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Questions Answered by Expert David Stewart White

Subject	Date Asked
travel to Scotland	7/14/2011
Q: My wife would like to go for a week to Scotland to see her ancestral home which is Whitburn not far ... A: Whitburn is a small town along the M4 highway about halfway between Edinburgh and Glasgow. You can ...
noun	3/27/2011
Q: Pardon my off color question but what is the root word from the British word "Lou"? I know it mean ... A: Well, my favorite theory for the word "loo" (not "lou") is from the French expression "Gardez l'eau" ...
only one day in London	1/2/2011
Q: I am taking my 16 year-old and two of her friends on a jam-packed UK/Dublin school vacation week ... A: Yes, Victoria is a good location to stay in central London when traveling by train to/from Gatwick. ...
What can you do in London at night	9/19/2010
Q: A friend of mine from abroad will be here on Monday night. Apart from dinner, could you pls ... A: Hmmmm....ONLY on a Monday night, huh? Well, that rules out most museums and historic sights. ...
How to get to London Pancras	9/7/2010
Q: I need some help on getting to this station from Birmingham. No coaches go directy to the station ... A: You appear to be correct--no coaches from Birmingham to London St. Pancras. Have you considered ...
oxford ro holyhead	6/2/2010
Q: We will be arriving by ferry from France and are staying in Oxford. Can you give us inforamtion as ... A: Hollyhead in Wales? Oddly that one comes up blank when you attempt to use Transportdirect.co.uk ...
Dover to Oxford	5/31/2010
Q: We will be arriving by ferry from France and are staying in Oxford. Can you give us inforamtion as ... A: Options are limited for using public transportation between Dover port and Oxford. Basically, your ...
Family travel to South England	3/16/2010
Q: Very useful information! When I said "glamping", I referred to this place: ... A: Wow...both the castle and the yurting center look wonderful for families. I would be interested in ...
Family travel to South England	3/16/2010
Q: we are form Buenos Aires, Argentina, and we are planning to go to England in July, we have 2 ... A: I think your itinerary will allow you a good amount of time to explore these areas. Your proposed ...
Easter in London	3/14/2010
Q: We just booked an impromptu trip to London and Paris; leaving in 2-1/2 weeks. I'll be 6 months ... A: OK, if you're in London, consider special Easter events nearby. I've listed a few more below; there ...
Easter in London	3/13/2010
Q: We just booked an impromptu trip to London and Paris; leaving in 2-1/2 weeks. I'll be 6 months ... A: I have a mental picture of what you are looking for...that alone may not help answer the question ...
Ideal hotel for our needs in London	12/26/2009
Q: We need to find a reasonable priced hotel in London that is close to tubes %26 railway with a ... A: There are thousands of hotels, B&Bs, etc. in London, so it is very hard to make a specific ...
College Son traveling to London	12/19/2009
Q: My 21 yr old son will be studying abroad his college senior year at Utrecht University in The ... A: Is the LAX-LHR-AMS part of a round trip ticket? With your son's return a year off, I sort of doubt ...
London Sightseeing	11/20/2009
Q: we ( Me and my wife) are planning to visit london on 30 31 1st ..3 nights 4 days by National ... A: Regarding your hotel--I am not personally familiar with this hotel, but you can find information and ...
Visitor visa questions	11/4/2009
Q: I am an American citizen staying with friends in London on a visitor’s visa, and my passport simply ... A: Yes, 6 months is the normal maximum for a visitor to the UK. Under some circumstances you can apply ...
Travel from Dover to London	10/25/2009
Q: Our ship docks in Dover and we have to get to Heathrow for a 2:10 flight. Should we go by train or ... A: There are several ways to get from Dover port to Heathrow, but the only direct way is to use a ...
Family Holidays to England	8/31/2009
Q: I am from Malaysia and will be on holidays in England from 10th to 1st December 2009. My kids are ... A: I am a bit unclear how many days you will be in England...did you mean 1st through 10th December? I ...
SHUTTLE,,BUS,,TRAIN?	8/25/2009
Q: WHATS A REASONABLE WAY TO GET FROM HEATHROW 5 TO GATWICK NORTH. ANY IDEA OF COST. 4 OF US WILL ... A: The most practical, direct way to get between Heathrow and Gatwick is to take the shuttle bus/coach ...
spring break trip-whats needed?	8/22/2009
Q: my sister and i want to go to England for my spring break in April.We're trying to figure out ... A: If you are U.S. citizens all you need is a passport (it is good to have a passport that is not close ...
rental	7/22/2009
Q: we are planning to come live in London area for a couple of years. I do not believe the office area ... A: Your question is a bit out of my area of expertise (London tourism), but I can suggest some online ...
Train from Heathrow to Darlington	7/12/2009
Q: I need to book 2 train tickets from Heathrow to Darlington. I need the most direct journey with ... A: You can't make this trip directly by rail, but you can get from London to Darlington by train with ...
relocating to london from u.s.	4/27/2009
Q: my husband's job is relocating to london. any suggestions as to which neighborhood is the ... A: Your question is a bit out of my area of expertise (London tourism), but I can suggest some online ...
Manchester Men arena to London 02	4/12/2009
Q: "Hello David, Basically I need to get from the Men Arena in Manchester to the London ... A: I have not taken the long distance coach on this route, so I can't give an opinion about how easy it ...
Manchester Men arena to London 02	4/11/2009
Q: "Hello David, Basically I need to get from the Men Arena in Manchester to the London ... A: I suggest using this website to see the options for your journey: www.transportdirect.info I have ...
Trip to London w/9year boys	3/3/2009
Q: I am traveling to London at Easter with 9 year old boys. We would like to spend 7 days in London ... A: Let's tackle the most complicated question first--surprisingly that is "best travel card" and ...
Travel from Midsomer Norton, England to Edinburgh, Scotland	2/21/2009
Q: We will be visiting friends in Midsomer Norton, England for a few days, then will go to Edinburgh, ... A: Closet major rail to Midsomer Norton is Bath Spa and from there its a 7-8 hour rail trip, changing ...
London Underground	2/11/2009
Q: I would like to catch a tube into London, preferably St Pancras, but no worries if it won't work. I ... A: There are no Tube/Underground stops near Camberley, Surrey. The closest would be Heathrow Airport, ...
getting from Heathrow to Dover	2/10/2009
Q: What would be the most economical method of travel for two people to get from Heathrow Airport to ... A: I suppose the most economical way is to take the Underground from Heathrow, go to Victoria Coach ...
Travel Routes	12/5/2008
Q: My husband and I are trying to arrange a trip to Inverness, Scotland. To save on airfare, I was ... A: I don't recommend the fly-rail combination through London--not because of cost, but because of the ...
Travel to England for a few months.	11/9/2008
Q: I am trying to travel to England for a month or 2 (as many months as possible) I will have between ... A: Well, your question is fairly broad...but I'll give it a try: Let's assume that you have $8,000 and ...
Original sightseeing tour	6/18/2008
Q: I just wanted to know, I'm staying at the Hilton Metropole on Edgware and on looking at one of the ... A: I have not taken that tour, but the Marble Arch tube stop is only 0.6 mile from your hotel---pretty ...
I need to know...	6/15/2008
Q: I need to know how much plane tickets would cost from North Dakota to England, for 2 adults and 2 ... A: I'll try to answer some of your questions: Plane tickets have been going up in cost because of the ...
FARE	5/11/2008
Q: am a student from Asia, looking forward to do my degree in Wrexham, but my stay is in Liverpool. so ... A: I think you can explore all the transportation options by going to this website: ...
How do I relocate from the US to the UK?	5/4/2008
Q: I would like to know the procedure on relocating to England from the United States for good. I need ... A: I get this question fairly often even though my main expertise concerns tourism, not residence, in ...
Question on moving and working in London	2/25/2008
Q: Several years ago, I had a friend from California who I met through the internet. She wanted to ... A: It's great that you want to move to the United Kingdom. If you are a U.S. citizen, it will be ...
new years eve in london with children	10/23/2007
Q: Do you have any information regarding spending new years eve in london. We have heard the firework ... A: Yes, the fireworks on and near the London Eye are a great (albeit short) display. Best view are ...
snow in england	10/2/2007
Q: we are travelling to england from 9/12/07 -11/1/08. during our stay we would like to see snow. Where ... A: Er, Switzerland? Seriously, snow is a relative rarity in the southern half of England. But if you ...
British Passport	8/2/2007
Q: what is the difference between having a british passport and being a british citizen? I am applying ... A: I'm sorry, but my expertise is in travel/tourism to London and the UK, rather than immigration ...
Wimbeldon	7/8/2007
Q: Always wanted to go to Wimbeldon during the tennis matches. I have 2 kids(11 and 10). How much ... A: Getting tickets to see the championships at Wimbledon requires that you enter a lottery...there are ...
Plymouth to London	6/3/2007
Q: I'm leaving for greece on the 12th of this month from gatwick and wanted to know if there is a night ... A: There are a few early train connections and one coach/train connection. The journey times are over ...
Russel Square	5/17/2007
Q: Can you kindly give me a list of hotels/guest houses etc situated in Russel Square, London. ... A: Paul, There are so many hotels and other lodgings in London, that I can't begin to make ...
Do I need a travel agent	5/11/2007
Q: White . . I have made trips in the US, but this will be the first time I have travelled overseas. My ... A: I doubt that you will need a travel agent simply to book the airline portion of your trip to ...
musuems	2/26/2007
Q: I know the british museum in one of them but i want to know more.thanks A: The UK museum with the best presentations about dinosaurs is probably the Natural History Museum in ...
transportation in Britain	2/15/2007
Q: Regarding purchasing train tickets in advance, how strict are they? If you were to miss your train, ... A: There ARE restrictions on refunds/changes to Advanced Purchase (APEX) tickets. These are set by the ...
transportation in Britain	2/14/2007
Q: White, My husband, son, and I are meeting our daughter who has been attending University East ... A: It is about a 2 hour train ride from London to Norwich, fortunately it is a direct train (no changes ...
Visiting London on 24th and 25th December	11/9/2006
Q: I have recently come to London with an employment. My wife and my 13 year old son will visit me on ... A: Visiting London on December 24-26 does pose some challenges. The most important perhaps is that ...
safe,good locations, family hotels in london	10/17/2006
Q: I am traveling with my family, 8year old,15year, husband/wife in July. What would be an affordable ... A: Let's start with the hotelLondon has hundreds of hotels, so your first question probably has many ...
getting to edinburgh	10/15/2006
Q: we are a family of 4 - 2 sons aged 15 from New Zealand, we intend on driving from London to ... A: Depending upon your route, a stop at York would be a good choice. This is a walled medieval city, ...
where to stay	9/23/2006
Q: I am planning a trip for myself and my 15 year old daughter to England next year.We would like to ... A: If your purpose is to see London, I advise against staying outside the city and commuting. Adding ...
Quick Family Trip to London	8/9/2006
Q: I have a family of 5 who will be in London for 2 full days. We've never been,but would like to ... A: You are staying at a very good hotel--both very centrally located and quite nice. It is located ...
travelling	8/5/2006
Q: I AM NARINDER KUMAR FROM INDIA. I AM 23 YEARS OLD BOY. I WANT VISIT TO LONDON FOR HOLIDAY BUT IF I ... A: Yes, it is very expensive to visit London. Hotels and food are expensive there. A youth hostel is ...
FLIGHTS OUT OF LONDON	3/2/2006
Q: We are taking a cruise (one way)to Copenhagen in May. We were thinking about catching a flight to ... A: There are two airlines that make nonstop flights between London and Orlando: British Airways (BA) ...
Christmas london vacation	1/5/2006
Q: I am planning a family trip with my wife and 2 daughters(both 20 years old)during the Christmas time ... A: Ahhh...advanced planning--you're my kind of traveler! Regarding when to travel you should be ...
Lake Country vs. W&S of London?	12/18/2005
Q: In the June 14-26 period, we will be doing Athens, Greek Islands-Turkey Coast cruise, Istanbul. ... A: No doubt your flight arrangements may be more dictated by airline schedules, cost, etc. than by ...
Using Credit Cards	8/22/2005
Q: I have been told it is a good idea to put everything I can on a credit card something about you get ... A: In general, what you have heard is correct. But, like a lot of general things, this one comes with ...
london stay	7/9/2005
Q: my wife and I for our long delayed honeymoon are going to be in London for two days before moving on ... A: Two days is very limiting for seeing much of London (or Paris--where I hope you have more time). ...
Hello mr White, is a foreigner,...	6/2/2005
Q: is a foreigner, non britain citizen allowed to set up a business account in the UK? If yes, what´s ... A: Heitor, This subject is a bit outside of my expertise, but you might be able to find the ...
london	4/5/2005
Q: ..we are a family of our. My two children are 17 and 11. We are planning to stay in london either ... A: Full disclosure: I have not stayed at or inspected any of the apartment/hotels that you have ...
Hotel in London	3/1/2005
Q: my wife and I are planning to stay 5 days in London in next July. Could you please advise tips or ... A: Yes, London hotels are very expensive and I cannot recommend any hotels in London that cost £50 or ...
London in Christmas	12/19/2004
Q: I have learnt from many sources that London is a less visited city during the christmas period. Why ... A: Well, to be honest, the weather rarely helps as people plan vacations...London's winters can be cold ...
Local travel	12/1/2004
Q: My wife and I will be traveling to London next June for the wedding of one of her cousins. They ... A: John, Sorry for the delay in answering....I submitted my response through AllExperts yesterday, but ...
a family trip to England next summer	11/16/2004
Q: We are a family with two kids aged 10 and 8,and we would like to spend a couple of weeks in England ... A: I am sorry that I do not have much information about learning English as part of a visit to the ...
travel in the UK	11/6/2004
Q: Mr White; My sister and I are planning three weeks in the UK next October(2005). Starting in London ... A: Judi, My first reaction is that your itenerary would involve a LOT of driving. I can't comment on ...
Big Ben	11/3/2004
Q: Is Big Ben easily visible from St. James Park or any of the other parks near Westminster? Are there ... A: Big Ben is not very visible from St. James's Park...well, maybe if you climbed one of the tallest ...
Passports	9/17/2004
Q: I am ayoung american student who is moving to London next may for school. i have no idea where to ... A: Sam, Here's a website from the British government that explains how to get a visa for long-term ...
Stanstead to Heathrow	8/28/2004
Q: Could you tell me what is the best way of getting from Heathrow to Gatwick using public transport, ... A: A bit confused....your subject line says "Stanstead to Heathrow" but your question indicates ...
3 days travel from london to Edinburgh	8/27/2004
Q: David hi, i'm planning to travel to Edinburgh and i would like to make a bus trip from london to ... A: Yes, you can take a bus ("coach" in Britspeak) from London to Edinburgh...but be prepared for a ...
travel from England to Scotland	8/19/2004
Q: David, I will be coming to England from the USA next month. I have several jobs to complete ... A: Debbie, Perhaps the easiest way for you to get directions and distrances for these locations is to ...
england	8/9/2004
Q: we are just beginning to explore our adventure to the UK. I gather your book would be a good start ... A: Yes, my book would be helpful (along with my website-- www.KidsToLondon.com) especially for the ...
Westminster	6/16/2004
Q: Are Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral the same and one? Where's Canterbery? Is it part of ... A: Westminster Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in London that was built in the late 1800's. ...
London	6/15/2004
Q: My wife and I plan to visit London for eight nights next May. We'd like your help in choosing a ... A: Sam, London has hundreds of hotels, add to that short-term flat (apartments), b&bs, etc. and there ...
Victoria Station	6/13/2004
Q: David, When I am in London, I want to meet someone at Victoria Station who has just come in on the ... A: Ruth, Gatwick Express trains arrive on platforms 13/14 at Victoria. The Express ticket office is ...
Accommodation	5/29/2004
Q: I checked out the website for your book. To be honest I haven't bought it but I've added it to my ... A: My general advice would be to virtually abandon your car while visiting London. Driving in the ...
London	5/9/2004
Q: David, We plan to be in London in June. We want to start our 10 day stay in London with a bus ... A: Regarding bus tours, I think the "hop-on/hop-off" tours offer the most flexibility, regardsless of ...
transport between airports	4/19/2004
Q: I know that this is a very simple question, but websites seem to be giving me various answers. I am ... A: Yes, the coach/bus service that connects Heathrow and Gatwick is probably the most direct, although ...
TRANSPORTATION FROM LONDON	3/3/2004
Q: I need to get from London (possibly Heathrow) to Leicester without a car. I will be traveling from ... A: BJ, You can get from London's St. Pancras rail station to Leicester in about 2 hours by ...
Travel in Europe/London	2/29/2004
Q: We are a family from Australia (Warren 46y.o., Gillian 45y.o., Jesse 13y.o., Rachel 11y.o., Phoebe ... A: Warren and Gillian, I'd be happy to answer questions about the part of your journey that includes ...
Train travel in London and southeast	2/26/2004
Q: Mr. White: My mother and I are traveling to England in May and I am confused over what would be the ... A: You do not have to go through London to get from Gatwick to Deal by train (the good news) and there ...
Video Rental in London	10/15/2003
Q: Greetings David, I am traveling with my 11 year old son to London for a week over the Christmas ... A: Here's the website for Blockbuster Video, which has many locations in London: ...

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David Stewart White

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I am an expert on family travel to London, England and the United Kingdom. I can provide practical, up-to-date advice and information for families planning to visit London. I have traveled to the city numerous times with my two children and have written a guidebook based on these experiences. The fourth edition of the guidebook—LET'S TAKE THE KIDS TO LONDON—is published by Roaring Forties Press (Berkeley CA). The book and eBook are available online from Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, Apple iBookstore, and other booksellers. My website is www.KidsToLondon.com. I enjoy helping fellow travelers and welcome questions from families and others visiting London.

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