MY HUSBAND AND I ARE TRAVELLING TO EUROPE NEXT YEAR. WHILE IN PARIS WE WOULD LIKE TO VISIT THE AIRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY, NEAR SAINT-OMER, WHERE MY HUSBAND'S UNCLE WAS BURIED DURING WORLD WAR II. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND OUT IF WE CAN TRAVEL FROM LONDON TO PARIS VIA SAINT-OMER WITHOUT MUCH SUCCESS.
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S. MURPHY, BUDERIM
The easiest way to get there is not from Paris but rather from Calais. Take the Eurostar from London, get off at Calais-Frethun Station and take the train from the same station to Saint-Omer. The trip takes about an hour, and there should be no need to purchase a ticket in advance. From Saint-Omer, take a taxi to the war cemetery at Aire-sur-la-Lys. The number for Saint-Omer Taxis is 03 21 95 62 71. The vast majority of the graves are from fighting in World War I and it might take some time to find out where your relation lies. The four Commonwealth plots are on the east side of the road. There is no facility for leaving your luggage at Saint-Omer Station so you'll have to take it with you. That means you'll probably need to get the taxi to wait and you should clarify charges with your driver before you begin the hire. You can resume your journey to Paris from Saint-Omer. Trains between the two are frequent but it takes a little more than 2½ hours to get to Paris Nord Station.
An even better idea would be to overnight in Saint-Omer, and you might like to visit the incredible La Coupole Military Museum. (lacoupole-france.com).
MY WIFE AND I INTEND SPENDING FOUR MONTHS IN THE UK NEXT YEAR. CAN YOU SUGGEST THE MOST ECONOMICAL WAY TO HIRE A VEHICLE LONG TERM? I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT BUYING AND RESELLING A VEHICLE IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR NON-RESIDENTS.
D. BREWER, FAIRLIGHT
Vehicle insurance and registration are problematic for non-residents and one way to go is a long-term car lease, available from several operators. Keying in notional dates for a four-month car lease starting in April 2015, the best deal I can find is with DriveAway Holidays (driveaway.com.au), which comes back with a choice of different Peugeots, starting from $4177 for an economy model. This includes full vehicle insurance cover, third-party liability and theft with no excess. One word of caution however, the Peugeots, Citroens and Renaults that are the mainstay of the car-leasing market are left-hand drive models, which is less than ideal for the UK. It may suit you better to hire a right-hand drive vehicle, and again there are plenty of options. Keying in the same dates at CarRentals.co.uk I get a price starting from $3984, including full insurance. With VroomVroomVroom.co.uk the price is a keen $2765, which would put you behind the wheel of a manual Fiat 500 from Europcar, and there are plenty of larger options at just a slightly higher price.
TOGETHER WITH ANOTHER COLLEAGUE, I WILL ESCORT 20 SCHOOLCHILDREN AGED 15 TO 17 TO CALIFORNIA NEXT JANUARY. WE WILL BE BASED IN SACRAMENTO FOR 10 DAYS, HOSTED BY FAMILIES. CAN YOU SUGGEST DAY TRIPS FROM SACRAMENTO, PLACES OF INTEREST AND OTHER OPTIONS THAT MAY BE SUITABLE FOR THESE STUDENTS AND OURSELVES?
D. RUSSELL, CAMDEN
San Francisco is one of the most likeable of all the US cities, just a 90-minute drive away, and a visit that includes the California Academy of Sciences (calacademy.org) and the Exploratorium (exploratorium.edu) along with sights such as the Golden Gate Bridge, a ride on a cable car, the stairway on Telegraph Hill – all 400 steps – and perhaps a look at the Haight-Ashbury district, crucible of America's counter-culture movement of the late 1960s, should make for a memorable day out.
Your charges might not be too familiar with the name "Silicon Valley", but as members of the millennial generation their lives have been shaped by what goes on there. Intel Museum, the Computer History Museum, Stanford University, the Apple company store, NASA's Ames Research Center and the Google campus – although only viewable from the outside - are just some of the highlights of this frontier world.
For a change of pace, Eldorado National Forest (fs.usda.gov/eldorado), just an hour's drive east of Sacramento, has forests, lakes and plenty of recreational activities. Although these will be rather limited in January the region's natural beauty should impress even teenagers.
CONVERSATION OVER TO YOU…
The question was "Do you consult the hotel critiques on TripAdvisor before booking, and if so, are the opinions accurate?"
"TripAdvisor is my go-to guide on hotels," writes M. Wilson. "So far I found the reviews to be accurate. I look to see where the reviewers come from (this provides some cultural context) and their review status (experience). Out of the last 10 reviews if nine are positive and one negative, look at what the negative is about. I follow my criteria of cleanliness and location, then value for money. If TripAdvisor ticks these boxes I go with it. Yet to be disappointed."
From G. Clarke, "I first consulted TripAdvisor two years ago when looking for a convenient, budget priced hotel in Tokyo. It was there I discovered the brilliantly located Sunroute Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku. Thanks to TripAdvisor this hotel has become so popular it is not always possible to get a room. In some ways a TripAdvisor recommendation is a two-edged sword."
R. Morrison writes "As a regular overseas traveller, I always read hotel reviews on TripAdvisor and they are usually accurate. I also contribute and strive to give other travellers the most accurate reviews of hotels and attractions I have stayed in or visited in an effort to assist them with their holiday choices."
According to J. Vernon, "Generally I read several reviews and if all are good and one is poor, I go to that person's reviews of other establishments and often they are negative about everywhere they stay. I am a keen reviewer myself and try to be fair and accurate in my comments."
"Fabulous but not foolproof," according to B. Scott. "We always consult TripAdvisor before booking hotels and for restaurants. It's great for location advice and its price comparison features are a huge plus. We are wary of the reviewers that have only posted a few reviews and also of a planted comment, but we get great info and it's an enormous help, just like the Tripologist."
Next question: Do you look for the cheapest airline deal or are you prepared to pay more to fly with a favorite carrier?
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