The following are additional suggestions that may be helpful in making your vacation as enjoyable as possible:

GENERAL ADVICE - Your tour is designed as a comprehensive sightseeing tour for your enjoyment and to introduce you to a variety of unique and interesting sights in Scotland. As such, anticipate the pace of your tour to be more active than most of us are accustomed to while at home. Be prepared for lots of walking, many times on cobblestone streets and climbing stairs in order to see and absorb all the beauty, the history, and the new experiences and sensations a tour provides.

• Tipping - Tips & gratuity for our motor coach driver is customary and have already been included in the tour price—calculated at approximately $4.00 per day per person. Tips & gratuity for regular table d'hote meal service have also been included in the tour price. However, customary tipping of hotel porters, or other service providers, will be left to the discretion of each tour member. The only other foreseeable gratuity is totally voluntary and up to each individual. If they prove to be a blessing to you, as we anticipate from past tours, passengers may want to seek the Lord as to a voluntary love gift, over and above the honorarium we have set aside for Alastair McDonald and Ian McFadden, our two special musical guests and brothers in the Lord.


• Currency Exchange - To cover initial traveling expenses, it is advised that the tour members exchange a small amount of dollars ($100.00 to $150.00) into British pounds (not Euros), preferably prior to departure or upon arrival at a major airport. Subsequently, to get the best exchange rate, however, we recommend that you wait until you arrive at your destination. While most major airports feature a currency exchange desk, you are likely to get a better rate directly from an ATM machine affiliated with a major bank. You can also exchange currency at U.K. banks and Royal post offices, and they generally offer better exchange rates over the airport exchange desks. Hotels are usually the least favorable choice for currency exchange rate. Some shops still accept traveler’s checks and give change in local currency. However, more recently, prepaid ATM/debit travel cards have replaced the use of traveler's checks. Generally, most establishments accept payment by Visa and MasterCard; however, some require a minimum charge in order to accept payment by credit card. For more information on currency exchange, please click here and here.


• Meals - The price of the tour includes a total of 10 breakfasts and 9 hotel dinners. Scottish breakfast is provided at our hotel accommodations each morning, and they are customarily quite filling. Lunches should be considered more of a snack than a sit down meal most days, due to time restraints, and are not included in the tour price. Dinners will be provided at our hotel accommodations on days 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. We have scheduled time for tour members to dine out at a restaurant of choice on day 3. However, if individuals or small groups wish to venture out on any additional evenings, this is perfectly fine, as well. Tour members would pay individually for meals whenever dining out. Due to the schedule or possible delays, meals may be served later than people are used to. Traditionally, the evening meal is served fairly late in Europe. Our hotel dinners are scheduled at approximately 6:30 pm, but due to the schedule this may be later at times. Drinks such as sodas, or adult beverages, are not included in the meals.


• Hotels - Hotel rooms throughout Europe are typically not as large as in the U.S. With the exception of "guest houses," all your hotels have private bathrooms, including bath linens. Air conditioning is not as common or efficient as in the U.S. A small battery operated travel fan may be useful for summer travel.


• Shopping - Store hours vary in each country. Most shops are open until 6:00 pm weekdays, until 2:00 pm on Saturdays and closed on Sundays. Banks are closed on weekends. Please check with your Tour Hosts or your hotel front desk for store hours for any specific day in any specific country. Due to schedules of the sightseeing tours, "leisurely" shopping opportunities may be limited. If you are willing to explore independently, however, you will find ample time to shop.


• Clothing - The weather in Scotland can be very unpredictable. Anticipate some rain and cool windy conditions. It is advisable to bring a light to medium weight raincoat and travel umbrella. The best way to prepare for your clothing needs is the method of "layering." A raincoat, warm sweater and lighter sweater should provide enough flexibility for most weather conditions from spring through fall. "Layering" also eliminates the need for a heavy overcoat. Dress comfortably, as there are no specific dress regulations in Scotland. Most importantly, be sure to bring your most comfortable walking shoes! And for those who plan on hiking, don't forget to pack accordingly.


• Luggage - We strongly recommend that you travel with one suitcase and one carry-on per person. We have found when available, hotel porter service is usually offered to accommodate one suitcase per person. Also, please be advised that because of the old world charm of buildings throughout Great Britain, as well as the Continent, it is not uncommon for quality hotels to have stair access only. And when elevator access is available, European elevators are almost miniature in comparison to those in American hotels. Once again, traveling as light as possible has advantages all around. For guidelines in carry-on baggage, Continental Airlines has an excellent Web page explaining the current guidelines if you are traveling with any liquid, gel or aerosol items in your carry-on baggage. This should apply to other airlines, as well. To view information, please click here.

Airline Limits:

1 bag @ width + length + height less than 65"
1 carry-on bag @ width + length + height less than 45"

• Telephone Access - Be sure to bring your international calling card number, if you have one, for placing phone calls from Great Britain to the U.S. The rates without a calling card are extremely high in Great Britain. For placing calls within the U.K., British cell phones and minutes can be purchased economically in Scotland's Walmart equivalent (called Tesco), as well as at other convenience stores.


• Frequent Flyer Mileage - Mileage for Airline(s) Frequent Flyer Program can be accrued. Please inquire and give your numbers to the Airline Representative(s) at the time of check-in.

PART OF THE EXCITEMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL TOUR IS EXPERIENCING THE MANY DIVERSE FOREIGN CULTURES AND CUSTOMS.

EXPECT THINGS TO BE QUITE DIFFERENT THAN AT HOME. MOST SIGHTSEEING TOURS ARE WALKING TOURS AND, OF COURSE, THE HISTORIC SIGHTS YOU WILL VISIT DATE BACK HUNDREDS OF YEARS, BEFORE SUCH AMMENITIES AS ELEVATORS AND RAMPS FOR DISABLED WERE INVENTED.

GOOD ADVICE IS TO BE A LITTLE FLEXIBLE, ANTICIPATE THE ODD DELAY OR SCHEDULE CHANGES AND TRULY ENJOY YOUR EXPERIENCES. BE POSITIVE, AND EXPERIENCE EVERY MOMENT OF YOUR TOUR.

LASTLY, "LITTLE BEAR'S" PRACTICAL TIP - As a suggestion inspired by my wife's Scottish thriftiness, some of you might want to start a special "Trip to Scotland" savings account for your family as a gift to each other, or as a suggestion to grandparents and friends who haven't the foggiest idea of what to get you for Christmas, birthdays, graduation, and anniversaries. As a matter of fact, maybe the grandparents would like to join us, too!