I get the impression that, apart from a few natives (Answerfinder,
Palitoy, Leli ...), very few folk in this here GAlaxy have ever been
to the UK.

So, hands up, who has been and what do you reckon?

And to the hundreds who have not yet had the pleasure, why not?

Please don't forget the Olympics will be held here in 2012, provided
Wembley Stadium is finished in time (which seems highly unlikely).

However, I have heard that contingency plans have been made to move
the whole shooting match to China, just in case.

I changed planes at Heathrow on my way to Austria. Does that count?
Why haven't I been? Time and money. Someday I truly hope to have the
pleasure of visiting.

Guilty as charged.
Natives friendly.
Beer excellent, despite rumours to the contrary (selection required).
Multiplex is revenge for the Ashes, innit.

Mine's a White Shield, cheers

h2fb-wc

Hi!

Haven't been there but would love to. Mostly money would be the
problem but also I don't know anybody there except you of course. So
accomodations budget will be a concern as well.

Changed planes on way to the US at Heathrow. As for not been there
longer again same as above - lack of money.

Oh btw, I keep myself regularly updated about the English Premier
League and Jose Mourhinho's regular outbursts be it against refrees or
opponent clubs.

Every time I get the chance and money. Unfortunately, I've been mostly
to London (someone shouted in the background: "Long Live EasyJet!"),
including once to the Notting Hill Carneval. But I've also been to
Swansea, where people are nicer than I've ever met anywhere else in
the world, food is better and well, I want to be there ASAP again. You
won't find me trashing British food, culutre, etc. Oh yes, and I've
been once to Bristol for a few hours. Seen the area near the river.
People are not as nice as in Swansea and Mumbles (what a wonderful
name for a place!), but nice city nevertheless.

I've never been myself, and I don't really feal a draw to go there or
anywhere in Europe for that matter (except the Alps for some skiing). 
I'd much prefer a safari in Africa or a week in Sidney followed by
some jungle exploring.

But I can say that most of my friends/family have been to the UK and
most of them really enjoyed themselves... just not my cup-o-tea.

First time, 1961; last, 2005; and I rather agree with Poli-guru - as usual.  :)
Oh, just last month, but just to change planes.
Like her, I am near enough to just hop across, but did the Chunnel
round trip once.  Mostly London, but also two canal boat trips with
the family, a couple of days in Edinburgh, two weeks in Ireland with a
day in N. Ireland, and a couple of days in Wales.
Lovely place, it all ought to be put in the National Trust, except for
that which P. Charles would prefer to have blown up.

Myo-wc

I've been to London twice, and I hope to get there a third time (and
many times more)...

I always had the luck to ride on old Routemasters; too bad they're
gone now. I'll miss them.

I spent a week in London in 2001.  I also spent a week in Paris on that trip.

Googlenut

Let's see . . . 
1. Spent 10 days there on business - all in the "City" though I had to
slum it in the Savoy - with my butler bringing me cigars and vintage
port after enjoying the (insufferable) roast beef dinner. Interesting.
Learned two things: (1) English luncheon sandwiches of cucumbers
leaves a lot to be desired, and (2) "where in the Hell are the ice
cubes!?!"  Got out of town to visit Brighton.

2. Spent 5 days on biz - sandwiches still suck. Shepherds' Pie is good.

3. A week at a convention in London. Special show at Albert Hall -
very cool. Still looking for a decent meal.

4. 3 or 4 business meeting trips. Took the kids (3 boys) who had a
blast. Didn't get arrested. Still looking for anything edible. Took
the bullet train or whatever its called to Paris - train couldn't get
above 50 mph or so in England - so why is it marketed as a bullet
train?  Stonehenge was cool, except you couldn't close to the stones -
I guess they were worried about our tipping them over - then the
workers might have to skip their cucumber sandwich lunch.

Never have been up North - Need to Get up North, although as a once
fan of "All Things Great and Small" or "All Creatures . . ." I am
dying to get up to that area and watch a "veterinary" stick his arm up
the black hole of some cow past his elbow. Definitely want to see
Scotland - well north of Edinburgh.

Next life?  Me at Kings College. Inns of Court. Barrister. Rumpole reborn.

Now Bryan . . . tell me about your visits to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan?

Tom

I, too, changed planes at Heathrow back in the early 70's. I've never
visited 'cuz I was too busy exploring the less civilized Spain,
Portugal. France and Italy when I lived in Spain in the 80's. I have
been to Gibralter several times.

My sister went to University of York for her PhD and kept me so well
informed that I feel like I've been there. I've also read all the
Douglas Adams books, memorized nearly every Monty Python sketch, know
Basil Fawlty by heart, enjoyed the (somewhat lowbrow) Benny Hill
comedy, and have heard every episode of "My Word" at least three
times. Does that count for anything? No? Drat.

I have an MG and only recently got rid of my Spitfire, so I know the
meaning of a boot, bonnet, hood, and dogleg. Still not good enough?

Sometimes I use the letter "s" instead of a "c" ro "z" and I pronounce
the latter "zed."

I know the values of the pre-decimal bob, crown, half-crown, and
sovereign as well as the makeup of the money. Indeed, I practiced
totting up predecimal bills.

Oh, and I say things like "totting up."

Still not cutting it?     *sigh

I was there.  I flew overseas and landed in England.  Spent about a
week traveling the country (London and other cities,
Stratford-Upon-Avon and more of the countryside).  I toured all over
Europe - England, Holland, Denmark, Austria, Israel, Greece, Italy,
France, Switzerland, Belgium.  In addition, I spent quite a bit of
time in the Dusseldorf, Germany airport.

The only time I went back overseas was another trip to Israel.

I would love to visit, but haven't gotten around to it.  I did change
planes once from Spain back to the U.S.  I watch BBC America more than
any other channel and use it as my main news source.

I have never been outside the United States, except in my dreams.

Glad to see all the folks that have visited UK and enjoyed it - but if
anyone does come here, remember there is a whole country of incredibly
varied landscapes outside of London.

From the historic cities of the likes of York and Edinburgh to the
industrial cradles of Manchester and Leeds.  Beyond the cities, you
have the wonderful Lake District and Welsh hills, the breathtakingly
beautiful Yorkshire Dales and the (hard to get to but worth it) North
West of Scotland.

I can promise you there is no other country in the world with so much
to offer in such a relatively small space. (not a dig at other
countries - it's the combination contrasting places all packed
together)

Avoid Liverpool, though, because it's a dump ;)

The first time I visited I arrived on the RMS Queen Elizabeth (not the
QE2) in Southampton as part of a group heading for a year abroad
program in Vienna. On that trip we toured Oxford, London and
Canterbury. We took the ferry from Dover to Bruges. I loved it.

http://www.ocean-liners.com/ships/queenelizabeth.asp

Next time I spent a week on my own in London on my way to joining
friends for  a tour of Spain, Portugal and Morocco. It was even more
wonderful than the first time.

I've also passed through Heathrow on my way to Greece and Italy and to Hungary.

I would love to go back again.

Hi Bryan....

I've never been to the UK either.

I heard rumours that it rains too much and I'm a sun person!!!

I'd love to go to some authentic English pubs and drink the natives
"under the table" though( us Canucks are well known for our beer
drinking talents )

AND, I could be easily "persuaded" to visit the UK if I knew someone
that lived close to Paul McCartney's house ;)

Steph53

I just got to spend a few hours in London between flights.  Took the
tube to Piccadilly Circus, strolled through the National Gallery and
Westminster Abbey.  Hope to go back for a longer visit some day!

Wow!

Even better than I had supposed ...

And did I interpret Steph53's Comment correctly?

I do hope so.

I've been to Gibraltar, twice! Does that count? 

(Also Spain, Italy, Germany, Morroco, Venezuela, Mexico, Canada, Azores, Mallorca.)

My favorite place, so far is a tie between Germany and Spain!

Oh, of course I've been to Mexico and Canada many times!  :)

Bryan --

I've been to the U.K. about 20 times.  So often that the Seattle Blood
Bank won't let me donate blood -- too much time during the Mad Cow
years makes me a risk.

My first trip was in 1973.  We left London to land at Entebbe, Uganda
-- and be held hostage by Idi Amin for 3 days:
http://www.peacecorpswriters.org/pages/2003/0309/prntvrs309/pv309wrwr.html

I took my beloved to London for a four-day weekend when she turned 40.

Also lots of trips to visit British Telecom on business, many to
Felixstowe, the port town but all via London.  Where I still remember
the local quip: "Felixstowe for the Continent, Harwich for the
incontinent."

In all of that time I've driven in the U.K. only once.  I avoid it, as
I'd have it all backwards.

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

Y'know, I wasn't going to comment on this, 'cause I haven't been to
the UK. But then I remembered part of the reason why I'd like to, and
thought you might get a kick out of it. You see, I'm half English by
ancestry, and my (paternal) ancestral family home traces back to 14th
century England, and a house in Dorset named ...............  (drum
roll please ) .............. BRYANSTONE!   :-)

I wonder if it's still there. Maybe one day I'll have a chance to find out.  

Cheers,
Byrd

Been there.  Twice to London & area, once to an estate in the western
area near Bristol.   Wonderful country.  You must do London first, see
the Tower, City of London, wax museum, Greenwich, etc.  You can spend
anywhere from three days to two weeks there.  But you must also get
into the countryside.  Where depends on your interests.
Stratford-on-Avon;  Newcastle; Windsor; Land's End; others.
I stil need to go to Scotland, Ireland & Wales; perhaps the Isle of
_______ [enter any one of the famous ones].   If your ancestory is
Anglo-Saxon, you will be learning about your heritage anywhere you go.
  If you are not A-S, you will still be learning about the heritage of
North America.  It is all good to know.  Remember to drive on the
left, especially after making a turn.  And the signage at the
round-abouts will lead you astray.  But that is part of the
experience.  The food will be mediocre; the beer, warm.

Do you know why the Brits drink their beer warm?   They all heve Lucas
refrigerators.   Lucas, the Prince of Darkness.

A great collection of recollections. Many thanks!

As far as I can recall, Tom, I've never knowingly set foot in
Michigan. Well, I can't get EVERYWHERE.

Here are some of the places I've been: most countries in Western
Europe, Bulgaria, Poland, Austria, Greece, several Greek Isles,
Rhodes, Cyprus, Corfu, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Majorca, the Canary Isles,
Madeira, the Azores, South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, India, Bahrain,
Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea,
Japan, USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Mauritius, Zimbabwe ...


And wherever I went, the people were great.