Return to U.S. or begin your warehouse where maturing are stored post-trip extension in oak barrels. Finally, we’ll conclude our tour • Included Meals: Breakfast with a lesson in “nosing” (sniffing) and tasting a sampling of aged whiskies produced here. Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-9am, with Scottish and American options available. After we’ve had our fill, we’ll depart for our hotel around 2pm, arriving back around 3pm. Morning: You’ll check out of the hotel this The rest of the afternoon is free—you may wish morning depending on the timing of your to begin packing for your journey home, or flight, and transfer about 30 minutes to the browse the shops of Inverness at your leisure. airport for your return flight home or—for those travelers taking one of our post-trip Dinner: We will reconvene at the hotel around extensions—continue on to Scotland & the 5:30pm and walk to a nearby restaurant for Emerald Isle: Glasgow, Belfast & Dublin or Classic dinner. Together with our fellow travelers, English Landscapes: The Cotswolds to London.

END YOUR ADVENTURE WITH AN OPTIONAL POST-TRIP EXTENSION 7 nights in Scotland & the Emerald Isle: Glasgow, Belfast & Dublin

Day 1 Overland to Glasgow, Scotland Day 5 Explore Belfast on a black cab ride with local drivers Day 2 Explore Glasgow Day 6 Overland to Dublin, Ireland • Visit Day 3 Visit New Lanark Armagh Cider Company • Explore Dublin Day 4 Fly to Belfast, Northern Ireland Day 7 Discover Glendalough Day 8 Return to U.S.

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27 OR 7 nights in Classic English Landscapes: The Cotswolds to London

Day 1 Inverness • Fly to London • Explore Day 5 Explore London Oxford • Overland to the Cotswolds Day 6 Explore Cambridge • Meet a Day 2 Explore Cotswold villages • university student Cotswold hike • Dry stone walling Day 7 Explore East London • Visit a conversation local market Day 3 Explore Bath Day 8 London • Return to U.S. Day 4 Visit Highclere Castle • Transfer to London

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

28 PRE-TRIP Exploring the Channel Islands: Jersey & Guernsey

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations at centrally-located » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip hotels for 1 night in Windsor, 3 nights in St. Experience Leader Helier, and 3 nights in St. Peter’s Port » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and » 15 meals—7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, luggage porters and 4 dinners » All transfers » 8 small group activities

PRE-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

Day 1 Depart U.S. During your free time, you might like to venture to Windsor Castle, the largest and longest Afternoon/Evening: You’ll depart the U.S. inhabited castle in the world. Founded by sometime today on an overnight flight bound William the Conqueror in 1078, the castle is for London. known to be the current royal family’s favorite residence. As you explore the interior, as well Day 2 Arrive in London, U.K. • Transfer as the lovely grounds perched on the River to Windsor Thames, consider the 900 years of history lived • Destination: Windsor at Windsor. • Included Meals: Dinner Dinner: Our small group will come together for • Accommodations: Hotel in Windsor the first time this evening for dinner at a local or similar restaurant in Windsor. Get to know your fellow Morning/Afternoon: Touch down in travelers over a meal of traditional British fare. London. Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by Evening: Free to do as you’d like, whether an O.A.T. representative and assisted with that’s enjoying a pint in a local pub or your 30-minute overland transfer to nearby settling in early for tomorrow’s flight to the Windsor. Channel Islands. After checking in to your hotel in Windsor, you have the day free to relax after your overnight flight or begin exploring. Your Trip Experience Leader will lead an optional orientation walk, pointing out such conveniences as ATMs, pharmacies, and corner stores.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

29 Day 3 Fly to Jersey, Channel Islands • Afternoon: Your afternoon is free to continue Explore St. Helier exploring St. Helier at your own pace. Perhaps you’ll take a walk along the town harbor • Destination: Jersey with a cone of ice cream in hand (superior • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner dairy products are another thing the Islands • Accommodations: Hotel in Jersey or similar are known for, as we’ll learn later on our Breakfast: At the hotel. adventure). Or stroll down pedestrianized King Street, St. Helier’s main thoroughfare, for some Morning: We’ll check out of our hotel and people viewing and souvenir browsing. transfer to the airport. Our flight to Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, will take Dinner: At a local restaurant in St. Helier, approximately 40 minutes. So named for their featuring classic Channel Islands cuisine. location in the English Channel, the Channel Evening Free to do as you’d like—check with Islands occupy an unusual role in the United your Trip Experience Leader for suggestions. Kingdom: While technically considered dependencies of the Crown, the Islands are self-governing and enjoy relative autonomy. Day 4 Visit Jersey War Tunnels • Lunch They have their own set of laws, courts, and with a Nazi descendant • Explore tax codes, the leniency of which has given the German bunkers Islands somewhat of a reputation as an offshore • Destination: Jersey tax haven. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

But that’s not all the Islands are known for. • Accommodations: Hotel in Jersey or similar They retain strong ties to France, with French Breakfast: At the hotel. street and place names widely used and a French patois spoken by some of the Islanders. Morning: Today we’ll take a look at an And they enjoy a warmer, sunnier climate than uncomfortable and controversial side of the mainland Britain thanks to their location in the Channel Islands’ history: their Nazi occupation Channel, making the Islands a popular vacation during World War II. spot for the English. Hitler dreamed of building an “Atlantic When we touch down in Jersey, we’ll transfer to Wall”—a defensive barricade of impenetrable St. Helier—the capital of Jersey and the island’s fortifications along the west coast of Europe only town—and drop our luggage at our hotel that could protect his empire from seaborne before setting out on orientation walk with our invasion. The Channel Islands’ strategic Trip Experience Leader. He or she will point out location off the coast off France made them local landmarks and recommended restaurants highly desirable to Hitler. And so, in June of as well as nearby essentials such as ATMs, 1940, he sent a battalion of Nazi soldiers to convenience stores, and pharmacies. invade the Islands. The British government was woefully unprepared for the invasion and Lunch: On your own. With our proximity to the withdrew their forces almost immediately, sea, you might like to try a seafood staple like leaving the Islanders to essentially fend . Enjoy it like the British do, in a for themselves. Some Islanders (especially paper bag with a dash of vinegar. children) were evacuated to mainland Britain in the days leading up to the invasion, but most chose to stay.

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30 What followed was a 5-year occupation of the Afternoon: We’ll continue our day of World War Channel Islands, making them the only part of II history with a visit to the German bunkers. the extended United Kingdom to suffer a Nazi Part of Hitler’s plans for the “Atlantic Wall,” occupation. Cut off from the outside world, the these concrete bunkers served as defensive Islanders experienced hardship and heartache, bulwarks along Jersey’s coast. We’ll have a food shortages and deprivation, with no idea chance to explore the bunkers from the inside when the war would end. Many engaged in and out before returning to our hotel in St. the resistance movement, as we’ll learn about Helier in the mid-afternoon. There, the rest of today when we visit the Jersey War Tunnels. your day is free to do as you’d like.

Carved into Jersey’s rock and cliffs, the War Dinner: On your own. Check with your Tunnels were dug by forced laborers including Trip Experience Leader for restaurant Jews, Romanis, and prisoners of war who were recommendations. brought to the island from mainland Europe. Evening: Free to do as you’d like. In the mood The Nazis used the tunnels as part of their for something sweet? Sample a Jersey Wonder. defensive system, and also as underground Also known as des mervelles, these donut-like hospitals and soldiers’ quarters. Today, this treats are deep-fried twists of , vast network of tunnels has been turned into an sugary dough. interactive museum dedicated to shining light on the wartime experiences of the Islanders from invasion to liberation. Day 5 Visit a Jersey Cow farm • Destination: Jersey But while many Islanders have been praised • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch for their heroic resistance, others have been accused of becoming a little too cozy with • Accommodations: Hotel in Jersey or similar their occupiers. Under such harsh Nazi rule, Breakfast: At the hotel. those accused of collaborating say, it was impossible to find employment or food without Morning: During your time in St. Helier, you brushing elbows with the Germans. Over the may have seen restaurant menus and ice cream course of five years of living side-by-side, the shops advertising milk and dairy from Jersey relationship between occupied and occupier Cows—today, we’ll learn why this breed of grew in some cases to be more like that of cattle is such a point of pride for the Islanders. neighbors. We’ll set out from our hotel this morning on Lunch: At a local restaurant with a guest a drive that will take us along Jersey’s scenic well-positioned to speak to the controversies of coastal roadways. As we drive, be sure to keep collaboration: the descendant of a Nazi soldier. on the lookout for the sparkling water views During the occupation, some 900 babies that are around every corner. were born to Islander mothers and German Our destination is a family-owned Jersey Cow fathers. While many view this to be a stain on farm. Upon arrival, we’ll meet the farmers, the Islands’ wartime legacy, others see it as tour their farm, and perhaps even pitch in with a simple reality of the occupation. Our guest some farm chores. But the highlight of our day speaker will share his beliefs on the issue. is bound to be a hands-on experience with the cows themselves. As we’ll learn, Jersey Cows are the second largest breed of cattle in the

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31 world. Known for their gentle natures, light We’ll arrive in St. Peter’s Port, Guernsey’s brown coats, and the high butterfat content in capital and harbor, and check in to our hotel. their milk, the breed has earned a reputation for Then, our Trip Experience Leader will lead producing some of the richest, creamiest cow’s us on an orientation walk around the hotel’s milk in the world. vicinity.

Lunch: We’ll enjoy a typical midday meal with Lunch: On your own—check with your Trip the farmers featuring—what else?—Jersey Experience Leader for suggestions. For a dairy. As we break bread, feel free to ask your real Guernsey specialty, seek out bean jar, a hosts about living on Jersey and the challenges -like dish of . they face as small-scale dairy farmers. Afternoon: Our small group will regroup for a Afternoon: We’ll return to our hotel in St. walking tour led by a local guide. Considered Helier, arriving in the mid-afternoon. The rest one of Europe’s prettiest harbor towns, St. of your day is free to do as you’d like. If the day Peter’s Port boasts meandering cobbled is nice, perhaps you’ll rent a kayak and explore streets strewn with bunting and lined with St. Aubin’s Bay. art galleries and boutiques. Among the town’s past residents: the French author Dinner: On your own—check with your (Les Miserables), who resided in St. Peter Port’s Trip Experience Leader for restaurant during his exile from France. recommendations. Dinner: At a local restaurant in St. Peter’s Port. Evening: Free to do as you’d like. Evening: Free to do as you’d like. Maybe you’ll Day 6 Ferry to Guernsey Island • Explore grab a nightcap with fellow travelers at a local St. Peter’s Port pub or wine bar. • Destination: Guernsey Day 7 Explore Guernsey • Visit Candie • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Gardens • Visit Castle Cornet • Accommodations: Hotel in Guernsey or similar • Destination: Guernsey • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Breakfast: At the hotel. • Accommodations: Hotel in Guernsey Morning: After checking out of our hotel in or similar St. Helier, we’ll make our way to the nearby Breakfast: At the hotel. ferry terminal to catch a 90-minute ferry to Guernsey, the second largest of the Channel Morning: Today we set out on a scenic coastal Islands. Guernsey has recently gained attention drive, stopping at various panoramic views as the setting for the novel The Guernsey Literary on the island to admire the scenery and take and Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows photos. Then, we’ll venture to Candie Gardens, and Mary Ann Schaffer, which chronicles the a 19th-century pleasure garden situated at Islanders’ wartime escapades and has since Candie House on the outskirts of St. Peter’s been adapted into a movie. Port. The gardens are home to a wide variety of plants and flowers who thrive here thanks to Guernsey’s moderate climate. The Lower Gardens are a particularly impressive sight:

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32 historians and naturalists alike will want to along the island’s winding coastal roads, visit this rare surviving example of a Victorian admiring the views as we go. Then, around public garden. We’ll spend some time here mid-morning, we’ll arrive a the Rocquette cider meandering through the footpaths and farm, a traditional cider mill in Guernsey’s admiring the Victor Hugo statue before pausing Fauxquets Valley. for lunch. Guernsey has a long and proud tradition of Lunch: At a café in the gardens. apple growing, and at this family-owned cider farm we’ll see how locals are transforming Afternoon: We’ll return to St. Peter’s Port for their natural bounty into a specialty drink. Take our next activity: a visit to the Castle Cornet. a stroll among the farm’s more than 5,000 Overlooking the idly bobbing boats in the apple trees, or peek into the barn to see the harbor, this medieval fortification chronicles cider-making process in action. the history of the island in the five museums it now houses. With exhibits on the Royal Air Lunch: We’ll enjoy lunch at the farm with a Force, Guernsey’s homegrown militia, the glass of fresh apple cider. island’s marine life, and four public gardens, Afternoon: We’ll depart the cider farm and the castle is sure to have something to interest drive to the L’eree Headland, a popular nature every type of traveler. preserve overlooking a sandy beach. Here, we’ll We’ll return to our hotel by the late afternoon, meet up with a member of the Royal Society for and the rest of your day is free. the Protection of Birds, who will lead us on a guided nature walk of the headlands. He or she Dinner: On your own. In the mood for seafood? will help us identify local bird species such as Perhaps you’ll seek out fresh-caught Guernsey aquatic warblers, reed warblers, teal, shovelers, oysters and ormers (a type of shellfish native to and little grebe. As we walk, we’ll also pass the island). wildflowers growing along the trail (when in Evening: Free. Consider capping off your meal season) and enjoy views of Island, one of with something sweet, such as gâche melée. the smaller Channel Islands. This local dessert is a dense apple cake, usually We’ll return to St. Peter’s Port in the topped with a dollop of fresh Guernsey cream. mid-afternoon and you’ll have some time to rest and refresh before dinner. Day 8 Visit Rocquette cider farm • Explore L’eree Headland Dinner: At a local restaurant in St. Peter’s Port, featuring the classic Channel Islands fare we’ve • Destination: Guernsey come to know. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Accommodations: Hotel in Guernsey Evening: Enjoy your last evening in the Islands or similar however you’d like. Perhaps you’ll head out for one last cone of local ice cream, or join Breakfast: At the hotel. fellow travelers at a local pub to toast to the Morning: On our last full day on Guernsey, discoveries you’ve made. we’ll set out to explore a side of the island not frequently visited by tourists: the north coast. We’ll set out in our motorcoach

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33 Day 9 Fly to Manchester • Join main adventure in Chester • Included Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll check out of our hotel and transfer overland to the . From there, we’ll catch a 3-hour flight to Manchester in northern England. Upon arrival, we’ll transfer overland to Chester, where we’ll meet up with the rest of our small group to begin our main adventure.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

34 PRE-TRIP Along England’s Southwest Coast: Salisbury, the Jurassic Coast & Cornwall

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations: 3 nights in Salisbury and » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip 4 nights in Falmouth Experience Leader » 15 meals—7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and and 4 dinners luggage porters » 8 small group activities » All transfers

PRE-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

Rugged landscapes ... crystalline waters ... and rock formations with history in every groove. This is the Jurassic Coast of England, the country’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site. On this trip extension, you’ll discover its time-honored secrets, as well as the charm and culture of the surrounding cities on England’s southern coast. Begin in the quaint town of Salisbury, full of bustling outdoor markets and quaint riverside walkways. Then, embark on a walking excursion joined by a local member of the Jurassic Coast Trust, who will guide our journey along the colorful coast. As you make your way through the highlights of southern England—from the Roman caves of the village of Beer, to verdant Dartmoor National Park—you’ll witness the natural and man-made influences of centuries past. Wrap up your discoveries in Falmouth, Cornwall—known as “the spirit of the sea.” Have a bite of a traditional Cornish ; admire the views from the Land’s End peninsula; and experience ancient history come to life.

Day 1 Depart U.S. for London, England An O.A.T. representative will meet you at the airport, and assist in your transfer to Salisbury. Depart for your overnight flight to Upon arrival, you’ll check into your hotel and London, England. meet your Trip Experience Leader. Later, you may join him or her on an orientation walk of Day 2 Arrive in London, England • Transfer the surrounding area if you wish. to Salisbury Dinner: We’ll gather in a local restaurant for • Destination: Salisbury dinner tonight. • Included Meals: Dinner • Accommodations: Hotel in Salisbury Evening: On your own—ask your Trip or similar Experience Leader for recommendations.

Morning/Afternoon: You’ll arrive in the capital in the morning or afternoon, depending on your specific flight arrangements.

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35 Day 3 Explore Salisbury Day 4 Explore the Jurassic Coast • Beer • Destination: Salisbury quarry visit • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner • Destination: Salisbury • Accommodations: Hotel in Salisbury • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch or similar • Accommodations: Hotel in Salisbury Breakfast: Served in the hotel this morning or similar with English and American options available. Breakfast: Served in the hotel this morning with English and American options available. Morning: Today we’ll get to know the medieval city of Salisbury. We’ll begin with a guided Morning: Today we’ll depart via private tour of Salisbury Cathedral, built in the twelfth motorcoach to explore the Jurassic Coast, and century and renowned for its towering Gothic discover just how it got its name. It was named spire—the tallest in England—that dominates England’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage the skyline. Site for its incredible array of rocks, fossils, and prehistoric landforms spanning 185 million Next, we’ll visit the Chapter House, home to years of Earth’s history. one of four original copies of the Magna Carta, the document signed by King John on June 15, Upon arrival, we’ll be joined by a member of the 1215, which was the first decree to establish that Jurassic Coast Trust who will guide us along a everyone—including the king himself—was section of the coast while sharing information subject to the law. about a new heritage project of the Trust’s that aims to identify and record a globally important Lunch: On your own in Salisbury—ask your collection of fossils—further demonstrating Trip Experience Leader for recommendations. the site’s universal value. We may even find Afternoon: The rest of the day is free to a fossil or two ourselves as we explore along continue exploring Salisbury on your own. Take the shore. Millions of years ago, this area was note of the architectural variety here—which home to ammonites and large marine reptiles speaks to the city’s long history. From medieval such as Ichthyosaurs and Pliosaurs, making it a walls and half-timbered Tudor houses to popular spot for fossil hunting, with hundreds Georgian mansions and Victorian villas, each of specimens having been discovered so far. street offers visitors a window into the past. Our next stop will be the nearby picturesque You may also wish to experience Salisbury’s village of Beer. Beer village (not named after day-to-day life by wandering through its lively the beverage) is a popular tourist site due outdoor market or strolling down one of its to its scenic seaside location and charming riverside walks. white-washed buildings.

Dinner: We’ll enjoy dinner together tonight Lunch: At a local restaurant in Beer village. at a local restaurant. Perhaps you’ll enjoy a Savor a traditional lunch including one of the traditional combo of and mash served buttery the region of Devonshire is with gravy. famous for.

Evening: Free to spend however you wish. Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll head off to visit the Beer Quarry Caves. Located just outside the village, the Beer Quarry is a man-made

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36 limestone underground complex that has been arrival, we’ll be met by a park ranger who used for around 2,000 years, beginning with will lead us on a guided hike through wooded the ancient Romans. The limestone was often forests and desolate moors—pointing out carved right in the quarry and used in the interesting sights such as the prehistoric construction of such notable sites as London Merrivale stone rows. We’ll also learn about Bridge and Westminster Abbey. Beyond its uses how the park’s varied landscape inspired as a quarry, the caves have also been used to great works of English literature, such as the hold secret Catholic masses during the age of well-known Sherlock Holmes tale, The Hound of Protestant Reformation and—in the early 19th the Baskervilles. century—smugglers took advantage of the We’ll also have some free time to continue caves labyrinth-like depth to hide contraband. exploring the park on our own. Work here ceased in 1920, leaving the vast Lunch: On your own in Dartmoor National Park. caverns and halls of vaulted roofs and pillars Ask your Trip Experience Leader to point out a of Beer Stone to be discovered by visitors like favorite tea room or café to grab a sandwich. us—many of whom have likened the experience to exploring a vast underground cathedral. Afternoon: We’ll continue driving to our next destination—the pretty harbor side town of After our day of discoveries, we’ll drive back to Falmouth, located on the coast of Cornwall. Salisbury in time for dinner. Once we arrive, we’ll check in to our hotel and Dinner: On your own. Perhaps you will seek out later join our Trip Experience Leader on an a traditional English favorite like mushy orientation walk of the surrounding area. and . Dinner: We’ll gather for dinner together Evening: On your own—ask your Trip tonight in a local restaurant. Experience Leader for recommendations. Evening: On your own—ask your Trip Day 5 Visit Dartmoor National Park • Experience Leader for recommendations. Transfer to Falmouth • Destination: Falmouth Day 6 Discover Falmouth • Visit a • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner traditional Cornish bakery • Explore the • Accommodations: Hotel in Falmouth Cornish coast or similar • Destination: Falmouth Breakfast: Served in the hotel this morning • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch with English and American options available. • Accommodations: Hotel in Falmouth or similar Morning: After checking out of our hotel, we’ll Breakfast: Served in the hotel this morning board our private motorcoach and drive to with English and American options available. Dartmoor National Park. Morning: Get to know the quaint town of An upland area of southern Devon, Dartmoor Falmouth today, as we are joined by a local National Park is comprised of wild, open guide for a walking tour. Nestled in a sheltered moorlands and lush river valleys—as well as bay on the coast of Cornwall, Falmouth is a rare wildlife and a fascinating history. Upon

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37 true port town with a scenic harbor and docks, Day 7 Explore Land’s End Peninsula welcoming sandy beaches, and a verdant • Visit Chysauster Village • Visit St. headland topped with Pendennis Tudor Castle. Michael’s Mount During our explorations, we’ll also have • Destination: Falmouth the opportunity to stop into a local bakery • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch to see how one of the region’s most famous • Accommodations: Hotel in Falmouth dishes—the Cornish pasty, a pastry or similar traditionally filled with beef, potato, and Breakfast: Served in the hotel this morning onion—is made. The baker will give us hands with English and American options available. on experience as well, teaching us how to make this savory dish which we’ll then enjoy for Morning: This morning, we’ll drive to the our lunch. Land’s End Peninsula in West Penwith—a region that boasts more visible ancient Lunch: At the bakery, savoring the fruits of our monuments than the whole of England. As we labors—Cornish . explore this ancient landscape, we’ll discuss the Afternoon: You’ll have some free time after various theories about these ancient villages lunch to continue exploring Falmouth at your and stone circles. own pace. Our first stop along the peninsula will be Later this afternoon, we’ll meet at the hotel Chysauster Village—a prime example of an Iron and drive to the remote Cornish coast for a Age and Romano-British settlement. The eight hike with our Trip Experience Leader. Dotted stone dwellings we’ll see here are among the with quaint fishing harbors and 19th-century finest examples of what life was like in England Industrial Age ruins, the scenic trek along 2,000 years ago. grassy cliff tops offers more than these We’ll next head to Sennan Cove, a small fishing man-made sights—we’ll also witness views harbor, where we’ll enjoy lunch. of craggy rock formations, sheer cliffs, and the crashing surf below. Lunch: At a local restaurant in Sennan Cove. Today we’ll tuck into a British seafood We’ll drive back to the hotel together after this staple—fish and chips. picturesque hike in time for dinner. Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll depart via private Dinner: On your own in Falmouth—ask your motorcoach and head to our next destination: Trip Experience Leader for recommendations. St. Michael’s Mount—a tidal island linked to Evening: On your own. You may want to turn in the town of Marazion by a man-made causeway early after today’s hike to rest for tomorrow. of granite which makes it passable between mid- and low tide. Historically, St Michael’s Mount was considered a Cornish counterpart to Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France—it was given to the Benedictine religious order of Mont Saint-Michel by Edward the Confessor in the eleventh century.

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38 We’ll have some time here to visit the medieval Lunch: We’ll stop for lunch at a local pub in castle that seems to rise out of the water, as Port Isaac where we’ll be joined by a local well as its surrounding gardens, before heading sea shanty group who will sing a few classic back to our hotel. shanties for us.

Dinner: On your own in Falmouth. Afternoon: After lunch, take some time on your own to explore Port Isaac at your own pace. Evening: On your own—as your Trip Later on, we’ll drive back to the hotel. Experience Leader for recommendations. Dinner: We’ll dine together this evening at a Day 8 Visit Bodmin Moor • Moors pony local restaurant and toast to all the discoveries farm visit • Visit Port Isaac we’ve made together. • Destination: Falmouth Evening: On your own—you may want to take • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner this time to pack for your flight tomorrow. • Accommodations: Hotel in Falmouth or similar Day 9 Fly to Manchester • Join main trip

Breakfast: Served in the hotel this morning • Included Meals: Breakfast with English and American options available. Breakfast: Served in the hotel this morning Morning: Today we will discover Bodmin with English and American options available. Moor, one of Cornwall’s designated areas Morning: Depart this morning for our flight of outstanding natural beauty—a remote, from to Manchester, where heather-covered granite moorland where wild we’ll transfer to Chester and meet up with our moorland ponies can still be found grazing to fellow travelers on our main trip. this day.

While here, we’ll also stop to visit Jamaica Inn—the inspiration behind Daphne Du Maurier’s novel of the same name. Then we’ll get the chance to visit a moors pony farm where the farmers there will teach us about these unique animals and why they thrive on these desolate-feeling moors.

We’ll bid the moors farewell and depart for Port Isaac, a small Cornish fishing village on the Atlantic coast. Its windswept landscape may look familiar to some as the village has served as the backdrop to the British ITV television series Doc Martin since 2004. Many famous sea shanties also originated here as well. We’ll learn more about this topic during lunch.

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39 POST-TRIP Scotland & the Emerald Isle: Glasgow, Belfast & Dublin

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations at centrally-located » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip hotels for 3 nights in Glasgow, 2 nights in Experience Leader Belfast, and 2 nights in Dublin » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and » 15 meals—7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, luggage porters and 4 dinners » All transfers » 7 small group activities

POST-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

Cap off your adventure with immersive cultural discoveries in three Celtic cultural capitals. Explore the stately Victorian architecture of Glasgow, then fly across the Irish Sea to Belfast, to discover how a city once synonymous with the violence of the Troubles has emerged as a vibrant travel destination. End your extension in Dublin, Ireland’s gregarious capital, which has inspired literary luminaries like Joyce, Wilde, and Swift throughout the ages. Plus enjoy countryside excursions to unique locales including the industrial age utopian village of New Lanark and the ancient monastic site of Glendalough to further immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of this historic region.

Day 1 Overland to Glasgow, Scotland Afternoon: We continue making our way toward Glasgow after lunch as we drive through • Destination: Glasgow the scenic Glencoe countryside, a magnificent • Included Meals: Dinner panorama of deep green valleys and craggy • Accommodations: Hotel in Glasgow mountain peaks formed by glacial and Morning: We’ll board our motorcoach this volcanic activity eons ago. Widely considered morning and begin our overland transfer to to be Scotland’s most scenic glen, Glencoe’s Glasgow—a drive of about eight hours, with beautiful landscape has been the setting of several stops along the way. First, we’ll stop many high-profile films, including Skyfall and at Fort Augustus, a quiet village on the banks Harry Potter. of Loch Ness, where we’ll have a little time to We’ll make another stop at the shores of Loch stretch our legs before resuming our journey. Lomond, another shining gem of Scotland’s We’ll then arrive in Glencoe around noon, natural beauty, where we’ll have about a half where we’ll have about an hour to spend hour to stretch our legs and take in the views on our own. from a panoramic lookout. We arrive in Glasgow Lunch: On your own in Glencoe. Your Trip in the late afternoon, where we’ll check in Experience Leader can recommend options at to our hotel and join our Trip Experience the visitor’s center.

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40 Leader on a short walk to a local restaurant, showcases artifacts, war remnants, and taking time to orient ourselves with our new paintings like Salvador Dalí’s “Christ of Saint neighborhood along the way. John of the Cross.” Or, you can soak up the natural splendors of the Glasgow Botanic Dinner: Included at a local restaurant. Gardens: Stroll around the 50-acre property Evening: On your own to relax or to explore to see an abundance of plants and flowers, independently. Ask your Trip Experience Leader and venture into Kibble Palace—the ground’s for recommendations. greenhouse—to get a glimpse of tropical rain forest flora.

Day 2 Explore Glasgow Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience • Destination: Glasgow Leader can recommend a restaurant. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Evening: On your own to relax or to explore • Accommodations: Hotel in Glasgow independently. Ask your Trip Experience Leader Breakfast: At the hotel. for recommendations.

Morning: Today, we’ll get to know Glasgow, Day 3 Visit New Lanark Scotland’s largest city, on an included tour. We’ll start in the city center, Glasgow’s • Destination: Glasgow modern, bustling heart, where stately • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Victorian buildings stand side-by-side with • Accommodations: Hotel in Glasgow glass skyscrapers along a grid of streets Breakfast: At the hotel. and lanes that buzz with activity. After some time in the city center, we’ll ride the Morning: Today, we’ll drive by private subway—the third-oldest subway system motorcoach to the village of New Lanark, a in the world—to the West End, a charming UNESCO World Heritage Site located about 30 neighborhood featuring an eclectic mix miles outside of Glasgow. Founded in 1785 by of trendy shops and galleries, historic the entrepreneur and philanthropist Robert architecture, and peaceful green spaces. Owen, New Lanark was meant to be a model The West End is also the home of Glasgow industrial town, where workers’ needs would University, an eye-catching Gothic campus that be well looked after. In addition to the cotton has educated such luminaries over the centuries mills where workers would ply their trade as Adam Smith and John Baird. each day, New Lanark also featured amenities such as free housing, childcare services, Lunch: Included at a local café in the West End. healthcare, education (for both the workers and As this is a university neighborhood, the café their children), sick pay, and more. Although is likely to be frequented by many students, this utopian model of labor relations never offering an opportunity to connect and spread as far as Owen had hoped, his vision converse with Glasgow’s younger generation. and advocacy for workers’ rights nonetheless Afternoon: The rest of the day is free to explore contributed to many important reforms, such Glasgow independently. You might choose to as the eight hour workday and laws against visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, child labor. featuring a fantastic display of around 8,000 pieces spread out in 22 galleries. The museum

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41 We’ll immerse ourselves in this history as we Troubles, a period of religious and sectarian explore New Lanark on a walking tour. The violence between Catholics and Protestants, village today is a quiet hamlet on the banks and between Irish Republicans and those loyal of the River Clyde, where its well-preserved to the British Crown. While the city’s people historic mills and old worker homes tell have long since laid down their arms in the the story of its heyday as a busy textile pursuit of peace, this divide is nonetheless still manufacturing center with dreams of changing visible today, as we’ll see during our panoramic the world. tour of the city’s neighborhoods.

Lunch: On your own in New Lanark. Your Trip After our tour, we’ll arrive at our hotel and Experience Leader can recommend a café or check in, then enjoy a short orientation walk restaurant. with our Trip Experience Leader.

Afternoon: We’ll depart New Lanark after lunch Dinner: Included at a local restaurant. and take the scenic route back to Glasgow, Evening: On your own to relax or to explore enjoying views of lush forests, cascading independently. Ask your Trip Experience Leader waterfalls, and rolling hills as we make our way for recommendations. through the Clyde Valley. We’ll then arrive at our hotel in the mid-afternoon and have a few hours to spend independently before dinner. Day 5 Explore Belfast on a black cab ride with local drivers Dinner: Included at a local pub. • Destination: Belfast Evening: On your own to relax or to explore • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch independently. Ask your Trip Experience Leader • Accommodations: Hotel in Belfast for recommendations. Breakfast: At the hotel.

Day 4 Fly to Belfast, Northern Ireland Morning: Today we explore Belfast like a local: in one of the city’s famous black cabs. During • Destination: Belfast the height of the Troubles in the 1970s, public • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner buses stopped serving West Belfast’s Catholic • Accommodations: Hotel in Belfast neighborhoods, and these iconic cabs stepped Breakfast: At the hotel. up to offer their services.

Morning: We’ll check out of hotel this morning Today’s black cabs are driven by Catholics and drive by private motorcoach to the airport, and Protestants alike, and in groups of 3-5 where we’ll board a flight across the North per car, we’ll get a very personal view of Channel to Belfast. After we land we’ll collect the city through our drivers’ eyes. They’ll our bags and drive into the city. share their perspectives on the city’s historic political turmoil and religious divides, as well Lunch: We’ll stop at a traditional Irish pub for as their views on how old controversies cast an included lunch. a shadow over Belfast today. As long-term Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll explore Northern residents of the neighborhoods you’ll be Ireland’s capital and largest city on an included exploring, your driver will be able to offer a tour. For much of the late 20th century, Belfast personal perspective of this dangerous period was synonymous with the violence of the of Belfast’s history, when a wrong turn might

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42 have taken you across the dividing line between Day 6 Overland to Dublin, Ireland • Visit the Catholic and Protestant section of the Armagh Cider Company • Explore Dublin city, putting drivers and passengers at risk of • Destination: Dublin physical abuse or even death. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Our black cab drivers will take us by the • Accommodations: Hotel in Dublin boundary between West Belfast’s Protestant Breakfast: At the hotel. and Catholic neighborhoods, where murals on each side depict contrasting sentiments about Morning: We’ll check out of our hotel this the deep-rooted conflict. We’ll stop to see morning and set off by private motorcoach famous murals—such as the Irish Language toward Dublin. Along the way, we’ll stop at Mural, the Tribute to Frederick Douglass, and the family-owned Armagh Cider Company. the Nelson Mandela Mural—and our driver The owners will welcome us and lead our will help to explain each one’s significance. discoveries here, first through an apple You’ll also have the opportunity to make your orchard, where we’ll get to taste fresh mark on a peace wall—one of the still-standing apple cider. Plus, our small group will have barricades that physically separates the city, opportunities to interact with the family now adorned with messages of hope and peace members—be sure to ask about how their from locals and visitors alike. family history led them to this profession.

After our cab tour, we’ll discover even more of Lunch: Enjoy an included traditional farm Belfast’s city center during a walking tour with lunch at the Armagh Cider Company. This our Trip Experience Leader, followed by lunch. is a great opportunity to share stories, ask questions, and get a better sense of what life is Lunch: Included at a local restaurant. like on a rural farm in Ireland. Afternoon: The rest of the day is yours to make Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll continue on and your own discoveries. You may choose to visit cross over into the Republic of Ireland. We’ll Titanic Belfast, a memorial to the famed ship arrive in Dublin, and explore the Irish capital and museum chronicling Belfast’s maritime on a city tour once we arrive. While Dublin is heritage, or pay a visit to the Crumlin Road Jail. a thoroughly modern and forward-thinking Maybe you’ll stroll through the regal campus at city, echoes of its history permeate throughout. Queen’s University. Or, you could always choose Dublin Castle, built in the 13th century to enjoy a pint of the famous in one following a quintessential Norman style, of the city’s pubs, mingling with locals and once served as the center of power for the listening to traditional music. King of England and today is the location of Dinner: Included at a local restaurant. presidential inaugurations and foreign affairs events. Christ Church Cathedral, constructed in Evening: On your own to relax or to explore 1030 AD, is a stone Gothic building which held independently. Ask your Trip Experience Leader the preserved heart of St. Lawrence O’Toole for recommendations. until 2012 when it was stolen.

Dublin is also home to Trinity College, the alma mater of Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, and many more heroes of the literary world. Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I of England, it was

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43 modeled after the universities of Oxford and Lunch: We’ll stop at Powerscourt House and Cambridge. Though modern construction has Gardens during our return to Dublin, where you been incorporated, much of Trinity College is a can enjoy lunch on your own. gleaming example of the Georgian aspic style. Afternoon: We return to Dublin, where you’ll We’ll take in the sights of the city and get to have a free afternoon to explore independently know its people during our tour, and then check before dinner. Perhaps you’ll visit the Dublin in to our hotel. Our Trip Experience Leader will Writer’s Museum, where you’ll discover lead us on a short orientation walk to help us the work of masters from Swift to Beckett, familiarize ourselves with the neighborhood including not only their books and plays but surrounding our hotel. The rest of the day is personal notes and journals. Or stroll the then free to spend as you prefer. cobbled streets of Temple Bar, a cultural hub for the city, where museums, theaters, and Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience restaurants outline passageways in use since Leader can recommend a restaurant. Medieval times. You may also take a private Evening: On your own to relax or to explore motorcoach tour with your Trip Experience independently. Ask your Trip Experience Leader Leader which will bring you past some of for recommendations. Dublin’s iconic sites like the James Joyce museum and drop you off a ten-minute walk Day 7 Discover Glendalough away from your hotel. • Destination: Dublin Dinner: Toast to your Celtic adventure • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner during an included Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant. • Accommodations: Hotel in Dublin

Breakfast: At the hotel. Evening: On your own to relax or to explore independently. Ask your Trip Experience Leader Morning: We’ll board our private motorcoach for recommendations. and depart for Glendalough, a scenic locale set in a tranquil valley of the Wicklow mountains. Day 8 Return to U.S. This sacred place is home to an ancient Christian monastery, founded in the sixth • Included Meals: Breakfast century by St. Kevin. Breakfast: At the hotel.

Among the monks’ great achievements was Morning: Transfer to the airport for your manuscript writing and copying, including flight home. the creation of the spectacular Book of Glendalough around 1131. Now at the Bodleian Library at Oxford, the book—containing historical chronicles, genealogies, and religious poems—is one of the most important and beautiful Irish manuscripts from the pre-Norman period.

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44 POST-TRIP Classic English Landscapes: The Cotswolds to London

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations: 3 nights in Cotswolds and » Services of a local O.A.T. Trip 4 nights in London Experience Leader » 15 meals—7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, » Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and and 4 dinners luggage porters » 8 small group activities » All transfers

POST-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

Day 1 Inverness • Fly to London • Explore Every style of English architecture—from Oxford • Overland to the Cotswolds Anglo-Saxon, to Gothic, and Tudor—is represented at these colleges, and we’ll see • Destination: Cotswolds some of the finest examples during our stroll • Included Meals: Lunch, Dinner this afternoon. • Accommodations: Hotel in Cotswolds or similar When our walk concludes, you’ll enjoy some free time to explore independently before we Morning: Following breakfast, we’ll travel make our way to our hotel. approximately 30 minutes to the airport in Inverness for our 1.5-hour flight to London. Dinner: Included at a local restaurant. Upon arrival, we’ll board a bus bound for Oxford. Evening: On your own. Your Trip Experience Leader would be happy to recommend Located on the easternmost edge of the activities. Cotswolds, Oxford offers all the charms you’d expect from this region, coupled with ample Day 2 Explore Cotswold villages • cosmopolitan amenities and more than 1100 Cotswold hike • Dry stone walling years of history. conversation Lunch: At a local restaurant in Oxford. • Destination: Cotswolds Afternoon: Following lunch, we’ll join on • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Trip Experience Leader on a walking tour • Accommodations: Hotel in Cotswolds of the city’s most notable attraction: the or similar University of Oxford, the oldest university in Breakfast: Included at the hotel. the English-speaking world. The university is comprised of 39 constituent colleges where students live, study, and attend classes.

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45 Morning: The Cotswolds are perhaps most Morning: We’ll depart for Bath from our hotel famous for their distinctive small towns and this morning. villages, which are characterized by quaint Once we arrive, the day’s discoveries will begin homes made of yellow limestone (called with an included tour of the Roman baths. Cotswold stone) and topped with thatch roofs Bath is named for the springs that well up in or jagged slate. Fittingly, our discoveries today this city, producing about 500,000 gallons begin with a panoramic drive through some of of water each day at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. the region’s most attractive hamlets. The lead-lined bath, steps, column bases, and Lunch: Included at a village pub. edging stones all date from Roman times.

Afternoon: After witnessing the region’s After your tour, you’ll have the rest of the man-made treasures this morning, we’ll morning free to explore Bath independently. delve into its other signature attraction this Lunch: On your own in Bath—ask your afternoon: its incomparable landscapes. In Trip Experience Leader for local restaurant 1966, the Cotswolds were designated as an Area recommendations. of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and we’ll see why as we hike among its rolling green hills and Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll embark on flowering meadows. a guided walk through Bath with a local architectural historian. During our walk, we’ll Throughout the day, you may be struck by the learn about Bath’s dominant architectural unusual stone walls that snake through the style—Georgian—which evolved from the villages and countryside here. Known as dry Palladian revival style that first became popular stone walls, these structures are made without in the early 18th century. mortar, and their rough-hewn appearance contributes to the region’s natural beauty. Late We’ll have some free time to explore more of this afternoon, we’ll meet a local who’s skilled Bath after our guided tour wraps up. Then we’ll in the art of dry stone construction to learn drive back to our hotel for the evening. what it takes to build these traditional walls. Dinner: We’ll reconvene tonight for dinner at a Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience local pub. Leader would be happy to offer suggestions. Evening: On you own—ask your Trip Evening: At leisure. Perhaps you’ll for a stroll Experience Leader for recommendations. through town to enjoy the serenity of an English evening. Day 4 Visit Highclere Castle • Transfer to London Day 3 Explore Bath • Destination: London • Destination: Cotswolds • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner • Accommodations: Hotel in London or similar • Accommodations: Hotel in Cotswolds Breakfast: Served in the hotel this morning or similar with English and American options available. Breakfast: Served in the hotel this morning with English and American options available.

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46 Morning: This morning we’ll step back in time architecture, and multicultural offerings. as we visit a grand and very familiar location From Westminster Abbey to the museums and to fans of the historical drama series Downton galleries of Central London, witness iconic Abbey—Highclere Castle. sights and even learn how to get around on the famous London “tube” (subway). Highclere Castle is a Grade I listed country house built in 1679 and renovated in the 1840s, Following our tour, we’ll walk to a traditional with a sweeping park designed by Capability pub for lunch. Brown in the 18th century. The 5,000-acre Lunch: At a traditional pub. Perhaps you’ll estate remains the country seat of the Earls order fish and chips, a classic meal here of Carnarvon, a branch of the Anglo-Welsh in England. Herbert family. Our visit to this stately home will also include free time to wander the Afternoon: Enjoy time to explore on your own grounds at your own pace. this afternoon. Check with your Trip Experience Leader for suggestions. Lunch: On your own near Highclere Castle—ask your Trip Experience Leader to point out one of Dinner: On your own. You might like to try their favorite restaurants. Mr. Fogg’s Tavern, a cozy pub featuring iconic dishes such as rolls. Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll continue our drive to England’s iconic capital city—London—for Evening: Free to explore independently. Ask the last leg of our journey. We’ll check into your Trip Experience Leader for activity ideas. our hotel upon arrival, after which you may choose to join our Trip Experience Leader on an Day 6 Explore Cambridge • Meet a orientation walk of the surrounding area. university student Dinner: We’ll dine together on our first night in • Destination: London London at a local restaurant. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Evening: On your own—perhaps you’d like • Accommodations: Hotel in London or similar to spend it raising a pint in a traditional Breakfast: At the hotel. London pub. Morning: Depart for Cambridge this morning, Day 5 Explore London a city located on the river Cam and home to the prestigious University of Cambridge. Upon • Destination: London arrival, we’ll meet with a university student • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch who will lead our small group on a walking • Accommodations: Hotel in London or similar tour through the town and campus. Walk in Breakfast: At the hotel. the footsteps of some of the most prolific poets, scholars, and scientists as you discover Morning: Begin your England tour with an exquisite architecture, riverside meadows, introduction to London’s major landmarks, and a buzzing city center. The University of including Big Ben and the Houses of Cambridge campus is scattered throughout the Parliament, on a panoramic drive this morning. city, so along the way you’ll witness some of Then, we’ll set off on foot with a local guide the 31 colleges and 150 departments that make to explore London’s rich antiquities, striking up this revered institution. This is a unique

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47 opportunity to experience Cambridge through Lunch: We’ll take a break from our explorations the eyes of a college student and local. Ask any at a local open-air market, where we’ll questions you may have about daily life and the have lunch. You’ll have a wide array of city itself. choices—from Asian-style dumplings to Ethiopian cuisinse and classic burgers. Lunch: At a local restaurant with our student guide from this morning. Afternoon: The rest of the afternoon is free to explore on your own. You might like to stay in Afternoon: Following lunch, we’ll head back to east London, or venture back to the hotel. London. The remainder of the afternoon is free for your own discoveries. Dinner: Tonight, we’ll gather for a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant, featuring Dinner: On your own. Check with your Trip regional fare. Experience Leader for suggestions. Evening: On your own. Consult with your Trip Evening: You may explore independently, or Experience Leader for suggestions. rest at the hotel. Feel free to consult with your Trip Experience Leader for ideas. Day 8 London • Return to U.S. Day 7 Explore East London • Visit a • Destination: London local market • Included Meals: Breakfast • Destination: London Breakfast: At the hotel.

• Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Morning: Board a bus with your luggage this • Accommodations: Hotel in London or similar morning and transfer to for Breakfast: At the hotel. your return flight home.

Morning: This morning we’ll venture to the east side of London, an area comprising of the Barking and Dagenham, Hackney, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest boroughs. Home to a large immigrant population, this area of the city is known for its vibrant food and arts scene. From colorful Chance Street to the bustling stalls of Old Spitafields Market, we’ll discover a rich history and multi-faceted cultural pocket of London. We’ll explore like a local when we use bus routes to get around the boroughs, an area that feels much like the suburbs rather than the metropolitan center of London.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

48 Idyllic Great Britain: England’s OUR SMALL GROUP ADVENTURE COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY To ensure the safety of all of our travelers, we are requiring that all travelers Lake District, the Scottish Highlands joining us on one of our Small Group Adventures must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to departure of their adventure— & Orkney Archipelago and provide proof of their vaccination on-site. For more details, please visit www.oattravel.com/covid-update. 2022 Dates & Prices

DEPART FROM J U L Y - A U G U S T S E P T E M B E R O C T O B E R

New York $ 6295 $6095 $5695

Baltimore, Boston, , Newark, $ 6395 $ 6195 $ 5795 Washington, DC

Atlanta, Chicago, Orlando, San Francisco $ 6495 $ 6295 $ 5895

Denver, Miami, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, $ 6595 $6395 $5995 Portland, Seattle, Tampa

Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego $ 6695 $ 6495 $ 6095

Additional departure cities are available. Upgrade to Business Class may be available for the international portion of your flight. Call for details.

J U L Y - A U G U S T S E P T E M B E R O C T O B E R Without international airfare $4995 $4895 $4495

NUK2022

RISK-FREE BOOKING POLICY: RESERVE WITH CONFIDENCE—NOW THROUGH 12/31/21 We will waive any change fees if you transfer to another departure date for any reason—up until 24 hours prior to departure. See details at www.oattravel.com/riskfree-booking.

Prices are per person. Airfare prices include government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges. All prices and availability are effective as of the date of this publication, and are subject to change without notice. Standard Terms & Conditions apply, please visit our website: www.oattravel.com/tc. Every effort has been made to produce this information accurately. We reserve the right to correct errors.

For specific departure dates, current availability, and detailed pricing, visit www.oattravel.com/nuk2022pricing

SAVE UP TO 10% WITH FREE SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS SHARE YOUR LOVE OF TRAVEL OUR GOOD BUY PLAN We offer FREE Single Supplements on all New travelers you refer will instantly save The earlier you reserve your departure of our adventures and pre- and post-trip $100, and you’ll earn increasing rewards— and pay in full, the more you’ll save—up extensions. up to a FREE trip! to 10%—plus, you’ll lock in your price. Each departure has limited solo space For details, visit www.oattravel.com/va For details, visit www.oattravel.com/gbd available—call today to reserve.

Publication Date 4/23/22

Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www.oattravel.com/nuk2022

49 TRAVEL DOCUMENTS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Your Passport • Must be in good condition

• Must be valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled return to the U.S.

• Must have the required number of blank pages (details below)

• The blank pages must be labeled “Visas” at the top. Pages labeled “Amendments and Endorsements” are not acceptable

Need to Renew Your Passport? Contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778, or visit their website at www.travel.state.gov for information on obtaining a new passport or renewing your existing passport. You may also contact our recommended visa service company, PVS International, at 1-800-556-9990 for help with your passport

Recommended Blank Pages Please confirm that your passport has enough blank pages for this adventure.

• Main trip only: You will need a total of 2 blank passport pages

• Pre-trip extension to Channel Islands: No additional pages are needed.

• Pre-trip extension to the Jurassic Coast: No additional pages are needed.

• Post-trip extension to Glasgow: You will need an additional passport page, for a total of 3.

• Post-trip extension to England: No additional passport pages are needed.

No Visas Required Travelers with a U.S. passport do not need any visas for this adventure, including the optional trip extensions.

Traveling Without a U.S. Passport? If you are not a U.S. citizen, or if your passport is from any country other than the U.S., it is your responsibility to check with your local consulate, embassy, or a visa services company about visa requirements. We recommend the services of PVS International, a national visa service located in Washington D.C.; they can be reached at 1-800-556-9990 or www.pvsinternational.org.

50 Traveling With a Minor? Some governments may require certain documentation for minors to enter and depart the country or to obtain a visa (if applicable). For further detail on the required documentation, please contact your local embassy or consulate.

Emergency Photocopies of Key Documents We recommend you carry color photocopies of key documents including the photo page of your passport plus any applicable visas, air itinerary, credit cards (front and back), and an alternative form of ID. Add emergency phone numbers like your credit card company and the number for your travel protection plan. Store copies separate from the originals.

If you plan to email this information to yourself, please keep in mind that email is not always secure; consider using password protection or encryption. Also email is not always available worldwide. As an alternative, you could load these documents onto a flash drive instead, which can do double-duty as a place to backup photos during your trip.

Overseas Taxes & Fees This tour may have taxes and fees that cannot be included in your airline ticket price because you are required to pay them in person onsite. All taxes are subject to change without notice and can be paid in cash (either U.S. or local currency). If applicable, you will receive a list of these fees with your Final Documents.

51 RIGORS, VACCINES & GENERAL HEALTH

Is This Adventure Right for You? Please review the information below prior to departing on this adventure. We reserve the right for our Trip Experience Leaders to modify participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their condition would adversely affect the health, safety, or enjoyment of themselves or of other travelers.

PACING • 5 locations in 16 days

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS • Not appropriate for travelers using wheelchairs or other mobility aids

• Must be able to walk approximately 2-3 miles unassisted each day and participate in 6-8 hours of daily physical activities

• We reserve the right for Trip Experience Leaders to restrict participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience

CLIMATE • The weather in the northern United Kingdom is traditionally fickle, but summer temperatures usually range from the low 40s to the mid 60s

• Autumn generally brings mist, showers, and brisk weather in the 40s

• Most of the country receives some rain at least 200 days a year

TERRAIN • There is a fair amount of hiking, and walking over uneven, unpaved, or cobbled surfaces

TRANSPORTATION • Travel by motorcoach and ferry

• There are several 1-4 hour drives (sometimes with around 1-2 hours between stops)

• Agility and balance are required for boarding or disembarking the ferry

ACCOMMODATIONS & FACILITIES • Hotel rooms are smaller than U.S. and offer basic amenities

• All accommodations feature private baths with showers

52 Steps to Take Before Your Trip Before you leave on this adventure, we recommend the following:

• Check with the CDC for their recommendations for the countries you’ll be visiting. You can contact them online at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel or by phone at 1-800-232-4636.

• Have a medical checkup with your doctor at least 6 weeks before your trip.

• Pick up any necessary medications, both prescription and over-the-counter.

• Have a dental and/or eye checkup. (Recommended, but less urgent)

Vaccines Required

COVID-19 Overseas Adventure Travel requires that all travelers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and are able provide proof of their vaccination upon arrival at their destination. A full vaccination is defined as having been inoculated at least 14 days prior to departure by an approved vaccine. This requirement is not contingent on the countries the tour visits, but a strict company policy due to the nature of the pandemic.

Traveling with Medications • Pack medications in your carry-on bag to avoid loss and to have them handy.

• Keep medicines in their original, labeled containers for a quicker security screen at the airport and a better experience if you get stopped by customs while overseas.

• Bring copies of your prescriptions, written using the generic drug name rather than a brand name to be prepared for any unforeseen loss of your medications.

We recommend checking with the State Department for medication restrictions by country: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel- Country-Information-Pages.html. (Pick the country and then follow the links to “Local Laws & Special Circumstances”; if you don’t see any medications specifically mentioned, then you can presume major U.S. brands should be OK).

Staying Healthy on Your Trip Jet Lag Tips

• Start your trip well-rested.

• Begin a gradual transition to your new time zone before you leave or switch to your destination time zone when you get on the plane.

• Attempt to sleep and eat according to the new schedule.

53 • Avoid heavy eating and drinking caffeine or alcoholic beverages right before–and during– your flight.

• Drink plenty of water and/or fruit juice while flying

• Stretch your legs, neck, and back periodically while seated on the plane.

• After arrival, avoid the temptation to nap.

• Don’t push yourself to see a lot on your first day.

• Try to stay awake your first day until after dinner.

Allergies

If you have any serious allergies or dietary restrictions, we advise you to notify us at least 30 days prior to your departure. Please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-221-0814, and we will communicate them to our regional office. Every effort will be made to accommodate you.

Water • Tap water is safe to drink on this trip.

• If you prefer bottled water is widely available for sale. Or consider bringing a reusable water bottle from home to fill up at your hotel before you head out for the day.

54 MONEY MATTERS: LOCAL CURRENCY & TIPPING GUIDELINES

Top Three Tips • Carry a mix of different types of payments, such as local currency, an ATM card, and a credit card.

• Traveler’s checks are not accepted in the United Kingdom.

• You will not be able to pay with U.S. dollars on this trip; you will need local currency.

Local Currency For current exchange rates, please refer to an online converter tool like www.xe.com/ currencyconverter, your bank, or the financial section of your newspaper.

United Kingdom The official currency of the United Kingdom is the pound sterling (GBP). One pound (£1) is divided into 100 pence (100p). This legal tender is used throughout Scotland, England, and Wales. Banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 5, 10, 20, and 50 pounds

• Coins: 1 and 2 pence (copper); 5, 10, 20, and 50 pence (silver); 1 and 2 pounds (silver/gold)

You may want to avoid 50 pound notes as these are not always accepted at smaller restaurants, cafes or shops.

Scotland Please note that although the British pound is the official currency in Scotland, Scottish banknotes are different in appearance than those used elsewhere in the UK. That’s because the three main Scottish retail banks (the Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland) all issue their own notes with their own designs. They are all legal tender and are accepted everywhere in Scotland. They may also be accepted in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, though technically, shops in those countries are not required to accept them.

Northern Ireland As part of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland’s official currency is the pound sterling (GBP). As a reminder, banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 5, 10, 20, and 50 pounds

• Coins: 1 and 2 pence (copper); 5, 10, 20, and 50 pence (silver); 1 and 2 pounds (silver/gold)

55 Tip: In Northern Ireland, you may find bank notes in circulation that were issued by the Bank of Northern Ireland, Bank of England, Bank of Scotland, or the Bank of Wales. These notes are typically accepted throughout Northern Ireland. However, only bank notes issued by the Bank of England are accepted in England.

Republic of Ireland Ireland (the Republic of Ireland) is a member of the European Union and as such, the official unit of currency is the euro. Euro banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes:5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros

• Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents; 1 and 2 euros

How to Exchange Money If you want to exchange money before your trip, you can usually do so through your bank or at an exchange office. Your departure airport in the U.S., a travel agent, or an AAA office are also possible outlets. Or you can wait and change money on the trip instead—but it might be helpful to arrive with some local currency in case you run into a bank holiday or an “out of order” ATM.

On your trip, the easiest way is to withdraw funds from a local ATM. The ATM will give you local money and your bank at home will convert that into U.S. dollars.

You can also exchange cash at some hotels, large post offices, and money exchange offices. To exchange cash, you’ll usually need your passport and bills in good condition (not worn, torn, or dirty). New bills (post 2004) are best. Never exchange money on the street. All exchange methods involve fees, which may be built into the conversion rate; ask beforehand.

ATMs When using the ATM, keep in mind that it may only accept cards from local banks, and may not allow cash advances on credit cards; you might need to try more than one ATM or more than one card.

Many banks charge a fee of $1-$10 each time you use a foreign ATM. Others may charge you a percentage of the amount you withdraw. We recommend that you check with your bank before you depart.

Lastly, don’t forget to memorize the actual digits of your card’s PIN number (many keypads at foreign ATMs do not include letters on their keys—they only display numbers.)

United Kingdom: ATMs are common throughout the United Kingdom so ATM cards will give you a reliable payment method and ready access to local currency.

Scotland: ATMS are common throughout Scotland so ATM cards will give you a reliable payment method and ready access to local currency.

Northern Ireland: ATMS are common throughout Northern Ireland so ATM cards will give you a reliable payment method and ready access to local currency.

56 Ireland: ATMs are common throughout Ireland so ATM cards will give you a reliable payment method and ready access to local currency.

Credit & Debit Cards Even if you don’t plan on using a credit card during your trip, we still suggest that you bring one or two as a backup, especially if you are planning a large purchase (artwork, jewelry). We also suggest that you bring more than one brand of card (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express) if possible, because not every shop will take every card. For example, although the Discover card is accepted in some countries outside the U.S., it is not widely adopted, so other brands will work at a much larger range of stores, restaurants, etc.

United Kingdom: Visa and MasterCard credit cards are readily accepted (American Express is not commonly honored), but you should always inquire if your type of credit card is accepted before deciding on your purchase.

Scotland: Visa and MasterCard credit cards are readily accepted, but you should always inquire if your credit card is accepted before deciding on your purchase.

Northern Ireland: Credit cards are readily accepted in most hotels and restaurants, but you should always inquire if your type of credit card is accepted before deciding on your purchase.

Ireland: Visa and MasterCard credit cards are readily accepted (and American Express to a lesser extent), but you should always inquire if your type of credit card is accepted before deciding on your purchase.

Chip Cards Many countries have adopted a new type of credit card that has an embedded computer chip. These cards are inserted into the reader instead of swiped. The card owner then authorizes the purchase using a PIN instead of signing.

This new technology is only now gaining traction in the U.S., so occasionally there are machines in other countries that can’t read U.S. cards. Or the machine can read the card, but asks for a PIN. This doesn’t happen often, and is nothing to worry about. You can usually resolve the situation by asking the cashier to let you sign. (If you don’t speak the language, just mime signing on your hand.) If you are not able to sign for a purchase, such as at an automated ticket booth, you can use another form of payment, such as a debit card that has a PIN.

Notify Card Providers of Upcoming Travel Many credit card companies and banks have fraud alert departments that will freeze your card if they see suspicious charges—such as charges or withdrawals from another country. To avoid an accidental security block, it is a good idea to notify your credit card company and/or bank you will be using your cards abroad. You can do this by calling their customer service number a week or two before your departure. Some banks or credit card companies will also let you do this online.

57 You should also double-check what phone number you could call if you have a problem with a card while you are abroad. Don’t assume you can use the 1-800 number printed on the back of your card—most 1 800 numbers don’t work outside of the U.S.!

Tipping Guidelines Of course, whether you tip, and how much, is always at your own discretion. But for those of you who have asked for tipping suggestions, we offer these guidelines.

• O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader: It is customary to express a personal “thank you” to your Trip Experience Leader at the end of your trip. As a guideline, many travelers give $7-$10 USD (or equivalent in local currency) per person for each day their Trip Experience Leader is with them. Please note that these tips can only be in cash. If you are taking any of the optional extensions, your Trip Experience Leader during the extension(s) may not be the same as the one on your main trip.

• Hotel Housekeeping: Many travelers will leave the equivalent of $1-$2 per day, per room for the hotel housekeeping staff. Please note: Because of the difficulty in exchanging a small amount of dollars, it would be easier for the housekeeping staff if you left their tips in local currency.

Please Note: Your tour price includes gratuities on the main trip and optional extensions for local guides, drivers, and luggage porters that may assist you during the scheduled activities on your adventure. All tips are quoted in U.S. dollars; tips can be converted and paid in local currency or in U.S. dollars. Please do not use personal or traveler’s checks for tips.

58 AIR, OPTIONAL TOURS & STAYING IN TOUCH

Land Only Travelers & Personalized Air Quick Definitions

• Land Only: You will be booking your own international flights. Airport transfers are not included.

• Air-Inclusive: You booked international air with us. Airport transfers are included as long as you didn’t customize your trip’s dates (see next bullet).

• Personalized Air: You booked international air with us, and have customized it in some way. If you have customized your trip’s dates to arrive early, stay longer, or stop on your own in a connecting city, airport transfers will NOT be included. You must also arrange your own accommodations for any additional nights. For your convenience, a preliminary list of your included hotels is available on your My Account at www.oattravel.com/myaccount under “My Reservations”.

Airport Transfers Can Be Purchased For eligible flights, airport transfers may be purchased separately as an optional add-on, subject to availability. To be eligible, your flight(s) must meet the following requirements:

• You must fly into or fly home from the same airport as O.A.T. travelers who purchased included airfare.

• Your flight(s) must arrive/depart on the same day that the group arrives or departs.

Airport transfers can be purchased up to 45 days prior to your departure; they are not available for purchase onsite. To learn more, or purchase airport transfers, please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-221-0814.

If you don’t meet the requirements above, you’ll need to make your own transfer arrangements. We suggest the Rome to Rio website as a handy resource: www.rome2rio.com.

Optional Tours Optional tours are additional add-on tours that allow you to personalize your adventure by tailoring it to your tastes and needs. And if you decide not to join an optional tour? Then you’ll have free time to relax or explore on your own—it’s about options, not obligations.

What You Need to Know • All optional tours are subject to change and availability.

59 • Optional tours that are reserved with your Trip Experience Leader can be paid for using credit/debit cards only. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and Discover credit cards; we can also take MasterCard or Visa debit cards as long as the card allows you to sign for purchases. (You won’t be able to enter a PIN.)

• To ensure that you are charged in U.S. dollars, your payment will be processed by our U.S. headquarters in Boston. This process can take up to three months, so we ask that you only use a card that will still be valid three months after your trip is over. The charge may appear on your credit card statement as being from Boston, MA or may be labeled as “OPT Boston”.

• Your Trip Experience Leader will give you details on the optional tours while you’re on the trip. But if you’d like to look over descriptions of them earlier, you can do so at any time by referring to your Day-to-Day Itinerary (available online by signing into My Account at www.oattravel.com/myaccount).

Communicating with Home from Abroad

Cell Phones If you want to use your cell phone on the trip, check with your phone provider to see if your phone and service will work outside of the U.S. It may turn out to be cheaper to rent an international phone or buy a SIM card onsite. If you want to use a local SIM, just make certain your phone can accept one.

Calling Apps Another option is to use a smartphone app like Skype or FaceTime. These services are usually less expensive than making a traditional call, but you’ll need a Wi-Fi connection and the calls may count towards your phone plan’s data allowance. Many smartphones—and some tablets or laptops—come with one of these apps pre-installed or you can download them for free from the appropriate apps store.

Calling Cards and 1-800 Numbers When calling the U.S. from a foreign country, a prepaid calling card can be useful because it circumvents unexpected charges from the hotel. Calling cards purchased locally are typically the best (less expensive, more likely to work with the local phones, etc.).

One reminder: Do not call U.S. 1-800 numbers outside the continental . This can result in costly long distance fees, since 1-800 numbers do not work outside the country.

60 How to Call Overseas When calling overseas from the U.S., dial 011 for international exchange, then the country code (indicated by a plus sign: +), and then the number. Note that foreign phone numbers may not have the same number of digits as U.S. numbers; even within a country the number of digits can vary depending on the city and if the phone is a land line or cell phone.

United Kingdom: +44 Northern Ireland: +44

Scotland: +44 Ireland: +353

61 PACKING: WHAT TO BRING & LUGGAGE LIMITS

Luggage Limits

MAIN TRIP LIMITS

Pieces per person One checked bag and one carry-on bag per person.

Weight restrictions Varies by airline. The current standard is 50 lbs for checked bags and 15 lbs for carry-on bags.

Size Restrictions Varies by airline. Measured in linear inches (length+width+depth). Generally, 62 linear inches is the checked bag limit; carry-on limit is 45 linear inches.

Luggage Type A sturdy, fabric-sided suitcase with built-in wheels and lockable zippers is recommended.

TRIP EXTENSION(S) LIMITS

Pre and/or post trip extensions: Same as the main trip.

REMARKS/SUGGESTIONS

Luggage rules: Luggage rules and limits are set by governmental and airline policy. Enforcement of the rules may include spot checks or may be inconsistent. However one thing is the same across the board: If you are found to have oversized or overweight luggage, you will be subject to additional fees, to be assessed by—and paid to—the airline in question.

Don’t Forget: • These luggage limits may change. If the airline(s) notify us of any changes, we will include an update in your Final Documents booklet.

• It’s a good idea to reconfirm baggage restrictions and fees directly with the airline a week or so prior to departure. For your convenience, we maintain a list of the toll-free numbers for the most common airlines on our website in the FAQ section.

• Baggage fees are not included in your trip price; they are payable directly to the airlines.

62 Your Luggage • Checked Luggage: Consider a duffel bag or soft-sided suitcase. Look for one with heavy nylon fabric, wrap-around handles, built-in wheels, and a heavy duty lockable zipper. Due to space limitations on our motorcoaches, you are allowed one piece of checked luggage per person. Porterage at airports and hotels is provided for one bag per person. All bags should have luggage tags.

• Carry-on Bag: You are allowed one carry-on bag per person. We suggest a tote or small backpack that can be used as both a carry-on bag for your flight and to carry your daily necessities—water bottle, camera, etc—during your daily activities.

• Locks: For flights that originate in the U.S., you can either use a TSA-approved lock or leave your luggage unlocked. Outside of the U.S. we strongly recommend locking your luggage as a theft-prevention measure.

Clothing Suggestions: Functional Tips • Travel light: A good rule of thumb is to gather together everything you want to bring; then take half of that. To have a varied travel wardrobe, yet keep your luggage light, we recommend you select a color scheme and pack color-coordinated clothing items that can be mixed to create different outfits.

• Pack casual clothes: Comfortable, informal apparel is acceptable at each of your destinations. At dinner, you will not need to don “dressy” clothing; men do not need jackets or ties and women do not need fancy dresses. You may want one or two “smart casual” outfits for the Welcome Reception or Farewell Dinner, but it’s completely up to you.

• Consider clothing designed for travel, sports, or camping: With modern fabrics, lightweight packing for comfort and protection through a wide range of weather is easy.

• Plan to dress in layers. Weather in Scotland is unpredictable, and can feature warm and cold temperatures at any time of the year. The most practical travel wardrobe consists of items that you can wear in layers. Then you can easily add or remove a layer according to any fluctuations in temperatures.

• Bring rain gear: Regardless of your month of travel, rainfall and heavy fog is certainly a possibility. We suggest you bring a folding umbrella and waterproof shell (including rain pants). Water-resistant walking shoes are advantageous in case heavy downpours pass through. This will be particularly helpful during some of your outdoor activities, such as open-air boat rides.

• Good walking shoes are critical. This program features many included tours that follow steep, unpaved or cobbled routes; and even an average day of light sightseeing or shopping can put great demands on your feet. If you prefer more ankle support, take light hiking boots. In case you get caught in the rain, we suggest you bring an extra pair of walking shoes, and rain boots or galoshes.

63 Suggested Packing Lists We have included suggestions from Trip Experience Leaders and former travelers to help you pack. These lists are only jumping-off points—they offer recommendations based on experience, but not requirements. You may also want to consult the “Climate” chapter of this handbook.

And don’t forget a reusable water bottle—you’ll need it to take advantage of any refills we offer as we are working to eliminate single-use plastic bottles on all of our trips.

What not to pack: Do not pack aerosol cans, as they tend to leak during air travel. Leave behind any credit cards that are not essential for your trip, valuable jewelry, and anything that you would hate to lose.

Recommended Clothing ‰Shirts: A mixture of short and long-sleeved shirts to layer ‰Trousers, jeans, or skirts ‰Comfortable walking shoes and/or water resistant shoes ‰Rain jacket/windbreaker with hood and rain pants: At any time of year, you’ll encounter the heavy rains, wind, and fog associated with the lush green landscapes of Scotland. Since you’ll be exposed to the elements during several activities (such as open-air boat rides and hikes), we strongly suggest that you bring rain gear.

‰Sleepwear ‰Socks and undergarments ‰A jacket or sweater, depending on the time of year

Essential Items ‰Daily essentials: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hairbrush or comb, shaving items, deodorant, sunscreen, shampoo/conditioner, shower cap, body soap, etc.

‰Spare eyeglasses/contact lenses and your prescription ‰Sunglasses with a neck strap ‰Wide-brim sun hat or visor ‰Compact umbrella ‰Photocopies of passport, air ticket, credit cards ‰Travel money bag or money belt

64 ‰Camera, spare batteries, and memory cards

Medicines ‰Your own prescription medicines ‰Vitamins ‰Cold remedies: Sudafed/Dristan ‰Pain relievers: Ibuprofen/naproxen/aspirin ‰Laxatives: Senokot/Ex-Lax ‰Stomach upset: Pepto-Bismol/Mylanta ‰Anti-diarrheal: Imodium ‰Band-Aids, Moleskin foot pads ‰Antibiotics: Neosporin/Bacitracin

Optional Gear ‰Travel alarm ‰Compact binoculars ‰Hanging toiletry bag with pockets ‰Washcloth ‰Travel-size tissues ‰Basic sewing kit ‰Hand-wash laundry soap (Woolite), clothespins/travel clothesline/stopper ‰Electrical transformer and plug adapter ‰Reading materials ‰Travel journal/note pad ‰Swimsuit, if your ship/hotel has a pool or whirlpool ‰Addresses for postcards

65 ‰Photos, small gift for Home-Hosted visit ‰Phrase book ‰Pocket-size calculator for exchange rates ‰Travel hair dryer: Many hotels will provide hair dryers, but not all. If a hair dryer is essential to you consider a travel-size version.

Electricity Abroad When traveling overseas, the voltage is usually different and the plugs might not be the same shape.

Voltage Electricity at hotels in Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and England is 220-240 volts. In the U.S. it is 110 volts. Most of the things a traveler will want to plug in—battery chargers, MP3 players, tablets or computers—can run off both 110 and 220-240. But you should check the item or the owner’s guide first to confirm this before you plug it in. Plugging a 110V U.S. appliance into 220/240V 50/60Hz service will ruin the motor. If you have something that needs 110 volts—like a shaver or a hairdryer—you can bring a transformer to change the current. (But transformers tend to burn out, so it might be better to leave whatever it is at home.)

Plugs The shape of plugs will vary from country to country, and sometimes even within a country depending on when that building was built. To plug something from the U.S. into a local socket you’ll need an adapter that fits between the plug and the socket. Although you are only traveling in one country on this trip, it may be easier to purchase an all-in-one, universal adapter/ converter combo. Versatile and lightweight, these can usually be found at your local electronics goods or hardware stores. Sometimes you can buy them at large retailers too, like Target or Walmart. If you forget to bring an adapter, you might also find them for sale at the airport when you arrive at your destination.

Different plug shapes are named by letters of the alphabet. Standard U.S. plugs are Type A and Type B. Here is the list of plugs for the countries on this trip:

United Kingdom: G

Scotland: G

Northern Ireland: G

66 Ireland: G

Type G

67 CLIMATE & AVERAGE TEMPERATURES

Scotland: The variable climate of Scotland is infamous for its consistent ability to change from day to day. Cool, mild weather, accompanied by frequent cloud cover and rain, is the norm. But on occasion, and at any time of year, a stint of foul weather can settle in. In Scotland’s lowlands (the Edinburgh region), temperatures average in the low 50s during spring and fall, and in the low 60s during summer. At any time, temperatures could drop and the weather become chilly.

Northern Ireland: With the Atlantic front sweeping over Northern Ireland, weather in the region tends to be unstable, with frequent winds and near constant clouds. A completely clear sky is a rarity, a grey sky a more common sight. Winters are cold and rainy, with an average of mid 40s during the day and a chance of a wind storm. Snow is rare. Summers are cool and rainy, with an average of mid 60s during the season. The mild weather and frequent rain has led to Northern Ireland’s picturesque green scenery.

Ireland: Irish weather is traditionally fickle, even in summer—when temperatures usually range from the low 50s to the upper 60s, though over the last decade, the spring and summer seasons were often glorious with many sunny days in the 70s. Nonetheless, chilly east winds may blow through, so come prepared for anything. Except for a strip along the east coast, the country receives some rain at least 200 days a year. This wet climate is responsible for Ireland’s verdant beauty.

England: The weather across England can be unreliable and unpredictable, with lovely sun- drenched mornings regularly turning into damp, overcast afternoons—and vice versa. Still, legends about incessant rain in England are exaggerated. London, in fact, has less rainfall accumulation than Rome, which is known as a sunny city. It’s just that in London, the rain is spread over more days. The British capital is very much a city of the temperate zone. With occasional exceptions, London’s summers tend to be moderately warm, with few days having temperatures above 75° F; winters as well tend to be moderately cold, with few days dropping below 30° F. Spring and autumn are generally comfortable, with little more than a sweater or light overcoat required. The weather in York and Bath is similar.

Climate Averages & Online Forecast The following charts reflect the average climate as opposed to exact weather conditions. This means they serve only as general indicators of what can reasonably be expected. An extreme heat wave or cold snap could fall outside these ranges. As your departure approaches, we encourage you to go online to www.oattravel.com/myaccount for your 10-day forecast.

68 Average Daily High/Low Temperatures (°F), Humidity & Monthly Rainfall

MONTH CHESTER, ENGLAND EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

Temp. High-Low % Relative Average Amount of Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Humidity (avg) Rainfall (inches) Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall JAN 45 to 37 86 2.7 44 to 34 86 to 80 14 FEB 46 to 36 83 2.3 45 to 34 86 to 75 10 MAR 49 to 37 80 2.5 48 to 37 86 to 68 12 APR 54 to 41 77 2.8 53 to 39 87 to 65 10 MAY 60 to 47 75 3.0 58 to 44 87 to 65 11 JUN 65 to 52 75 3.4 63 to 48 86 to 64 10 JUL 67 to 55 76 3.5 67 to 52 88 to 66 10 AUG 66 to 55 79 3.3 66 to 51 90 to 66 11 SEP 63 to 52 81 2.9 62 to 49 89 to 69 10 OCT 57 to 47 83 3.0 55 to 43 88 to 74 13 NOV 49 to 41 86 3.0 49 to 39 87 to 79 13 DEC 45 to 37 86 3.0 44 to 34 87 to 82 13

MONTH INVERNESS, SCOTLAND GUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS

Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) (inches) Humidity (avg) (inches) JAN 42 to 35 85 to 81 2.0 48 to 41 -- 3.7 FEB 43 to 34 86 to 76 1.6 47 to 40 -- 2.8 MAR 47 to 37 86 to 70 1.5 50 to 42 -- 2.6 APR 50 to 39 86 to 68 1.5 53 to 44 -- 2.6 MAY 60 to 49 87 to 67 1.8 59 to 49 -- 2.0 JUN 60 to 49 86 to 68 1.9 64 to 53 -- 1.8 JUL 64 to 53 88 to 70 2.6 67 to 57 -- 1.6 AUG 63 to 52 89 to 68 2.8 68 to 57 -- 2.0 SEP 58 to 48 88 to 71 2.3 64 to 56 -- 2.4 OCT 53 to 44 87 to 75 2.6 59 to 52 -- 3.7 NOV 46 to 39 86 to 81 2.4 53 to 47 -- 4.1 DEC 43 to 36 86 to 83 2.1 48 to 43 -- 4.5

69 MONTH BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND DUBLIN, IRELAND

Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) (inches) JAN 46 to 36 84 14.7 47 to 36 87 to 81 2.5 FEB 47 to 36 81 11.4 47 to 36 87 to 76 1.9 MAR 50 to 38 78 13.8 50 to 38 84 to 71 2.1 APR 54 to 41 75 11.4 54 to 40 80 to 68 2.1 MAY 60 to 44 73 11.8 59 to 44 77 to 68 2.3 JUN 64 to 50 74 11.2 64 to 49 77 to 68 2.6 JUL 68 to 53 76 12.1 67 to 53 79 to 69 2.2 AUG 67 to 53 77 13.4 67 to 53 81 to 69 2.9 SEP 63 to 49 79 12.3 63 to 50 83 to 72 2.3 OCT 57 to 45 82 14.4 57 to 45 86 to 75 3.1 NOV 51 to 40 84 14.5 51 to 40 89 to 80 2.9 DEC 47 to 36 86 14.4 47 to 37 88 to 83 2.9

MONTH LONDON, ENGLAND

Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall JAN 45 to 34 90 to 80 23 FEB 46 to 34 90 to 74 19 MAR 52 to 37 91 to 68 21 APR 57 to 39 90 to 60 20 MAY 63 to 44 90 to 59 18 JUN 69 to 49 90 to 61 18 JUL 73 to 53 91 to 59 17 AUG 73 to 53 94 to 64 18 SEP 59 to 44 93 to 72 21 OCT 59 to 44 93 to 72 21 NOV 51 to 39 92 to 78 22 DEC 46 to 35 90 to 82 22

70 ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE

O.A.T. Trip Experience Leaders: A World of Difference During your adventure you’ll be accompanied by one of our local, expert Trip Experience Leaders. All are fluent in English and possess the skills, certification, and experience necessary to ensure an enriching adventure. As locals of the regions you’ll explore with them, our Trip Experience Leaders provide the kind of firsthand knowledge and insight that make local history, culture, and wildlife come alive. Coupled with their unbridled enthusiasm, caring personalities, and ability to bring diverse groups of travelers together, our Trip Experience Leaders ensure that your experience with O.A.T. is one you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Culture of the British Isles England has been a very homogenous country, but as their empire expanded around the globe, they have experienced some social and cultural diversification from Afro-Caribbeans, Asians, Muslims, and other immigrant groups.

The British class system has historically been a powerful point of stratification in the social, economic and political spheres of life. Differentiations between the working class and middle class were once largely defined by one’s occupation. Today, class differences have more to do with schooling, social orientations, and upbringing. Though British society has progressively become less class conscious, the class system remains integral and continues to shape the people’s sense of belonging. Despite social stratifications, there is a strong egalitarian belief that everyone should have equal opportunity to better their circumstances regardless of their background.

From Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare to Lewis Carroll and J.K. Rowling, in its literature, England arguably has attained its most influential cultural expression. For more than a millennium, each stage in the development of the English language has produced masterworks.

Despite the religious upheavals and charged politics, the people of Northern Ireland are warm and friendly. Their culture is intertwined with England, Scotland, and Ireland, yet the people of Northern Ireland, for the most part, do not consider themselves of these regions. With different cultural influences, there is a rich lineup of festivals throughout the year, including St. Patrick’s Day—a fervent celebration passed on from the Republic of Ireland—and controversial celebrations like Orangefest—commemorating the victory of Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II.

Comfortably residing beside Northern Ireland’s natural beauty are remnants of the island’s long history—haunting ruins left to in the middle of a field or by the roadside. From tumbled-down stone structures left behind by the Vikings to traces of medieval culture found in countryside castles, Northern Ireland’s history is always on display. Some of the country’s more tragic history has also left its mark in the resilient character of its people, such as the Troubles of the 20th century—a period that rocked Northern Ireland for three decades, and when the dust settled, more than 3,500 people were killed, and more than 47,000 wounded.

71 As beautiful as Northern Ireland is to behold, it is its people that give the country its heart and soul. From cities to small towns, a strong sense of camaraderie connects every community. Yet, each community follows the contour of political and sectarian differences. There is a shared participation in global culture, such as Hollywood movies, football, and popular music; however, the nationalist and unionist communities maintain their own cultural practices. Irish music and dance as well as Gaelic football and hurling form a cultural focus in the nationalist communities, while unionist communities are heavily influenced by trends of the U.K. But, no matter the community, locals gather together at the pub to exchange stories, join in a song, or listen to music. And when you’re in Northern Ireland, you will more likely than not find yourself warmly welcomed by the locals, but make sure you call them just that “locals.” Especially in the southern border towns, they do not consider themselves neither Irish nor British.

Scots are known to be outgoing, steadfast, practical, and full of humor. They are also fiercely proud of their culture—in part, perhaps, because it has taken a lot for them to retain it. Scotland has endured centuries of attempted repression by the English—not to mention other invaders like the Romans, Vikings, and Normans.

Scottish Gaelic is still an official language, and even though very few Scots speak it, many signs are translated into Gaelic and Gaelic words have infiltrated the larger culture. Many Scots identify with their ancient clans, and proudly wear their clan tartans for weddings, holidays and special occasions. Though these were originally part of Highland dress, they are now the national dress of the whole country.

Within Scotland, there is an imaginary line that runs roughly from to Glasgow that separates the Highlands in the north and west, from the Lowlands in the south and east. Generally speaking, Highland culture is more Gaelic and rural; whereas Lowland culture is more hybrid and urban. Scottish folklore is rich and widely loved. You’ll hear tales of kelpies (shape-shifting water spirits), wulvers (werewolves, but kind ones), selkies (seals who can take human form), and all manner of mythical beasts—Nessie the Loch Ness monster being the most famous. Some of that folklore has inspired Scotland’s rich literary tradition, which gave us greats like Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M. Barrie, and the most revered Scottish poet of all, Robert Burns. Today, you can experience some of the most exciting contemporary art, music, theater and more at cultural festivals like the Edinburgh International, the Fringe, Up Helly Aa (Shetland fire festivals), Aye Write! (the Glasgow book fair), and more.

That’s quite a lot to celebrate, and Scots love to do just that the local pub, another cultural icon. Wander in and share a beer or a whisky, and pretty soon you’ll be having a blether (conversation) with your bar mate. Just don’t call what you’re drinking a Scotch (it’s called whisky here), and don’t call your new friend that, either. It’s considered antiquated and offensive. They are Scots or Scottish—and fiercely proud of it.

72 Taking Photographs The etiquette of photographing most people in the UK is about the same as it would be on the streets of your hometown. You need permission to take a close-up, but not for a crowd scene. Be especially polite if you want to photograph children or older women. If you want to shoot a great portrait, show interest in your subject and try to have a bit of social interaction first. Then use sign language to inquire if a picture is OK.

Safety & Security As you travel, exercise the same caution and awareness that you would in a large American city. Don’t be overly nervous or suspicious, but keep your eyes open. If you are venturing out after dark, go with one or two other people.

Carry a one-day supply of cash in your pocket. Carry most of your money, and your passport, in a travel pouch or money belt under your shirt. Replenish your pocket supply when you are in a safe and quiet place, or in our vehicle. Don’t leave valuables unattended in your hotel room. Most hotels will offer use of a hotel safe at the front desk or an electronic in-room safe (for which you can set your own personal number). Please utilize them.

Pickpockets may create a sudden distraction. In any sort of puzzling street situation, try to keep one hand on your wallet or money belt. If an encounter with a local turns out to be long and complicated and involves money or your valuables, be very careful. Con artists sometimes target travelers.

Language in Scotland There are three official languages in Scotland. The first is English, which is spoken by more than 99% of the people. The dialect you will hear most often is Scottish English, and sometimes, it is hard to understand! But if you just ask people to speak more slowly, you will catch on. The second most spoken language is Scots, a Germanic language that is related to Old English. The third language, Gaelic, is Celtic in origin. Scottish Gaelic is different than Irish Gaelic. It is spoken by nearly 90,000 people in Scotland, most of which are concentrated in the Highlands and the western islands. But very few people speak only Gaelic.

Useful Phrases

Scottish English has some colorful slang and expressions that you are likely to hear:

• Aye means “yes.” Naw means “no.”

• Braw is something that is great or fantastic, as in “that dinner was braw.” If it’s really, really great, you can say it was pure barry.

• Fitba is football. And football (in case you didn’t know it) is soccer.

• Haud yer weesht is a very brusque way to say “be quiet.”

73 • To go out on the skite means to have a night on the town, usually fueled by alcohol. Do that, and you might get steaming (very drunk.) The next day, you might look a little peely-wally, or sickly and pale. In that case, you may want to drink an Irn Bru (pronounced iron brew.) This popular carbonated beverage tastes like bubblegum and orange, and aside from being Scotland’s most popular soft drink, it is said to cure hangovers.

• Haste ye back! Is what you’ll want to do upon leaving Scotland: Come back soon.

Language in Ireland English is the official language in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and is spoken by nearly everyone. Additionally, in parts of Northern Ireland, Ulster Scots, a dialect of Scots, is sometimes spoken as a second language. In Ireland, a second official language is Irish or Gaelige. It is a Gaelic language but is separate and distinct from Scots Gaelic. Though most people know some Irish phrases and some signs are translated into this ancient tongue, it is very rarely spoken conversationally.

Useful Phrases Since everyone speaks English you should have no trouble communicating with your Irish hosts. And in a land where the spoken word is so highly valued, there is a rich and colorful catalog of vernacular and slang phrases. Here are few to help you get started:

• Craic is a catch-all word that means any manner of fun. It is social in nature something you’d enjoy at parties, in the pubs and anywhere people gather together.

• When something is on the tip of your tongue but you can’t quite muster the actual word you need, yoke is a common Irish substitute (like thingamajig in English). “Would you hand me that yoke over there?”

• You may know it as the restroom or toilet, but in Ireland the bathroom facilities are called “the jacks”. If you need to use one, as someone “Where are the jacks?” and they’ll point you in the right direction.

• The official name for the police is the Gardai, and an individual police officer is a Gard. But most often they are referred to as the “guards,” as in “Slow down your driving, or the guards will be on us.”

• “Aw, sure look it” is very widely used, with different connotations. It can be an answer to a rhetorical question, as in “Isn’t it a rotten day out there? Ah, sure, look it.” It is also used to tack onto the end of a sentence for emphasis, or in response to something when you don’t know what to say.

• “Was it any use?” is an inquiry that means, “was it any good?”

• The national drink, Guinness, is sometimes called “the black stuff” or “a pint of Gat.”

74 • If you are out and about exploring, you may be walking along a footpath (sidewalk), and you may be wearing runners (sneakers). If it’s cool, you may be wearing a jumper (sweater). You might also be carrying your belongings in a bum bag. Do not call it by its American name, fanny pack, because here, “fanny” is something altogether different (and crude).

English Cuisine The French used to have a joke about their English neighbors that went something like “other countries know how to cook while the English know how to boil”. Even the Brits themselves would joke about their standard “meat, potatoes, and two veg” meals. But starting in the 90s there was a revival of British classics using fresh ingredients, flavor-boosting “low and slow” methods, and sometimes borrowing elements from other cuisines. As a result, modern British cooking now has many admirers (see the devoted fans of Great British Bake Off or the cookbooks of Jamie Oliver, , and as proof). Add to this the fact that the UK has a diverse choice of restaurants—Indian, Thai, Italian, French, and Chinese to name a few—and we can say that the English eat very well.

That’s not to say that you can’t find the old classics; just that they are better than ever. For example, beef stew, bangers and mash (sausage and mashed potatoes), and (a potato and cabbage/brussel sprout dish) are still on many menus. Fish and chips is another well-known meal and is usually bought from special shops (chippies) where the cooked food is wrapped and sprinkled with salt and vinegar. There are lots of traditional regional specialties, including (made with flour and water), (sausages in Yorkshire pudding), cream scones served with jam and clotted cream, and London’s pie and mash (eel in parsley sauce with mashed potato). And although not originally from Britain, Indian curry has become so ubiquitous that “going for a curry” is a weekend staple.

Scottish Cuisine Scotland has some of the most creative chefs in the United Kingdom, and considering the fantastic pantry they have to work with—with world-class seafood, game and produce—it’s no wonder that the country boasts ten Michelin-starred restaurants. Twelve products of Scottish origin qualify for the European Union’s PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) designation, including Shetland lamb, Orkney Island Scottish cheddar, Scottish salmon, and Scottish whisky.

You can enjoy these delicacies all over the country, not just in the foodie capital of Edinburgh. But when you’re in the capital, do visit one of its famous chippies. These fish and chip shops dish up the crispiest fare, served with something unique to Edinburgh: “salt ‘n sauce.” This is a tangy, brown condiment that’s a cross between malt vinegar, brown gravy, and .

Cullen Skink may sound like the name of a Harry Potter villain, but it’s a fish soup of smoked haddock, potatoes and leeks. Traditionally, it’s made from , a cold-smoked haddock from Aberdeen; or , a hot-smoked haddock. Scottish salmon is widely considered the best in the world. Some say the same about Scottish oysters from Loch Ryan.

75 For meat lovers, your roast, stew, or steak will taste best if it’s made with rich, marbled Angus Aberdeen beef. Another favorite of Scottish carnivores is . It’s a sausage made from congealed pig’s blood mixed with oats, fat, and seasonings. It may not sound appetizing, but because it’s loaded with protein, potassium, calcium and iron, it’s considered a “superfood.”

In Scotland, your bangers and mash (sausage and mashed potatoes) might include something besides pork, such as venison or apples. Bangers are a breakfast staple, as are , which are square and made with beef. You’ll get both of those if you order a full Scottish, a heaping breakfast plate that also includes fried eggs, tomatoes, , ham or bacon, butter, scones, bread, and sometimes even haggis.

And oops, there you go, we’ve mentioned the unmentionable: haggis. Scotland’s national dish, it’s made from minced sheep’s liver, lungs, and heart; mixed with spices and ; and served inside the stomach lining. It is usually served with neets and tatties (mashed turnips and potatoes.) If you get invited to a traditional Robbie , haggis will be the main dish, ushered to the table by a bagpiper, and praised by a reading of the revered poet’s Address to the Haggis. Otherwise, haggis is widely available, and many people say it’s delicious. Go ahead, try it. This may be your only chance, because haggis has been banned by the USDA since 1971.

For dessert you might try traditional ; , a fudge-like confection (minus the chocolate); or the “king of Scottish desserts,” , a rich parfait of cream, raspberries and oats. Cholesterol not high enough? Try a battered Mars Bar. Scots love to dip this American candy in a sweet batter, then deep fry it. And here’s a secret: You can also get a deep-fried Snickers or Three Musketeers bar, whatever your sweet tooth desires.

Whatever your meal includes, you can toast it with a wee dram of Scottish whisky. If you order it in a pub, please don’t call it “Scotch.” If you ask for it on the rocks, you may get a pitying look along with your ice. To impress your bartender, order a single malt and specify one of the six official Scottish whisky regions: Lowlands, Speyside, Highlands, Campbeltown, Islay and Islands. Then raise your glass and say slainte-mhath (pronounced “slange var”)—to your health!

Irish Cuisine If you come to Ireland expecting mostly mundane meat and potatoes, you will be surprised. Talented chefs have inspired a burgeoning food culture that continues to reinvent itself all over the island, fed by a steady supply of local ingredients fresh from the farms, fields and sea. There are also plenty of options for international fare, thanks to the growing immigrant population. But if it is traditional you’re after, look for these dishes:

Start your day right with an Irish breakfast. Hearty doesn’t begin to describe it, a plateful of some or all of the following: baked beans, broiled tomatoes, eggs, bacon, sausages, , toast (made with and butter and ), a potato dish, and tea. The sausages will include black and , which aren’t puddings in the American sense but casings filled with a mixture of pork, oats, seasonings and pig’s blood. They are then sliced and fried—and said to be very tasty. (The white pudding omits the blood.) In Northern Ireland, this breakfast banquet goes by the name of an “Ulster fry.”

76 The Irish have many inventive dishes based on potatoes. Try colcannon, a mix of mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale, butter, and scallions. Its Northern Ireland variant is called champ, and is made with just scallions and creamy potatoes. Boxty is a type of potato , and bubble and squeak is a of mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables and beef.

Irish cows must be very happy with all those rolling green pastures and family-run farms. They produce some of the finest milk in the world, not to mention the richest butter and a variety of fine cheeses such as Dubliner cheddar, Beara bleu cheese, and Wicklow Farmhouse (a type of brie). The goats must be happy, too, given the deliciousness of goat milk cheeses such as St. Tola Ash Log (rolled in food-grade ash) and Knockdrinna Farmhouse, a nutty, semi-hard cheese.

Irish stew is comfort food at its best. Inexpensive ingredients such as mutton, potatoes, and carrots are slow-cooked with herbs such as bay, parsley and thyme. Nowadays, you are more likely to have your stew made with lamb or even beef. Carnivores might also try Dexter beef, which is native to the island and known for its sweet, nutty flavor.

Fish and shellfish abound, especially in the west where you will find superb oysters. Those from Clarinbridge, County Galway are known for their superior quality. Connemara is known for clams. And though cockles and mussels are a Dublin specialty (immortalized in the song Molly Malone), you can enjoy them all over the island. Try also smoked Irish salmon, seafood chowder, butter- poached scallops and the staple, fish and chips.

A popular bread for or breakfast is blaa, a soft, puffy yeast roll that is a specialty of Waterford. Authentic Irish soda breads can be sweet or savory. Soda fari is a type of quick flat bread from Ulster. There is also a special bread called barmbrack that is made with raisins and candied peel (often steeped in tea and whiskey). At Halloween, a charm hidden in your bread will foretell your future. And if your sweet tooth craves more at the end of your meal, try Irish , a layered dessert of cream, , fruits, jam and soaked in juice or sherry.

Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Shipping & More There may be scheduled visits to local shops during your adventure. There is no requirement to make a purchase during these stops, and any purchase made is a direct transaction with the shop in question, subject to the vendor’s terms of purchase. O.A.T. is not responsible for purchases you make on your trip or for the shipment of your purchases.

Returns If you discover an issue with an item, you should contact the vendor directly and expect that any resolution will take longer than it would in the U.S. We recommend that you keep a copy of all your receipts, invoices, or contracts, along with the shop’s contact information. Keep in mind, local practice may vary from U.S. standards, so don’t assume that you have a certain number of days after the purchase to speak up or that you are guaranteed a refund.

77 Crafts & Souvenirs

England Different parts of the United Kingdom (UK) are known for different specialties. Even if your trip only takes you to one part of the country, you’ll find these items for sale throughout. Popular items include Liberty silks, umbrellas, Crunchie candy bars, Derby-style hats and fascinators, Paddington toy bears, Wedgwood china, orange marmalade, Woods of Windsor soaps and lotions, football team shirts, Wellington boots, Burberry trench coats and accessories, books by British authors, Earl Grey tea, Beatles memorabilia and so much more. You can find all kinds of items emblazoned with Union Jacks, London Underground (Tube) imagery, and images of the royal family.

Scotland Scotland has many fine local products to choose from, including shortbread, handmade soaps, Celtic jewelry, and bagpipes. There are plenty of items emblazoned with the Scottish flag, Nessie the Loch Ness monster, and golf imagery (since the game was invented here.) If there’s a dog lover on your gift list, consider a memento of Greyfriar’s Bobby. He was a 19th-century Skye Terrier who supposedly stood by his master’s grave in Edinburgh’s Greyfriar’s churchyard— every day for 14 years.

Many of the best souvenirs are wearable, like Scottish cashmere, Harris tweed, quality woolens, Balmoral caps, tams, and tartans (which found on everything from umbrellas to scarves and pajamas.) While the kilt is the quintessential Scottish garment, there are also special accessories that complete the look: a sporran (pouch), sgian-dubh (a small ceremonial knife—which might be hard to get back to the U.S. in your luggage), and jaunty knee-high socks. Although women don’t wear kilts, they do wear tartan skirts and special shoes known as ghillie boots.

And of course, there’s whisky (without an “e”), which is so synonymous with Scotland that many Americans call it “Scotch.” Not a whisky fan? Scotland is also known for high-quality .

Ireland One of the most popular Irish souvenirs is the highly prized white wool Aran sweaters and hats. Other commonly sought items include hand-woven Tweeds, knitwear, linen, earthenware and pottery, porcelain, glass and handmade jewelry (often in Celtic motifs), pearly Belleek china, luminous Waterford crystal, and Irish lace.

U.S. Customs Regulations & Shipping Charges For all things related to U.S. Customs, the ultimate authority is the U.S. Bureau of Customs & Border Protection. Their website, www.cbp.gov has the answers to the most frequently asked questions. Or you can call them at 1-877-227-5511.

The top three points to know are:

78 • At time of writing, your personal duty-free allowance is $800 for items brought with you. Items totaling more than $800 are subject to duty fees.

• Items shipped home are always subject to duty when received in the U.S. Even when the shop has offered to include shipping and duties in the price, this typically means shipping to the nearest customs facility and payment of the export duties—not door-to-door shipping or payment of the import duties. All additional duties or shipping charges would be your responsibility. Unless an item is small enough to send by parcel service (like FedEx), chances are you will need to arrange shipping or pick-up once the item is in the U.S. and will need to pay customs duties.

• It is illegal to import products made from endangered animal species. U.S. Customs & Border Protection will seize these items, as well as most furs, coral, tortoise shell, reptile skins, feathers, plants, and items made from animal skins.

79 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY

United Kingdom in Brief

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 94,525 square miles

• Capital: London, with a separate parliament in Edinburgh for Scotland, a National Assembly in Cardiff for Wales, and a National Assembly for Northern Ireland in Belfast.

• Government: Constitutional monarchy

• Languages: English, Welsh, Gaelic

• Location: Situated off the northwest coast of Europe, the island of Britain is occupied by England, Wales, and Scotland—collectively called Great Britain. Together with Northern Ireland, Great Britain makes up the nation officially called the United Kingdom (UK). England, in the southern part of Britain, is separated from Scotland on the north by the granite Cheviot Hills. To the west along the border of Wales—a land of steep hills and valleys—are the Cambrian Mountains. To the south of England is the English Channel and to the east is the North Sea, which also washes the eastern coast of Scotland. To the west of England is the Irish Sea, mixed to the north with the Atlantic Ocean.

• Population: Entire UK 65,105,246 (estimate): England - 55,268,100, Scotland - 5,404,700, Wales - 3,113,200, Northern Ireland - 1,862,100

• Religions: Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, etc.) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, other 2%, unspecified 7.2%, none 25.7%

• Time zone: Great Britain is five hours ahead of Eastern Time: when it is 6 am in , it is 11 am in Wales, England, and Scotland.

National Holidays: United Kingdom

National holidays can vary depending on follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter. To which part of the country you’re in; please find out if you will be traveling during these refer to the section for the specific area that holidays, please visit www.timeanddate. you’ll be visiting. The United Kingdom also com/holidays. celebrates a number of national holidays that England

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 50,346 square miles

• Capital: London

80 • Location: Consists of 48 counties, occupying the southern part of Great Britain

• Languages: English

• Population: 55,268,100

• Religions: Christianity 59.4%, Non-religious 24.7%, Unknown 7.2%, Muslim 5.0%, Hindu 1.5%, Sikh 0.8%, Jewish 0.5%, Buddhist 0.5%

• Time Zone: Same as the rest of the United Kingdom, five hours ahead of Eastern Time

National Holidays: England

In addition to the holidays listed below, 1st Monday in May Early May Bank Holiday England celebrates a number of national Last Monday in May Spring Bank Holiday holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter. To find out if you will be traveling Last Monday in August Summer Bank Holiday during these holidays, please visit www. timeanddate.com/holidays. 12/25 Christmas Day

01/01 New Year´s Day 12/26 Boxing Day

England: A Brief History Prehistoric England was home to Celtic and other tribal peoples, then was ruled by the Roman Empire from about AD 43 to AD 410. After Rome fell, Jutes, Angles, and Saxons established small kingdoms and fiefdoms. When the Viking marauders hit England’s shores in the 9th century, many of those small kingdoms were unified by King Alfred the Great of Wessex. Strength in numbers.

Some of England’s medieval monarchs stand out for their lasting impacts on history. William the Conqueror brought Norman rule to England in 1066. Richard the Lionheart embarked on the Third Crusade in 1189. King John was compelled to sign the Magna Carta in 1215, laying the foundation for constitutional monarchy.

English King Edward I conquered Wales in 1283 and sought to rule Scotland as well. Those imperial ambitions were not limited to the island of Great Britain—England under Edward III fought the Hundred Years’ War with France between 1337 and 1453, ultimately losing all its possessions on the French side of the Channel. Then, between 1455 and 1485, the York and Lancaster families battled for the crown in the Wars of the Roses. The victor, Henry Tudor, who was a Lancaster but through illegitimate descent. He married a York, and their offspring, Henry VIII, became the third Tudor king in 1509.

Henry VIII is best known for his six marriages, the first of which, to Catherine of Aragon, he sought to end through annulment. When the Pope forbade it, Henry separated the Church of England from papal authority and made himself its head. His daughter, Elizabeth I, became queen in 1558 and ruled for 44 years—a golden age of cultural flowering, and the expansion of England’s naval prowess.

81 England fell into civil war between 1642 and 1649, when Oliver executed King Charles I and briefly replaced the monarchy with a republic. The monarchy was restored in 1660 with the enthronement of Charles II, though royal power was restored with limitations.

The United Kingdom came into being with the 1707 Act of Union between the parliaments of England and Scotland. Then, by 1714, the first of four King Georges ascended the throne, beginning the Georgian era, a time when England laid the groundwork for Empire. It reached its fruition in the 19th century during the Victorian era, when the British Empire straddled the globe.

During the 19th century, the entire island of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, having been incorporated into the UK in 1801. The Irish however, sought independence, and in 1921, all but the six northern counties of Ulster became the Republic of Ireland—leaving the UK in its present form. But the United Kingdom was still able to call on its crown colonies, protectorates and Commonwealth when it declared war on Germany in 1939. The Battle of Britain and the destructive air attacks known as the Blitz besieged England from July 1940 to June 1941. Prime Minister Winston Churchill, one of England’s most influential statesmen, led the country to victory.

As a popular song of the war years put it, “There’ll Always Be an England.” But what of the United Kingdom? In recent years, the desires of the Scots and Welsh for greater autonomy have led to the process called “devolution.” In 1999, Scotland regained its own Parliament, and Wales established its own National Assembly. In 2014, a referendum was held in Scotland to vote on independence from the United Kingdom, but was defeated.

In 2016, a United Kingdom referendum passed with 51.9% in favor of leaving the European Union. Brexit went into effect on January 31, 2020, with an 11-month transition period, during which the government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson must negotiate a new EU trade deal. Failure to do so will be a major hit on the UK economy. Plus, with both Scotland and Northern Ireland solidly opposed to Brexit, there is talk that the prospect of them rejoining the European Union might resurrect the call for independence.

Scotland

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 30,918 square miles

• Capital: Edinburgh (regional); Scotland is part of the United Kingdom, whose national capital is London

• Location: Consists of 32 council areas, occupying the northern part of Great Britain and islands

• Languages: English, Scots, Scottish Gaelic

• Population: 5,404,700

• Religions: None 49.4%, Church of Scotland 24.1%, Roman Catholic 14.5%, other Christian 7.8%, Other 2.3%, Muslim 1.6%, Unknown 0.3%

82 • Time Zone: Same as the rest of the United Kingdom, five hours ahead of Eastern Time

National Holidays: Scotland

In addition to the holidays listed below, 1st Monday in May Early May Bank Holiday Scotland celebrates a number of national Last Monday in May Spring Bank Holiday holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter. To find out if you will be traveling First Monday in August Summer Bank Holiday during these holidays, please visit www. timeanddate.com/holidays. 11/30 St. Andrew’s Day

01/01 New Year’s Day 12/25 Christmas Day

01/02 2nd January Holiday 12/26 Boxing Day

Scotland: A Brief History We know that various hunter-gatherer tribes inhabited Scotland as far back as 9,600 BC. By 3,000 BC, they used tools, established farming and scattered standing stones all over. You can see some of these Neolithic monoliths on the Isle of Lewis, Shetland, Orkney, and beyond.

The Romans arrived in Great Britain 43 AD, but when they attempted to occupy Scotland, they met fierce resistance from the native tribes, who they referred to as Caledonians. The Romans built several fortifications, including Hadrian’s Wall and the Antonine Wall. But they were never able to conquer the Caledonians and by 212 AD, they left.

In the wake of the Romans, Scotland was divided into four main kingdoms. The Picts held the northeast, the Scots (from Ireland) established Riata in the west, the Britons occupied the southwest, and the Angles had Bernicia, which eventually morphed into Northumbria and stretched into England. Their rivalries were set aside in the face of a new threat: by 793 AD, Viking marauders arrived, ferociously attacking the monasteries at Iona and Lindisfarne, taking over villages and establishing trading posts. In 843 AD, the various kingdoms united under Kenneth MacAlpin, the first King of Alba. Eventually, his domain became known as Scotland. A nation was born.

When the Normans took over England in 1066, many Anglo-Saxons moved north into the Scottish Lowlands. This is when the Scots began adopting English cultural ways. But when a succession dispute arose, the English King Edward I seized the opportunity to invade and name himself king. This led to the first War of Scottish Independence in which William Wallace, of Braveheart fame, routed the English at Stirling Bridge in 1297. The victory was short lived, as the English returned in 1298, captured Wallace and executed him in 1305. But Robert the Bruce picked up the baton (and the crown), and defeated the English at Bannockburn in 1314. Scotland’s independence was assured, but peace was not.

Centuries of conflict with England ensued, often fueled by religion and marked not just by physical violence, but by various English attempts to suppress Scottish culture. The connections between clans were broken, and the chieftains became feudal lords whose rapacity often forced their own people off lands in evictions known as “clearances.” In 1707, the two nations signed

83 onto the Act of Union, which united England and Scotland under the same flag and Parliament, but allowed Scotland to keep its own church and legal system. The United Kingdom was born, but again, the bloodshed did not die as years of rebellion continued. The last one, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, culminated with the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

Despite tensions, Scotland’s economy was supercharged by the Industrial Revolution. The 18th century saw the Scottish Enlightenment, and Glasgow became a great trading port. Scotland’s educational system flourished, and its inventors exported their genius around the world. During World Wars I and II, the Scots’ warrior legacy made huge contributions to the Allied War effort.

Following deindustrialization in the 20th century, the Scottish economy hit a wall. Tensions with England continue, manifesting as periodic calls for independence. In 2014, voters rejected a referendum for independence by a slim margin. They may well be reconsidering that decision: only 38% of Scots were in favor of Brexit, and a 2020 poll showed that 52% of voters support leaving the UK, post-Brexit.

Northern Ireland

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 5,450 square miles

• Capital: Belfast (regional); Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, whose national capital is London

• Location: Consists of the six counties of Ulster, occupying the northeastern corner of the island of Ireland.

• Languages: English

• Population: 1,862,100

• Religions: Roman Catholic 40.8%, Presbyterian 19.1%, Church of Ireland 13.7%, Methodist 3%, none or unknown 23.5%

• Time Zone: Same as the rest of Ireland, five hours ahead of Eastern Time

84 National Holidays: Northern Ireland

In addition to the holidays listed below, 01/01 New Year´s Day Northern Ireland celebrates a number of 03/17 St. Patrick’s Day national holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter and the Spring and Summer 07/12 Battle of the Boyne Bank holidays. To find out if you will be traveling during these holidays, please visit 12/25 Christmas Day www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 12/26 Boxing Day

Northern Ireland: A Brief History The arc of history followed a similar curve in Northern Ireland as it did in the southern island until the 20th century. In the 1600s, northern Ireland (which lies in the province of Ulster) was a bastion of resistance against the forces of King Henry VII, who was instituting widespread programs of colonization by taking Irish lands and giving them to English and Scottish Protestant settlers. Key leaders of the anti-British forces were from the Ulster county of Tyrone, but many of them fled to Europe after being defeated at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601.

The Protestant colonization program, called the “Ulster Plantation,” continued until another rebellion broke out in 1641. Many Protestant settlers were massacred, but when the New Model Army of Oliver Cromwell arrived from England in 1649, four years of bloody anti-Catholic reprisals followed and land ownership reverted to the Protestants. Over the next several hundred years, there were Irish revolts, but the Protestant population grew into a majority.

Fast forward to 1921, after the island had been ripped by three years of guerilla warfare. A truce was reached between Irish republican and British forces, which resulted in the Anglo-Irish Treaty creating the Irish Free State. Under its terms Northern Ireland would be part of the Free State unless its parliament opted out. The parliament was controlled by the (Protestant) Ulster Unionist party and as expected, it chose to remain as part of the United Kingdom.

For the next 50 years, Northern Ireland enjoyed limited self-government within the UK. But since its parliament was controlled by the Ulster Unionist Party, the large Catholic minority had little participation in the government, which at times openly encouraged discrimination against Catholics. This led to large civil rights protests in the 1960s, which the government brutally suppressed, most notably on “Bloody Sunday.” During this time the paramilitary Provisional IRA, who favored the reunification of Ireland, began its campaign against what it called the British occupation of the six counties. Other splinter groups began to participate in the violence.

The Northern Irish government’s inability to manage the conflict prompted the British government to suspended home rule in 1972 and impose direct rule. The British tried to portray themselves as neutral peacekeepers, but British officers often colluded with illegal loyalist paramilitaries, were involved in murders, and obstructed justice when their crimes were investigated. Irish nationalist and republican groups further fragmented and also committed violence against civilians, as the so-called “Troubles” rolled on for 30 years.

85 In 1998, following a Provisional IRA cease-fire, the Good Friday Agreement restored self- government to Northern Ireland on the basis of power sharing between the two communities. Violence greatly decreased since the signing of the accord. In 2001, the police force in Northern Ireland, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, was replaced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. On July 28, 2005, the Provisional IRA (PIRA) announced the end of its armed campaign and that September, international weapons inspectors supervised the full disarmament of the PIRA.

The elections of 2017 marked the first time since partition that the Unionists did not win a majority of seats. The opposing Sinn Féin party has stated its main goal is the reunification of Ireland. After three years of political deadlock, a power-sharing deal was reached in 2020. Considering shifting demographics and the fact that the majority of voters in Northern Ireland were opposed to Brexit and wanted to remain within the European Union, maybe reunification with the Republic of Ireland (which is an EU member state) is not a far-off dream.

Ireland

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 27,136 square miles

• Capital: Dublin

• Location: Ireland is situated in the Atlantic Ocean and separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea. Half the size of Arkansas, it occupies the entire island except for the six counties that make up Northern Ireland.

• Geography: The ocean is responsible for the rugged western coastline, along which are many islands, peninsulas, and headlands. The main geographical features of Ireland are low central plains surrounded by a ring of coastal mountains. The highest peak is Carrauntuohill (Irish: Corrán Tuathail), which is 1041 m (3414 ft). There are a number of sizable lakes along Ireland’s rivers, with Lough Neagh the largest in Ireland and Great Britain. The island is bisected by the River Shannon, at 259 km (161 miles) with a 113 km (70 miles) estuary the longest river in Ireland (and the longest in the British Isles if the estuary is included), which flows south from County Cavan in the north to meet the Atlantic just south of Limerick.

• Languages: English, Irish Gaelic

• Population: 5,068,050

• Religions: Roman Catholicism 78.3%, Church of Ireland 2.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Orthodox 1.3%, Muslim 1.3%, other 2.4%, none 9.8%, unspecified 2.6%

• Time zone: Ireland is five hours ahead of Eastern Time: when it is 6 am in New York, it is 11 am in Ireland.

86 National Holidays: Ireland

In addition to the holidays listed below, 01/01 New Year’s Day Ireland celebrates a number of national 03/17 St. Patrick’s Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter and the June, August, and October 05/01 May Day Bank holidays. To find out if you will be traveling during these holidays, please visit 12/25 Christmas Day www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 12/26 St. Stephen’s Day

Ireland: A Brief History Human history in Ireland dates back 10,500 years, but the first identifiable people to settle here were the Celts, who came in waves between the 8th and 1st centuries BC. They were organized in various groups, the last of which, the Gaels, conquered the island and divided it into five tribes. The language they spoke, Q-Celtic, was the precursor of the Irish language, Gaelige.

Contrary to popular belief, St. Patrick did not introduce Christianity to Ireland’s pagan people. The religion was already present here. But Patrick and other priests spread the faith even beyond Ireland’s shores, and built great monasteries that became bastions of Latin learning. The monks created illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells, and were engaged in sculpture and metalwork. This heritage has led to Ireland being called the “island of scholars and saints.”

By the 8th century AD, Vikings began raiding Irish settlements. Though often depicted as violent marauders, in some cases the Vikings arrived as traders and intermingled with the Irish. They established many towns, including Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. By 1014, Viking power was in decline when the Irish king Brian Bóru defeated the Vikings at the Battle of Clontarf.

New raiders came in 1172 with the Norman King Henry II of England. This began England’s 800- year struggle to dominate Ireland. English law was introduced, but the Irish did not accept it. The Normans were able to control four “obedient shires,” including the area around Dublin known as the Pale. Anything “beyond the Pale” was said to be savage and lawless. The Tudors brought systematic repression, encouraging Scottish Protestant colonization, and taking farms from Irish landowners and giving them to English nobles. In 1649 Oliver Cromwell launched a violent anti-Catholic campaign that bordered on genocide. By 1801 the Act of Union merged Ireland with Britain as the United Kingdom, with direct rule by Parliament in London.

What Cromwell was unable to accomplish, the Great Famine of 1845-49 nearly did. A blight infecting Ireland’s potato crops caused starvation and reduced the population by a third. The term “famine” is a misnomer: There was plenty of food, but it was exported by the English or used by Irish tenants to pay exorbitant rents to British landlords. Failure to pay meant eviction, and eviction meant death. The population further declined with mass emigration.

The late 19th and early 20th century saw vigorous but doomed campaigns for Irish home rule. After many brutal repressions, their moderate nationalism became militant separatism. In 1922, following the Irish Rising of 1916 and the bloody Anglo-Irish War, twenty-six counties of Ireland won freedom from the United Kingdom as the Irish Free State. The remaining six, in the province

87 of Ulster, remained within the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland. The struggle continued throughout the 1990s with “the Troubles” of Northern Ireland, where those who favored a united Ireland fought with unionists who wanted to stay within the United Kingdom.

For Ireland, the 1990’s ushered in an era of prosperity known as the “Celtic Tiger.” By the early 2000’s, Ireland was one of the richest countries in the EU, moving from being a net recipient to being a net contributor. Ireland rode the Celtic Tiger until the worldwide recession of 2008. In 2010 Ireland’s banks required bailouts from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Since then, Ireland has repaid its IMF loan ahead of schedule, in 2017.

The country’s difficult history proves that there is no such thing as “the luck of the Irish.” But there is pluck, endurance, and hope.

88 RESOURCES

Suggested Reading

England Persuasion by Jane Austen (1818, Fiction) Social conventions derail the courtship of Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth. But the two are thrown together again in the social whirlwind of early nineteenth-century Bath.

Windsor Castle: A Thousand Years of a Royal Palace (2018, History) This authoritative history, the first to be published in 100 years, explores Windsor Castle and its immediate environs from around AD 700 to the present day, and examines the social, political and cultural events in the lives of the royals who lived there. Includes many illustrations, photos and 3D reconstructions.

London by Edward Rutherfurd (1998, Fiction) A very ambitious historical novel of London’s past, which sweeps from Roman times through the medieval, Elizabethan, Victorian, and Edwardian eras on up to the present.

A Traveller’s History of England by Christopher Daniell (2005, History)An entertaining refresher course in English history, from hunter-gatherers to Margaret Thatcher’s resignation. Written by a noted British historian and archaeologist.

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot (1998, Memoir) A heart-warming book, in which a veterinarian in Yorkshire shares amusing anecdotes about his dealings with animals and their owners.

Bath by Edith Sitwell (1932, History) Sitwell, the famed Bloomsbury writer, provides a fine portrait of Beau Nash, the 18th-century “Master of Ceremonies” who put the city Bath on the Georgian social map. Insightful commentary on the fashions of the day, the development of the city, and the colorful array of politicians, peers, matchmakers, gamblers, artists and con artists who flocked here to “take the waters.”

Scotland The Scottish World: History and by Harold Orel, et al (1981, Culture) Ten essays seek to show that Scottish culture is distinctly different from English in its art, architecture, literature, music, and history.

The Crow Road by Iain Banks (1992, Fiction) Set in the west Highlands (in a town reminiscent of Oban), this darkly comic tale from one of Scotland’s most acclaimed writers touches on themes of love, death, sex, addiction, family and the power of the Scottish landscape. In it, Prentice, a bumbling student, attempts to unravel the disappearance of his Uncle Rory, just one of the eccentric characters in the sprawling McHoan family. The Crow Road is a real road in Glasgow, but the expression “to take the crow road” means you are dead.

89 Corrag by Susan Fletcher (2010, Historical Fiction) In Glencoe in 1692, 38 members of the Macdonald clan are killed by the redcoats of William III—after they’d enjoyed the family’s hospitality for a week. This real-life incident is told from the perspective of Corrag, a young woman who is accused of witchcraft after the event, and imprisoned in Inverary.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (1961, Fiction) In 1930s Edinburgh, six 10-year-old girls are chosen as the favorites of their teacher, the unconventional, complicated and exuberant Miss Brodie. We follow all their lives through petty jealousies, the emergence of fascism in Europe, misguided affairs, World War II, religious awakening—and a searing betrayal. The film version won an Oscar for star Maggie Smith as Miss Jean.

44 Scotland Street series by Alexander McCall Smith (Fiction) Alexander McCall Smith, also known for the bestselling No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, depicts the lives of colorful residents in an Edinburgh apartment building.

Complete Poems and Songs of Robert Burnsby Robert Burns (2012, Poetry) A collection by the famous Scottish poet who is known for writing in the Scots language, including the famous Auld Lang Syne.

Northern Ireland Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe (2019, Nonfiction) In 1972, 38-year old Jean McConville, a widowed mother of eight, was abducted from her Belfast home and murdered. What would otherwise be a gripping true crime story is revealed to be part of a web of other stories, which altogether provide an epic portrait of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Ireland Malachy McCourt’s History of Ireland by Malachy McCourt (2008, History) If you like your history with a dose of wry humor, this New York Times best seller may be for you. It is more a series of biographical vignettes than an academic history, but it weaves together myth, folklore, culture, music, cuisine and more from the country’s past and present.

The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan (2012, Fiction) Long-listed for the Booker Prize, this story is told by 21 diverse narrators, each one describing their version of life in a rural Irish village that has been knocked hard by the economic crisis of 2008.

The Great Hunger by Cecil Woodham-Smith (1962, History) The authoritative book on Ireland’s potato famine during 1845-1849.

Normal People by Sally Rooney (2018, Fiction) This popular best seller (long-listed for the Man Booker Prize) explores the intense love between two west Ireland teens who end up at college in Dublin, and move on to navigate adulthood. It’s a witty look at contemporary Irish life, and a love that is muddled by secrecy, social class, and the characters’ own complicated personalities.

Irish Sagas and Folk Tales by Eileen O’Faolain (1954, Folk Tales) The most comprehensive one- volume collection of Irish mythology.

90 Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt (1996, Autobiography) This Pulitzer Prize-winning book recounts the author’s youth in Depression-era Limerick. Through harrowing poverty, punishing schools, his father’s alcoholism, searing loss, and the casual cruelty of friends and relatives, the author still manages to retain his love for storytelling, for humor, for the mother who could not protect him, and for life itself.

TransAtlantic by Colum McCann (2014, Historical Fiction) Three iconic crossings between Ireland and New World are retold—the 1845 visit to Ireland by Frederick Douglass; the first non-stop transatlantic flight in 1919; and a senator’s involvement in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchley (1990, Fiction) A coming-of-age novel set in 1950s rural Ireland. Most of the book centers on the lives of three friends—gentle Benny, bravely honest Eve, and class-conscious Nan—as they grow up and enter college. The book was made into a film starring Chris O’Donnell and Minnie Driver.

Suggested Film & Video

England Atonement (2007, Drama) On the eve of World War II, a 13-year old girl irrevocably changes the lives of three people when she mistakenly accuses her sister’s lover of a crime. The depiction of the manors and manners of the British gentry is at once searing and beautifully evocative. And the war scenes—notably the famous tracking shot on the beaches of Dunkirk—are harrowing. This Oscar winner stars Keira Knightley, James McAvoy and a young Saoirse Ronan.

Mrs. Brown (1997, Drama) After the death of her husband, Queen Victoria plunged herself into an intense grief that only lightened with the help and support of one of her favorite servants, the highlander John Brown. But a friendship between queen and servant is simply “not done”, and the scandal threatens the Queen’s popularity and position. Consider watching this along with Young Victoria (2009) starring Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend, for a Victoria double feature.

All Is True (2019, Drama) After the Globe Theater is burned in a fire, William Shakespeare (Sir Kenneth Branagh) returns to Stratford-Upon-Avon and his stoic wife, Anne Hathaway (Dame Judi Dench). Fame is trailing him, as are the ghosts of his past, and the genius for wit and wordplay that he can no longer summon. Also starring Sir Ian McKellen.

Gosford Park (2001, Drama) “Upstairs, Downstairs” meets Agatha Christie in this whodunit set in an English country estate in 1932. The powerhouse ensemble cast includes Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Kelly MacDonald and Clive Owen.

British TV Known for their dry humor and intriguing mysteries, and well-produced period adaptations, British T.V. shows are a fun way to see the Brits as they see themselves. Most shows are available on DVD, BBC America, PBS, or Netflix.

• The Crown (Historical Drama) A Netflix original drama following Queen Elizabeth II in the mid-20th century as she assumes the throne and the events that follow.

91 • The Great British Baking Show (Reality Cooking Series) Sometimes known as The Great British Bake Off, this competition features 12 aspiring bakers from Britain as they take on challenges to create everything from traditional British treats to twists on the classics with their “showstopper” dishes before facing the judges.

• Masterpiece Classic (Period/Adaptations) A PBS series that showcases adaptations of literary works, many of which are produced by the BBC. Classic novels by Dickens (Little Dorrit, Bleak House), the Brontes (Jane Eyre, Wuthering Height), and P.G. Wodehouse (Jeeves and Wooster) are well-represented. They also showcase original shows set in bygone eras, like the Edwardian drama Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey, which takes the concept into a countryside estate.

• Prime Suspect (Mystery) This gritty modern crime drama introduced Helen Mirren to wider audiences as the no-nonsense detective Jane Tennison. The show deals with some dark subject matter, such as crime and alcoholism.

• Inspector Morse (Mystery) Moody and brilliant, Morse solves complicated murders in Oxford with the help of his more-grounded partner Sergeant Lewis. In recent years, Sergeant Lewis got a promotion and his own series: Lewis. And PBS has done a flashback series to Morse’s early days on the force in the 1960s called Endeavour.

• Monty Python’s Flying Circus (Comedy) By turns wacky, witty, and surreal, this classic sketch show from the 1970s continues to have a devoted following.

Scotland Mary Queen of Scots (2018, Historical Drama) History has cast Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie) and her cousin Mary (Saoirse Ronan) as enemies. This film imagines them as both power brokers and pawns whose mutual admiration is crushed by the misogyny, nationalism and treachery of their courts.

Local Hero (1983, Comedy) Oil exec Burt Lancaster sends young hotshot Mac to coastal Ferness, Scotland, to buy the entire village to make way for an oil refinery. The quirky locals are eager to make money, but others are not so keen, including an eccentric beach bum and a researcher who may (or may not) be a real mermaid. Spectacular Scottish locations, magical starry skies, subtle humor and genuine affection make this the perfect pre-trip pic.

Macbeth (2015, Drama) Evocative Scottish settings, outstanding production values and the timeless themes of Shakespeare’s tragedy make this a must-see. Stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard bring intensity and depth as Scotland’s most famous power couple.

Trainspotting (1997, Dark Comedy/Drama) Danny Boyle’s electrifying breakthrough film follows a young heroin addict (Ewan MacGregor) and his outrageous friends as they struggle to score in the underside of Edinburgh. Plenty of black humor and provocative social commentary.

92 Braveheart (1995, Drama) The 13th century rebel William Wallace teams up with Robert the Bruce to lead the First War of Scottish Independence against England. The historical accuracy of Mel Gibson’s opus has been critiqued, but none can deny the thrill of its battles, epic scenery and engrossing storyline.

Scottish TV Shows Outlander (2014–present, Drama) Based on the novels of Diana Gabaldon, this wildly popular, historical time-travel series begins when a WWII nurse visits Inverness, Scotland, where she is mysteriously carried from the standing stones at Craigh na Dun back in time to 1743. She falls in love with a rebel Highlander, whose Jacobite cause, she knows, is doomed.

Shetland (2013–present, Mystery) Small town life is more complicated than it seems in this acclaimed BBC series. Follow detective Jimmy Pérez as he investigates crime amidst the elemental landscapes of the Shetlands.

Northern Ireland ‘71 (2014, Drama) During the height of The Troubles, a British soldier becomes separated from his unit after a riot breaks out in a mixed Belfast neighborhood. Suspense and compassion mix as the film explores the humanity of all the characters, regardless of their sectarian roles.

Derry Girls (2018, TV Show). This acclaimed sitcom follows the lives of high school girls in Northern Ireland during the end of the Troubles in the 1990s. Enjoy the dark humor, raw writing and irrepressible cast.

In the Name of the Father (1994, Biopic) The true-life story of Gerry Conlon, one of the “Guildford Four”—four Irish youths who were falsely convicted of blowing up an English pub in the 1970s. Although only partly set in Northern Ireland (the trial and jail time are in England), the film does a good job at exploring the tensions between the Catholics and Protestants at the time.

Ireland The Commitments (1991, Comedy/Drama) Based on a novel by Roddy Doyle, this musical follows the travails of working-class youth in 1980s Dublin, who think their ticket to fame lies in forming a band dedicated to American soul music. A cast of young, inexperienced actors play the musicians with heart and passion (and offer up a truly knockout version of Mustang Sally).

Philomena (2013, Drama) Based on the true story of Philomena Lee, who became pregnant out of wedlock in 1950 and was sent to an abbey in Roscrea to give birth. She spent three years there with her son Michael, who was then taken from her and sold to an American couple (as were many other children). Fifty years alter, journalist Martin Sixsmith helped uncover the scandal, and helped Philomena learn the fate of her son.

Ryan’s Daughter (1970, Drama) Imagine Madame Bovary—set against the sweeping beauty of the Dingle Peninsula. This David Lean epic tells the story of an young, unfulfilled married woman’s affair with a traumatized British officer during World War I. The all-star cast includes Sarah Miles, John Miles, Robert Mitchum, Trevor Howard, and Leo McKern.

93 Michael Collins (1996, Drama) Directed by Neil Jordan, this fine biopic stars Liam Neeson as the hero of the Irish Civil War, who helped negotiate the creation of the Irish Free State.

Brooklyn (2015, Drama) is a touching drama about a young Irish woman who emigrates to New York in the 1950s. Though much of it takes place in Brooklyn, the heroine Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) returns to Ireland to make an important choice. Nominated for three Academy Awards in 2016.

Waking Ned Devine (1998, Comedy). Set in a rural Irish town, this is the tale of lottery winner Ned Devine—who is found dead, with a winning ticket in his hand. The townsfolk try to fool the authorities into thinking Ned is still alive so they can cash the ticket in and share the prize.

Useful Websites

Overseas Adventure Travel World Weather www.oattravel.com www.intellicast.com www.weather.com Overseas Adventure Travel Store www.wunderground.com www.oatshop.com Basic Travel Phrases (80 languages) Overseas Adventure Travel Frequently www.travlang.com/languages Asked Questions www.oattravel.com/faq Packing Tips www.travelite.org International Health Information/CDC (Centers for Disease Control) U.S. Customs & Border Protection http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel www.cbp.gov/travel

Electricity & Plugs Transportation Security www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/ Administration (TSA) plugs-and-sockets www.tsa.gov

Foreign Exchange Rates National Passport Information Center www.xe.com/currencyconverter www.travel.state.gov www.oanda.com/converter/classic Holidays Worldwide ATM Locators www.timeanddate.com/holidays www.mastercard.com/atm www.visa.com/atmlocator

94 VACCINATIONS NOW REQUIRED FOR ALL TRAVELERS, SHIP CREW, TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS, AND COACH DRIVERS Plus, updated Health & Safety Protocols for our Land Tours

The health and safety of our travelers is always our #1 priority, and we understand travelers are concerned about exploring the world in light of the unprecedented crisis we are currently facing. To ensure your safety and give you peace of mind, we have worked with our regional team and listened to government guidance and feedback from our travelers to create these health and safety protocols for our trips. As we continue to make changes, we will keep our website updated with the latest information.

VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS • All travelers, ship crew, and Trip Experience AND UPDATED HEALTH & SAFETY Leaders will have their temperature checked PROTOCOLS FOR SMALL SHIP every time they return to the ship using a non- ADVENTURES contact infrared temperature scanner. • All travelers must be fully vaccinated against • All meals are served by the dining staff— COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to departure buffets are no longer available. and provide proof of vaccination upon VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS AND boarding the ship. If you are unable to UPDATED HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS provide proof of vaccination upon arrival at FOR SMALL GROUP ADVENTURES ON LAND your destination, you will have to return • All travelers must be fully vaccinated against home at your own expense. COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to departure. If To meet this requirement, please bring your you are unable to provide proof of vaccination original COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card upon arrival at your destination, you will with you on your trip. The white card must have to return home at your own expense. display your name, type of vaccine, and the To meet this requirement, please bring your date(s) the vaccine was administered. We also original COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card with suggest taking a picture of this card to keep for you on your trip. The white card must display your records as a backup. your name, type of vaccine, and the date(s) • All local Trip Experience Leaders, the vaccine was administered. We also suggest fully ship staff, and crew will be taking a picture of this card to keep for your vaccinated against COVID-19. records as a backup. fully • All coach drivers will be • All local Trip Experience Leaders will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. vaccinated against COVID-19. • All public areas will be sanitized nightly and • All coach drivers will be fully vaccinated all ships are equipped with High Efficiency against COVID-19. Particulate Air (HEPA) filters.

Help us ensure travelers’ safety and health while on our trips. Please follow best health and hygiene practices to prevent the spread of illness—wash your hands regularly and cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. Together, we can create a safer travel experience for everyone.

Learn more at www.oattravel.com/covid-update

95 Notes

96 Notes

97 Notes

98 Cambridge ENGLAND London Sea Inverness Glasgow North L. Ness L. Lomond WALES SCOTLAND English Channel English Irish Sea Irish Belfast Oxford Dublin From Inverness From ENGLAND N. IRELAND Ocean POST-TRIP EXTENSIONS Atlantic Glendalough Cotswolds IRELAND Bath Manchester Yorkshire Dales N.P. Yorkshire ENGLAND Chester

Kirkwall

S

E

L A

Hadrian’s Wall Hadrian’s

Stirling W Gills Bay Inverness Edinburgh Skara Brae Cairngorms N.P. Lake District N.P. Orkney Islands Dunblane ISLE OF MAN Irish Sea Irish Caernarfon SCOTLAND Snowdonian Mtns. IRELAND Skye Isle of AND

NORTHERN IREL

l l

From e

e n

London n

London n

Gatwick

n a FRANCE

FRANCE h

Ocean

a C

Atlantic h Salisbury

Beer h

s C

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l

g h

Windsor

St. Helier

n s

ENGLAND

WALES

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a

u l

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ENGLAND w

Jersey

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To N Falmouth

Miles E To/From U.S. Internal flight Land route Ferry route Guernsey To Manchester To PRE-TRIP EXTENSIONS St. Peter Port Manchester 060 Ocean Atlantic

99 YOUR TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADER

Your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader is an insider who lives in the destinations you are exploring. They are not just knowledgeable, but personable and personal—eager to understand your own interests, and happy to share their own. This makes all the diff erence between just visiting a place, and experiencing its true spirit.

Uncover the secrets of Discover a Panamanian Machu Picchu with Carina market with Jose

Explore the Sicilian countryside with Learn about bird species in the an expert Trip Experience Leader Amazon from an Ecuadorian local

The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled

CONNECT WITH US: 1-800-955-1925 | www.oattravel.com

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