What to do with all your time?

Nebulous2

Cobbler_tone said:

Albermarle said:

Moonwolf said:

Sarahspangles said:

In one of my roles I went to London from Yorkshire for meetings every week, it’s two hours by train. Once I’m retired I'm going to see whether it’s possible with a later start to avoid peak fares. I expect we’d be shattered the next day! We did a trip with an overnight stay recently but the second day wasn’t fun after a night in a noisy hotel. With a day trip, we would just need one of us to wake up before we reached our home station.

We do that every couple of years even before being retired. Take a later train, book well in advance at the cheapest possible time, arrive in London around lunchtime. Have a late slow boozy lunch somewhere busy and people watch. Check in the hotel, go to a show.  The next day (or two) do tourist stuff, last year we took a boat from Westminster Pier to Kew. A nice meal somewhere in the evening. The next morning a museum or gallery then train home. Pre book everything for the best price.

You get less time in London so you effectively lose some of the savings. An early train out and late back would give you three days instead of 1 and two halves, but our method is less tiring.

 could not find a pub that was not standing room only

We take the 90 minute drive to London 4/5 times a year for shows, shopping etc.
Most recently we found a seat in the corner of the tiny but fabulous and historic John Snow pub. 
The thing that I always chuckle at is the genuine need to have a drinking culture (due to the size of the pubs) of drinking outside on the pavements, even in the depths of winter. I can't think of anything worse than drinking a cold pint in minus 1 whilst balancing on the kerb....is possibly the best definition of getting old. 

A long weekend in London is a once every 2-3 year event for us, but our last time there we came on a pub in central London with a crowd of mainly youngish people drinking outside it, and were surprised to find there was hardly anyone actually in it. 

Once the office workers had dispersed the pubs were fairly quiet, with some of them closing earlier than I expected. 

Yorkie1

bjorn_toby_wilde said:

We do the same with the senior railcard 😁

My Dad used to use his senior railcard to plan a journey that took him as far as possible, and back in the day. I think the furthest he went was Cardiff, from just north of London!

Yorkie1

Albermarle said:

Moonwolf said:

I like a trip to York but it is absolutley the best on a weekday out of season for the same reason.  We can get a train there and back very cheaply so I don't have to drive.

Fully agree with this . The last time I went on a Saturday, I had not realised that this historic city was Party Central from about 13.00 onwards. Many pubs and bars with bouncers on the door, packed with young men and women on large scale drinking sessions all afternoon and into the evening. Plus a lot of tourists and shoppers as well.

Absolutely - it's hen and stag central here. Locals avoid the party times and opt for quieter parts of the city and/or times.

Moonwolf

Yorkie1 said:

Albermarle said:

Moonwolf said:

I like a trip to York but it is absolutley the best on a weekday out of season for the same reason.  We can get a train there and back very cheaply so I don't have to drive.

Fully agree with this . The last time I went on a Saturday, I had not realised that this historic city was Party Central from about 13.00 onwards. Many pubs and bars with bouncers on the door, packed with young men and women on large scale drinking sessions all afternoon and into the evening. Plus a lot of tourists and shoppers as well.

Absolutely - it's hen and stag central here. Locals avoid the party times and opt for quieter parts of the city and/or times.

If I hadn't been working today, it is exactly the kind of day I would risk the centre.  Weekday, early in the season but sunny and warm enough.  The museums shouldn't be too busy and the museum gardens is pleasant in the spring sunshine, the riverside pubs can be dire but when it is quiet, sitting with a beer watching the river is a luxury waste of time.

pterri

Moonwolf said:

Yorkie1 said:

Albermarle said:

Moonwolf said:

I like a trip to York but it is absolutley the best on a weekday out of season for the same reason.  We can get a train there and back very cheaply so I don't have to drive.

Fully agree with this . The last time I went on a Saturday, I had not realised that this historic city was Party Central from about 13.00 onwards. Many pubs and bars with bouncers on the door, packed with young men and women on large scale drinking sessions all afternoon and into the evening. Plus a lot of tourists and shoppers as well.

Absolutely - it's hen and stag central here. Locals avoid the party times and opt for quieter parts of the city and/or times.

If I hadn't been working today, it is exactly the kind of day I would risk the centre.  Weekday, early in the season but sunny and warm enough.  The museums shouldn't be too busy and the museum gardens is pleasant in the spring sunshine, the riverside pubs can be dire but when it is quiet, sitting with a beer watching the river is a luxury waste of time.

Two weeks for me

katejo

Albermarle said:

katejo said:

westv said:

pterri said:

jennystarpepper said:

Something simple for me, as not a cyclist.  Being able to go to the beach for a walk more, weather and daylight permitting, tide times will be more accessible, not being stuck mostly to the weekends, and it's free!  

Being able to just take a trip, mid week if the weather is nice. That alone is worth retiring early if you can afford it. If you’re in the South East then the Network Rail card will pay for itself very quickly, 1/3 off rail tickets for £35 a year. 

Or, if you are over 60, the Senior Railcard gives you 1/3 off anywhere in the UK.

Yes I have the senior Railcard combined with my Oyster 60+. That's better than the Network Railcard. I intend to do more impulsive days out once retired. 

I do not know about any restrictions on Oyster Cards, but you can not use your Senior Railcard for travel within the London and South East Network during the morning peak time ( departure before 09.30 ). If you travel at these times you have to pay the full peaktime price.
Otherwise they are a great deal, especially if you get them free with Tesco clubcard vouchers !

Yes I know but I only travel off peak except Friday morning when I go into work early. Then I use my old Oyster pay as you go. 

Moonwolf

pterri said:

Moonwolf said:

Yorkie1 said:

Albermarle said:

Moonwolf said:

I like a trip to York but it is absolutley the best on a weekday out of season for the same reason.  We can get a train there and back very cheaply so I don't have to drive.

Fully agree with this . The last time I went on a Saturday, I had not realised that this historic city was Party Central from about 13.00 onwards. Many pubs and bars with bouncers on the door, packed with young men and women on large scale drinking sessions all afternoon and into the evening. Plus a lot of tourists and shoppers as well.

Absolutely - it's hen and stag central here. Locals avoid the party times and opt for quieter parts of the city and/or times.

If I hadn't been working today, it is exactly the kind of day I would risk the centre.  Weekday, early in the season but sunny and warm enough.  The museums shouldn't be too busy and the museum gardens is pleasant in the spring sunshine, the riverside pubs can be dire but when it is quiet, sitting with a beer watching the river is a luxury waste of time.

Two weeks for me

8 days, 6 working days for me. (5 - who works on their last day?)

onlyconnect

Running. First marathon last year. Next in a few weeks time. New York marathon later this year. Of course one never knows how long one can keep this up!

Sarahspangles

Moonwolf said:

pterri said:

Moonwolf said:

If I hadn't been working today, it is exactly the kind of day I would risk the centre.  Weekday, early in the season but sunny and warm enough.  The museums shouldn't be too busy and the museum gardens is pleasant in the spring sunshine, the riverside pubs can be dire but when it is quiet, sitting with a beer watching the river is a luxury waste of time.

Two weeks for me

8 days, 6 working days for me. (5 - who works on their last day?)

6 working days here too

michaels

Yorkie1 said:

bjorn_toby_wilde said:

We do the same with the senior railcard 😁

My Dad used to use his senior railcard to plan a journey that took him as far as possible, and back in the day. I think the furthest he went was Cardiff, from just north of London!

I took my DD to Monaco for the day for her 18th - bet the flights cost less than his train tickets too