all knowledge is found in LJ -- UK help

[rm]

Weird UK questions:

1. Free or low-cost Wi-Fi in Cardiff. I have my own laptop, but I need to know where I can pick up a signal and loiter for hours. I'll buy as much damn coffee as I need to.

2. For that matter, free or low-cost Wi-Fi in London. Same as above, particularly near the British Museum, Canary Wharf, Brick Lane. God, that says so much about me it hurts.

3. Is there some roaming hotspot thing where I can buy remote access for like a set period of time and be connected wherever? I'm explaining this badly, but they had it in Switzerland and it was cool.

4. Day trips from London for non-drivers. Especially ones that make sense on Saturday or Sunday. Are France or Ireland actually viable options? What about Stonehenge? Help, help.

Comments

[ysobelle.livejournal.com]

Hullo. elionwyr sent me.

I'd suggest Windsor Castle-- it's a short trip, the scenery is gorgeous, and there's a lot to see. Don't sell yourself short, though: allow enough time to actually see the whole thing. And make sure the State Apartments are open. There are some lovely exhibits there-- whatever the Queen chooses to allow out of her private collection. I saw a Holbein sketch January '09 that just stopped me in my tracks. Also, Queen Mary's Dollhouse is there, and it's lovely. Don't miss the chapel!

Bath is indeed a day trip, but you could spend an entire day in the baths alone. It's a bit of a schlepp, so you might want to allow two days. If you're driving out that way, allow time to eat at a pub on the road, if you're so inclined.

Stratford Upon Avon. It's slightly annoying to get to and from if you're in the market for an RSC performance, as only select performances have late-night trains back to London. Go on a night with no late-night special train, and you're rather screwed to get back. You could do a matinee (almost anything the RSC does is worth it), but you still won't get to see much of the town before curtain, and will have to rush a bit to get back to the regular evening train. Also, the town is breathtaking if you're a Shakespearean history buff. There's really nothing quite like touching the quavering beams and whitewash.

I'll also second Salisbury Cathedral. It's been twenty years, but you know, it's not as if it's going to change that much. The interior is exquisite, and its architecture uplifting. And the light is...I can't quite describe it.

I also had the good fortune to see Chawton, which is a little town in Hampshire, best known for being the town where Jane Austen lived and wrote before illness disabled her in the final years of her life. We went in the spring, and if there was ever a quintessential little English village, it was Chawton. Masses of flowers everywhere. We took the train to Alton, and I believe we must have taken a bus or cab to Chawton. It was gorgeous, and the museum-- what was once her house-- is beautiful.

As for the Wifi, if you find a solution, let me know. Perhaps you could tether your phone? I find it distressing that most hotels seem to be going towards charging exorbitant rates there for what so many offer free here, but such is life. Many coffee shop chains offer it, and I'm sure you can rent a satellite hookup whilst there. Check out a Carphone Warehouse (http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/), as they may be able to help.

Above all? Oh, have a WONDERFUL time!