My Redneck European Adventure

[Dave N]

I'm getting there! Booked our ferry tickets to Ireland and back. Made the Mrs. happy and got tickets for a tour of the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace as well as the gardens there. Still need to send for our Visitor Oyster Cards for travel in London. I'll look around a bit more online and make sure whether or not getting a membership to the National Trust would be cost efficient. Seems like it would be.

Stepped on the scale this morning and was a bit disappointed! STILL holding at 207 pounds. Looks like I'll have to try a bit harder! Three months to go!

 

[devon deer]

This is how we got around last time we went to London
https://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/contactless_cards.html
It was really cheap and easy to use.
Cheers
Richard

 

[bobbydean]

Devon deer. You are very impressive on your support. You are going beyond and above. I hope the Montana guys treat you the same. I really like your premise on this hunt, Done good!

 

[Dave N]

I agree! Lots of helpful tips are being provided. I really wish I had something to offer on my end. Illinois is terrible for public land hunting, and the private that I hunt is so small there is no way to know from one day to the next if anything will be there!

I just checked my credit cards and NONE of them are contactless. Oyster it is. Honestly, I would rather use that and keep my cards tucked away for safe keeping.

 

[Dave N]

Time for my next question for Richard. Matt as well, since he is actually a bit closer to London. I'm searching for a hotel for our last two nights and am looking at the outskirts of London. Is there a preferred "side" of the city to go to? What direction should I stay away from? I want to be fairly close so the tube ride won't be so long, and I have no idea where the "undesirable" parts are located.

Richard, regarding the email you copied me into, no contact yet. As you said, maybe later on before we leave would work best. I will contact them myself early July if I don't hear anything before that. No worries, it will get done!

 

[Sawtooth]

Dave,
PM sent.

 

[devon deer]

I have no idea in relation where to stay, i avoid London whenever i can!
You could try here though https://www.travelodge.co.uk/?WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.srch=1&gclid=COKz8pyrpMwCFclsGwodz4YMWw

No worries in relation to email, i'm sure it well get sorted, even if it doesn't (through no fault of yours) i will still take you hunting as agreed.
I have seen a nice buck that has your name on it!

BTW, you and other members are very welcome in the UK, but NOT the visitor from the US we have at the moment!

Cheers

Richard

 

[Dave N]

Sawtooth, thanks for the info in the PM.

That's OK, Richard. I've eliminated some places I looked at just by reading the reviews from past guests. There were a few that mentioned "unsavory characters" in the area if not even inside the hotel! One was said to be frequented by, uh, "ladies" who had frequent male visitors. If I went to Chicago or some of the other larger cities around here I would know what areas of town to stay away from. There are places where you don't want to go to in broad daylight! Figured there may be areas around London that were the same way. The link you gave brought up hotels I hadn't seen yet. That may be my best bet, actually. I never thought about searching for any major chains like that. They had some pretty good prices, and free breakfast works out great for us! I'll get things narrowed down soon to places close to transportation so we don't have to walk very far.

As far as your current visitor, you can keep him as long as you would like! Just send him off somewhere for my visit. He was in Hawaii when the wife and I went for Christmas a couple years ago and he sure did screw up some things we wanted to do. Airspace restrictions, road closures, etc. All the locals wished he would go away!

 

[Dave N]

Got our last two nights squared away now. Staying in Wembley, right next to any transportation we need. Not a bad price and we'll have breakfast each morning. That sure helps out during the rest of the day. I've started looking into Dublin and may have a place picked out. We'll be getting up a bit earlier that next morning to get to the dock for the ferry. Looks like we'll have breakfast on the water!

 

[Sawtooth]

Dave,
Did you ever figure out what the requirements are to transport a euro mount through the U.S. Customs, and is it going to be financially possible for you to bring home a possible row deer trophy?

 

[Dave N]

Haven't got an answer to the email I sent to U.S. Customs. Hoping it can be in my checked bag if I get one and get it clean in time. If not, looking like pictures will be all I have. I've seen a form someone linked me too, and it's confusing to me with numbers for things I don't know about. I can't afford too much to bring something home. Maybe they will answer me pretty soon so I know one way or the other.

 

[devon deer]

Dave i have forwarded an email i got from the US authorities over this when i inquired in 2012, lots of help and useful info.
Cheers
Richard

 

[Dave N]

Richard, that's the form I was linked to. Today I actually found the instructions for filling it out. Looks like most of the confusing stuff needs to be filled out "IF APPLICABLE". Guess that means if it doesn't apply, I can leave it blank. It even has a code for "Personal accompanying baggage" listed, so it looks like IF there is something to bring home I can pack it and hope I did things right! I printed out the form and will have a few copies with me for our trip. Might even print out the email you forwarded for a backup.

Now, about that nice buck with my name on it... Proper feeding and minerals for antler growth. Just sayin'

 

[Dave N]

Got our tickets for Buckingham Palace and the gardens in the mail yesterday. My luck, it will be raining that day. Good for the flowers!

I seem to be stuck at the 206 pound mark. Might have to try something different to get under 200.

 

[Dave N]

Well, I just can't seem to get under the 206 mark. I'll have to get on it a bit harder. Won't be easy, today is my birthday and my wife is making my favorite dinner. Venison lasagna! I'll try harder tomorrow...

 

[Speeddmn]

Well, I just can't seem to get under the 206 mark. I'll have to get on it a bit harder. Won't be easy, today is my birthday and my wife is making my favorite dinner. Venison lasagna! I'll try harder tomorrow...

Happy Birthday!!

Now as for dieting.... Just don't eat as much for a start. I did that with normal exercise and added a boost of multi vitamins. Another set of pills I take twice a day is basically Rip Fuel, keeps my heart rate up and helps burn a few extra calories. Good luck and we all are happy for your adventure!

 

[Dave N]

Question for Richard, and one for anyone. Richard, or Matt, could you explain what the different "medal" classes of deer mean? I'm familiar with our system of Pope and Young, Boone and Crockett, and SCI (which doesn't mean anything to me) so I'm assuming the medal classes are a way to judge how good of a trophy they are.

Anyone, we'll be visiting some pubs here and there on our trip, mainly for some food, but I'm sure for a rest stop and a place to relax as well. I quit drinking a LONG time ago. Are English and Irish pubs the same as bars here in the States and have something for a guy like me? Soda, iced tea? Pretty much a dumb question, you need some things to make mixed drinks with, they must have Coke or something.

Another for anyone. I've been looking at attractions in London to see and figured I would ask those that have visited which ones are worth going to and ones that aren't. Not spending too much time there, and we have tickets to Buckingham Palace already. Must see's? Don't bothers?

 

[devon deer]

For medals look here http://www.cictrophy.com/

Pubs, they cater for all tastes, get yourself a Soda or a non-alcoholic beer no problem.

London, my wife went on the London Eye https://www.londoneye.com/

Maybe your wife would like to watch a show in the evening?

Cheers

Richard

 

[Sawtooth]

To help answer your last question regarding what to see in London, we need to know what your interest in going there is in the first place. If it is to see places of historical significance, then I would include a tour of the Tower of London, with Westminister Abbey a distant second. These tours are pretty expensive, and if I could only pick one it would be the Tower of London and then just walk around Buckingham Palace and Westminister, Big Ben,and other famous sites. If art and theater is of interest to you or your wife, most of the main museums are free to the public, with the National Gallery a great first choice. Devon's suggestion of taking your wife to one of the theatres for a show is also a good idea. I took my wife to one at Piccadilly Circus, similar to New York's Broadway, and scored some major "Good Spouse" points in the process.
With regards to the pubs, they are similar to here in the states. Some are for serious drinking and some are for eating,drinking and socializing. All will have soda and other non alcoholic drinks available.

 

[Dave N]

I looked at the website for medals and it looks like they are judged by weight. That's different! Learn something new every day, I guess.

I had been leaning toward the Tower of London as a destination and it sounds like a good one to visit. We are also set to go into Buckingham Palace and the gardens one afternoon. The Tower in the morning sounds like it would pretty much round out the day. See that, walk around, have some lunch, walk around some more until our palace tour, then find a spot for dinner and whatever else before heading back to the hotel. Still need to get our Oyster cards. On my short list of things to finish up our plans.

Scale this morning read 204.6! Yippee!