While Michael and I were in Southampton to board the cruise for Norway on Stampin’ Up’s 2023 incentive trip, we decided to extend our trip on our own dime and tackle my biggest bucket list item ever–England!!! many demonstrators add to their trip because it’s a great way to maximize airfare and vacation time. It’s always fun to see where people choose to go. We decided to arrive in England early and then stay the whole week after Norway! What fun!!
Looking for Part Two? Here is is!
Disclaimer: for legal reasons I must state that my experience is not typical of the average person in direct sales. If you’d like to discuss the compensation plan for Stampin’ Up, I’d be happy to show you what more typical earnings as a hobby demonstrator might look like, as well as explain the opportunities for those choosing to put in more effort.
We flew into Heathrow, bused to Southampton port, and checked into The Pig in the Wall, which I cannot reccomend highly enough. The food was scrumptious and our tiny attic bedroom was too adorable. The hotel is built right into the medieval wall of the city. The gate through which Henry V marched to Agincourt and the Mayflower pilgrims boarded their ship is right next door. We saw the Titanic memorial as well. Southampton also has all kinds of Jane Austen connections in addition to WWII history. SO COOL!
Based in Southampton for two days, we took trains to visit Salisbury with the Cathedral and the Magna Carta, and a quick pop into Stonehenge at sunset (we even spotted a druid wedding starting!). The final day, before boarding the ship to Norway, we spent six hours in Winchester enjoying ourselves immensely. Late spring was in full bloom, with roses everywhere. So charming!
I was already in hog heaven just with two days in England!! So then we went on the Norway trip and had a fabulous time with Stampin’ Up (see that post here.) I loved Norway but I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be in England so easily!! We hit the ground running when we got off the boat and headed to PARIS by train! This was for Michael’s sake… he wants to hit all the world’s major museums (I concur!) and the Louvre was just two and a half hours away… so for our 26th anniversary we spent one (expensive) night in France!
We had fun spending the last few hours of our day in Paris on the Hop On-Hop Off bus tour just to catch some quick snaps of the landmarks. Was it ever HOT that day! This is the only part of the trip where I got sunburned. The rest of the trip (Norway and England both) we generally had windbreakers on and were ok.
Back through the Chunnel to England. I booked a hotel right next to the British Museum, so we spent parts of two days seeing the treasures (Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles, Sutton Hoo helmet just to name a few) and walking through Trafalgar Square and St James’ park to see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and all the Westminster Abbey and Houses of Parliament stuff. It was so cool! Somebody pinch me!!!
I think I might break the internet if I don’t split up this trip into two posts! Thanks for enjoying it vicariously with me. Have you been to England? Leave a comment and let me know what you loved most OR want to see most if you get to go someday soon!
