I am so glad Jonathan and Jackie Thomas did not write this book ten years ago; if they had, I could have easily gone to England—as I had originally planned—and I would not have gone to Ireland, met my wife, moved to Britain and started this blog. In fact, I am so grateful to them for not publishing it a decade ago, that I agreed to write a review.
Their book, 101 Budget Britain Travel Tips is an excellent resource and an attractive book, to boot. I found myself wishing they would offer it as a hardback because of the stunning photographs in it (which allowed me to play the “I’ve been there” game) but a hardback book would be expensive and a pricey book of budget travel tips would be too ironic, even for Americans.
The content of the book is well laid-out, entertainingly presented and packed with useful information both on what to see and how to save money doing it. The Thomas’ have been to Britain an average of once a year for the past ten years so they have a lot of experience—some of it gained the hard way—under their belts. They also have an insatiable curiosity about Britain and have managed to discover interesting sights and activities off the hard-packed tourist trails that are diverting as well as economical (there are pedestrian paths that pass underneath the Thames; this I must see).
Also, interspersed among the pages are “The Top Ten Things to Do For Free in…” segments, which will provide you with free entertainment practically anywhere you end up. These are handy for tourists, but also serve as a kick in the pants to people who live here—Britain is a beautiful and intriguing place; get out there and see it!
If you’re a bargain hunter, you’ll appreciate Jonathan and Jackie’s tips on how to get around economically, or cheaply, or even free. Britain is expensive, make no mistake, but if you keep your wits about you, it isn’t hard to travel on a budget, and this book is filled with tips that will show you how to make sure your trip-of-a-lifetime will take your breath away merely due to the spectacular scenery and magnificent sights, and not when you see your next month’s bank statement.
Of course, it you really want to see Britain, the best way to go about it is to marry someone who lives here and go live with them. If that idea doesn’t appeal to you, then I suggest you buy this book. It will probably be cheaper in the long run, anyway.
About the Authors:Jonathan and Jackie Thomas are the founders of Anglotopia.net, a website for people who love Britain: British TV, Culture, History or Travel, they cover it all, and more.
Visit the site: http://www.anglotopia.net/
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