Friendship Tour 2008

ITEM NUMBER: 1404
ITEM VALUE: $6,330
OPENING BID: $1,266
BID NOW!

Bidding for this trip will begin in April, 2008.

Visit Britain, in conjunction with Britain’s Heritage Cities, proudly presents an adventure for two designed for the independent and adventurous traveler - The Friendship Tour.  Enjoy six nights in the United Kingdom ~ three nights each in two of Britain’s Heritage Cities seven destinations.

The Friendship Tour is designed for travelers eager to explore Great Britain on their own terms.  The package, for the seventh consecutive year, celebrates the spirit of friendship and cooperation between Great Britain and the United States.  That friendship has been part of the fabric of this planet for over 200 years, and that friendship has more significance now than any moment in history.

DONORS:

* Visit Britain
*
* BritRail
* The Randolph Hotel, Oxford
* Abbots Barton Hotel, Canterbury
* Britain’s Heritage Cities

THE FRIENDSHIP TOUR ELEMENTS, ALL FOR TWO:

* Roundtrip coach airfare to London from high bidders closest port in the lower 48, connecting to one of ’s seven U.S. gateway cities to London
* First Class BritRail Four Day Flexi passes
* Three night stay, The Macdonald Randolph Hotel in Oxford
* Three night stay, Abbots Barton Hotel in Canterbury
* Accommodations arranged in conjunction with Britain’s Heritage Cities.

RESTRICTIONS:

* Package available through April 30, 2009.
* Blackout dates:  June 1 – October 15, 2008; December 15, 2008 – January 2, 2009
* All elements of The Friendship Tour must be used together.
* transportation includes the option to add up to two weeks to either side of high bidders journey
* Participants travel must originate and terminate from nearest the city of residence providing direct service by
* All international airline taxes will be the responsibility of the traveler (this has gone up dramatically, up to $150 per person).
* The BritRail Flexi pass can be used for any of four (4) days of the high bidders stay in the UK.

EXPIRATION DATE: April 30, 2009

High bidders will have one year to take their journey, from May 1, 2008 to April 30, 2009.  Please note that blackout dates are in effect:  between June 1 - October 15, 2008 and December 15 - January 2, 2009.

Air travel and accommodations are based on availability.  High bidders are encouraged to make their reservations with as much lead time as possible.

DESCRIPTION

The journey begins on with roundtrip coach air transportation for two to London via one of seven gateway cities in the United States to London provided by .

As official airline sponsor of the Friendship Tour, makes getting to London easy with daily nonstop service from seven U.S. cities:

* Boston
* Chicago
* Los Angeles
* Miami
* New York
* Dallas/Fort Worth
* Raleigh/Durham

High bidders travel will begin and end their journey in the nearest city providing direct service on .

For travelers who wish to extend their United Kingdom stay, will extend the air transportation travel window for up to two weeks on either end of the journey.  For instance, a high bidder visiting Britain from March 15-19 can depart the US as early as March 2, and return as late as April 3.

ALL TRAVEL MUST BE COMPLETED BY APRIL 30, 2009.

ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TRAVELER, AS WELL AS ANY APPLICABLE AIRPORT CHARGE AND INTERNATIONAL FEES.

Once arriving in the United Kingdom, travelers can begin using their first class four day BritRail FlexiPasses.  The passes provide unlimited usage for any four days while in country.

The BritRail FlexiPass

If hopping on and off the train is your cup of tea, with your BritRail FlexiPass in hand, you can explore the length and breadth of Britain with ease - from its vibrant cities to its quaint villages.  And you’ll be helping to save the planet!  Did you know that trains emit approximately 50% less harmful Green House gases per passenger kilometer than cars; a train will emit only one quarter of the gases compared to a plane traveling the same distance.  Britain’s train drivers are taking “Eco-Driving” lessons in simulators in order to learn how to maximize energy efficiency.

There is a wide variety of BritRail Pass durations from which to choose, but Friendship Tour participants are being provided with a 4 Day First Class BritRail FlexiPass.  The Pass - as its name implies—is totally flexible.  No need to use the 4 days consecutively (unless you want to).  And you can take as many train trips in one day as you’d like.

If you wish to spend a few fabulous days in London before exploring Britain’s Heritage Cities, you can use the first of your 4 travel days upon arrival: Validate your BritRail FlexiPass right at Heathrow or Gatwick and let the Airport Express train whisk you into the heart of London. (Or you may prefer to save that travel day for a longer distance jaunt and simply buy a rail transfer ticket to London right at the airport.)

Whenever you are ready, you can beetle off by train to start your Friendship Tour adventure. The BritRail FlexiPass allows you to hop on and off the train at will for a few hours of exploration along the way to your ultimate destination. Of course, you can use the pass to get back down to London to catch your flight home.

Travel where you want, when you want with the BritRail FlexiPass - the most versatile train pass ever!  Although your time will be limited on this trip, the Pass actually allows unlimited access to over 18,000 daily train departures. High speed trains glide through verdant countryside to over 2500 fascinating destinations in England Scotland and Wales.

Visit BritRail’s website for detailed product information and sample itineraries, maps and more.

High bidders will stay three nights each at Macdonald Randolph Hotel in Oxford and three nights at the Abbots Barton Hotel in Canterbury.  Breakfast is included at both hotels.

OXFORD

Oxford has a charisma all its own.  Famous for its ‘dreaming spires’ and ancient colleges of mellow golden stone, the beauty of its historic centre still takes visitors by surprise.  You can take a guided walking tour through the ancient streets, ride on an open top bus, looking down over the college walls, or take boat trip along the river Thames - or Isis as it is called in Oxford. If you’ve never acquired the romantic skill of punting, here is the place to learn. Or let an expert show you how.

Yet this distinguished flagship of academic excellence is a hotbed of creative energy, a youthful, go-ahead city that feels as good as it looks.  Oxford is simply buzzing with chic restaurants, bistros and bars, traditional pubs and a cool-cum-classic cultural scene that has let to Oxford’s being voted top UK city for culture by the prestigious Conde Nast Traveller magazine.

Best of all, you don’t need a car to enjoy Oxford - whether locations from the ‘Harry Potter’ films, ‘The Golden Compass’ or the ‘Inspector Morse’ series, or the pubs and colleges frequented by writers such as CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien, they are all within easy strolling distance. Just come along and see for yourself.

MacDonald Randolph Hotel

Oxford’s leading hotel - The AA Five star Macdonald Randolph - is situated in the heart of the city opposite the world famous Ashmolean Museum. Built in 1864 and recently refurbished, the hotel offers each guest the highest level of comfort and service in a traditional and welcoming environment. The location makes the Macdonald Randolph Hotel an ideal base for exploring the historic sights of Oxford or the thriving shopping centre just two minutes walk away.

CANTERBURY

The magnificence of the cathedral is the essence of Canterbury, but the city is multi-faceted, containing all the elements of a modern and vibrant cultural centre.

Restaurants, pubs, nightclubs and live music venues underpin the city’s endless appeal.  Theatregoers have the choice of the city centre’s renowned Marlowe Theatre or the Gulbenkian Theatre at the University of Kent, while every October, the Canterbury Festival invigorates the city with music and arts rarely seen out of London.

Pilgrims have flocked to Canterbury Cathedral ever since the martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170, and across the centuries this pilgrimage has continued.

The city is best explored on foot, and visitors who take the time to walk the maze of intriguing side streets will find a rich variety of specialist shops, welcoming cafés and pubs in which to relax. Alternatively take a stroll along the banks of the River Stour as it passes through the city.

Get back to nature in the heart of the city by visiting the Goods Shed, Canterbury’s permanent farmer’s market, where organic food can be sampled in the on-site restaurant.  The following pages will give you a fascinating insight to this beautiful city, where the present keeps in step with the past.

Abbots Barton Hotel

The Abbots Barton Hotel’s interesting history dates back to 1830 when it was built as a private house on the site of the Barley Farm of St. Augustine.  It became a hotel in 1927 and has since expanded to its present size, comprising 53 guest rooms, ‘The Fountain Restaurant’ which seats up to 70 people, 4 private function rooms suitable for conferencing and syndicate meetings and The Cathedral Room which is perfect for large wedding parties seating up to 150 guests. 

The Cathedral Room offers views and direct access to beautifully landscaped gardens.  This is an idyllic setting for photographs and provides for ample space to set up marquees which have proved to be very popular for summer weddings.

The Abbots Barton Hotel, in its tranquil setting of 2 acres of beautiful gardens, has excellent parking facilities and is just 10 minutes walk from Canterbury City Centre.