BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK

Subject: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 04:32 AM

I don't often get here 'below the line' but I was just hoping I could get some advice from Catters to help our young visitor enjoy a few days stay with us. She's Richard's cousin's daughter (second cousin?) from Australia, only 14, but travelled here alone and will be coming to us on Thursday. She had a dreadful time on arrival at Gatwick with immigration despite having all the right paperwork so I'm hoping that we can brighten up her first visit to the UK.

So, any suggestions as to what a 14 year old girl (and I don't know her at all) from Oz would like to see or do during her first visit to the UK?

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 05:20 AM

An eighteen year old boy with a car....?

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 06:10 AM

It'd all depend where you are living. And also of course on what the young lady is actually interested in.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Rasener
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 06:33 AM

Theme Parks for sure
Folk Festival
A day in London with maybe concert or gig

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: jacqui.c
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 06:41 AM

If she's OK with heights take her on the London Eye, if you get into London. Really fantastic views of the capital up there.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: kendall
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 07:06 AM

If she's into history, she picked a great place to visit.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: MBSLynne
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 07:12 AM

Completely off topic...she's actually Richard's first cousin once removed. Sorry...I'm a family history anorak

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 07:51 AM

Thanks Lynne, was hoping someone would know that!!

Living in Leatherhead, Surrey so day trips into London are definitely on the cards. London Eye (thanks jacqui) a possibility for sure and we have Chessington on our doorstep so that's a theme park (thanks Villan), but I don't know how it compares in respect to the better-known ones?

We won't know the young lady's likes & dislikes till we meet her so I want to have a few suggestions up my sleeve. What I do know is she plays piano to a decent grade & we're hoping she'll have a go on the organ (*behave*) as it might drive out the moth colony that's established inside!

Obviously we're going to have to behave like responsible adults while she's staying with us, so we've decided against pub crawls and the 18 year old with the car *grin*

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Phot
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 08:01 AM

Try Camden market, or Brighton. Both good days out.

You two responsible!? You're the nicest pair of kids I know!

Wassail!! Chris.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Sorcha
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 08:09 AM

Let her rest up, then ask her! And how long is she staying in England? That has a bearing on what she'll have time to do.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: GUEST,redhorse at work
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 08:19 AM

Try the famous echo in the British Museum Reading Room!

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Micca
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 08:37 AM

Hils, if she is "into" Classical music TRY here I would be prepared to act as guide to some of the sights of the Capital and of course to the Proms, They are such fun, the First Night concert is Friday 13 July Beethoven 9 wow!!something to expierience live at least once in a lifetime

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 08:56 AM

Camden Market (brill shopping opportunity) & Brighton (squirty ice-cream!!) both excellent suggestions, thanks Chris!!

Echo in a reading room, isn't it like a library & you gotta be quiet??

She's already here Sorcha & staying with an Uncle so she may already have done a few of the sights but resting was a priority when arrived last Thursday and had 2 hours being held in immigration. What a dreadful experience that must have been for her!!

Thanks for the guide offer & link, Micca Dear, may take you up on that & you can guide us too *grin* Will get in touch when she's with us if she hasn't already done the London stuff!

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 09:01 AM

Call her family on the telephone and ask for some advice. If she's a nice girl, she will be trying to please you and you will be trying to please her.

That advice about letting her rest first is excellent.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: JennyO
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 11:26 AM

The first time I visited the UK from Oz, I had my son and daughter with me (she was 18 and he was 21). I know she liked Camden Markets, and she also liked Covent Garden. Another good day out was Madame Tussauds and the London Planetarium, although I gather the Planetarium in the form that we saw it has been taken over by Tussauds now, and may not be as good as it was.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Dave Earl
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 11:39 AM

Hey Hils

Bring her down t'seaside.

Walk along the front. The Pier (with roundybouts etc at the end).

Fish and chips out of the paper.

Brighton has it all !

Come and say hello to us too.

Dave

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: pirandello
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 12:29 PM

You're near Dorking and Leith Hill; take her for a walk through the rhododendron woods just beyond Coldharbour and up Leith Hill for great views over Surrey from the tower at the top, followed by lunch at The Plough in Coldharbour.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Micca
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 12:32 PM

Breton cap, you didnt mention the best bit, Take her to see the Music Room in the Dome!!!! 5 stars, that one

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: vectis
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 12:57 PM

The long man at Wilmington, The Litlington Lipitzaner( not sure how to spell that one) Beachy Head and a cuppa at mine might be good for a short run out.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: vectis
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 12:59 PM

Tower of London, Buck Palace, Castles.
I had a group of Canadian teens here once and they were totally overwhelmed (briefly) by stuff that was older than their country so you might have to keep moving on.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 01:28 PM

Yes Brighton, I bet she's never tasted whelks......

The Pavilion, a dvd of Brighton Rock (Dickie Attenborough as Pinkie: I s'ppose you fink I'm gunna say I love ya, well I hate-cha!)

Seriously, I ain't got a clue what 14 year olds like. the ones round here like walking round with carrier bags full of cans of Fosters, hanging round street corners and talking on mobile phones. I suppose you get a few tins in, if all else fails.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Blowzabella
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 02:06 PM

The London Eye tickets are extortionate! Not sure if she'd qualify for a concessionary price, but last year adult tickets were £30 each! Lot of money for a ride on a big wheel .....

Take her down the South Bank to see Borough Market and Southwark - what about a Jack the Ripper Tour (most teenagers loved being scared witless) - Shakespeare's Globe Theatre - just to see the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben is pretty amazing.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Rasener
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 02:10 PM

Stratford on Avon and show her a bit of culture about Willy!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 02:23 PM

Stratfords always a good call. lots of stuff for the tourist - as well as being the best place to see Shakespeare and there are always cheap seats. should go down well after the whelks.

not far from Alton Towers.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Bert
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 02:29 PM

Are the cheap theatre tickets still available in Leicester Square?

All the museums in London. There's gotta be some that she'd be interested in. And don't forget the musical instrument collection in the Horniman Museum.

Must see places, Bath, Lavenham Suffolk, Fichingfield Essex, Greensted church (built in 900 something AD) Essex, Tower of London of course, Verulamium (St ALbans), Roman mosaic at Eynsford Kent, Ross on Wye.

We used to enjoy a trip down the river from the Embankment to Greenwhich.

And walking under the pedestrian tunnel at Woolwich is fun.

Sheesh it's never ending.

Update the thread when you find out what she likes.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Noreen
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 04:18 PM

Hils, I would suggest you get (in advance) a stash of brochures of all sorts of things from your local tourist info office and let her browse through them in her own time when she arrives.

That will at least give you somewhere to start finding out what she would like to do, and for her to know where you are prepared to take her- she might be shy of suggesting things she would like to do.

Strolling through a large shopping centre is likely to be a good one too (unless she's already shopped out!) judging from experience with my 15 year old daughter :0)

Give me a ring if I can help.

Have a lovely time!

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 04:33 PM

Hils,
I know i am disabled but you go on line for the Eye and its really cheap if your disabled.Give Richard a stick and see what you bget off.



Scooby.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 04:59 PM

Trip down the Thames on a river bus is fun, and they go to some interesting places. (No longer the Cutty Sark, sadly)

You aren't all that far from Bodiam, of she's into romantic castles.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 05:05 PM

Fantastic suggestions, many thanks to all for advice, ideas & offers!!!

Browsing today I found that the Science Museum is doing a 'be a spy' thing & the Natural History Museum is doing an Antarctica Experience too, both of which sound like fun. The Leith Hill idea is Fab (ta pirandello) as is Wilminton (of course Mary *grin*) with Beachy Head etc!! Got some brochures today (telepathy Noreen?) and have had some other thoughts on stuff like Wild Tupperware Hunting & a squint at Stonehenge. Am definitely drawing the line at Whelks!!!!

JennyO, there a new Planetarium just started up in Greenwich which looks to be less 'waxy' than the Tussauds experience & is definitely worth a look, thanks for the idea.

Thanks too Bert for your 'must-sees', you've got some super ones in that list, and yes, it is never-ending - hopefully!

Richard's had a chat with her just now & it sounds like she's probably seen all she wants to in London, but I reckon the Jack the Ripper walk is a good one (thanks Blowz)!! She's suggested Windsor Castle & she likes the idea of Brighton (cheers Dave) so there may be a squirty ice-cream opportunity for me *grin* I wonder how much we can pack in to our short time together?

And just before we take her back to her Uncle's on Sunday in Orpington we're going to take her to Essex Girls BBQ so she can see & hear some of the friends we've met on the Folk Scene. Should round off the experience nicely!

Or she might just want to hang around in the cottage watching the fox cubs & doing cross-stitch. Hope it doesn't rain.....

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 05:07 PM

Yes indeed Kevin, the Thames Thanks! Oh, and Hampton Court's not far!! There's so much to do.....

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Sorcha
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 05:33 PM

Oh gods! Not The BBQ! I'd rather find an 18 yr old with a car!!!! LOL

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 05:43 PM

Just noticed you live in Leatherhead -- we lived in Dorking for five years and will be returning there in the future for 6 months of each year to live in our tiny end terrace incredibly overpriced house. We'll look you up.

If you all see a very tall 18 year old American boy looking lost while you are on your travels, that will be my son.....we are putting him on a plane to England tonight for a few week's 'bumming around'.....

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 06:05 PM

Liverpool - Matthew Street

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 06:15 PM

If you bring her to Essex Girl's BBQ, tell her to bring her cross stitch and we can sit in a corner and compare threads!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: SINSULL
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 06:52 PM

The Crown Jewels?

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 07:43 PM

If you're going to the Kensington Museums, the V and A shouldn't be overlooked - especially if she's interested in clothes. (Just missed the Kylie Minogue exhibition which ended a couple of weeks ago.)

And if you're going up the river, Kew Gardens, with the newly refurbished Kew Palace, might also be a place to consider visiting.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Richard Atkins
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 07:55 PM

Cassie here Thursday .Film of me aged Nine with her Eight year old Dad should should be interesting. Worries me though :>)

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Rasener
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 07:59 AM

Not been mentioned but well worth a visit is Windsor Castle

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: s&r
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 08:16 AM

Stratford - see a play as it should be performed?

Stu

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Sorcha
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 09:29 AM

I got to drive (well, passenger....) around Windsor Castle! Does that count? If it took money, or much money to get in, I bypassed it.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: nutty
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 09:39 AM

How about introducing her to the 'real' England.

Bring her North.

Try YORK or DURHAM or NEWCASTLE. All have wonderful attractions and are much cheaper than the South.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: GUEST,Noreen
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 10:46 AM

Shame she's not here for longer, eh Hils :0)

Or she might just want to hang around in the cottage watching the fox cubs ...
...and the peregrine falcon and its prey!

That sounds good to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Penny S.
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 04:21 PM

I can vouch for the GReenwich planetarium, the Maritime museum is also good, along with the market and shops around the burned hulk. I don't know if the pie and mash shop has reopened yet.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 04:39 PM

tratford - see a play as it should be performed?

Or there's the Globe Theatre on the South Bank for a more Elizabethan version.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 05:11 PM

Greetings Hils

Camden Lock is a must - the whole area hums on Sundays. Sunday is also a good day to wander into the old alleyways of the City, when they are mostly deserted. Cross the river from there via the Millenium footbridge and you're into the rejuvented Bankside, well worth a visit even sans Cutty Sark. Or from the city you could do a trip out to Canary Wharf via either the driverless Docklands Light Railway or the river.

If you want a tourist attraction that's slightly off piste and free, have a look at the court lists at the Royal Courts and the Old Bailey - an hour or so in the public galleries can be riveting if you're lucky.

Re Shakespeare, I'm with McG 100 per cent. Make it the Globe every time. Groundling (prom) tickets cost about a fiver and are available at the door most nights. It's perfectly acceptable to wander round during the performance, and even scoff a picnic.

And that's just London... Surely to God you won't need to resort to theme parks?

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Rasener
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 05:33 PM

Most kids of that age love theme parks.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 07:03 AM

That Fab info about the Globe Peter, many thanks!! Must admit, am not a theme park fan myself, but maybe young Cassie isn't either. She's already mentioned Windsor Castle, but we're going to need to watch the weather & make the best of any dry weather as & when we get it. So Windsor will be for a wet day I reckon. Camden Lock on a Sunday (and it's just past pay-day), that's extremely tempting!

We're just waiting for Cassie to arrive here so we can figure out what she'd like to do in the brief time available to us. Unfortunately, up North or even as far as Stratford isn't really feasible before Sunday but would have been on the itinery if there were time enough.

Thanks again to everyone for your thoughts and suggestions. Even if Cassie doesn't get to see all the places you've mentioned, I'll be making sure I get to visit them *grin*

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 07:17 AM

And thanks for the Globe link Kevin!!! Looks like a really good evening out if it doesn't rain...

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Moses
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 08:03 AM

Hills

If you're going to Camden Lock on Sunday (weather forecast iffy) watch your timings. I don't know if it still applies but the last time I went there they shut the tube station mid-afternoon and I had to walk, laden with shopping and with very tired feet, to Mornigton Crescent (about half a mile).

Have a good time whatever you do

Christine

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: mandotim
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 10:37 AM

How about a day trip to France? Or Borough Market? The Natural History Museum? Further afield; Alton Towers? (If you want to do the Towers, let me know and I can point you to some good B&B places nearby. I don't live far away.)
Tim